On a Morning Like This Chapter 16 South

Following the stream, until it disappeared underground, the Scrufflings and Bar-thur, with Samul as their guide, traversed the twisting and turning path of the Deep Road between the canyon walls. Hoopy counted turns as they began their journey, memorizing the forks and turnings from Mihael to the tunnel. “Bar-thur, remember this,” Hoopy nudged the bear, and Bar-thur nodded, “We will need to find our way back.”

As nightfall came, they saw the now familiar opening of the cave. They entered its darkness by slipping through the narrow crack behind the fallen stone slab with a customary “Ouch” from Bar-thur.

Samul reached up and got a lamp high above in a niche close above the opening. Lighting it, he handed it to Pata-Pikki, who was surprised he hadn’t seen it and wondered if Nonna or Barthur could have reached it. They thanked their guide, who turned and disappeared back into the canyon. 

With light showing the way, they descended to the cave's sandy bottom and slept again near the underground lake, discussing the new understanding of the name of the One- The Lord Yeshua. The Holy Name of God filled them with joy, knowing now the name of He, who spoke to them, and of the Three.

Waking, they ate a hasty breakfast and continued along the Deep Road until they reached the point of their descent. Climbing, they found themselves among the Rolling Hills, with an outline of the western forest in the distance.
“Hatch, you are our guide. Find a path that will take us to the Forest Beings,” Pata-Pikki barked.

Hatch flew off Pata-Pikki’s shoulder and high into the air. The Scrufflings watched as she became a speck in the air and then was back again, fluttering about them. “This way,” she twittered as she pointed with her wing and settled on
Pata-Pikki’s shoulder.

“I don’t hear anything or see Strange Contraptors about, but we must make haste to the forests where we have cover,” Pata-Pikki barked.

In agreement, the Scrufflings kept the forest above the Rolling Hills in sight as their goal. After a half-day, they crept upwards over rocks, pulling themselves up on roots and low-hanging branches into the forest with its cover of leaf and shadow. Breathing a sigh of relief, they saw no evidence of Strange Contraptors. They were hopeful that the Narflbots had stopped their search for Nonna.

“Where to now, Hatch?” gruffled Bar-thur.

“Let’s follow the edge of the forest,” suggested Hatch to Pata-Pikki.
“It will be about a half-day journey for you on foot. I will fly high to see where we are by then,” she twittered, shaking her wings. Pata-Pikki filled them in on the details.

“We’ll find it, Hatch. Don’t worry,” barked Flur-Ella.

Hoopy looked around at the trees and shrubs about him. He needed to remember this place. Nudging Pata-Pikki, who nodded, for Pata-Pikki understood his concern. Looking behind, they lined up the landscape where they left the Deep Road with its cliffs, hoping to recognize it upon their return. Hoopy jabbed Bar-thur, who also looked and nodded.

They continued undisturbed along the forest's edge for most of the morning. Bird calls and the rustling of trees were the only sounds they heard. They stopped and drank from a small stream that fell to the hills below. A lake spread out between the mounds of sand, and strange horned, deer-like creatures drank from it. A line of trees outlined what they assumed was a continuation of the water flowing from the lake.  A soft, little breeze floated aloft, and the croaking of a large black bird sitting in a tree came from it. Pata-Pikki smiled at its rasping voice.

As evening approached, Hatch flew again high into the air to see if she recognized any landmarks. Alighting on Pata-Pikki’s shoulder, she announced, “I see a path. I noticed it on the way. It is a little further to the south. If we follow that, it will lead us to High Horns and the Forest Beings,” she trilled excitedly. Listening to Pata-Pikki’s translation, they were pleased their destination was near.

“Let’s keep moving and see how far we can get before daybreak,” Hoopy barked. Flur-Ella and Bar-thur agreed.
“Yes, finding our friends as soon as possible will be best.” woofed Pata-Pikki. His warm brown eyes lost their worry and took on a look of hope.

As they moved, they heard crickets and night birds. When the light of dawn filled the sky, Hatch, who had been riding on Pata-Pikki’s shoulder, took her head out from under her wing, shook her feathers, and looked around.
“This feels like the right place. We need to be watchful as daylight comes. A Strange Contraptor has been standing in the trees. I ran into its side, not knowing it was there. It scared me! I feel uncomfortable here,” she twittered nervously, “even though the weather is nice.” The Scrufflings paid close attention, trying to understand her.

Pata-Pikki asked, “Did you understand that?”

The group was beginning to understand Hatch’s peeping, which surprised them as they had known her for so long and had not understood. Pata-Pikki only needed to fill them in on a small portion of what she said.

As the sun rose, Bar-thur, the tallest, saw the glint of metal in the trees. “Stop!” he growled, “Look there.” He pointed into the distance. “A Strange Contraptor!”

They ducked low and crept further to the south until they could not see the machine. Moving more cautiously, Flur-Ella asked Hatch, “How far now?”

Hatch flew into the air again to get a higher perspective and soon returned. She seemed nervous, flitting her wings and tail, as she stood on Flur-Ella’s shoulder. “There is something amiss. I feel it but don’t know what it is.”