“Well, as it currently stands, these tunnels aren't used much anymore except by the badger clan.”
Abby, taking a drink, said, “Who is the badger clan?”
“They are a small group of badgers that roam through the mountains looking for…”
“Looking for what?”
Badger said something that only Billy understood. He continued, “…food.”
Abby asked, “What sort of food?”
Stevie cut in. “Do you mean us?”
Badger was upset and started to run around in circles. Billy tried to calm him down and eventually got him to stand still for a moment. Billy explained, “It seems he senses that a badger came through here earlier today. He came out of that tunnel and left through the one on the other side.”
Abby asked, “Surely we are a match for one badger, aren't we?”
Badger exclaimed, “Wheek! Wheek!”
Billy said, “Badger wanted me to mention that they are very big.”
“How big?”
Billy looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel they were at the edge of. “See the opening here?”
Everyone looked up.
“The badgers have a hard time fitting in the tunnels. Look, you can see their claw marks on the floor.”
George, sitting on a tiny ledge, looked around and said, “I don't see any, but it’s very dark.”
Billy said, “You're sitting in one.”
George stood up and whistled. “That's a big badger.”
Abby asked, “How does Badger know there was a badger here? And why is he named Badger if they are your enemies?”
Badger scurried about some more, and Billy said, “He got his name because of an uncanny ability to recognize badger scent. His warnings have saved our clan many times.”
Stevie came back with some planks from a broken crate and threw it on the ground. “I found this in a pile over there, but it sounds like making a fire is a bad idea.”
Billy said, “The issue is complex. The path the badger left on is the one we need. We can take the tunnel he came out of and hope he has left the mountain. If he has, we are fine. If he comes back, we'll run into him and have very little time to escape. Fighting is out of the question.”
Badger said, “Wheeeek.”
Abby replied, “That seems risky. What's the other option?”
Billy answered, “We can wait here until morning. If he was just passing through, then he'll be long gone. If he is simply out hunting, then he'll likely come back and return down the other path.”
“What do we do if he comes back?”
“We have our super-nose Badger who will be able to give us a very good warning, and we can retreat down the other path or head back the way we came.”
George said, “They both sound dangerous to me… and I'm hungry.”
Stevie asked, “Me, too. So do I make a fire?”
Abby started to pace. Badger and Billy both stuck their noses in the air and did a lap around the crossroads.
Cindy sat down on the edge of the badger claw mark and said with a heavy sigh, “I hate to agree with Georgie boy, but I'm starving, too.”
Abby said, “I think we should make a fire, eat, and then decide what to do.”
Stevie said, “If we make the fire at the edge of the tunnel and stay on the tunnel side, it might keep the badger from following if he comes back.”
Abby replied, “You are so clever.”
Jo and Stevie gathered more crates and built a roaring fire, and Abby, George and Cindy begrudgingly laid out all their supplies. Abby, sensing that Cindy was starting to warm up to the group, asked, “Cindy, what do you think? I'm worried about how much food we have. Do you think we should ration it for now?”
Cindy, who loved to give her opinion but was rarely asked, seemed surprised by the question. She cocked her head to one side. “I’m famished, but if you think I'm bitchy now, you have no idea how bad I'd be if we ran out of food. Let's eat just enough to take the edge off, and maybe tomorrow we’ll find more.”
George giggled softly at her joke not sure if she was going for laughs and said, “I agree with Cindy.”
Abby said, “Good plan, Cindy. I'll go tell Billy and the others.”
Cindy and George divided up a small meal of crackers, a piece of fruit, and some beef jerky.
The light from the fire lit up the crossroad, and Abby stood in amazement at the size. Billy laid down beside her and said, “Badger is quite sure that it is safe for now.”
Abby sat cross-legged and looked at the massive, furry face of her talking guinea pig friend. “You are a very handsome guinea pig.”
Billy said, “We guinea pigs do like flattery, thanks. I like your hair.”
“Thanks, but I hate the color.”
“Oh, no, that is the best part. Red is the best color.”
“That's not what they say at school. I get teased a lot.”
“They are either jealous or stupid. I like it and long hair looks good on you.”
“Your long hair is pretty, too,” Abby said as she patted him on the nose then drew her hand back quickly. “I’m sorry, that was very rude. I don't even know if talking guinea pigs like to be petted.”
Billy said, “Oh, we like it a lot, both here and on the other side.”
Abby leaned forward and rubbed her face against his. “You are wonderful, Billy.”
Badger came over and laid down next to them. He snuffled something to Billy who nodded.
“What did he say,” Abby asked, “Or was it personal?”
“He said he was taking a nap so he would be ready for guard duty.”
Abby smiled. “What is this obelisk thing we are supposed to meet Alouicious at?”
“It’s an ancient black granite stone that stands ten meters high. Everyone in the realm knows where it is, but it is never in the same place twice.”
“Then how do they know where it is? And how does something that massive just up and move?”
“Each day it picks a new spot to rest, and each night it vanishes. Scholars have debated how it moves for thousands of years, but, beyond agreeing that it is magical, nobody really knows.”
“How will we find it tomorrow?”
“You will sense it, as do all creatures, when the sun rises. Now, since this is your first time here, I wouldn't expect you to have any idea exactly where it lies, but you will be able to tell the direction. If you imagine the obelisk a strong urge will tell you the direction to go. With time, once you know the land, you'll have a pretty good idea exactly how far away it is and where it is on a map.”
“Will we be able to get there before sunset?”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean maybe?”
“It is a vast land, and the obelisk could end up anywhere.”
“So let me get this straight. We could head off in one direction all day, not reach it, and the stupid thing could be sitting right where we started the next day.”
“It's possible.”
“We could be here forever! I have school on Monday, you know.”
“No, I didn't know, but this is your test. I'm sure it will work out.”
George trotted over and announced that the food was ready.
Badger popped his head up. Billy said, “You've had plenty today; now go back to sleep.” Badger sighed and went back to sleep.
The food was enjoyed by all. They sat on the tunnel side of the flames, ate, and talked, and George told a story about the last time he was sitting at a campfire. Everyone, even Cindy, laughed.
Abby explained what she had learned about the obelisk, making sure to emphasize Billy's comment about it all working out. She expected a comment from Cindy, but it never came.
After they finished, Jo suggested they put everything back into the packs and try to put them in her leather pouch. All agreed that it would make the walking better if they didn't have to carry them, and, when the last bag slid effortlessly into the pouch, they cheered. Abby and Stevie volunteered to take the fi
rst watch. Jo snuggled up with Badger, George laid down by the fire, and Cindy asked politely if anyone minded if she used the sleeping bag. Nobody did.
Billy stationed himself next to the tunnel that the badger had last gone down. Every few seconds, he would wave his nose in the air just to check for a returning scent.
Abby and Stevie walked in a circle around and around the giant cavern, occasionally stopping to look at a carving on the wall. It was a strange space with crudely dug out tunnels but a finely polished intersection. Each tunnel had markings all around the arch that guarded the entryway. It was hard to see them with only the firelight, especially the one on the opposite side, but they could feel the markings. Abby traced her fingers around several and asked, “I wonder what it all means?”
Stevie said, “I have no idea, but I'd really like to know.”
“I bet it has something to do with magic.”
“Probably. So, are you glad we decided to come on the challenge?”
“Yes, you were right, this is an adventure and much better than sitting in my room.”
“How do you think it worked?”
“What?”
“The tiny door.”
“I think it was our secret knock that let us in.”
“Yeah, I think it was, but how did we fit?”
“No idea. The bow and arrows are cool, though.”
“Yeah, they are. I love this sword.”
“I wish I hadn't lost two arrows, but it was worth it to save Billy and Badger.”
“Those are some pretty awesome piggies that is for sure.”
“What do you think happens if we pass the test?”
“I don't know; maybe we get to keep the stuff we find. I bet this sword is worth a fortune. Look at the jewels.”
Abby gasped. “You'd sell it?”
“Nah, but it would be nice to have something that wasn't crap. Could I keep it at your house? Probably get stolen if I kept it at the home.”
“Of course!” Abby leaned her shoulder into Stevie's. A moment later she said, “Wait, I heard something.”
Stevie whispered, “What?”
“I don't know, but it came from this tunnel.”
“I hear it, sort of a scratching...Run!”
Abby and Stevie tore across the crossroads to where Billy was sniffing. Abby slid to stop. “I think I heard something from the other tunnel.”
“Show me.”
They ran back to the tunnel. Billy took a big sniff and said as calmly as he could, “Gopher. We need to move now,” and dashed towards the campfire. When he got near, he gave a loud “Wheek” that made Badger jump when he heard it. Jo’s head went thud as her pillow bolted from under her. Badger gave a sniff and said, “Wheek, wheek, wheek.”
Everyone was awake now. Billy stood up and pointed. “Into the tunnel. Grab your stuff and run. Badger says the gopher is only two minutes away.”
Badger started running in circles excitedly making all sorts of sounds. Billy said, “Are you sure?”
Badger said, “Wheeeek!!!”
“He says there is a badger coming back, too. This could get ugly.”
Everyone tore off down the tunnel except Stevie who grabbed the extra wood and chucked it on top of the fire. The blaze leapt up and created a small wall of flames. The sound of the gopher was clear now.
Jo yelled, “It's blocked.”
Everyone caught up with her to find that the tunnel had caved in. There was still dust in the air. It was floor to ceiling rubble.
Jo whirled around, coughing, and said, “We're trapped.”
Abby pulled an arrow from the quiver, notched it, and said, “We better get ready.”
George and Stevie drew their swords, and Cindy held up her staff. They could see the flames but not much past them. Abby said, “If we can't see past the fire, maybe they can't, either?”
Billy said, “They may not be able to see us, but they can definitely tell we’re here.”
“How?”
“They have good noses, too.”
Just then a massive gopher face could be seen inching towards the fire. He reached out his paw and batted at it but pulled away quickly. The gopher paced back and forth for a moment then started to dig. He dug for a few seconds and batted the dirt pile towards the flames. The fire dimmed. The gopher dug some more and did it again. This time the fire was almost half gone.
Abby said, “Cindy, can you shoot him?”
Cindy said, “I'll try.” Nothing happened. “I'm sorry. I don't know how I made it shoot before. I was really angry and it just went off.”
Stevie said, “You know, that outfit makes you look fat.”
Cindy glared at him. A few sparks flew from the top of her staff.
The gopher whacked a pile of dirt, and the fire was completely out. He started towards them, and Cindy whirled around and, with a loud crack, sent a bolt of lightning down the tunnel. It hit the gopher square in the forehead. He stopped and shook his head violently from side to side, but he didn't go down. The gopher started to run towards them. Cindy fired again, but he slowed only a little bit. Everyone braced for the gopher's fury when suddenly he stopped. He started clawing at the dirt and screaming. The gopher got further and further away. A few moments later, he was back in the crossroads, and they could see him fighting for his life. The badger had arrived and was tearing into him. The fight didn't last long.
There was a long silence. They could hear the badger sniffing about. Nobody said a word, and suddenly the sniffing sounds stopped. They saw, by the light of the embers from their fire, the badger dragging the gopher away.
Billy said, “I'll never say a bad word about badgers again.”
Abby asked, “What now?”
Billy eased forward, sniffing the air. Badger scampered past him and disappeared into the dark.
Cindy took out her cell phone and handed it to Stevie. “Here.”
Badger was back a moment later and made some gurgling sounds. Billy nodded. “The badger is still moving away from us with his dinner. Of course, we don't want to be dessert, so we should hurry.”
George said, “I'm not opposed to running. Lead the way, Stevie.”
Billy went first, and everyone followed with Badger bringing up the rear. They returned to the crossroads. The tunnel was long and big like the one they had come down, but it was curvy and had smaller tunnels connecting to it. Nobody said anything, and Billy just kept barreling ahead. They ran for almost a half an hour until George, greatly out of breath, said, “Can we rest for a second?”
Badger made a sound, and Billy said, “He says that he can no longer smell the badger, so it should be okay to stop for a bit.”
The group moved steadily, taking breaks when needed. After a few hours, they emerged from the darkness into the purple sky of the coming morning. Before them lay a vast, flat, and cracked desert. It was cold, but the air felt good after being in the stuffy cavern.
Abby asked, “When do we feel the obelisk?”
Billy said, “The moment the sun touches the leaves of the Elder Tree in the Algonian Forest.”
“The Elder Tree?”
“It is the oldest thing in this realm next to the obelisk. Some even say it is older. I've seen it once, or, more accurately, I've seen the bottom of it. The top of the Elder Tree stretches into the clouds.”
Badger made a sound, and Billy said, “I wasn't afraid; I just didn't want to explore.”
Abby asked, “Afraid of what?”
Billy made a guinea pig noise and said, “Badger wanted to climb the tree and explore. It is very big, and there are stairs and everything carved into its trunk. Nobody goes up the stairs, though.”
“Why? They must be there for a reason.”
Billy said, “I suppose there is a reason or there was, but I've never heard of anyone venturing into the tree. They say it is haunted.”
Badger said, “Wheek.”
Billy replied, “I know, but that is what they say. Badger doesn't believe the stories
.”
Just then, Abby felt it. Soon they all sensed the obelisk. The strange sensation made them turn and face the desert. Abby said, “It's across there, isn't it?”
Billy answered, “I'm afraid so.”
Stevie asked, “On the other side of the desert?”
Billy said, “It is or very close to the other side. It is a long way. It will get hot very soon - we should probably get going.”
Badger snuffled something.
Billy said, “Badger is right, there is a stream off to the right. We should fill up your water bottles.”
Abby asked, “Can we make it to the obelisk before the sun goes down?”
Billy replied, “It will be hard. We'll get very tired. I just don't know.”
“Have you ever crossed the desert?”
Billy said, “Not during the day, no.”
Stevie said, “I say we give it a try; this is obviously part of the test.”
Before anyone could say anything further, Badger started running towards the stream.
***
Water bottles filled, the group started out across the dusty, cracked desert. Nobody said much; they just walked in a straight line towards the feeling. After an hour, fatigue was starting to set in. The sun beat down on them. After four hours, Billy's long fur was drenched in sweat, and he was struggling to walk. Jo went up and patted him then cried, “Oh, no, he's burning up. It's the fur!”
Badger ran up to his friend and started to panic. Billy tried to calm him down. “It's okay. I'll be fine.”
Jo pulled her pack from the leather pouch and snatched a water bottle. “Here, drink this,” she demanded.
Billy turned his head. “You'll need it.”
She poured some over the top of his head. “This will help, but you need to drink some, too.”
Billy objected, “Don't be crazy. You can't waste your water on me.”
Abby grabbed Jo's arm. “Get my pack, too.”
Jo reached in and started pulling out backpacks and tossing them on the ground. Everyone pulled out a bottle and started dumping it on Billy, who was getting too weak to argue. Finally, he said, “Okay, I feel better. Let's go.”
Jo packed everything up and walked along Billy's side. She looked worried.
Badger stopped running and pressed his nose against Billy then took up the lead.
Secret Doors: The Challenge Page 6
