The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

3rd Person

The pups were so exhausted after facing the anaconda and the landslide that they stopped for the night shortly afterwards, taking care to carry a few mangoes with them as they clambered up into the branches of a rubber tree – safe from the dangers of the forest floor. The next day they woke and made a breakfast of the sweet yellow fruit, before continuing to trek downhill.

Around midday the endless sea of trees and vines finally broke, giving way to rolling green hills and fertile pastureland. As Riley, Parker, Paisley and Ryder plodded through the muddy fields, each feeling more exhausted and hungry than they’d ever been in their lives, they tried to figure out what to do next.

“| dunno how we can make a plan, when we don’ even know wheres we are” Parker sighed, feeling as though their conversation was going round in circles. Every time one of the siblings came up with an idea, the same wrench seemed to get thrown into the suggestion – that they were well and truly lost.

“Do you think Mommy and Daddy know we aren’ in the city ‘nymore?” Ryder questioned nervously.

“| bet they do.” Riley mused. “They’re really smart, and Daddy’s such a good tracker.”

“But we made it ‘mpossible for Anita to track us, and that goes for Daddy too.” Paisley reminded the others, “he’ll never know to look for us here… wherever here is.”

The others nodded forlornly, but then Parker – who was leading the way – pulled up short. “You guys, look!” He exclaimed, pointing to the terraced landscape ahead of them.

“What are they?” Riley gasped in awe, staring at the strange creatures dotting the fields they approached. None of the pups had ever seen animals like this. They were tall, easily as tall as their Mommy, with long necks, long legs and very furry bodies. They had two little ears pointing up on top of their heads, and the curly white fluff covering them from head to toe looked as soft as a cloud.

“They look like sheeps on stilts.” Ryder suggested, desperate to get a closer look.

All four pups inched closer to the nearest animal.

They’re so fuzzy.” Paisley observed with a lopsided grin, “do you thinks they’re friendly?”

“They haves to be.” Riley confirmed, “they’re so cute | could scream.”

“Don’t do that!” Parker objected, “It might scare them off”

“I didn’t say I would scream, just that I could.” Riley answered, sounding affronted her brother might think she’d do something so foolish.

“I wanna hug ’em.” Ryder announced, “maybe if we’re really nice they’ll let us.”

were watching the approaching pups with unbridled curiosity. They smelled like the people who cared for them, but they looked very strange indeed: covered in mud, insect bites and bruises, and moving like tiny predators trying to sneak up on some unsuspecting prey, with they’re small paws raised in front of

within reach of the nearest creature, it craned its long neck down to sniff his head. Apparently decided it liked the way the pup smelled, the

distracted the creature before it could make a true meal

flanks, while Ryder circled his plump arms around its long neck and Riley clambered all the way onto its back, sprawling her short arms and legs

be suddenly covered with puppies, unintentionally carrying a laughing Ryder

Paisley murmured with

to play. Her eyes widened when she saw movement in the distance, movement headed right towards them. There’s a man!” She announced in a frantic whisper. “He’s coming this way!” All at

Ryder urged

Parker fretted, looking around for anything they could use to conceal themselves

the tall

young shifter gathered beneath the animal they’d so recently been cuddling, but it seemed they were too late. The man had stopped a few meters away, kneeling down onto his haunches and c*g his head as he studied the dirty

her siblings, “you know how strangers are – they

man was searching the field behind them,

“I don’ like the looks of

The man pressed. “There’s not much around these parts. I

running to take shelter under a different animal, one who seemed remarkably unbothered by their presence. “Maybe we can try to ride one away.”

dunno,” Paisley frowned, ” don’t thinks l’d like

your names?” The man called, not

Parker shouted, stomping his foot when the stranger continued

asked conversationally. “1 don’t blame you,

Ryder asked, earning a light smack from his sister. “Don’ talk to him!” Riley scolded,

man shared, giving them a welcoming smile. “1 raise them for

wool for comfort. Paisley, intrigued by the idea that the tall sheep might belong to someone, peeked out from behind the llama’s front leg. “Do they have

the ground now that the children weren’t

you could give it

pups exchanged another series

Really?” Riley questioned suspiciously.

you want.” The man nodded, “and I can introduce you to the