Chapter Twelve - Rescue Mission

For a group of little kids, the Beavers were surprisingly well disciplined. Perhaps we were too disciplined, the total absence of any bedtime complaints eliciting more than just a raised eyebrow from our dutiful scout master. Taylor asked at least a dozen times if we needed anything before bed, but as we were all tucked up in our bunks that night there were zero complaints. No one had to go potty; no one needed a glass of water; no one wanted a bedtime story; and no one was homesick. We all just tucked ourselves up under the covers, blinking up at the murky black ceiling as we waited for the gruff tenor voices of the cubs chatting outside to fade into murmurs, and then to silence. It was all just to get a silly stuffed animal back, but I couldn’t help but fidget in excitement! It reminded me of that old film my dad liked. What was it called? The Great Escape? I wiggled my toes under the covers, hearing the heroic whistled theme tune playing in my head.

“Cooper?” Laurie hissed below me, interrupting my thoughts.

“Huh?”

“Are you still ‘wake?”

I smiled, peeping my head over the side of the bunk to see the shining emerald green of the little boy’s bleary eyes staring expectantly up at me through the darkness. “Course!” I confirmed. “We’re going on a secret mission, remember?”

“Yeah…” Laurie agreed, rubbing his eyes. “I’m kinda sleepy though…”

I slid out from under my covers, hopping down from my bunk and, cat-like, landing silently by Laurie’s bedside. I reached up towards my bag, rustling around in a loose bag of skittles I had stashed in the side pocket. “Here.” I whispered, holding out a cupped hand “Have some candy.” I heard Laurie readjust his bedsheets, before my eyes narrowed in confusion as I felt a slight wetness on my palm. I squinted, surprised to see that Laurie was nibbling directly from my hand like a goat at a petting zoo! “Hey!”

I heard the boy snort back a barely contained giggle through the reverent silence, his happy laughter seeming to rouse the Beavers from their hush. Soon the whole cabin was abuzz with happy excited murmuring, someone rushing over to flick on the lights. I gave Laurie an admonishing shake of my head, wincing back the invasive yellow light. “Don’t do that.” I warned half-seriously, stuffing the remaining skittles into my mouth.

“Sorry!” Laurie sang. “Wolves don’t have thumbs!”

“Yeah, right…” I agreed, rolling my eyes.

Meanwhile, Liam was stood at the door to the cabin - still dressed in his beaver uniform - observing the waking beavers with the steely eyed glare of a hardened battle commander. It was his plan, afterall. “Does everyone know what they’re doing?” he demanded, cutting through the hubbub.

“I’m homesick, right?” Ari piped from his lower bunk.

“Aiden and I are going to take Ari to the grown-ups.” Gabriel added. “Keep them in the kitchen and tell you if they are coming.”

Liam nodded, turning next to the Kindies. “We’re going to get Fuzzie from Nate’s tent.” Alex said. She dug around her large backpack and pulled out the yellow and black walkie talkies she’d gotten for her birthday. “Gabriel - you take this and I’ll keep the other one.” She told him. Her fellow blue tail nodded solemnly, stuffing the device into his pants pocket.

Ari got out from under his covers, revealing a colorful set of onesie pajamas. He started to look nervous, and for a moment I was worried he had cold feet - but it soon became clear it was all part of his routine. He blinked a few times, crocodile tears forming immediately at the corners of his brown eyes like a well practiced actor. He held his breath, making his face flush, and started sniffing pitiably out of his nose. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have thought he really was crying! Clearly, this wasn’t the first time he’d faked tears.

I was still skeptical about my own part of the plan. The absorbent underwear hugging my butt didn’t help - constantly nagging at me. I never should have put them on in the first place, and with everyone rushing around in the dorm room getting ready I felt particularly on display - the bright lights making my padded rear all the more conspicuous. I crinkled my way slowly over to the door, listening to what was going on.

Gabriel and Aiden took Ari’s hands and led him out of the room, fake tears dripping down his face. “Taylor, Taylor!” Aiden called out in the hallway, putting on a stodgy pantomime performance not even half so convincing as the little brown tail. “Ari is homesick, he was crying in bed!” The screech of chairs being dragged across the floor could be heard from the cafeteria, concerned grown ups jumping to their feet to attend to the blubbering boy.

“I want my Mommy!” Ari wailed. I could hear Taylor’s hushed voice as he tried to comfort the seemingly upset youngster.

Meanwhile, Alex had already opened the dorm window and climbed out. Charlie came over to help hoist Laurie out as well while Alex helped bundle him through from the other end. I was next, with Charlie giving me a boost. As I felt him place a hand on my butt to push me out that window, I knew he must have heard the crinkle! It sounded like someone just trampled over newspaper spread out on a carpet! I landed on my rear, Laurie and Alex helping me up. Charlie came next with the help of Liam, and then finally he tumbled out himself. I was blushing profusely, but in the darkness of the outside I didn’t think anyone could see. Charlie was much too distracted ironing out the last details of the plan with his fellow white tail to say anything.

“Headlamps on.” Liam instructed in a hushed voice. We all obeyed, five dim beams of yellow light illuminating the dark woods ahead.

I paced behind Charlie with Laurie hot on my heels as we crossed through a thin layer of trees and further onwards towards the field. The Cub Scouts had pitched their tents only a short walk away from the rest of camp. Three tents had been set up, each illuminated with flashlights, the silhouettes of the cubs moving around inside them.

Nate’s tent was easy to pick out. It was occupied by the shadowy outlines of three burly boys, chatting loudly away about some video game they all must have been playing. I’d never heard of it, but that wasn’t so much of a surprise. It sounded pretty violent, and Mom didn’t let me get games like that. We tip toed closer to the yellow and green tent. Lucky for us they were too loud to even hear us - even though we stood just a dozen feet away.

“Can you believe that kid?” Nate said with disgust in his throat, changing the topic.

“Who?” James demanded in a haughty impatient tone.

“Oh, you mean The Babysitter? Nick giggled obsequiously.

“Zach?” James asked, still genuinely confused.

“Yes!” Nate exclaimed, letting out his own cruel cackle. The mention of our Keeo had us all frozen in place - putting our plan on hold to eavesdrop on their private conversation. “Little punk thinks he could take me in a fight. I can’t believe we used to let him follow us around like a lost puppy.”

“You did take his brother’s toy.” James added, smacking another smaller black silhouette hanging from the apex of the tent and causing the light to flicker.

“Remember when we got him to shove Brad into that creek.” Nate said, quickly changing the subject again.

“Brad’s shoes and pants were soaked - he was pissed!” Nick snickered.

“Pretty sure they haven’t spoken to each other since.” Nate laughed. “Even on the hike today Brad wouldn’t walk beside him!” It was a horrible wheezing laugh. Like the sound a squealing fat pig makes rolling around in its own muck.

I'd had enough. It was time to enact our plan to get Fuzzie back - and scare them a little in the process. I tapped Liam on the shoulder, giving him an impatient frown.

“Alright.” the white-tail commanded, an excitable smile illuminated by the murky yellow light of his headlamp. “Alex, set the mood!”

The scruffy seven-year-old licked her lips in anticipation, moving up her hands to cup them artfully in front of her face. “Woot-wa-wooooo.” she hooted in perfect imitation of an owl, the subtle call piercing through the cubs breathless laughter. They went silent at once, their shifting silhouettes freezing dead in their place.

“That sounded kinda close.” James remarked, a shake of nerves in his voice. “Like right outside.”

“So?” Nate challenged “Don’t be a pansy. It’s just some bird.”

“What if it’s a Great Horned Owl?” James insisted. “They’re dangerous! Especially if you’re near their territory or their owlets or whatever. Their talons are meant to be like…as strong as a dog’s bite. I read it somewhere…”

“Maybe we should go get Akela.” Nick interrupted, sounding a little uneasy.

Nate let out a mocking guffaw. “What are you guys, three? It’s an owl. Maybe if it was a bear, or a wolf….”

At that very moment, Liam raised his hands up high like a conductor, all five of us breaking into a chorus of high-pitched canine howling.

“Awooooo!” I yowled along with the rest of them, watching in delight as the silhouettes in the nearby tent began to shift about in panic. Laurie and I really got into the spirit of things, raising our o-shaped mouths up at the looming yellow moon, scrunching up our hands against our pajama tops like little paws, and shaking our shaggy mops of hair happily back and forth. I was grinning from ear to ear, my enthusiasm only sapped when Laurie turned around and shook his hips in a clumsy impression of a dog wagging his tail - the outline of his pull up all too obvious.

I grimaced in concern. Soon however we heard the sound of the tent unzip, the lantern inside shutting suddenly off and a stampede of terrified feet running back in the direction of the cabin as we continued to howl.

“They got me, they got me!” I heard Nick’s voice yelp, letting out pathetic whimpers of terror like a bewildered infant.

“Huh?” James challenged “You good?”

Nick was silent for a moment, before there was a slight rustle of leaves and the footsteps began to stamp off again “...err, yeah. it was just a nettle.” he admitted.

Hidden in the bush, we suppressed our laughter at the Cubs' gullible reaction - ready to set in motion the next stage of our rescue mission.

“They’re gone!” Liam confirmed, pointing to me and Laurie. “Go get Fuzzie - we’ll keep howling. Awooooooo!”

The pair of us skipped forward side by side, skirting around the tent and throwing aside the loose flaps of the door. I lead the way, the light of my headlamp illuminating the unkempt interior of the Cubs’ tent strewn with comic books, candy, and loose blankets. There, hanging from the fabric hook at the highest point of the tent like a mobile over a baby’s crib, was Fuzzie. I let out a happy yip of victory, getting up on my knees to grab him, but just as soon as the toy was in my grasp I felt a strong arm clamp against my shoulder.

“Not wolves. Beavers.” Nate laughed, rising up from his dark green sleeping bag like a swamp monster emerging from a stinking lagoon.

“Let him go!” Laurie demanded, tugging weakly at Nate’s strong arm, but he only laughed - pushing the little boy roughly aside to leave him laid out supine on his back.

“So, you think you can just come trespassing in the big boys tent whenever you want do you?” he mocked. “I thought babies were s’posed to be in bed already.”

“You stole Fuzzie!” I accused, holding up the toy to his face like a crucifix to a vampire. Unfortunately, Nate was unaffected - his smug smile growing even wider.

“And made your little friend cry, right? Let me think. What’s gonna make you cry?” he mocked, prodding aggressively at the soft spot on my tummy. Suddenly, he seemed to have a thought, cackling like a hyena. “I know! Why don’t we take off your itty bitty pajamas and your silly headlamp and you can go for a midnight walk in your undies! How does that sound?”

I squirmed, not so much terrified of the idea of getting lost in the woods as I was of Nate seeing what was hidden under my pajamas! I wriggled like an eel, finally managing to get loose of his grip and falling back heavily on my padded rear. The bigger boy swung around, grabbing hold of my bare foot to pull me back towards him, but before he could get any further a bright white light illuminated the whole tent.

“Nate?” Taylor’s voice boomed. “Everything alright in there? Nick and James said you saw a wolf…?”

Nate quickly let me go, reclining back innocently in the tent as Taylor's head appeared in the opening. "Just playing a game with the beavers." he said quickly.

Taylor frowned at the three of us, clearly skeptical. Laurie climbed toward Taylor and pointed at Fuzzie, still held up like a trophy in my hand. "He did have Fuzzie, he lied!" he squealed.

"Nate, what's going on here?" Taylor said sternly. "The truth please."

"I found it!" Nate lied. "Like on the ground! I was going to give it to him tomorrow!"

"That's not true! He took it from Laurie." I spoke out.

Taylor rubbed the bridge of his nose, frustrated. "What are you two even doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in bed?" He questioned us. Nate wore a smug grin, his thin pink lips crawling up his face like two disgusting worms.

"It's my fault." Nate said arrogantly, sounding oh-so responsible. "I'm the Cub, so don't punish the beavers for being out late."

Taylor let out a deep breath. "Fine. Everyone, back to bed." He announced. Nate let out a victorious snort as I stomped grumpily out of the tent.

The two other cubs were waiting outside, trembling fearfully in Taylor’s shadow "Is there a wolf?" James asked, gripping Nick's hand.

"Awooo!" Laurie sang, holding out Fuzzie in front of his mouth, as he burst his head playfully out of the tent door. The pair of frightened fifth graders practically peed themselves in fright, jumping out of their skin.

"The only wolf here is Fuzzie." I told them smugly, Laurie giggling at his successful prank. Nick and James' terrified expressions swiftly turned to annoyed scowls, as they finally discovered that they had been the victims of our joke.

With no time for any more nonsense, Taylor marched us toward the cabin. Laurie was gleefully hugging Fuzzie - holding the toy tight to his chest like he was glued to the thing. I looked around, trying to spot Alex, Charlie and Liam. "Looking for your fellow escapees?" Taylor asked and held up Alex's pair of walkie talkies. "I sent them inside already."

"He really did have it!" I told Taylor. "He took it from Laurie.He's a bully!"

Taylor looked at me with a thoughtful expression. "Perhaps." He said noncommittally as we stepped back inside the cabins.

"Off to bed you two!" He demanded and pointed at the dorm room, loud with laughter from the other beavers despite the late hour.

I scowled at Taylor annoyed. Wasn't he going to do anything about Nate? "I need to use the washroom." I muttered, hovering a hand over my padded crotch.

Taylor sighed, nodding his acquiescence. "Fine, Laurie, please go to bed with the others." He told the younger boy.

"Okay!" He pushed his way through the door, holding the toy up victoriously above his head. "Awooo!" he sang, met with a loud chorus of whoops and cheers. The door swung closed behind him, muting the sound of celebration.

It was just me and Taylor standing in the mess hall. I tutted, giving him a sour look. He smiled, almost apologetically, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Can we talk for a minute, or do you really need to go?" He asked me.

I was a little surprised. "Umm, okay." I said, awkwardly. "Am I in trouble?"

He sat down in a seat and invited me to sit across from him. "You're not in trouble, no one is." He informed me. "You just surprised me today Cooper."

"I know we shouldn't have snuck out!" I shot back at once, ready to defend myself “But-”

"It's okay Cooper!" He interrupted, smiling. "I'm not mad, I'm glad Laurie got his toy back. I just wanted to see how you're doing?"

"M-me?" I stuttered. "I'm okay."

Taylor nodded. "You like the beavers? Even if you're a little older?" He asked.

I winced at the question, sometimes it slipped my mind that Taylor knew my real age. He always treated me the same as all the others. "They are nice…all of them really” I began, not really knowing what to say. ”We’ve had some fun together." I concluded, looking away in embarrassment.

"Still don't want them knowing your real age, huh? Alex has asked me about a dozen times since your birthday." Taylor said.

I shifted a little in my seat and stared at the table, then shrugged. "I told Charlie today I was eight." I said guiltily. "He was upset - like way, way too upset." I added. “I never saw him cry before.”

Taylor's face changed from a grin to a much more serious expression. "What happened Cooper? I saw you two in quite a state when you came back."

I felt a stab of anxiety as I thought over what had happened. "We got a little lost." I admitted. "We stepped off the trail and couldn't find it again." Taylor nodded and waited for me to continue. "Charlie started getting really upset, saying that it was all his fault because he was in charge."

Taylor's serious face had stiffened into a small frown. "Is that why you told him you were eight?"

I nodded and looked up at Taylor. There was actually a tear in my eye. I wiped it away. "He said he wanted his Daddy." I finished.

Taylor let out a deep breath. "I see." He intoned. That was all he said. "Then you met up with Zach and Alex?"

"Yeah."

"I'm glad everyone is okay." Taylor nodded. "You handled it well." He ruffled my hair. "Maybe I should have an older beaver every year. You made Laurie feel pretty good about himself too today."

I shifted in my seat, reminded that I was wearing thick absorbent underwear. I was about to say something, but couldn't form the words - my cheeks flaring red.

"I think you're a real good friend Cooper. Not many kids would do that." Taylor praised. "I even heard from Mrs Warren that you wanted Alex to feel special on your birthday."

"It was her birthday too!" I insisted, blushing.

Taylor smiled at me and reached into his pocket to grab something. "I think you should have this." Taylor opened his hand to reveal a badge - the Friendship Beaver badge! "I think you earned it."

"A badge!" I exclaimed. "Really?" I hadn't earned a badge since the community badge at the daycare, and my vest was still noticeably bare compared to even Laurie and Ari.

"Of course." He smiled at me, he then handed me a fresh chocolate egg to go with it. "Now why don't you head along to the outhouse. I think you're old enough to head out there without me." Taylor winked.

I took the badge and kinder egg and beamed back at him. "Thanks!" I piped and headed for the door, turning my headlamp back on.