The four of us found the paw prints leading through the forest and disappearing into the thicket. How far they went and how far ahead the creature was was unknown. But with four of us we’d be slower … My only hoped the Wendingo would need to stop to rest at some point.

Panchu lifted his snout and took three breaths. “The trail is growing cold … we need to make haste.”

Juk nodded, “I bet you can smell him for miles.”

“Do I look like a dog,” Panchu snapped. “Keep attentive. This thing will know we’re coming … and it may have set traps.”

“Traps,” Tykka raised his eyebrows. “What kind of traps? It’s just a grim … it’s not a human.”

“And I suppose I’m just a guardian.” Panchu chuckled, stepping over a log. He pushed between two bushes and we followed close behind. “That grim was able to take care of you lot.”

Juk glared at me. “It wasn’t that creature … it was this one here ... he and his water spirit.”

“Water spirit?” Panchu looked between them. “What’d I miss?”

“Too much,” I replied irritated. “If you weren’t hibernating all day you would’ve heard.”

“Hibernating?” Panchu lifted his snout and chuckled. “If only …”

I pulled the bear-head totem from my neck. “You hibernate all you want.”

“Urgh!” The old bear groaned and shook his head. “Never liked being trapped in a totem.”

Juk asked obnoxiously, “Why not?” He chuckled. “Do you get nightmares?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I just fear I'll be left to sleep and forgotten.”

Tykka asked, “how long would you hibernate?”

“If forgotten, until whomever I was bound to died.”

My lips curled. “Best not make me upset then … or it might be a long sleep.”

“You’d be a fool to threaten me, boy.” Panchu snapped. “Besides, It’d take a tribe to get me to hibernate. Now what happened between all of you?”

I glared at Juk. “I don’t want to talk about it …”

“Why not? We’ve got time.”

He had a point. And it was better to have him aware of the situation then be left in the dark. I told him about the falls. The herbal runestone. Gygus. And the battle between us. Panchu chuckled and shook his head, and I sensed he was less than impressed.

“Fools. “ Panchu guffawed. “You all did the work for him … you fell right into his trap time and time again.”

Juk lips sunk, “we didn’t know we were going to be attacked by your party. The chief is more important than Tuma. The fact that you didn’t give us the herbal rune was unacceptable.”

“It was ours.” I snapped. “The chief wasn’t the only one who was injured.”

“Yes, but if Tuma had’ve known, he would’ve made the sacrifice. As would you.”

The fact that Juk thought he knew what I'd do made my blood boil. I glared. What would I have done? If it were me who'd been injured would I have wanted to heal myself or heal the chief? Who was more valuable to the tribe? I mean, I wasn't even chosen by a guardian. The Great Spirit didn't deem me worthy.

"Maybe," I said at last. "But it wasn't me who had been injured. It was my friend. And his life was important to us. To our party."

"We can't change the past." Tykka replied kicking a stone with such might it shot into the air and got lost in a grove of trees twenty feet away. "We all acted hastefully … and not how The Great Spirit would've wanted. We are from the same tribe. We should be allies, not enemies."

"Here! Here!" Panchu guffawed loudly. "Finally. There is somebody amongst us, like me, who makes a bit of sense."

Tykka hadn't smiled since his brother passed. But the compliment made his face brighten. Maybe that is all we needed … to talk. To work things out without acting in haste. And acting in anger. We were from the same tribe. We may be different in motives and our thoughts, but that doesn't mean our goals are not the same.

"We are all here for our tribe." I looked at each one of them. "This we all agree upon. And if we can find what brings us together, and not what separates us, then we will be much more successful."

I wish I had said this to the others: To Tuma, Onwae, Mowak, Sqakron, Shade, and Sapphire. Maybe then we wouldn't have been in the circumstance we were in. Maybe then we could've defeated Rakku instead of run like frightened triblings. And maybe then we'd all still be together.

"Not you too," Juk said with a hint of sarcasm. "I will never be one of you. Worthless. Unchosen. A boy who'd rather save another tribling then his own chief. You're pathetic and unworthy of being a Spirit Shaman." He lifted his chin and threw back his robe, "Hhmp!" and stormed off in the direction of the tracks.

I took a step after him.

"Let him go," Panchu said. "Don't waste your breath trying to convince somebody who doesn't want convincing. He needs to discover things on his own."

"But we must stay together!"

"He'll be fine. I'm sure he just needs to blow off some steam—"

A loud, daunting holler came through the trees, causing a nest of blue bird's to awaken and take flight. The forest then grew silent. And we stood looking at one another.

Tykka said what we were all thinking. "Juk!"

All together, we sprinted southward where the noise had come from. I kept my arms up, shielding my face from the swinging branches while trees blurred past me. My hope was that the weindgo hadn't gotten to him first. And hadn't tore his head from his body. The woods were now silent, except our light steps, and heavy breaths.

We came around a bend and there was a shrill, "Stop!"

I locked my leg and turned my feet sideways. My momentum caused me to slide. Rocks and dirt leaving a trail from my moccasins. We stopped, and just in time too. Juk's skinny chin was only inches above the ground. The rest of his body was swallowed by black dirt.

"Quicksand," Tykka said, taking a step back. "We've got to get him out of there."

"This is no quicksand," Panchu shook his head, "this is something else … one of those traps I was telling you about."

I asked, "how can you be certain?"

Panchu turned towards me and wrinkled his snout. "Have you ever heard of quicksand in these forests? And look at it." I took my eyes off of him and gazed upon the black, oozing liquid. "He's in the middle … it was probably hard before he fell in."

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Juk tried to keep still, but that didn't keep his jaws from snapping, "will you stop talking and get me out of here!"

"Relax, Juk." Tykka said, holding up his hands. If you fight it you'll only succumb to it's pull."

"If you don't shut up and help you're going to succumb to my pull when I get out of here!"

Tykka looked at Panchu and I, "maybe we should just leave him …"

We chuckled.

"That's not funny—" His lips went under and came back up. He spat and swore. "Hurry up!"

Panchu stopped at the edge of the black pool and extended his neck. "You've got to ask nicely."

Juk's brows sunk as slowly as he was. "You're all a bunch of triblings!" The black liquid bubbled by his cheek. "What was that?"

Panchu's curled lips flattened. He gazed upon the liquid, studying the bubbles. "Oh, no …" He whispered. "This is not quicksand … it's … tar."

Juk squealed, "please … help … it's getting hot."

My eyes widened and I said, "It's not meant to drown him." Tykka and Panchu looked upon me, their faces twisted with worry. "It's meant to boil him. Hurry! We have to help him!"

Tykka and I each grabbed a branch and tore it from the tree then hurried to the edge of the stiff earth. We knelt down, extending our arms and limb.

Tykka groaned, "Grab it!"

Juk waved his arms like a wild man. "I can't reach!"

Panchu whipped his snout right and left, up and down. "I'll be right back." He darted off into the thicket.

"Where are you going?"

"Useless!" Juk said grimly. Black bubbles expanding and erupting all around him. "You must hurry … I'm being cooked alive!"

Both Tykka and I swung our arms and I stretched. My shoulder screamed and I felt like it'd tear. "Just a little further." I clenched my teeth. "We can do it."Bubbles exploded around my hands and I felt steam on my flesh, reddening my skin.

Panchu bursted through the bush, rear facing us. "Move," he grumbled. His mouth full. Tykka and I took a step back while Panchu tugged and pulled, tearing a thin fallen tree through the brush. He jerked his rear left, pulling his snout right, slamming the branch into the tar. "Grab ahold."

Juk swung his arms, missing. After two more misses, he grabbed two nubs of the branch. He shrieked. "I got it! Pull!"

Tykka and I scurried to our left while the enormous old bear reared. Grunting and growling, retreating further and further away from the blackness. In a blur, Juk went from the boiling black pool to solid ground. He panted and groaned. His robe steaming, legs reddened. Sweat rolling down his face. The old bear grunted then dropped the log.

Tykka ran over to him and knelt to one leg, placing a hand on Juk's head. "Are you ok?"

Juk waved a hand, "don't touch me!" His eyes red and tearing, from the heat, and the burns his skin obtained. He looked down at his legs and groaned. "You all took too long."

Panchu's lips sunk, "he needs hex ointment for his wounds …"

"No one asked you!"

"This is not just tar." He sniffed, gazing upon the thick black liquid. "This is cursed tar."

Juk furrowed brows raised to his forehead. "What do you mean?"

Panchu brought his snout closer, took a sniff, then shook. "Yup … this is not good."

I studied the boys blackened flesh. The tar was no long liquid, but shaping. Creating a shell around the boy's flesh. "It's hardening …"

Juk shrugged, "so what."

"You've got a lot to learn, tribling." Panchu shook his head. "I've seen this before … in a village outside the shadow region. They were attacked by Shadow Shaman who'd cursed them with this tar … what it does is it keeps harden until eventually it'll cause your bones to snap." He sighed. "If the boiling doesn't get you, the hardening will."

"And the hex ointment?" Tykka asked. "What does it do?"

"It breaks down the tar, making it easy to wipe off. That's how we were able to save many of the villagers."

I stood to my feet. "What do we need to make it?"

"Earth Grubs … and lots of them." Panchu said. "Their insides are full of goupy liquids and acids that can break down the tar."

"Hmm." I rubbed my chin and looked around the forests. "Where are we going to find those around here?"

Tykka tore his badger-head totem from his neck. "He can be of some use. Madgy. Awaken!"

Suddenly there was a flash as an orb shot to the ground and formed into flesh and fur. The creature wrinkled his snout and looked upon each one of us. Madgy snapped, teething rattling. "Why'd you wake me? And who might you be?"

"We need your help …"

"Of course you do," He snapped glaring at us then to the old bear. "Panchu? Well there's a face for weary eyes." His lips curled displaying fangs.

I asked, "You know each other?"

"Course we do." Madgy chuckled, teeth rattling. "He and I go way back. You've gotten fat."

Panchu guffawed. "Madgy … it's been too long … I heard you were eaten by that albino gator in the swamplands."

"Nope!" His teeth rattled. "Only lies told by frogs and toads. "

"What were you doing out in the swamplands, no how?"

"What you think? Eating frogs and toads … why you think they made up them lies about me."

Panchu raised his snout and let out a long, high growling laugh. "I should've figured this much."

Madgy turned towards Juk and shook his head. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. "What's become of you now, boy?"

Juk raised a finger and snapped, "I don't want to hear it from you, Badge. I'm fine."

"You're not fine," he squinted and sniffed. "You've been swimming in cursed tar, or what?"

Tykka gasped. "So it is?"

"Of course it is," He winced and chuckled. "That there curse tar will harden and break every bone in his body … painful way to go … seen it happen to a friend. Never heard somebody howl in such agony in all my life."

Juk's face paled. He gulped. "What are you all waiting for? You have to help me!"

Madgy walked around the boy then peered out over the tar. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. "What were you doing playing out there anyway? Anybody with two keen eyes could see it was a trap."

Juk frowned. "If you must know, I was following wendigo footprints."

"Wendigo?" He chuckled absurdly. "There's no wendigo out in these woods."

Panchu nodded. "My spirit brother … there is." The old bear then took the time to get the badger up to speed. The beast lips sinking with each and every word.

"Fools!" Madgy shook his head. "The lot of you …" He then looked upon Tykka. "Sorry to hear about your brother. He was a fine kid. Nasty. Not like you. And that's what I liked about him."

Tykka's lip trembled. "T-thank you …"

Madgy heckled. "After meeting him, I always thought I made the wrong decision binding my spirit to yours." He and Panchu roared with laughter, only to silence at our unamused expression. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. "Guess it's not the time for jokes like that." He glanced at Tykka. "I don't know how much use we'll be … your Spirit Energy is still low."

"I know," Tykka nodded. "But we need you to help us find Earth Grubs."

"Earth grubs?" The badger face twisted. He looked down upon Juk. "Oh, yes … the Queen Grub has fluids and acids that can remove that tar. But finding her colony won't be easy … and baiting her out will be even harder with all the workers … But if we do get her out, she won't be easy to take down." He shook his head. "Queen Grubs are nasty creatures … as large as I am … and just as easily tempered."

Tykka said confidently. "With you and Panchu here, that shouldn't be a problem."

Panchu yawned and plopped down. "I'm going to have to stay behind."

"Coward." Juk stuck out his tongue.

Not this again. I pointed my speartip at him. "We can't afford you to sit this one out …"

"I'm not sitting this out." He looked at Juk. "Somebody is going to have to stay behind with this one. That tar is going to harden and soon he won't be able to walk … and unless he wants to rest on my quill, I say we are going to have to stay behind."

Madgy nodded. "He's right. And the more he moves the quicker it'll stiffen."

Juk eyes widened and he held still. Panchu guffawed. "Stay just like that … and it's best you not make a peep." The boy's face reddened but he held his tongue.

My brows furrowed, "we need you. There could be more traps out there. And the last few times you haven't been around I nearly was killed."

Panchu shrugged and rested his chin on his paws. "You'll be fine … besides, you've got Madgy here and he's as mean as they come."

Juk mumbled, "I'll say."

The badger waved his head. "Come on. The old bear will only slow us down and stir up the grubs nest no how."

"Don't leave me with him!" Juk yanked the coon-head totem from his neck. "I'll have Rocco stay and protect me. I don't want that monster here." His voice trembled. "He might eat me."

Panchu opened one eye, glaring. "Please. You'd be the last thing I'd want to eat. Besides, I can sense your Spirit Energy. You're too weak."

"I don't care!" Juk screamed. "Rocco, Awaken!"

The totem glowed and then shot an orb to the ground. It shimmered blue and purple. In an instant, it formed, shaping into the black and gray furred beast. Rocco opened his jaws and yawned, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Juk. What's the deal?" He yawned, smacking his lips, and flopping his tongue against the roof of his mouth. He raised his paw. "It's too bright out here … don't you know a coon needs his sleep?"

"Sorry to bother you, Rocco." There was a kindness in Juk's voice I hadn't heard before. "I need you to stay out here and keep a lookout."

"I diggy." Rocco nodded, rubbing his eyes. He blinked twice and jerked. "Woah! What happend to you? Looks like you were swimming in mud."

"It wasn't mud," Juk crossed his arms. "It was tar … cursed tar."

"Didn't know there was such a thing." He looked at Mudgy and then to Panchu." Hey! Badge and Grizzy. Give me some paw." He held it out. Mudgy and Panchu glared at him. "No? That's fine too."

"You didn't tell me the coon was in your party," Panchu whispered.

Mudgy rubbed his temples. "I was trying to forget."

Rocco looked around. "Where's my beast wolver?"

Tykka lowered his head. "That creature … the wendigo took his totem."

"He did?" Rocco shook. "Tragedy … a straight tragedy. We'll have to get him back."

"We'll come to that path later." Madgy snapped. "For now we need to find the Queen Grub before your master ends up becoming a statue."

Panchu stood to all four paws. I raised an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't coming …"

"And stay alone with them two?" Panchu shook his head and guffawed. "Forget it."

My lips curled. Good to know we'll have him with us this time. Hopefully this will improve our odds, and make this a very quick trip. "Juk. Do your best to stay hidden while we're gone. We don't want anybody seeing you."

Juk forehead wrinkled, "you all just get back quickly … Meeka is counting on us."