A Rainforest Creature Adventure:
By: Taralynn Wakelin
A gentle rain began to fall as he walked beneath the canopy of trees; he smiled to himself as he brushed his short, blond hair off his forehead. He listened to the sounds of the rainforest as he walked. He loved being out in nature with animals, it was where he was the happiest. As he walked, he thought he saw something move above him, he shielded his blue eyes from the rain as he looked up. Disappointed at not seeing anything he continued walking, suddenly he was tackled from behind causing him to land face first in mud. He sat up wiping the mud away with his shirt when he heard familiar laughter from behind him, he smiled as he turned to see his best friend and younger brother standing there laughing.
"Got ya bro!" His brother said between laughs.
"You got me!" He said smiling. "Help me up!"
"Sure! You know…" His brother trailed off as he was pulled into the mud too.
"Got you back!" He said laughing as he dumped more mud onto his brother's short, brown hair.
"It's so on!" His brother said as he used his shirt to wipe mud out of his brown eyes.
"You've got to catch me first!" He said getting up trying not to slip in the mud, before he threw more mud at his brother.
The mud fight lasted only a few minutes, it ended when both brothers threw mud at each other, at the exact moment their three friends came out of their ship looking for the brothers. The brothers froze as the mud hit all three covering them; no one spoke or moved, the brothers looked at each other before back to their friends.
"MARTIN AND CHRIS KRATT!"
"Aviva, look it was an accident I swear! I…I thought you were Martin!" Chris explained.
"Yeah! Koki, Jimmy I thought you were Chris!" Martin added.
"Oh…so it was an accident?" Koki asked smiling.
"Yeah, an accident and we're really sorry!" Martin answered, Chris agreed.
"Well, that changes everything!" Aviva said smiling too.
"It…it does?" Chris asked, both brothers smiling too.
"Nope!" Jimmy answered as the three of them threw mud at both brothers as they all laughed and began playing like children.
Meanwhile:
A large, grey jet sat near the water's edge not far from the brother's location, nearby in the water a large boat sat waiting to be taken out for its first trip since arriving in the Amazon the day before. Inside the jet, a tall man with short, black hair and intense green eyes stood looking out the window, a drink in his hand. He had followed the brothers to the Amazon so they could find his prized animal…a black jaguar! He wasn't a stupid man; far from it, he was in fact a genius, and he knew those goody-goodies wouldn't just agree to help him capture one of their precious animals! No…not without a little persuasion! He smiled at that thought, he was a selfish, arrogant, evil man who only thought of himself, not caring who he had to hurt or what he had to do to get what he wanted. He hated having to get physical, he was strong enough and knew how to fight, but he despised using his fists, he'd rather use his mind! So, because of his vast wealth he was able to hire men to do his dirty work for him. His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening behind him, he took a sip of his drink, before he spoke without looking at the person.
"What?"
"Sir, we're ready to go at daybreak!" The man spoke, his voice thick with a British accent.
"Good, good!" He answered smiling as he turned to face the man. "I don't need to remind you what happens if you fail me do I?"
"No, sir! I don't fail!" The man answered.
"No, you've never failed me before, but you see Carter these are not ordinary prey…no, they're sneaky, little creatures!"
"Mr. Stone, I assure you sir I can outsmart any creature!" Carter said smiling.
"Don't be so smug Carter! These creatures are different than any you have faced before my friend." Stone said sitting down having more of his drink.
"What are we hunting sir?"
"Not what, but who!" Stone answered smiling.
"Sir?" Carter asked confused.
"Tomorrow we hunt Wild Kratts!" Stone answered as he began to laugh, Carter smiled.
The Next Day:
The sun had just finished rising as the group of five men reached their destination and got into position. Before they had left they had been given their instructions and warned not to fail or they'd suffer severe consequences. The men knew what Carter was capable of with his quick, and violent temper, but it was their boss Mr. Stone that they were truly afraid of; even the mountain known as Carter was afraid of Stone!
Once in position Carter took out his radio from his pocket, and called Stone to let him know they were in position and ready to send the signal.
"Are you in position?" Stone asked impatiently.
"Yes sir, the trap is set we just need to send the signal!" Carter answered.
"Very good! You better not fail me Carter, I won't accept incompetence!"
"No sir, I guarantee you by tonight you'll have your prey!" Carter assured.
"Do not fail me Carter!" Stone said as he ended the call.
When the call ended Carter put the radio back and took out a small box from his other pocket and turned it on, he put it by a rock hidden from view before he returned to his hiding spot to wait. He wouldn't let those two tree huggers escape and make a fool of him…no one did that! He had worked for Stone for 10 years now, and he knew what Stone was capable of it made him angry, and he wasn't about to become another of Stone's victims!
Meanwhile:
Martin finished getting his pack ready to go exploring with Chris, they had decided to go kayaking along the river. Both brothers loved their job, but they also loved exploring, meeting new animals, just being out in nature! Chris came into the control room, his pack in his hand a smile on his face, Martin put his pack on as Chris spoke.
"Ready to go?" Chris asked.
"Yep! I thought we…" Martin was cut off by Koki's computer beeping, Koki, Aviva and Jimmy rushed into the room.
"What's going on?" Jimmy asked as Koki checked her computer.
"It's a distress call." She answered.
"Can you get an image?" Chris asked.
"No, all I can get is the location."
"Alright, we're ready to go out anyway. Send the co-ordinates to our pods, we'll check it out and report back what we find." Martin said.
"What if it's a trap?" Aviva asked nervously. "It's strange we can't get any kind of image!"
"What if it isn't? We'll be careful Aviva, we can't just ignore it! Someone, or some animal needs our help and as Creature Adventurers it's our job to help!" Martin answered.
"I know MK, just be careful guys okay?" She said worried.
"We will Aviva! We'll report back soon!" Chris said as the brothers left.
After driving as far as they could, they had to walk the rest of the way to the spot. They stayed hidden in the tall grass, unsure what they'd find, but both brothers had a bad feeling about the whole situation. Being so close the brothers could communicate without saying a word, which was very helpful in situations like this. Martin pointed to a large rock in front of them, and Chris nodded to let his brother know he understood that they were going to move behind it. Both brothers quietly left the grass and went to the rock, keeping watch for danger. Once behind the rock Chris kept look out behind them, while Martin checked around the rock for any sign of whoever sent the call. As he did five men quietly snuck out from their hiding spots and stood in front of Chris. The largest man smiled at him, Chris' heart beat faster as he tapped Martin on the back to warn him.
"Martin?"
"Shh Chris, I'm trying to see who sent the call!" Martin scolded without turning around.
"Martin!" Chris said more firmly keeping his eyes locked with the large, muscular, tattooed man.
"Would you stop and help me look! I can't see anyone yet!"
"Maybe we should ask them?" Chris said nervously.
"Them? Them who?" Martin asked confused.
"I think he's talking about us mate!" The man said his voice thick with a British accent.
"Who are you?" Martin asked after he turned to face the men.
"Us? We're just some lost hikers looking for home!" The man answered.
"So, those guns are just for decoration?" Martin asked.
"You sent the distress call!" Chris added.
"Well, gentlemen you really are as good as he told us you were!"
"He who?" Martin demanded.
"Our boss, Mr. Stone! We'll introduce you to him!" The guy answered as he walked towards Chris, but Martin quickly got in the way. "Well, well isn't that cute? Big brother trying to save wittle brother!"
"You know it's amazing!" Martin said smiling starring at the man.
"What is?"
"It's amazing to see a gorilla in the Amazon, it's even more amazing that it can talk!"
"Ooh, you've got jokes! I have one of my own, tell me if you think it's funny!" The guy said as he punched Martin in the stomach.
"Martin!" Chris yelled going to help, but Martin stopped him.
"I'm fine Chris!" Martin said coughing as he held his stomach.
"I guess it wasn't funny! How about this one than?" The man said as he punched Martin again, this time in his face knocking him to the ground. "Hold baby brother back!" He ordered pointing at Chris as he walked up to Martin, who was now on his knees and smiling he kicked Martin in the ribs knocking him to the ground on his back.
"Leave him alone!" Chris yelled as he struggled to get free.
"We're just having a little fun, aren't we Marty?" The man said smiling as he knelt by Martin and grabbed his face forcing him to look at Chris.
"I'm okay." Martin said as he coughed again.
"See, we're getting to be good mates aren't we Marty?" The man said as he let him go and patted Martin's cheek.
"Who are you and what do you want?" Chris demanded.
"Well, since we're mates now I'll tell you who I' am!" The man answered as he stood and smiling walked up to Chris. "My name's Carter, and our boss would like to meet you!"
"You're insane if you think we're going to go anywhere with you!" Chris said angrily.
"You act like you have a choice!" Carter said smiling. "I'll make this simple enough, even the two of you can understand! You're coming with us and there's nothing you can do to stop it! Of course, if you'd like to try…please be my guest! I'll even make it fair, boys let him go and stay out of it!" Carter said as he backed up arms stretched out. "Stop me little man!"
"Chris no!" Martin said as he tried to get to his feet, but Carter punched him again knocking him back to the ground.
"Ow, that one looked like it hurt!" Carter mocked as he starred at Chris.
Chris didn't say anything as he charged Carter, he connected knocking them both to the ground. Chris quickly got to his feet and went to kick him, but Carter grabbed his foot tripping him, he landed on his back hard driving the air out of him. Carter then got to his feet, he could move fast for such a large man. He knelt by Chris and punched him three times in the face, he went to hit him a fourth time, but Martin tackling him from the side stopped him. The fight lasted 10 minutes, going back and forth between Carter and both brothers at different times. All three got hits in, but the fight ended when Carter kicked both brothers in the ribs while they were down.
"Well boys, I have to say you put up hell of a fight!" Carter began as he stood between the brothers, he wiped the blood off his nose and mouth onto his shirt. "But you lose! Tie them up, while I call Mr. Stone!" Carter ordered as he walked away.
He was only gone two minutes when he heard shouting, and gunfire he raced back to his men and they stopped shooting, he looked around and saw the brothers were gone.
"Where are they?" Carter demanded.
"They escaped sir!" One man answered.
"Escaped? How? Did they grow wings and fly away?" Carter yelled angrily.
"No, they told us there was an anaconda behind us! When we turned to check they took off!"
"Idiots! I'm surrounded by bloody idiots! You had one job…one!"
"Wait sir! Over there, look something's moving in the bushes! It might be them!" The man said pointing to some bushes in front of them, before they began firing again.
"Stop shooting you idiots!" Carter yelled.
"You told us…" The man was cut off when Carter grabbed him by the shirt and held him against a tree.
"I told you the boss wanted them alive! How can he use them to find his jaguar if they're dead?" Carter said as he slammed the guy against the tree. "Go check and make sure you didn't kill them!"
"Yes sir!" The man answered as Carter threw him onto the ground.
Seconds later the man returned and shook his head no, Carter was furious as he paced in front of his idiot men! He ordered the men to pack up they were heading back to the jet, as Carter sat in the passengers seat of one of the jeeps he rubbed his head. He had already told Stone he had both brothers, and now he'd have to tell him they failed!
TBC…