PKU (English)

22.

"BRUCE?!"

Nita couldn't believe it! There he was! Her pet and best friend. Had he stepped out of her energy wave?! Because she had gasped his name?!

The girl didn't have much time to wonder, however, because the possessed Sandy started to attack again.

"I have to end this enforced control as soon as possible!"

The chameleon apparently thought the same, as it jumped from Nita onto the bear's back and from there crawled onto its paw. Bruce stood on his hind legs, swung out and threw it straight into the strange rubber fish Sandy's head was stuck in.

The glowing animal writhed and kicked, and sure enough, those actions pushed the creepy blenny off Sandy's head!

"Waah, what, what happened?"

That was the last thing Nita heard because at the same moment she was pushed aside by Bruce before another glob of slime could have caught her and landed in the lake. The water was surprisingly deep and murky, but Nita could make out familiar figures circling her. The mermaids! They were here! Slimy hands stroked her head, played with her hair, gripped her shoulders pleadingly.

"Please help us bear girl." Voices echoed through the lake, as lovely as Nita remembered them. It seemed to her as if all the water creatures were speaking at the same time.

"This monster suddenly appeared here a few days ago. She threatens us and wants to possess anyone who dares to approach her!"

Above her, Nita heard bear roars and angry screams. She was slowly running out of breath.

"We've seen what you're capable of! The power of the wilderness! The power to focus energy and communicate blindly with animals and plants! When you speak, the whole Walt listens to you!"

Again, screams came down to Nita from the surface. She wasn't sure if it was Sandy the witch or both screaming. The power of the wilderness?

"To defeat the demon, you must get close to it. Press your hands against the ground and shout your bear's name out loud. The bond you have between you makes this word your battle cry and amplifies your own power. Help us and defeat the water demon, bear girl!"

Nita nodded, bubbling, and pushed herself off the bottom of the lake. Spluttering, she reached the surface and swam back to shore. Her dress was soaked with water and filthy from the forest's leafy soil. Explaining that to the girls would be difficult.

"Nita!"

Sandy, luckily without a blenny on his head, and Bruce were busy fighting the swamp witch. Or what had the mermaids called her? Anyway, now wasn't the time to think!

Now it was time to act!