“Alright, alright,” Bubba Bubbaphant paced back and forth in their cabin.
Dogday sat on Craftycorn's bed, rocking back and forth in worry. Craftycorn sat beside him in order to try and comfort him.
“Just by what you're saying, he's defenitely upset or scared about something,” Bubba Bubbaphant continued, “Running away unexpectedly? Oh, that's something you should be concerned about.“
I swear to the longest evergoing trunks, Bubba Bubbaphant thought, what is up with Catnap?
Bubba Bubbaphant was just as confused as Dogday was. He knew that Catnap was not the type to express his feelings to his friends all the time, except Dogday, of course.
But him running away? Jeez louise with a little bit of cheese! Yesterday was enough to know that he was upset. He heard everything Dogday and Catnap said, and, now that this conversation is happening, he couldn't help but realize it had been in his head all night.
Well, surely Catnap will feel better… right?
“I am! I am concerned! Why would I not?“ Dogday cried out.
“Calm down, Dogday…” Craftycorn said in a gentle voice.
“Someone has to check up on him. Someone that… won't make Catnap run further.“
“That will be hard,” Dogday looked down. “He didn't even want to talk to me, ever since yesterday.“
“We will find a way to make Catnap talk about it,” Craftycorn reassured.
There was a knocking sound on the door. Bubba Bubbaphant went to get it as Craftycorn patted Dogday's back.
Bubba Bubbaphant opened the door, and PickyPiggy bursted in. She unknowingly shoved Bubba Bubbaphant aside.
“PickyPiggy!“ Bubba Bubbaphant called out sternly.
“Oh, hi, Bubba!“ PickyPiggy energetically jogged in place, “I think we got our stuff mixed up. My apple pillow isn't in my suitcase.“
“How would our things get mixed up?“ Bubba Bubbaphant asked, “It could've just been lost. Just remember where you last put it.“
“I might have been looking in others' suitcases on the inside before we went here a few days ago.“
“And?“
“That is where I last remember putting my apple pillow.“
Bubba Bubbaphant slapped his forehead with his palm, “Seriously, PickyPiggy?“
“Looking, Bubba, looking. Not peeking or snooping or viewing, not even sight-seeing. Looking!“
“All the words you have said mean the same thing,” Bubba Bubbaphant groaned.
“Well, whatever,” PickyPiggy pouted, “I'm going to check.“
PickyPiggy did not even notice Craftycorn and Dogday at first. It was when the moment she walked to Bubba Bubbaphant's closet that she caught a glimpse of them.
But, even if PickyPiggy obviously saw them, she ignored them and carried on to digging in Bubba Bubbaphant's suitcase, hoping to see her apple pillow and reunite with it. It's a real comfort to her—she can't sleep without it.
She found the pillow squished between clothes and books five minutes later, and gasped in delight at it. She instantly picked it up and kissed it multiple times. Again, didn't notice Bubba Bubbaphant's stuff flying to Craftycorn, Dogday, and Bubba Bubbaphant himself, which was her doing.
(A little crazy, how she did not notice. Since they were almost yelling at her to stop, and Bubba Bubbaphant just stood there, his mouth gaping open at the sight.)
She stared at the pillow, and slowly realized who the critters she glared at just moments ago. She turned her head over her shoulder.
“Dogday? Craftycorn?“ Her eyes widened. How come she hadn't realized before?
“Wow, you did so well at recognizing your friends, PickyPiggy,” Bubba Bubbaphant said sarcastically, “Did it in less than an hour!“
“Eheheh…” PickyPiggy felt a sense of shame sprinkle over her. “Sorry.“
“It's fine, you were too focused on your pillow anyway,” Bubba Bubbaphant waved his hand towards the pillow.
PickyPiggy felt somehow humiliated, “Sorry…” her hand brushed her other arm as her voice died away.
Bubba Bubbaphant smiled—not sarcastically this time—and chuckled to himself.
“Hehe,” Dogday started to speak, a hint of sadness in his voice, “did you notice that a few of your friends are covered in clothes, sunblock, and educational books?“
Craftycorn giggled, “In fact, the whole cabin is.“
PickyPiggy looked at the huge mess she had made while trying to find her pillow, and gulped, “D-Did I do that?“
“Yes, PickyPiggy,” Bubba Bubbaphant snarled, “Yes.“
PickyPiggy gulped again and started to gather all the clothes. Then, after, she would gather the books. Then, the sunblock, and she would put them back in Bubba Bubbaphant's suitcase.
“I'm so, so sorry!“ PickyPiggy said as she slightly crouched to get the clothes that topped Dogday's head, and the clothes that covered Craftycorn's legs, and the clothes that blocked half of their faces.
“I'm sure you are, but I forgive you,” Bubba Bubbaphant tenderly lightened his face up to PickyPiggy.
“Thanks, you're a real one,” PickyPiggy smiled. “But, what is Dogday doing in your cabin?“
Bubba Bubbaphant harrumphed, “About that…—”
Dogday's arms trembled.
“So, uh, Catnap—” Craftycorn begun, but got inturrupted by Dogday.
“CATNAP IS REALLY UPSET, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!“ Dogday yelled, trying to hold back tears, “JUST THIS MORNING, HE WOKE UP REALLY EARLY! AND I SAW THESE TEAR STAINS ON HIS PILLOW, AND HIS EYES WERE REALLY PUFFY! I IMMEDIATELY KNEW HE HAD BEEN CRYING, BUT HE KEEPS ON REFUSING TO TELL ME WHY! HE RAN AWAY JUST RECENTLY, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE HE WENT!
IT WAS NOT JUST TODAY, HE ALSO ACTED LIKE THIS YESTERDAY! DURING THE VISIT TO THE AQUARIUM, HE WAS FINE! BUT AFTER, HE WASN'T HIMSELF ANYMORE! IT'S SO FRUSTRATING, AND IT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY FROM WORRY AT THE SAME TIME!“
“There, there, Dogday,” Craftycorn comforted in a soft voice, “Everything will be alright.“
Woah, he ran away?“ Even PickyPiggy looked surprised.
“Yeah… and now, we're trying to help find him,” Bubba Bubbaphant replied.
“You don't think he went to Sunshine Café again, do you?“
“Most likely not. Sunshine Café is closed during Sundays so that workers can take a break.“
Dogday's eyes began to tear up, and his voice started to crack when he spoke, “I just want to know how Catnap feels. I don't want him to keep this all to himself.“
“You should try saying that to Catnap,” Craftycorn advised, “Maybe he would want to know how you feel, too.“
☆
Catnap sprinted through the bushes and the trees. He did not care about the fact that his legs were getting wet because he was stepping on the small puddles scattered along the forest; he was too busy being upset about that dream.
He wouldn't be able to possibly bear the thought of Dogday suddenly turning grim at him, the thought of Dogday leaving him alone, all by himself, but he was the most worried about him no longer wanting to be his friend.
He then finally stopped, since his feet ached from running, and crawled under a tree to sit down. The shade was cooling.
I need to rest for a while, Catnap thought. He considered taking a nap, but then he caught clouds in the sky. His head started to form pictures in his mind.
Oh, that looks like a horse, and it's jumping above another cloud.
That one looks like a pig, and it's eating… is that peanut butter and jelly?
Catnap chuckled.
Well, look, there goes a elephant that could answer all your questions in the universe with correct answers.
Now, there's a bear that loves to… well, love.
Catnap's tail started to sway. He didn't realize he was currently acting like Dogday.
And that, over there, is just the most creative unicorn I could ever think of.
Is that who I see? A chicken that's as equally as cool as the north pole. Or at least he likes saying that.
Oh, and the bunny who would hop to pluto and back if she wanted to.
He couldn't help but admit to himself that he enjoyed this. It was a nice way to relax.
His eyes dirfted to the left, and saw a dog. The same one he had always known. The one he had always loved.
And now, he's thinking of him again, blushing as he did so. So what? It was fine, no one was there. Right?
Catnap sighed, “Even the sky is reminding me of Dogday. I can't seem to get him out of my mind,” Catnap said to himself, “Stupid clouds. Stupid… but I appreciate it. He does look pretty in there.“
He gazed at the picture fondly, and slapped himself on the face when he realized he shouldn't fall for him, even if he already did.
“No. You can't let that get to you,” Catnap reminded himself, “Besides, Dogday just wants to be best friends.“
Catnap wanted to look at Dogday in the clouds again, but it had already been blew away with the wind.
He then shook his head to forget everything that just happened, and considered the idea to take a freshening nap, again.
Just sleep, Catnap, he thought, it will be alright. Hopefully.
Tiredness rushed over him, and his eyes closed. He dozed off under the tree, thinking of Dogday.