Thank you for all the nice reviews so far! I've had a little struggle with continuing this story, but here is the newest chapter. Better late than never, I guess. Enjoy! :)

Chapter 5: Change Of Plans

"Do you really think this will work, Gruffi?"

Tummi exhaled, as he removed sweat from his forehead with his hand. He leaned against the shovel, as he investigated the big hole in the ground, which Gruffi was digging even deeper.

"Less talking and more shoveling, Tummi! This trap has to be big, so Igthorn can't climb out."

"You're really upset…"

Gruffi froze in his movement, stood up and looked at Tummi.

"Meaning what?" Gruffi asked, a little edge to his voice.

"It's just that… I think the last time I saw you like this on his behalf was when Gusto thought Artie died back on the island. And that was four years ago."

"I'll pretend, that I have no clue what you mean," Gruffi said, and began digging again.

"But it's true, Gruffi. You do tend to be hard on everyone. Gusto is probably the one you argue with the most. And that's coming from me." Tummi turned his head in the direction of the voice. Grammi was placing leaves and branches next to the big hole in the ground, she had clearly overheard their conversation. She put her hands on her sides.

"What are you getting at?" Gruffi hissed at them. Grammi and Tummi exchanged a look.

"I think Tummi is wondering why you're making such a big effort to get back at Igthorn."

"You saw that torture spot, Tummi!" Gruffi said sourly. "You shouldn't be asking me questions as of why we're doing this. Besides it's not just for Gusto's safety, it's for all of us. Igthorn needs to be taught a lesson. Now stop asking me questions and get moving!"

Rose poured tea into the mug and handed it to Gusto.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Sore," he replied with a hoarse voice. He removed the duvet from his upper body and sat up in the bed. He was back in his white pajamas; his clothes were being washed. Although Grammi said that it probably would take forever to clean them, considering how much blood the fabric was stained with. Rose looked at him, her eyes sadder than he had ever seen them. He couldn't blame her. His arm was wrapped in bandages, his neck was covered with a big band aid, and his eyes were red from the lack of sleep, so he didn't exactly look like a drawing in a picture book. Slowly he took her hand in his.

"I'm fine, really. I just need to sleep after this cup of tea. Then everything will turn around," he said, and sent her a little smile. He then took a sip of the healthy drink.

"I really hope so," Rose answered. They just sat like that for a moment. "I'll let you sleep. Maybe I can help the others set up the trap."

"But you're…"

"I can still work a little, you know," she interrupted him. Gusto chuckled.

"Sometimes I forget the amount of willpower, you have," he said. Rose smiled at him, she took the mug out of his hand.

"Yes, and you look like someone who is trying to fight off how sleepy you are. But it will gain up on you eventually, so you might as well try to give in now." She kissed him on the forehead, before tugging him in. Then she closed the door to his room.

After an hour of working Gruffi was finally starting to get satisfied with the trap. He just needed it to be a little deeper, and then they could start covering it with branches and leaves.

"Gruffi!" Zummi called.

"What is it?" he yelled back. Zummi's face appeared above ground.

"Everything is taken care of up here, do you heed a nand… uh, need a hand?"

"No thanks, I'm almost done here."

Zummi nodded and looked around. Grammi and Tummi sat in the grass, talking about the plan with Sunni and Cubbi, while Artie was relaxing on a branch above them. Suddenly a bush right next to him moved, it almost sent him jumping two feet in the air.

"Hi, Zummi. Do you need help?" The voice was friendly.

"Oh, hello, Rose!" Zummi answered surprised. Rose got out of the bush and walked closer to him. "No, I think Gruffi has everything under control. But afterwards we need to cover the hole and figure out a way to lure Igthorn in this direction."

Just when he was pondering how to make that happen, a big shadow appeared behind him.

He awoke by someone opening the door to his room. At first everything was blurry, but when he blinked a few times, he recognized the silhouette in front of him.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" He sat up in the bed, seeming a little confused. Mattheus smiled, an action that was very unusual for Gusto to see, and he sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I think we need to talk."

Igthorn lifted Zummi up in the air, the bear struggled to get free.

"Ambush!" Artie yelled, as he flew off the branch.

"Let go of him, you monster!" Gruffi yelled from the hole in the ground. Quickly he grabbed his bottle of gummi berry juice, chucked down the content and jumped from the trap onto the ground. He jumped again, landing on Igthorn's right foot. Igthorn yelled in pain and dropped Zummi on the ground so hard, that the magician almost broke his glasses. Rose quickly helped him to his feet. The rest of the bears followed Gruffi's example and drank their juice. They jumped closer to Igthorn, surrounding him and started forcing him towards the trap.

"Toadwart! Now!" Igthorn yelled.

Within a few seconds Toadwart and the rest of Igthorn's army of ogres appeared behind them with weapons.

"They're too many!" Sunni gasped, as she turned around to look at the ogres. "What do we do?"

"We fight back of course!" Cubbi yelled. He grabbed his wooden sword and ran towards Toadwart. "Charge!"

"Cubbi, no!" Gruffi yelled. Unfortunately, it was too late. Cubbi pushed the small ogre off to the side, but one of the biggest ogres grabbed Cubbi and held the little bear in it's giant hands. Toadwart pointed Igthorn's knife towards Cubbi, the knife was still stained with blood.

"Now, you're all going to go along with my plan, or Toadwart will hurt the little gummi bear!" Igthorn said and sent the group an evil smile.

"What do you want to talk about?" Gusto asked. Mattheus just sat there, seeming surprisingly calm.

"Well… I wanted to talk to you about what happened back then."

"And it can't wait a little?" Gusto asked.

"No, I don't think it can," Mattheus answered. He sighed. "Look, I know you despise me. And I get why. I was awful to you."

"Understatement of the year," Gusto said, as he raised an eyebrow.

"I meant what I said though. I've changed. And I would like to get to know you again."

"How? How have you changed?"

"First of all, I have learned how to control my temper and not to let it out on the wrong people. Second of all, I have learned to use my words and not my hands. I take the right medicine … and most of all I have missed you for all these years. I have since the day you disappeared from our warren."

"Dad, you hit me. On several occasions. I get that you were ill, I really do. I even tried to tell Leonard, when he wanted to hurt us both. But clearly, that you were ill wasn't an excuse," Gusto answered. An uncomfortable feeling of sadness appeared in his chest. "I remember your birthday. I made you a drawing, I had wrapped it up nicely for you, and I wanted to make you smile. But you tore it to pieces right in front of me before hitting me."

"I remember that day too," Mattheus answered, as he looked down for a moment. "What did you draw for me?"

Gusto gulped, trying to stay as calm as he could, so that the usual mask wouldn't be destroyed in tears and accusations.

"I drew mom."

Mattheus looked back up at Gusto.

"You did?"

"Yes. You weren't the only one who missed her. I still do. I really needed her. But she was gone, and you weren't really being a father. You were being a jerk."

Mattheus reached out for Gusto's hand, that was resting on the duvet, but Gusto moved it away from him.

"Please don't touch me."

"I'm sorry. For everything," Mattheus said. He placed his face in his hands and sat like that for a moment. And for the first time since Mattheus had arrived at the Glen, Gusto actually started feeling a little sorry for him. Then he remembered what Rose had said.

"It will gain up on you eventually, so you might as well try to give in now."

He exhaled, and then looked at his father again.

"It's nice to hear you say that. But I can't forgive you. Now now, not yet at least."

Mattheus looked at his son again.

"If we want to make this work, we have to start spending some time together. To get to know each other again."

"Do you want to make this work?" Mattheus asked.

"I don't know," Gusto answered. "But I think I want to give it chance. And then we'll take it from there."

Mattheus smiled at him, seeming relieved and sad at the same time.

Suddenly Artie flew through the small door opening, he looked distressed and confused.

"Artie, what is it?" Gusto asked, as the bird landed on his bed.

"You have to help me. It's the others. They've been kidnapped."