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"Scampers, could you please go get the flashlight out of the basement?"
"But Mom! It's dark down there!" Scampers whined.
"It's a power outage, honey, everywhere is dark," sighed her owner. "Please honey, I really need you
to get that flashlight for me. You see much better in the dark than I do."
"O-o-okay, Mom." Scampers took a deep breath and slowly opened the door to the cellar. She could faintly
make out the old wooden stairs leading down into the darkness. Scampers shivered with fear, gripping the
handrail tightly as she headed down.
Scampers was never what you would consider a "brave" Neopet. Sometimes she wished she was fearless like her
Kougra or Lupe friends, but she was just a nervous little blue Cybunny. She was often teased at school for
jumping at sudden noises, and giving her lunch money to bullies and running before they even had a chance to
threaten her.
Descending further down the stairs, she kept telling herself, "I can do this for my Mom, I can do this for my
Mom, I can-" There was a sudden creak of wood next to her. Scampers shot from the basement, scared out of
her mind. She didn't stop running until she was safe in her owner's arms.
"I'm sorry I couldn't do it for you Mommy! I really tried!" She said, sobbing into her owner's sleeve.
"It's okay," her Mom said, trying to comfort her. "I'm sorry I asked you to go down there. It's alright, the
lights have come back on now. You don't need to be scared anymore."
Scampers looked up. Sure enough, the lights had come back on again. She breathed a sigh of relief. Still, she
felt terrible about not being brave enough to get the flashlight for her mom. Her owner hugged her again and
tucked her gently into bed. Before Scampers fell asleep, she promised herself that one day, she'd have enough
courage to help her owner whenever she needed her.
The next day on the way to school, she found that her normal route was flooded due to the storm that had caused
the power outage the night before. The only other way to school was a path through "The Haunted Forest," she gasped.
Scampers looked at her watch; she was already running late. There was no choice but to go through. Gathering what little
courage she had, Scampers stepped into the woods...
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Author: Ripped Blue Chia Plushie
Date: 22 July
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...She walked down the path, and at first it didn't seem as scary as she had thought it would be. A lot of sunlight still
managed to shine down through the thick trees. Just when Scampers started to relax, the path curved around a large boulder.
It was as if she had walked through some sort of veil. Everything around her was completely dark now. She could barely see
the path in front of her and the huge trees on both sides.
Scampers thought about turning around and just going home. "I can tell Mommy I'm not feeling well," she said to herself, but
then she remembered the look her mom had given her last night when she didn't want to go into the basement. Scampers knew
how disappointed her mom would be in her if she went home.
"I can do this," she repeated over and over to herself as she walked on. Scampers had been walking nearly 10 minutes on the dark
twisty path and was getting more scared by the minute.
"I should have been there by now." She said to herself. Scampers had just decided to turn back when the sky let out a terrifying
crash of thunder. She jumped nearly four feet in the air. The rain started coming down in huge, heavy drops. There was a flash
of lightning and Scampers saw what looked like a cave just off the path and decided to hide in there until the rain stopped. She
ran into the cave, but stayed as close to the edge as she could without getting soaked. With the darkness of the forest she couldn't
tell how deep the cave was, but she was afraid to find out...
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Author: indigo_giraffe
Date: 22 July
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...She sat shivering for the next 20 minutes, trembling at any sudden noise or movement. Surely the rain will let up soon, Scampers thought. Then she
remembered how the storm last night hadn't stopped for 6 hours! She felt a jolt of fear at the thought, and tried to take her
mind off all of this; it was just too much.
She sat on the edge of the cave for nearly an hour, but the rain just wouldn't stop. Then, from a distance, she saw glowing red
eyes and they were coming right for her! Scampers jumped up looking frantically around for some way to escape, but the creature
was coming fast and she didn't have much time. The only choice she had was to run further into the cave.
Running as fast as her legs could carry her she ventured far within, never looking back to see if "it" was following her. Not
knowing how long she had been running for, she eventually slowed down. Scampers found herself lost in the dark with only the sound
of her heart pounding wildly...
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Author: jen_turner13
Date: 23 July
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...Suddenly, she heard a whimper from the depths of the cave. Scampers followed the noise farther in. When she found
the source of the noise, she gasped with surprise. It was Stormy, the fearless Lupe, trembling like a little baby! He was curled
up into a corner, with a look of terror in his eyes. Scampers couldn’t help laughing. It was a rare sight to see Stormy, the bully,
quaking with fear!
That was when she realized that if Stormy was scared, there had to be a pretty good reason to be afraid. Scampers
started quivering in terror. What could be so horrifying to make Stormy so panicky?
Behind her, Scampers became aware of the sound of deep breathing; loud and strong. A petrifying creature was sleeping near by.
It was dark, but the sound was so noisy, you could tell the thing was gigantic. It was so terrifying for the poor little Cybunny, who
shrieked in fear. The breathing got shorter and shallower. All of a sudden, the eye of a monstrous thing flew open!
A hideous green-yellow eye scanned the cavern, searching for the source of the noise, and then, it spotted her...
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Author: empressneleah
Date: 23 July
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...Scampers screamed. Her voice echoed around the dank walls of the cave as she stood frozen to the spot; unable to move, fear paralyzing
her.
Why oh why had she come to this cave? Ten thousand thoughts collided in her mind, but one surfaced: This is the end!
Whimpering with shock and terror, poor Scampers managed to start to edge away into the corner where Stormy was cowering.
She suddenly realized how grateful she would have been if the Lupe was fearless and tough like his usual self. At least then she
might have a chance to escape.
She then thought of the night before when she had been too scared to even get a flashlight for her owner. Memories washed over her
of all the times she had been too scared to do something, or had jumped with fright at a silly little thing. She remembered how the
other pets had teased her. Even Stormy! And look at him now!
As she stared at him, new resolve poured over her. She WOULD get out of this. If it took all her strength and will and might she
was going to face up to her fears, prove the bullies wrong and make her owner proud!
Shakily, but determined, she got up and made her way over to the huge beast...
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Author: meliangel
Date: 24 July
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...She looked determinedly into the beast's eyes but it didn't do anything. It just looked back.
Scampers looked towards Stormy. He was still sitting in the dark corner. She slowly walked over to him and said in
a whisper, "When I tell you so, you RUN, got it?" Stormy merely nodded and buried his face into his paws.
Scampers, shaking all over, slowly walked back over to the beast again. It clearly had no idea as to what was going on. It didn't
attack Scampers when she walked around it. Thinking that the monster would turn around once Scampers was behind it, she quickly
sprang forward.
The beast turned to look at her.
Scampers wanted to distract the beast while Stormy would escape. Now was the chance to tell him to run. "Stormy!" whispered
Scampers, "run, now!"
The Lupe didn't want to move. He was rooted to the spot, apparently too frightened to try and run away from the beast.
"Come on!" hissed Scampers. Stormy finally gathered what was left of his courage and slowly stood up and started to move
away from the beast and Scampers.
The beast, hearing movement, quickly turned its head toward Stormy. It leaned on its front legs, ready to pounce.
Suddenly, Scampers had the wildest idea...
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Author: snitch_13
Date: 24 July
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...and threw herself against the creature's green-yellow eyes.
"Run!" she screamed as she held on tightly to the beast's rearing head. "Run, Stormy! Run now!"
Stormy hesitated for a moment. He stared at the little nerdy Cybunny he stole lunch money from; now holding on to the beast's
head for dear life, as the creature whipped his head this way and that, urging the little Cybunny off.
Scampers turned, and saw Stormy still standing there, staring. She felt angry, and tired, and she knew, deep in her heart,
that the end was near. She felt bitter towards Stormy for making it worse. "Go, Stormy! I told you to run!"
But Stormy didn't move.
Finally, Scampers's strength failed, and the beast managed to make her fly off into the cave wall. She hit the wall with a
crash, making little rocks and stalagmite fly in all directions.
The creature was now livid. His eye glowed a fiery red, and his nostrils released foul-smelling steam. He was also very
hungry, and a nice lunch of Cybunny would do him well. He advanced towards the unconscious Cybunny, totally
unaware of the Lupe creeping slowly in the shadows towards him.
Stormy crouched down, feeling suddenly protective and warm towards the little Cybunny that he had never really paid much
attention to.
He hesitated once more, deciding what to do. Panic was slowly creeping up his spine as the beast came nearer and nearer to
Scampers. Suddenly, a crevice in the cave wall caught his eye. It was positioned right on top of the hideous creature
and the Cybunny.
Then a brilliant, beyond brilliant, idea lit up in the Lupe's head...
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Author: tsukilove
Date: 25 July
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...Stormy began to estimate how big the crevice was. By the looks of it, there was enough room to
get himself and the helpless Cybunny out of here. The cave was old and broken, and there were holes everywhere. It
would be no problem getting up there. As quickly as he could, Stormy thought up a plan, aware the creature was still lurking towards Scampers.
The creature began breathing harder and harder with every step it took towards Scampers. It was pondering how to eat the
Cybunny. Slow and menacingly, or fast and greedily? Hmmmm... decisions, decisions...
Meanwhile...
Stormy picked up a rock, aimed for the creature, and tossed it at him. As soon as the rock hit it, Stormy flipped off into
the darkness. The creature merely turned around, searched the cave, and continued to creep closer to Scampers. The
brave Lupe threw another rock at the creature, this time getting its full attention. The creature began to march around
the cave angrily. Stormy's plan was working...
Stormy ran over to Scampers and grabbed her. He began to climb the wall, but the creature saw him. Its eyes turned the
deepest shade of red as it charged toward Stormy and Scampers. It ran into the cave wall, causing the place to shake. It
was then that Stormy realized that his plan just might not work.
He was a few feet from the crevice, when the creature hit the wall again, causing him to slip. The cave also shook
more. Stormy frantically climbed up the wall, only to have the creature hit it again. Then, the cave began to rain rocks.
Stormy realized that the cave was going to come down on them.
Still, there might be a ray of hope, he thought, trying for the crevice one more time...
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Author: uniqueliek
Date: 25 July
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...Stormy was now close enough to the crevice to boost Scampers up into it. She'll be safe there he thought. His attention
then turned towards the beast. If he and Scampers were to get out alive he had to think fast.
He grabbed one of the rocks falling from the walls of the cave and threw it directly into the eye of the beast. Then
took another rock and threw it into the other eye. The beast fell to the ground in agonizing pain. Stormy quickly
scurried up the wall and got into the crevice with Scampers.
The beast couldn't reach them up there but they obviously couldn't stay here forever. Eventually they'd starve.
Stormy began searching the crevice to see if there was a way to knock the wall loose and get out.
He found a little glimmer of light coming through the wall and tried to bust through it, but his strength alone wasn't enough.
He needed help...
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Author: theangelprincess82
Date: 26 July
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...then he saw a dirty paw reach up. Scampers had regained consciousness and was now joining Stormy in pushing through the hole.
They looked at each other, pure determination glinting in their worn-out eyes, and together burst through the wall of the cave.
The storm was over and slivers of shimmering light pierced through the canopy like ribbons.
"We'd better tell everyone about that creature," said Scampers horridly, beginning to hop of towards home.
"Scampers! Wait!" Called Stormy. "Thank you. Thank you for everything, if it hadn't been for you... I may not be here right now."
Scampers smiled, "And thank you. For saving my life and teaching me it's ok to be afraid sometimes. Just one thing..."
"Yes?" Asked Stormy trotting along beside her towards home.
"Have you learned your lesson about not bullying others?"
"Yep! From now on, I'll never make fun of anyone... just take their lunch money. Now come on! We have to warn everybody!" He
replied as he broke into a run.
Scampers rolled her eyes and called after him, "We're going to have a little talk about that lunch money thing. Ever think of
bringing your lunch?"
As the two ran off along the path, Scampers new deep in her heart that this day had changed her life forever. Not only had she
conquered her fear of... everything, but she had made a new, life-long friend.
The End
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Author: elektracute
Date: 26 July
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