Warriors: Quest for the Enchanted Ball of Yarn: book 1 - the scratchening

Chapter 11

The stranger was no stranger to danger. The kits however were COMPLETE strangers to danger. They had never once crossed paths with the sort of danger they had already encountered, and certainly not the type they were destined to be acquainted with in the coming chapters and books.

Unfortunately they were currently on a collision-course with two very different types of danger. One was the pack of vicious bird-like creatures called "mongs" and the other was a sinister feline who lurked in the bushes spying on them.

When the four kits and their heroic friend came upon the pack of mongs the kits hid behind the hero, who glared fiercely at their foe.

"This is a good sign," The Hero said to the kits without taking his eyes off of the mouth-foaming mongs.

"How is this good?" BlueKit asked brashly.

"It means that we're getting close to the lake. Mongs love the water."

"Everyone loves the water," griped ToolKit.

"Yes, but mongs REALLY love water."

"If you'd warned us that we'd be coming up on these things I would've looked for another route," BlueKit said to The Hero.

"It's not a problem, I've delt with mongs before."

"But did you get dead from dealing with them?" ToolKit asked.

The Hero turned from the mongs to ToolKit, then looked over to BlueKit as if to ask if ToolKit was serious or simply a tool.

"Yes, we all heard it," BlueKit replied to the gesture. "ToolKit says a lot of stupid things you will have to learn to ignore."

"None taken," ToolKit angrily quipped.

"Now about the Mongs?" LuckyKit asked the boys.

"Just follow my lead," The Hero instructed.

The Hero started limping towards the ferocious mongs and put on a gimpy facial expression, then he said the strangest thing they had ever heard... "I want cake."

The kits looked at each other and were so confused that they all began scratching their heads, except ToolKit who for some reason scratched his butt. But to their astonishment, this tactic seemed to be working, as the mongs began stepping back in fear.

"Come on guys, it's working!" BlueKit told his siblings, then began limping and gimping. "I want cake!"

LuckyKit and JeromeKit both followed the trend by walking as silly as they could while demanding cake. ToolKit had no idea what they were doing since walking limpy and asking for cake was a regular practice for him, so he started walking like a normal cat.

"I want asbestos," ToolKit said.

Suddenly the mongs stopped and stared at the kits with wide eyes as red as a rouge crayon.

"What have you done?" LuckyKit screamed at ToolKit.

"How should I know?" ToolKit screamed back.

But it was too late. The mongs charged them.

"Defend yourselves kits!" The Hero cried, then pounced straight into action by battling and clawing their raging opponents.

The kits had never had to fight someone other than themselves and certainly not to defend their lives, but amazingly they managed to hold their own against the raging beasts long enough for The Hero to come to their rescue and finish off the blood-thirsty mongs.

"I think I chipped a nail," complained ToolKit.

"The mongs were nasty, but if we continue this quest there will be much worse foes to come," The Hero said to the quaking kits.

"What do you mean 'IF' we continue?" BlueKit asked hypothetically. "We have to complete this task."

"Why?" JeromeKit asked. "What do we need that ball of yarn for anyway?"

"Yeah, why do we?" LuckyKit agreed.

"Stop trying to steal my thunder you racist," JeromeKit chirped at his sister.

"She didn't mean anything by it," BlueKit said to Jerome to diffuse the non-situation. "And we need the ball to prove to Mom and Dad that we're adults."

"I don't wanna be an adults," ToolKit barked. "I wanna stay a childrens."

"Too bad. We've come this far; there's no turning back."

"There's YES turning back!" ToolKit argued.

"Fine, we'll get the ball of yarn," LuckyKit conceded.

"You're only saying that 'cause I don't wanna." ToolKit said to his sister with an accusing digit pointed at her.

"Yup," she concurred, then continued walking down the path.

"I guess that's that," BlueKit shrugged and followed LuckyKit.

"We'll make camp once we find a clearing," the Hero said and followed behind the two kits.

"Are you coming or are you stupid?" JeromeKit asked ToolKit.

"A little of each," ToolKit replied, then along with JeromeKit followed the crowd.