Rainy the Croc's Journal: pg. 4 – Help?

Okay, so here I am, journal. This isn't really my journal though, it's just a piece of scrap paper I found on the ground. I just wanna keep a record of this because it seems important. Important for a prince, at least, because soon I'm going to be catapulted far away from here, away from the kingdom that is supposed to be my responsibility! This whole journey just to be thrown back to where I started from!

"So I can't mess up the plan," my leonine captors had said. But I already know everything now so what point is anything if I'll just keep coming back?

But maybe they know that I can't come back. Sometimes I feel like I'd rather just lie around in the comfort of somewhere far away and let my kingdom crumble than walk back and forth through miles! These stubby crocodile legs are meant for paddling through a shallow pond, not hiking.

I was almost surprised that I was relieved to be locked away in this damp and cold dungeon instead of having to walk more. At least I can just lie here... and who knows? Maybe some magical force will sense the sheer injustice of all this and rescue the kingdom for me? There's not much I alone can do by now, except to record this. Then one day, someone with far more flexible legs than I could see this and find enough energy to finish the job for me...

So here I am. Prince Rainbow, all alone in this damp, dark dungeon. These lions that came from seemingly nowhere have imprisoned me in my own kingdom and are taking it over by force. I have no idea what they plan other than what will cause despair for my subjects, surely. 

...No, wait. There is something I overheard while being guided through Honeygrass. 

I looked around through the dungeon and saw dozens of pairs of flickering but hopeless eyes. Some pairs were specialized for the night and glowed in the darkness. 

I was about to ask to confirm if my suspicions were true, but just before the first syllable flew out of my jaws, a small rabbit spoke up.

"Prince Rainbow, my name is Cherimoya and I know some things about what the lions will do. Thats why they imprisoned me in the first place, because I knew too much." 

Could she be a mind reader? "C-could you...?" I choked out.

"Maybe I'm a mind reader, I don't know much about it myself. But please, I'd like to speak quickly before they come back. But I warn you, you may not be prepared for what I'm going to tell you." She continued. It sounded almost rehearsed, the way she said it, but what else was anyone going to do while trapped in a dungeon than plot their escape? I was a prince. I had power. I could get her out of there, possibly, with what little scraps of authority I still had.

"I'm not prepared for anything, but I need this knowledge." I responded. I thought about how long it had been since I had last spoke with an ally.

"Alright, here goes: I've been thinking about this a lot and a lot of these things just don't seem right, but I'll get to the fact before I get to my speculations. I've probably been in here the longest and while I've suffered the most of all this boredom and fear, I've gained the most knowledge about the lions. They're going to spread fear and anxiety throughout the kingdom's villages, which will lure phantoms out and spread even MORE fear about... so it will be a vicious circle of fear, yes." Cherimoya took a deep breath before continuing. 
"So the former crocodile kingdom will swarm with phantoms, and I don't know exactly how a phantom portal is formed, but I'm guessing that having a ton of phantoms around is part of it. A massive phantom portal will be formed– bigger than anything you've probably seen before and swallow the crocodile kingdom into darkness."

I did not know what to make of that. My head was swimming and I really was afraid. I tried to respond, but I was too hoarse. I could have fainted.

But Cherimoya was fine, and continued: "So what's this speculation I have about the lions? It's that they are just too connected with these phantoms to be... like us. I mean, why are these lions doing this? The phantoms don't establish treaties with any creature unless they mean to break them in a few seconds."

I found my voice. "What do you mean? I'm not understanding this at all."

She sighed and tried to resume her momentum. We could both hear paw steps coming down the stone stairs. "What will the lions get from phantoms swarming their kingdom? What will any creature get from phantoms being there? Fear, negative things– nothing worth making big plans for! This can't just be from curiosity– I believe the lions have somehow merged with the phantoms long ago! How else could they be the only known creature to shape shift?" the paw steps got louder and quicker and Cherimoya got louder with desperation. "So-called phantom magic isn't something you can practice, because you have to be a phantom to do it!" 

At this point I was terrified and could only focus on the paw steps drawing closer to Cherimoya's dungeon cell. I could see the glowing eyes of a nocturnal hunter, but it didn't appear that the lioness could see mine. Only Cherimoya's desperate rambling.

I saw she turned around to look at the lioness, and there was fear in her eyes, but only fear of not getting her message out. She still continued even as the lioness spoke in a surprisingly calm voice: "You've been in here too long, rabbit. I have been given orders to dispatch you somewhere far away from Honeygrass where you cannot do any damage to our plan."

I was temporarily thrown off guard by the mocking way she said "our," but then I noticed that Cherimoya had finally stopped– no, allowed herself to be interrupted.

"I... I think so, too." She said in a whisper.

And then as docile as a leaf, Cherimoya left with the lioness and I could hear the dungeon door close. 

I pressed my claws up against the cold stone wall and thought about all that Cherimoya said, and thought about how useless it was for me.

Still, it was better than nothing. I thought it over and noticed the darkening sky through the window too high for my crocodile legs to lift me, or my crocodile voice to be heard.

--End of Rainy's journal entry--

--Beginning of Strawberry the lion's POV--

After exiting the castle, I guided Cherimoya over to the secret exit path out of the jungle. Everything had always felt so wrong since I was a cub, so with the rabbit I was going to escape, and hopefully guide some of those trapped in the forest, too.

"Over this way!" I whisper-yelled. If I failed this one task, I would have failed Mira. After hearing Cherimoya over and over again in the cell, even with the way she so analyzed our ways, I secretly felt relieved because I was right! This little rabbit had guided me out of the darkness that the phantoms choked the other lions with.

Cherimoya expressed her gratitude profusely, but I should have been thanking her! But I didn't dare talk more than I needed to, lest another lion hear my familiar voice.

I guided her through the forest, while she promised to guide me to the Savannah. With a last glance at the dark clouds looming over the castle, I silently promised myself that one day, no matter what happened, I would go back and free my brothers and sisters from the phantoms. But until then, I could only hope that the crocodile prince Cherimoya had been talking to could remember her words.

"Let's go, Strawberry." Cherimoya whispered.

"Thank you," I whispered back, even softer.

*TO BE CONTINUED IN APRIL!*

Honeygrass Village

What Elderberry had told us was that a big rock marked the entrance to Honeygrass, but all that was there was a gate! For a moment we'd thought we walked this long way just to get ourselves lost, but our other crocodile friend Alex took the liberty of asking around... and we were relieved to hear from a baby-blue tiger that this was indeed the village of Honeygrass. They had just recently moved the boulder because, well, it was incredibly difficult to get around. So I guess Elderberry's knowledge was a little outdated...

But at least we weren't lost, and if we ever got lost we had a whole village to ask for directions. It really beat walking alone in the Marshlands.

The village itself was much different from the one back home. Yeah, it had the same elements; dens, schools, and markets, but it was very quiet. It had kind of an eerie quiet to it, everyone seemed to keep to themselves. 

We decided to make the best of this village and walk around, rest a little, buy some things... but we had a mission to complete, and it was my responsibility to prod along the two less-focused members of our group.

Happy for one, was all over the place. "OMG, look at that temple!!! It looks soooo pretty, I wonder if we can go inside??" the pink elephant was practically jumping up and down. "Can we, Berry?? Can we???"

"Umm... I don't think so. We need to find out where Rainy's at." I didn't feel like I could be the best leader in situations like this, so I turned to Alex.

"Berry's right." He sighed, "Plus, we're not just recuing Rainy. It's ALL of our responsibilities to help him take back his kingdom and drive the lions out of Jamaa once and for all!"

I was about to agree, but then I had this weird feeling that what Alex said was all wrong, and to be frank, just plain mean. Then it hit me! I remembered the scroll inside the bag slung around my shoulder. I patted the scroll inside hen I looked at Happy and it appeared that he got my message.

If we were both telepathic, we both would have thought to each other: At some point we're gonna have to show Alex the scroll.

"Both of you are kinda mean," began Happy sheepishly, "but I think I get what you're saying... Let's go ask around to see if anyone remembers any lions passing through!" 

And so we did, and after asking only one giraffe our suspicions were confirmed. The village was awfully quiet for a reason: lions had come through. 

The giraffe then went on to explain that it wasn't always like this. Under the crocodile Queen's rule, all animals were required to treat each other with kindness and respect, even the so called kings of the jungle. (Lions didn't ever live in the jungle! I wonder where that idea came from.) But that was before one singular lion ("Patches!?" we both gasped, and the giraffe said yes, his name was Patches) who had been plotting to somehow overthrow the crocodile queen for some time now had his plan go into action. He got closer to the crocodile kingdom's royal family, (for you see the crocodile kingdom was just called the crocodile kingdom because the royal family was a crocodile, so I guess it should just be called "the kingdom" and has now switched from a Crocodile dynasty to a Lion dynasty) and one by one got each royal crocodile lost in the deep forest, where they're rumored to all live together in small shelters by the big trees. The prince Rainbow however, was catapulted into some other village far away, and his wellbeing went unknown until... he came into town today, guarded by lions! And he looked awfully scared, too, so we are all scared for him and the future of our village. What will happen once the lions take full control?

We had no time to waste! Because the situation in the Kingdom was so well known here, there were plenty of resources for us. The kind giraffe gave us maps, we used the last of our gems to buy some food, and we spent no more time in Honeygrass Village. 

The castle top behind the forest doesn't seem so far away now. I wonder if I'll get any time at all to write in my journal during the last leg of our mission!

*TO BE CONTINUED IN MARCH*

A Lone Lemonade Stand

Okay, so we know where the lions are taking Rainy. The Crocodile Kingdom must be close! Either that, or the lions are leading us into a trap with false footprints. But honestly, things have been going so well now I don't even wanna think about it!

So disregarding my suspicion, we finally have direction in this quest to save Rainy.

The trail became less waterlogged the further we walked– a pretty good sign! After a longer walk, the sun began to shyly peek out of the clouds. Sunlight! Real shimmering rays of molten gold! After trekking through the sad and soggy marshlands, this was amazing! If we didn't have an important task to accomplish at the moment I would have joined Happy and quietly gawked at the sky. But we had things to do, so I had to prod him along. 

Actually, I had to physically push him along for most of the trip. It sounds funny until you recognize that I'm a koala and he's an elephant. 

"Why can't you walk on your own!?"

"Hehe, I'm thirsty so I can't move. You need to push me!" replied Happy like he knew exactly what he was doing.

"That doesn't make sense! I'm thirsty too but I've been dragging you through the trail for at least 30 minutes!"

"Huh– what?! You have? I barely noticed. Oooh, so thats why I thought I was hovering when you were carrying me!"

"I wasn't carrying you!" I exasperatedly sighed, "You see that big, elephant shaped shallow in the middle of the path that stretches on from over there? Yeah, that's you! Or more accurately that's me pushing you!"

We bickered for ah, I dunno. 15 more minutes? We finally settled on a truce, if however unfair: Happy would walk on his own if and only if he claims all of the carrots as his own. I only accepted because I was so tired out from arguing. 

Anywho, we walked on until Happy stopped dead in his tracks.

"What? What's so important that makes you wanna start all over again with this nonsen–"

"Shh," he silenced me. "just listen to the sound of the wind."

I did, for about three seconds. 

"Happy, I don't know what happened but I think we need to rest a little. You're acting a little crazy. C'mon, there's some shade over he–"

"Why would we need shade when theres a LEMONADE STAND UP AHEAD?!" Now he must have really lost it, why would there be a lemonade stand on this empty flipping road?

But he had already raced ahead.

I struggled to catch up with him and– what!? Is that a lemonade stand I see up ahead?! That's crazy! So crazy. Yep, preeeetty wacky. But why–

...

...

...............

.........................

"Hello friends! Free lemonade for all."

"Now hold on just a min–" I tried to say.

"Me! Me! I want some!!!" called Happy jumping up and down.

"Alright, take whichever one you want!" said the awfully familiar looking crocodile.

I decided to hold my tongue until Happy was quiet.

"Alright, sooo..." began the crocodile, wincing weirdly, "nice weather we're having, huh?"

I was so sick of this. "Thanks for the lemonade, but I know who you are. Please just tell us what you want. You sent Rainy off on a 'journey' to the crocodile kingdom but all you did was send him to his doom! And now we have to go rescue him from the lions you told him to fight. So why are you here? Why did you follow us?"

There was silence for a second. 

"I, err, don't know what you're talking about. I am but a simple farmer working my crocodile claws to the bone growing lemons and selling them here to travelers. It is what I have always done." said the crocodile.

There was frustrated silence again for a second.

"ALRIGHT BERRY YOU GOT ME!" the crocodile admitted, collapsing in the sun bleached path, "I followed you here because I thought something was wrong. Yeah, all the way from your den to the Marshlands to here– all the while carrying this fold-up lemonade stand!" he sighed weakly.

"Uhh... why did you take the lemonade stand?" I questioned.

"I, uhhh..." began the crocodile- looking pretty embarrassed! "I thought it would be useful somewhat..."

I had many questions, but I decided against wasting any more time. The crocodile obviously had no idea that Rainy was going to become prisoner, and I actually felt sorry for him! I decided that he deserved a chance.

I stood up. "C'mon, Happy. You can come too, uhh...?"

"Alex," the crocodile said, gaining more confidence, "My name is Alex! Why do you keep forgetting?"

"Yeah, of course! You seem pretty capable, and we don't have much reason to be mad at you anymore." I turned around to Happy, who had been quietly relaxing in the shade looking on for a while. "C'mon, Happy! Let's go!"

He bolted up. "Yay! Let's go!" 

And so we walked on, and soon enough we found the entrance to Honeygrass!

*TO BE CONTINUED IN FEBRUARY!*

The Mysterious Elderberry

When we reached the entrance of the strange rabbit (who gave her name to be Elderberry), I finally felt the exhaustion of the entire trip pulling down my shoulders. I was so cold and hungry that once Elderberry pushed apart the heavy curtains and the warmth of the cave reached out I fell flat on my face in weakness. Happy promptly hopped off my back (looking suspiciously more energetic than when he got on...) and skipped back and forth, clearly happy to be indoors and dry for once.

The cave was small with wood panelling all along its walls. Sparsely decorated, I got the sense that Elderberry had very little time or resources for such luxuries as blankets or pillows. Either that or putting the wood panels in place was too taxing for her to even begin thinking about sewing.

"You can make yourselves comfortable wherever you please. I'm sorry for the lack of soft things to keep you warm, but it's better than being cold and wet outside, right?" Elderberry said a bit awkwardly. I didn't imagine that she had a lot of friends or time to socialize; she spoke a bit too quiet to hear right. She probably wasn't used to talking to others.

Once we had sat down, Elderberry pushed a basket of carrots toward us. "Both of you should eat lots of carrots. They're the only vegetable that grows here that travelers like you can eat."

"But what about the poison pears?" Happy questioned.

"Well, you see they aren't really poison. In your case, they can be as deadly as a lightning strike––"

"How does that work??" Happy anxiously fidgeted.

Elderberry sighed a moment out of slight frustration and continued, "The red pears aren't actual pears; they're fruits native to this region and this region alone. Their story goes back to when Cosmo the koala shaman was experimenting with creating different plants and fruits to help the inhabitants of the Marshlands. Basically, these were mess-ups that weren't very well cleaned up."

"What makes them so deadly, though?" I asked.

"Because they're so plentiful and travelers like you are so desperate for food, they can be all you eat. The truth of the matter is that they are extremely low in nutrients–– Mira, you could eat nothing but raw ice and still be better off. They melt instantly; they don't even fill you up! They don't have the slightest bit of sugar or any calories–– they're the worst thing you could ever eat."

"Wow, I was thinking they were really poisoned for a minute!" Happy relievedly exclaimed.

"I don't know, Happy. In my opinion, it would be better to eat a single poisoned fruit than waste away eating nothing but FAKE fruit." I replied.

"That's exactly what they are, Berry! Fake fruit! I should tell all the amphibians that so no one gets sick agai––" Elderberry stopped herself mid sentence.

The room was silent.

"Hey..." I cautiously pushed, "I never told you my name." 

"Uhhh... Ummm... You go eat some carrots while I go light the fire drum, kay?" Elderberry said shakily and bounded into the next room.

Now that was peculiar.

But I'd ignore it for now...

~

The fire drum had been going for some time now, and Elderberry still hadn't returned. I didn't think anything of it; I was too busy sleeping for the most part.

It appeared that Elderberry had left the cave. I looked around at the few things inside her home: the fire drum was still lazily burning, there was a... banana tree? Strange, but interesting. A single hand carved chair sat opposite to the fire, and there were two books stacked by the wall. I went to look at them.

One appeared to be a story book. It had no title or author on the cover, but the inside was in incredibly beautiful calligraphy and it seemed to tell a sort of story. Something about a sea lion... I looked to the next book and flipped inside. Immediately I was met with a big "DON'T READ MY DIARY!" in big threatening letters on the cover page. I set it down; it would be rude to accept someone's help and then read their diary.

Halfway through the basket of carrots, the sounds of fire and newfound comfort had gently pushed me into a warm sleep.

~

I slept the whole night away without waking up. I hadn't ever felt so energized and well when I got up that I literally jumped off the floor! 

But me and Happy couldn't stay with Elderberry forever. In the morning we ate a breakfast of water-sprinkled carrots and of course... water.

"Hey Elderberry, where do you find these carrots?" I asked. I wanted to know so me and Happy could travel through the rest of the Marshlands without going hungry.

"There are scattered mostly around the more humid regions. There's a big, big patch growing at the base of this hill–– but you don't need to go there, I already got some carrots tied together for you." She lifted a bundle of around 12 carrots tied together with a rather old-looking string. That reminded me...

"Oh, thank you so much! But before we go, I have a random question."

"Ask away," the mahogany rabbit allowed.

"Where do you get all your stuff? Me and Happy walked through the most of the Marshlands and we never EVER came upon anyone else, even a home! Are there any markets nearby?"

"Oh right, I should tell you!" Elderberry pulled out a faded, possibly outdated map from the bag slung around her side. If one could call it a map! It looked like it was drawn by a child using many thick layers of berry juice as a drawing tool. 

One side was a simple, mostly blank blob marked SOUTHERN REGION with a small hill around the edge and a single, twisting path to the second blob marked NORTHERN REGION. This blob was peppered with more hills, gardens, markets-- and was that a castle at the top? "You should continue taking the marked path up until you reach the big rock. It isn't just any big rock, you'll know when you reach it, if you stay on the path. Behind that rock is the city of Honeygrass. Just ask anyone to find a market!"

"Oh my, thank you so much!" I said sincerely, with hope exploding out of my koala heart. I did not know what I would do without this kind rabbit's help!

"We really, really, really appreciate everything you've done for us!!" Called Happy, as we were walking out the cave door. It was cold and wet outside, but with newfound purpose it was made warmer.

"Oh, just one more thing!" Elderberry called, "My sister Cherimoya sells honey at the market, say hi if you get the chance!"

"We will!" me and Happy promised, not thinking about how vague a statement that was. 

Soon the hill was far away, and soon enough, the cold fog evened out.

~

An hour or so into the trek, we came upon some very peculiar footprints in the soil. Yes, they were slightly washed out by the light rain, but they were an interruption in the otherwise water-smooth ground.

And from up close, they looked like lion paws accompanied by crocodile tracks.

*TO BE CONTINUED NEXT MONTH*

Avoid the Poison Pears!

Around morning time, we left the abandoned "gecko" camp behind us in search of the usual; bluer skies, greener grass, and the lion-controlled stronghold where Rainy is being kept. Or at least we think so. For all we know, the highly respected Prince Rainbow could be on his way to justice for his kingdom and we'd just be butting in; the blue koala and pink elephant caught up in the middle of battle just like little lost lambs. 

But we've been through far too much to just sit back and wait. If what we're thinking is true (which is what all signs point to), then we shouldn't push our luck by waiting any further. Besides, I highly doubt that someone would take the trouble of setting up a false trail for us, leaving behind a precious manuscript to guide us on a false quest.

It's been sleeting (raining and snowing) for quite some time now, and me and Happy have been on this trail for hours and have yet to find any sign of Rainy. Or food, for that matter. The skies are dark and everything is wet and miserable. It's as if we caught the sky right in the middle of a cold. 

My paws hurt so much! I know we should stop at some point and set up camp, but before this terrible storm dies down I'm not setting my butt back on the ground. Besides that, it's far too damp to start a fire so we'd probably freeze. At least all this moving is keeping us moderately warm...

But one thing that will destroy our plans is a lack of food. If we're too weak to keep moving, we'll have to sit down and rest; resulting in wasted time and shivering on the soggy, slowly freezing marsh of a ground. Sitting down, we'd probably be waist-deep in water! It'd be just like being pushed into a shallow pond in the dead of winter.

After a long while, I regret to say we did not find the least bit of food. We had to brave the sad grass, and on a count of three we both sat down. It was so submerged that every blade appeared to struggle for air; but to our surprise, it wasn't as deep as we thought. But it was only a small victory when we were still soaked to the bone; from the second I sat down I knew that I would be miserable for the remainder of the trip. The water would be infinitely difficult to wring out of my short but overly absorbent fur. Happy sat down in hopeful silence, at least he could just dry off on a rock. I was the only one complaining.

I complained loudly into the pouring sky about everything under the sun. I was rewarded by another 10 fat drops of rain on my nose. Why'd Rainy go off like that? Why do I always have to rescue everyone? But my thoughts always returned to my growling stomach. I couldn't believe there wasn't a single edible thing around! Not an apple, not a weed, not even a clover. Everything was too bogged down to offer us the slightest fruit or flower...

Or so we thought.

Ten minutes into the overflowing stream of complaining, I was ready to reach into the muck and eat a paw full of soggy grass when we noticed a small amphibian poking their head out of the water.

"Hello, my name is Blueberry." said the frog, tipping the top hat she were wearing for an unspoken reason. "We don't normally get mammals here, its far too wet for them! You must be a long way from home."

Happy spoke first, apparently seeing nothing strange about Blueberry's waterproof top hat. "We're on a journey, we're just passing by. But we need some plants we can eat! I tried catching some mosquitos, but they were too tiny and quick. We're staaaaaarving!" He whined.

"Well, umm... I don't know what you mammals eat, but why not the red pears?" she replied, curiously glancing up at the red jeweled treetops. Strangely, an angry gust of wind shook the trees and one dropped down right in front of me as she said that. Odd...

I hadn't noticed it at all during the trip and it was hope in fruit-form. The red pear was the color of the sunset that I'd long forgotten after I'd first set foot in this rainy forest. The fruit was a sweet orange around the bottom, and as you moved up to the top it began to blush into a lovely red. It was so colorful against the drabness of the environment that it seemed to glow.

I thanked Blueberry multiple times and she dove back underwater laughing to herself. Maybe at our unwillingness to look at the trees? Still, we were all laughing to ourselves even afterwards because yes! We had found food!

Happy gathered up a few more fruits and we set off again, lightly eating them as we walked. We came upon the sight of a few hills in the distance-- and was that a cave? We sped up our pace eagerly. Things were surely going our way, finally-- soon we'd be safer and warmer and--

"I wouldn't eat those pears, if I were you!" a voice warned. It stopped us in our tracks and we looked around for it's source to find a small rabbit bounding towards us. 

"Did you say that?" I asked the lop-eared bunny. She caught her breath a moment and then explained.

"It wasn't Blue's fault. She just didn't know what else, that's all. If mammals really could eat those fruits, then there would be a whole lot more here! What I mean is..." she was talking too fast. "The cave I live in is over there, we need to get you both some medicine."

We were both fast to understand and we raced over to the hill. After a few paces, though, Happy stopped. 

"Oh no... I feel it's effects coming on... This is so bad..." He muttered and melodramatically dropped down to the ground. "Vision... blurring... Head... hurting..."

"Happy, please, we need to get going! It will be better once we--"

"I can't... *wheeze* get up." he loudly interrupted. He may be a bit sick, but now he was just fibbing. 

I padded back over to where Happy lay and tapped him on the back. 

"C-carry me?" he asked with fake timidness.

I was hesitant, but when I realized he probably would just keep complaining if I didn't surrender, I allowed him to climb onto my back. "Oh, sure..." 

Let's hope the medicine works!

*TO BE CONTINUED 

The Lion Story

Okay, we've made it to the base of a bunch of oak trees. It has remnants of a makeshift camp scattered throughout, and either the geckos were messy, or something happened that forced everyone out. There's a sleeping mat, an empty bowl, and... wow, a bunch of scrolls! They look super important. If the geckos were so careless, we'll be able to catch up to them in no time at all! For once, things are starting to look great.

But regardless, we don't know if Rainy is safe right now...

I walked over to the scrolls and tried to read them, but they were written in runes! If we can't understand them, there's really no point in even trying! I take all what I said before ba–

Oh wait.

Happy can read them?

"Don't worry, I got this..." the pink elephant mumbled as he stomped over to the scrolls. He scooped up the magnifying glass and began to read.

"Happy, we really don't have time to pretend––"

"Shhh! I'm reading the runes. And don't call me by that name." Happy shushed me.

"If not your name, what do I call you then?" I responded irritably.

"Hmmm... HMMMM... Call me... Patches." 

Patches?

Why in the world...

Hearing that name from Happy I started feeling uneasy. Uneasy was an understatement, I was afraid. I remembered that evil lion who I had to fight a while back. He captured one of my friends, I remember! And to top it off, the war between the lions and the crocodiles is beginning, and if they knew we were coming to rescue Rainy... could a lion have used phantom magic to disguise themselves as Happy?

Okay, I need to stop being so paranoid. Happy is weird, sometimes he doesn't like things being too serious. I best go along with it to read the runes to go find our friend.

"Okay, Ha––... Patches." I sputtered out reluctantly.

There was silence, as Happy skimmed over the runes with uncharacteristic focus. I was anxious as I could be, but I can wait this out. Yeah, I can! I can do this! I can do this! Patience is key! Patience is key! Patience is–––

Happy stared at the runes for like, 20 minutes. The sun was beginning to go down. The stars were beginning to come out. I was being gently pushed down into sleepiness when Happy finally blurted everything out.

"BERRY IT'S A STORY!!!"

"EEK!! Happy, why'd you take so long! It's only a page!"

"Mmm... I kind of fell asleep. Haha. But that's how I figured it out! This is the story of––"

"Okay, okay, what? Start from the beginning––– what happened?"

Happy was silent and fidgety for a moment, and then he spoke. "...I was only understanding like, a 16th of the runes, and I was staring at it hard, not blinking... then I kind of gave up and went to sleep, but that's when I started dreaming!"

"What do dreams have to do with any of this stuff? At least tell me what you learned from that 16th of the––" 

"But the dream was the whole story, Berry! I dreamed about the whole story! I'm so so so super certain that it is the story, and that it may help us!" Happy protested with lit up eyes.

There was a moment where there was nothing but the katydids making noise, but it was not enough to evaporate the heavy disbelief that squeezed the air.

I decided to just listen, but then I looked around and decided we didn't have enough water.

"Alright, Happy, I'll listen... but only after we go get some water from the stream over there." 

He got up and we went together to the nearby water in anticipation. One we returned, I curled up in the abandoned sleeping mat and Happy began to tell the story.

---

Long ago, this was a world blossoming for the first time, back when Mira's starry feathers; cast in the stars that wrapped around the earth in a blanket, gently brushed every rock, every insect in the world--- except one desert. The desert was cold and hot, red and blue crystals dusted with sand rolled about in the wind in it's eternal night, and it was left untouched by Mira's wing. 

The sun never lay it's rays upon the sand, each grain soaking up the steadily glimmering starlight to find every excuse to glitter. No creatures made home of this desert--- but Zios, looking down from the sun curled it's rays around the place, and the crystals shattered in the overwhelming light--- but even though as Mira was sad their beauty was gone, the reds and blues were not destroyed. Her sadness, however small in her celestial magnificence, made the crystals form anew together; knitting and collecting together their light like dewdrops drawn into a pool. 

They created a red and blue lion. The lion, seeing Mira's tears on the horizon, tried to call out to tell her that the crystals had formed--- but he could not move. He stood still and proud as a statue, but with a crippled heart that Mira was still sad. 

One honey golden morning 100 years later, when the once empty desert had grown trees and fruits and a ground cover of brittle grasses, Mira's starry feather swept over him. It was only slightly, but in that instant he opened his eyes and roared out to Mira "I'm okay! I'm okay!" and didn't see, but feel through his paws in the dirt that she was happy. 

For the next many years, he was king of the savannah. But after those many years, on a starry night like the night where he was born, something vanished. It was Zios. Mira was anguished and despairing, cried out purple-black tears that stained the grasses murky. And it was from those tears the phantoms emerged, and one of Mira's tears landed on the red and blue lion. That phantom did not become a part of the lion, but rode on his back and all of the other red and blue lions' back's after. Mira cried even harder, creating more and more phantoms.

The red and blue lion tried to call to Mira "Stop! Please stop!" but she couldn't hear. The lion had to stop and go down into the bushes, where the phantom commanded. 

And even after the alphas ceased the constant creating of phantoms, the wound on the world was deep. And growing. When the phantoms reached Mira in the stars, her last whisper to Jamaa before being locked away in the vortex of her own phantom creations was "Don't worry, animals. The phantoms are doomed. If every phantom was immersed in their own evil too deeply, they might be sucked away to the phantom vortex once and for all."

The red and blue lion was too deep underground to hear.

---

Me and Happy sat there for a long minute before we both said the same thing to each other.

"We can destroy the phantoms forever."

*TO BE CONTINUED IN NOVEMBER*

Oh No...

So, journal– it's Berry. It's been a while since we've last talked, (why am I saying this? haha, journals dont talk! and I certainly don't talk to journals... haha... yeah!) as you know, (the crocodile prince stuff, yeah) but me and Happy have been getting a bit uneasy.

We've been thinking about it, and always– always, always, always... Everytime something bad happens, it's usually because we underestimate, dont take everything into account... and then it's such a surprise when a lion leaps out of the bushes and we have to regroup!

We decided to lay low and just wait it out through the weird symbolic dreams with Mira and all that– but honestly, we've noticed something really strange:

Was there ever a real reason for us not to come along?

No! There never was! And us getting separated and singled out is always the first step towards disaster.

Me and Happy packed a bag– nothing too heavy, and right now we're setting off on the trail. But things haven't turned out too well... 

You see, we've only come ten steps away from the gate and we're already lost.

Happy doesn't appear to recognize the seriousness of this. He's just sitting against a tree, looking at butterflies...

Hey, wait a minute– is that a map to the Crocodile Kingdom? They must have dropped it! 

Everything's going great... for now. *dun dun dun next chapter coming in October*