"This is all your fault," snarled Trakk. "If you did not submit to them in
the jungle, we would not be facing this monster!"
Grugga had no time to respond as he leapt out of the way of the charging Skeith.
Cruncher skidded to a halt and turned around to charge again. This time it aimed
for Trakk.
The poor Moehog was too scared to move. Quickly, Grugga grabbed him with his
trunk just in time before the Skeith trampled over him. Grugga had to find a
way to get out of this mess, and fast!
Just as Cruncher was turning around to attack again, Grugga noticed the tail
of a Meerca sticking out of the one hut. He snatched the long tail with his
trunk, and held the Meerca over his head. To his luck, it happened to be Gor.
"Hey, Cruncher!" called Grugga. "Do you want a treat?"
The Skeith stopped quickly and bobbed his head. He knew what that word was!
Grugga flinged the Meerca into the air. With a wailing scream, Gor landed on
top of the Skeith's tail. For dear life, Gor clung on as the Skeith chased the
Meerca around and around and around, trying to catch his tail and the Meerca
attached to it.
All the Meercas came out of their huts and helped pull Gor away from the Skeith's
tail. Cruncher still thought the village leader was a meal, and kept trying
to get at the poor Gor, when finally the Skeith was ordered to go away. With
his tail tucked between his legs, Gor scuttled off.
Gor laid on the ground, panting. The prehistoric Meerca breathed heavily and
stared at the two. He then gave them an honorable salute.
"Nobody could ever trick good old Cruncher," he said. "That just proves that
these two are mighty warriors!"
The Meercas looked at each other in surprise. Their meal was now a hero? However,
Gor was a wise Meerca, and they all began to clap their hands for the Elephante
and the Meerca. The sound of clapping of paws and the rapping of spears against
the ground now filled the air. Grugga bowed honorably. Trakk mimicked Grugga
and bowed as well. All the Meercas began to celebrate by doing a sacred dance
around the fire.
It was now nighttime, and Grugga and Trakk were as tired as they come. But
they were awake enough to watch the Meercas do their native dance, and to listen
to Gor tell famous Meerca stories.
Grugga and Trakk were almost asleep when Gor told them something that made
them jump!
"Why," said Gor, "there has not been a more grander time, than the age of
the Great Stinky-Thing."
Grugga leapt up from his spot. "The Great Stinky-Thing?"
"Yes," nodded Gor. "You see, we found this weapon in the jungle. It threw
poo. We took it home, and we tried to use it against our enemies, but it was
too stinky, so we sacrificed it to the fire-mountain."
Trakk gasped. "The volcano? BUT WE NEED THAT CATAPULT!"
"Calm down, silly hog," said the Meerca. "It did not land in the fire-mountain's
juice. Before it fell into the hot stuff, many Pteris flew down from the sky,
and caught the Stinky-Thing. They took it to their nest within the fire-mountain."
"Could you guide us there?" asked Grugga. "Trakk and I are on a quest to get
this... Stinky-Thing."
Gor shuddered. "The Pteri and us are great enemies! They come with their sharp
beaks and peck and peck! I will take you to the fire-moutain, but you must go
there on your own."
Grugga nodded and began to close his eyes. While he was falling asleep, he
could hear Trakk murmur: "Trakk the Mighty..."
Meanwhile, back at the Tyrannian jungle, Zeppo kicked Kyruggi. She was chained
up and could not move.
"You Tyrannians are too stupid to think!" he grumbled. "When Dr. Sloth finally
takes over Neopia, you will be the first to go!"
Around Zeppo, there were massive battleships being built. Tyrannia had the
right materials for such a job. Other than battle UFO's, there were also shackled
Neopets, moving about miserably. They were pushed and shoved and kicked, but
it never broke their spirit. A couple still had some smiles on their faces.
Kyruggi wished that Grugga would hurry up soon...
To be continued... | 
