The first night in Denmark was surprisingly cold for summer. The animals snuggled up by a lively fire in the library. Lexii suggested someone read a book to everyone, and CC was nominated. She chose The Lord of the Rings to read, and sat in a big armchair, with Lexii on one arm rest, and Amber on the other.
"...'How bright your garden looks!' said Gandalf. 'Yes,' said Bilbo. 'I am very fond indeed of it, and of all the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday.' 'You mean go on with your plan then?'..." she read. She looked up at all her friends, scanning the room. She gaze turned to Private, who was looking out the window. CC couldn't see his expression, but he seemed sad. She hadn't realised she'd stopped reading, until Amber waved a flipper in front of her face.
"Hello!" she called. "This is no time for star-gazing. Keep reading!"
"Oh, sorry," CC mumbled, and continued. "'I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed it.' 'Very well. It is no good saying any more. Stick to your plan - your whole plan, mind - and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us.'..." CC let out a loud yawn, and rubbed her eyes.
"Sorry, guys," she said. "I'm too tired to read anymore tonight. We'll pick up where we left off tomorow, ok?"
All the others murmured in agreement, also feeling the drowsiness. MS glanced down at Rune, who was curled up on the soft rug in front of the fire, fast asleep, and smiled.
The next morning, MS approached CC.
"Skipper says we should do some early morning recon," he said. "Just in case Blowhole's lurking somewhere."
"Good idea," CC agreed, putting down the book she was looking at. She and MS went outside, and inspected the area in a three kilometre circle.
Bandit watched them leave from the kitchen window, and smiled.
"Coast is clear," she called to the others. "Operation: make this the best birthday CC's ever had, is a go!"
The house was bustling with action, as some animals made a cake, and others decorated the library with streamers and balloons. The only one who wasn't doing any thing was Private. Rune went up to him, noticing he seemed upset.
"What's wrong, Private?" she asked. "Bandit says we need all flippers/paw/hands on deck."
"Oh, I'm just disappointed my present for CC got destroyed in the plane crash. I'll get over it." He smiled, and went to get asigned a job from Bandit.
An hour or so later, CC and MS came back from recon.
"I'm glad Blowhole's nowhere around." CC said.
"Me too," MS agreed. The two of them went inside.
"Where is everyone?" CC asked. The house seemed abandoned.
"I think they might be in the library. Ya did promise we'd read some today," MS suggested. CC nodded, and they went to the library.
When they went inside, CC stopped in surprise. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling, and balloons were scattered all over the floor.
"Wow..." was all CC could say. All her friends stood around, with big, cheesy grins, including Skipper. CC smiled broadly.
"This is... fantastic! No, more than fantastic! There isn't even a word on how fantastic this is!" Rune ran up and hugged her.
"Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!" she said, and no-one needed a translation to know what it meant.
"Do ya'll still want me to read to ya'll?" CC laughed.
"Actually-" Kyle began, but got a sharp nudge from Bandit.
"Only if ya want to," she said. CC smiled.
"Nah, I think we should..." she paused for a moment, thinking, as she edged her way towards the sofa "PILLOW FIGHT!!" she cried, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at the closest target. That happened to be Skipper. He took the pillow off his face, and glared at CC.
"Oops," CC gasped. Skipper came towards her, and slammed the pillow on her, knocking her down, and he began to laugh. He was the target of three other pillows, thrown by Dylan, Kyle, and Rico. Dylan recived a strong throw, sending him to the ground.
"You pillow fight like a bunch of girls!" Skipper jeered, and the pillow fight was at full force. Pillows were flying everywhere, and some of them were bursting open. There was stuffing all over the ground, and most of the balloons had been popped. Some of the streamers were falling too, but no-one cared. They were all having too much fun, throwing pillows, and being hit by them. In all the chaos, no-one noticed Rune leading Private out of the room.
"...'How bright your garden looks!' said Gandalf. 'Yes,' said Bilbo. 'I am very fond indeed of it, and of all the dear old Shire; but I think I need a holiday.' 'You mean go on with your plan then?'..." she read. She looked up at all her friends, scanning the room. She gaze turned to Private, who was looking out the window. CC couldn't see his expression, but he seemed sad. She hadn't realised she'd stopped reading, until Amber waved a flipper in front of her face.
"Hello!" she called. "This is no time for star-gazing. Keep reading!"
"Oh, sorry," CC mumbled, and continued. "'I do. I made up my mind months ago, and I haven't changed it.' 'Very well. It is no good saying any more. Stick to your plan - your whole plan, mind - and I hope it will turn out for the best, for you, and for all of us.'..." CC let out a loud yawn, and rubbed her eyes.
"Sorry, guys," she said. "I'm too tired to read anymore tonight. We'll pick up where we left off tomorow, ok?"
All the others murmured in agreement, also feeling the drowsiness. MS glanced down at Rune, who was curled up on the soft rug in front of the fire, fast asleep, and smiled.
The next morning, MS approached CC.
"Skipper says we should do some early morning recon," he said. "Just in case Blowhole's lurking somewhere."
"Good idea," CC agreed, putting down the book she was looking at. She and MS went outside, and inspected the area in a three kilometre circle.
Bandit watched them leave from the kitchen window, and smiled.
"Coast is clear," she called to the others. "Operation: make this the best birthday CC's ever had, is a go!"
The house was bustling with action, as some animals made a cake, and others decorated the library with streamers and balloons. The only one who wasn't doing any thing was Private. Rune went up to him, noticing he seemed upset.
"What's wrong, Private?" she asked. "Bandit says we need all flippers/paw/hands on deck."
"Oh, I'm just disappointed my present for CC got destroyed in the plane crash. I'll get over it." He smiled, and went to get asigned a job from Bandit.
An hour or so later, CC and MS came back from recon.
"I'm glad Blowhole's nowhere around." CC said.
"Me too," MS agreed. The two of them went inside.
"Where is everyone?" CC asked. The house seemed abandoned.
"I think they might be in the library. Ya did promise we'd read some today," MS suggested. CC nodded, and they went to the library.
When they went inside, CC stopped in surprise. There were streamers hanging from the ceiling, and balloons were scattered all over the floor.
"Wow..." was all CC could say. All her friends stood around, with big, cheesy grins, including Skipper. CC smiled broadly.
"This is... fantastic! No, more than fantastic! There isn't even a word on how fantastic this is!" Rune ran up and hugged her.
"Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!" she said, and no-one needed a translation to know what it meant.
"Do ya'll still want me to read to ya'll?" CC laughed.
"Actually-" Kyle began, but got a sharp nudge from Bandit.
"Only if ya want to," she said. CC smiled.
"Nah, I think we should..." she paused for a moment, thinking, as she edged her way towards the sofa "PILLOW FIGHT!!" she cried, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at the closest target. That happened to be Skipper. He took the pillow off his face, and glared at CC.
"Oops," CC gasped. Skipper came towards her, and slammed the pillow on her, knocking her down, and he began to laugh. He was the target of three other pillows, thrown by Dylan, Kyle, and Rico. Dylan recived a strong throw, sending him to the ground.
"You pillow fight like a bunch of girls!" Skipper jeered, and the pillow fight was at full force. Pillows were flying everywhere, and some of them were bursting open. There was stuffing all over the ground, and most of the balloons had been popped. Some of the streamers were falling too, but no-one cared. They were all having too much fun, throwing pillows, and being hit by them. In all the chaos, no-one noticed Rune leading Private out of the room.
