by Tracey Hecht
“Please,” Cora added.
The coyotes stepped back as the wombat planted herself in front of the hole. She flexed her paws then dug her claws into the soil. Using all four limbs, she began to clear the debris, flinging rocks and dirt through the air. She even unearthed a few sticks that shot out behind her like spears.
Shielded by tree trunks and bushes, the animals watched the wombat burrow and plow. Then the shower of earth stopped. Slowly, the group emerged from their cover. As the air cleared, Cora beamed. Before her stood a gaping hole in the ground.
“Let’s get down there,” she said. “Now.”
Chapter Eighteen
THE FACILITY
Creeping along single file, the animals descended into the earth.
“It’s so dark,” whispered Cora.
Tobin could not help but agree. The tunnel was narrow, and the damp walls were cold and rough. He followed behind the bats, who led the way through the winding underground maze.
After a series of tight corners, the cave suddenly expanded. The walls turned from dark dirt to glossy white stone that glowed with a strange blue light.
“I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Dawn.
“Much too bright in this joint for us,” said a bat, shielding his face with one wing.
“Couldn’t sleep a wink down here,” said another.
“It’s beautiful,” breathed Cora.
The animals continued on in silence, captivated by the ghostly light and long shadows. They began to lose sense of time. Was it still night? Was it morning? With no view of the sky, there was no way to tell.
Suddenly, Dawn drew to a halt.
“Shhh.” She drew a paw to her lips. “I hear something.”
Treading softly, the pack approached a bend in the path. The light grew brighter as they rounded the curve.
Cora gasped. Tobin gulped. Even the coyotes held their breath.
The cave opened up into a great, vaulted chamber with a huge marble floor. It was a flat, oblong surface that stretched from wall to wall and shone as though it were polished. Across its center was painted a vertical red line.
Waterfalls fed pools at both ends of the room. The churning water, which must have carved this natural cavern over thousands of years, glowed with sapphire light.
“The water’s the source of the glow,” whispered Ciro.
Dawn crept to the edge of the precipice and peered down. “Looks like Sea Sparkle,” she said.
“Sea Sparkle?” Cora tilted her head. Her eyes flickered with blue.
“It’s a tiny creature that lives in the ocean. It shimmers with the motion of the waves. I’ve seen it before, but only a few specks.” The fox paused and turned back toward the glow. “Never so many. Never like this.”
Ciro edged his way round the bats to stand next to Dawn. For a moment, they sat side-by-side and marveled at the beauty of the cave. But suddenly, a throaty bellow filled the room.
“Don’t you dare argue with me,” said the booming voice. “Do it now!”
Cora shuddered and nestled next to Tobin. Dawn’s ears flicked on end.
“Y-y-yes. Yes, of course.” A second voice floated through the air. “Okay th-then.” This one was thin and nasal—and very familiar.
“Jerry!” whispered Tobin.
Ajax clawed the white marble ground. “Let’s go!” he hissed. “I’ll teach that jerboa not to lie to a coyote!”
Ciro placed a paw on his friend’s back. “Hold on now,” he said. “We can’t afford to be careless.”
“Yes, we need a plan,” agreed Dawn. The fox looked over the room, taking in the height of the ceiling, the placement of the waterfalls. They were standing on an upper ledge that encircled the entire chamber. Closer to the ground was a tunnel leading deeper into the cave system. The voices sounded like they were echoing from below—that tunnel would be a good place to start looking.
Dawn turned toward the group. “Bats,” she said, “you four keep watch. Remain undetected at all costs. That means no joking around.”
“Svor!” They stood in line and saluted, their backs straight as sticks. Then, flapping their wings, they flew to the corners of the chamber. Gripping the stone with their feet, they dropped and hung upsidedown.
“Good,” said Dawn. “The rest of us will go on.”
“And find Jerry,” said Tobin.
“Yes,” agreed Dawn. “He holds the answers. It is time we go get them.”
With a whoosh of her tail, the fox turned, and led the way down toward the glowing floor of the cave.
Chapter Nineteen
FEATHERS AND FUR
“Um… You g-guys? Coach says he needs you b-b-back out there.”
Dawn raised a paw to call for silence. Jerry’s voice echoed out from a passageway that connected to the main floor of the cave. The fox led the animals down the passage to the opening of a dark chamber. A large boulder sat outside the entrance, providing a good place to hide and listen to the conversation inside.
“I’m s-s-sorry,” said the jerboa. “But those are d-d-direct orders.”
A chorus of groans filled the air.
“Already?”
“Impossible!”
“We just finished our last set of drills!”
Tobin sniffed the air. “I smell them,” he whispered. “Sweat, fear—oh goodness, I hope they’re all right!”
Dawn craned her neck to peek around the rock. But she quickly drew back at the sound of a thunderous voice:
“JERRY!” it boomed.
“Y-y-y-yes, Coach?”
Heavy, menacing steps echoed down the passageway. The animals scrambled to the far side of the boulder, hiding themselves from view. Ciro moved to look at the source of the footsteps, but Dawn stopped him with a shake of her head. They could not risk being seen. The steps thundered into the room.
“Oh, hel-l-lo,” Jerry stammered. “We were just c-c-coming out.”
There were a few muffled groans.
“Actually,” ventured a voice, “we were wondering: could we take the day off?”
A giant roar filled the air. “There will be no days off! Not till I face those other coachers. Now back on the floor!”
There was a shuffling of paws as the weary animals obeyed. Then silence.
The fox pricked her ears. “They’re gone,” she announced. She motioned everyone forward. “Let’s go investigate while we can.”
“Ajax, Julian,” Ciro said, “you stay here. We might need some assistance if something goes wrong.”
The two coyotes melted into the shadows while the rest of the group crept into the recently vacated room. It was roughly square, with a low uneven ceiling. The floor was covered in debris. What little light there was came from a small trickle of glowing water that ran down from a crack in the wall.
“Remember, keep quiet,” said the fox.
Lowering his nose to the ground, Tobin sniffed for clues. “I think I smell…yes!” The pangolin held up a smooth strand of fur. “A mink!”
“And look,” Ciro said. The coyote pawed at a clump of bristly brown feathers.
“Feathers and fur,” said the wombat. She cocked her head to the side. “What does this mean?”
“It means we found them,” said Dawn. “The missing nocturnals are here.”
Cora’s eyes flashed with hope.
“And Bismark might be right,” said Tobin. “It sounds as if they’re on some sort of team.”
“Wait!” cried the wombat. “What’s this?”
The other three gathered round. In Cora’s paw was a brown, jagged sliver of some hard material.
“Keratin,” Tobin said. “Like my scales.”
Dawn examined the remnant. “It’s from a bird’s beak,” she whispered.
Tobin and Cora both gulped.
Dawn’s auburn fur rose on end. “I found something else.” Slowly, she bent toward a small, off-white object. “A tooth.”
Cora let out a yelp. “It’s a wombat’s tooth!”
“Quiet!” said Ciro. He drew his paw to his lips. Someone was coming.
“Y-y-yes, Coach! As you wish!” Jerry’s distinct, timid voice bounced off the stone walls. The jerboa entered the room. “I’ll b-b-be right back, just one—” At the sight of the familiar creatures, he froze. Then he spun toward the entrance to flee.
But Ciro was already blocking the way. Jerry was trapped.
Chapter Twenty
NEW RECRUITS
“D-d-don’t eat me,” pleaded Jerry in a whisper. His large ears flopped over his face. “I didn’t d-do anything wrong!”
“We don’t have much time,” said the fox. She towered over the tiny jerboa. “Tell us what you know. Where are they?”
“They’re all here! You’ve got to believe me! I had no ch-choice!”
“Jerry,” said Dawn, “I don’t want to lose my temper.”
But the jerboa kept on. “I s-swear, I’m b-b-barely involved! The jerboas just sweep the floor during breaks with our tails.” We don’t even play!”
“Play what, exactly?” asked Dawn.
“The game,” Jerry said. “Y-you know, with the team.”
“What sort of game?” Ciro asked. His voice was tinged with impatience. “Stop talking in circles.”
Glancing over his shoulder, Jerry eyed the coyote and gulped. “Oh, well, it’s h-h-hard to explain….”
Dawn extended her claws and took a slow step toward the jerboa.
“R-r-right,” Jerry stammered. “The game. It’s the one with the sticks. I mean, birds! Beaks! You know, you hit the spider and try to score.”
The animals exchanged confused looks. They had never heard of such a game.
“Whose idea is this?” Ciro asked.
“Yes,” pressed the fox. “Who is this ‘Coach’ you were talking to?”
Suddenly, the jerboa’s ears stood on end.
Boom, boom, boom.
Heavy footsteps.
“Oh d-d-dear.” Jerry crouched into a ball. “It’s him!”
Dawn searched the room for a place to hide, but it was too late.
“Well, well, well.” A deep baritone voice thrummed from the shadows. “What do we have here?”
Suddenly, the footsteps multiplied.
Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom.
“Oh goodness!” Tobin gasped.
A giant crocodile thundered into the room. His body, at least ten feet long, was covered in mud-colored scales. Two rows of jagged spikes ran down his back. He was flanked by five smaller crocs.
“C-Coach Boris!” said the jerboa. “Please, d-d-don’t hurt my family! I don’t know how these intruders got in here!”
Ignoring Jerry, Boris eyed the newcomers. Then he leaned back his head and cackled, exposing his long curved teeth. His five followers did the same.
“Oh, little Jerry.” The croc thumped his long tail on the ground. “No need to fret. You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Jerry gazed up at the reptile. “I… I haven’t?”
“On the contrary,” said Boris, “I’m quite pleased.”
“You… y-you are?”
Boris walked up to Tobin, sticking his pointed snout in the pangolin’s face.
“A natural armor. Most interesting.” He ran a claw down the side of Tobin’s shuddering scales. “Might be useful on defense.”
He turned his head to Cora. She was clenching her paws, trying her best not to quiver noticeably.
“Another wombat, huh? I hope you’re better than the other one I have. He’s worthless.”
Ciro was the next in line. He peeled back his lips and snarled as the crocodile approached. Boris leaned his head back for a short, sharp laugh.
“Ha! You can always trust a coyote to bring that scrappy fighting spirit! I can tell you will do quite well here.”
Finally, the croc made his way over to Dawn.
“Now, this is promising. A fox! And an excellent specimen, at that: strong, slender, and sturdy. Perhaps the perfect build for an offensive player!”
As Boris looked her over, Dawn could tell that he was clutching something in his fist.
“I am pleased, indeed,” said Boris. He glanced at the trembling jerboa. “You’ve done well, little one. This is a delightful surprise.” The croc tossed the object he held up in the air. Then he caught it absent-mindedly. It was a small red cylinder with a shiny, coppery glow at one end. His eyes blazed with excitement. “Miss, Bee, Hay, Vee, Orr!” Boris’s five henchmen stood at attention. “Bring our new friends to the prison chamber.”
The swarm of crocs crowded in on the animals. Before they knew it, Cora, Ciro, Dawn, and Tobin were pinned to the floor.
Ciro snarled and tried to bite the two crocs who held him.
“There, there,” Boris said. He scoffed at the squirming coyote. “It’s a rough game, so you better get used to a few bumps and bruises.”
Miss, Bee, Hay, Vee, and Orr laughed in agreement. Boris flipped the strange cylinder up in the air again.
“Now, I wish I could welcome you properly, but I have a practice to lead.” With a sharp whip of his tail, the croc turned away. “I will deal with my new recruits later.”
Chapter Twenty-One
TRAPPED
“Come on,” Ciro urged. Once again, the coyote hurled his weight into the stone. The crocs had blocked the entrance to their new prison with a heavy boulder, completely sealing the prisoners in. The coyote could not get the stone to budge.
“Oh goodness,” Tobin said. He and Cora rested against the far wall. “Be careful!”
Ciro shook out his shoulder. “Just a few more tries,” he insisted. “I’ll get us out.”
Dawn shook her head. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
At this, Ciro turned. “What’s that?”
“Brute force won’t fix everything,” Dawn continued. “You’re acting the way you did as a pup. Always chewing through coconuts when you could just drop them on rocks.”
Ciro grinned. “I still do that, you know.”
Despite her best efforts, Dawn could not keep from smiling.
Ciro drew close to the fox. “I still think about you,” he admitted.
A softness fell on Dawn’s face, and she let her eyes lock on Ciro’s. Then she lowered her gaze. “But I’m still a vulpes, and you a canis,” she sighed. “I will never be part of your pack.”
Ciro opened his mouth to respond, but a loud, sing-songy voice rang out first.
“Me-me-me-meeeeeeee!”
Tobin and Cora scurried over and pressed their ear against the stone.
“What was that?” Cora asked.
“La-la-la-laaaaaaaaa!” The voice sang out again.
“So strange,” Ciro muttered.
“Yet so familiar,” said Dawn. The fox moved toward the boulder. Then she crouched to inspect a crack where it met the wall. A soft glow shone from the other side. Tilting her head, she peered through. “Bismark!” she called.
The singing came to a halt.
“Dawn?” said the voice. “Is that you? Or are the walls so moved by the sound of my singing that they call my name?”
The fox rolled her eyes. “Yes,” she replied. “It’s me. We’re behind the boulder.”
There was the scurrying of steps as the sugar glider rushed toward his love. “My sweet!” he exclaimed. Desperately, he flung himself at the stone and wormed his head through the crack. It was a little too narrow for him to squeeze all the way through. “I knew we’d meet again, ma chèrie! True love always prevails.”
“Bismark,” whispered Dawn, “listen carefully. Ciro’s two friends, Ajax and Julian, are standing guard nearby. You need to find them and bring them here.” The fox moved in closer. “Do you understand?”
“Yes, whatever you ask! I will bring you the moon, the stars, the heavens themselves!” He closed his eyes. Visions of Dawn danced in his head, her face awash with Sea Sparkle light.
“With the coyotes’ help,” she continued, “we can move this boulder asid
e.”
Bismark’s eyes burst open. “Coyotes? Excuse me? Pardon?”
“The coyotes are not to be feared,” Dawn said.
“It’s true!” said Tobin. “They’ve been friendly and loyal.”
Ciro smiled and placed his paw over Dawn’s. “We work well together,” he said.
Bismark glared at the two touching paws. His bald patch turned a deep red. “No! Absolutamente no!” he cried out. “This is an outrage! I will not cooperate with these canines!”
“You better keep your voice down,” cautioned Ciro.
“Hush, mush!” said the sugar glider. “Do you know who you’re talking to?”
Ciro scratched his head in confusion. “Your name is Bismark, right?”
“I may be small in stature but I am important! I’m the announcer, the songster, the maestro! I am an esteemed member of the Nocturnal Brigade! I am—”
Boom. Boom.
“—busted.”
Bismark froze.
“What do we have here?”
The sugar glider popped his head out of the crack in the rock. Then, slowly, he spun around to face the fiery-eyed Boris.
“Welcoming the captives, I see,” said the croc.
“No, no, no! In fact, I was just telling them how repulsivo they are!” Bismark forced a charming little grin.
But the giant reptile was not fooled. “Crocs!”
At once, Miss, Bee, Hay, Vee, and Orr came thumping to their leader’s side.
“Yes, Boss?” said Bee.
“What’s the trouble?” asked Vee.
Boris crossed his arms and glared at the sugar glider. “The maestro is the trouble. Lock this traitor squirrel up here with the others.” The crocodile’s long mouth curved ever so slightly into a smile. “I’d like a moment to consider my options.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
THE JERBOA’S TALE
“Nonsense!” exclaimed Bismark. “That swamp-dwelling reptile will come to his senses in no time. I am his most valuable asset! You can’t treat your talent this way!”
