Max Adventures: Elemental Guardians Episode 4: Protector Of The Wilds

Chapter 9: Timber's little friend

"WOW!" Spike yelled amazed and excited.

There was this massive table for marvelous and tasty food of various types. Grilled honey roasted meat, a good looking shimmering salad with rice and beans mixed in it, sweet plum and blueberry cake and so many more. It looked why too beautiful to be eaten. Spike's eyes shown at it intrigued and his mouth watered at the sight of it. Everyone else had caught up to him and also marveled at the food. Even Magus appeared out of the staff to marvel at it.

"Sniff sniff. Whoa! I can't wait to try this out!" Adira said excited, taking a whiff of the food. "Oh great. Another one of us with a big stomach" Tazer mumbled annoyed. The snow leopard caught that and just grinned at him. "Oh don't act like you're not hungry from this beautiful sight of deliciousness!" She commented, tapping his shoulder. The fox glared at her annoyed.

Spike excitedly as he grabbed a plum. "Besides, we better make sure they taste good" he pointed out but some of them rolled his eyes while others chuckled at him amused.

However, Timber's ears perked up when he spotted something green and furry on the plum. And the hedgehog was about to put it in his mouth!

"Wait!" Timber said alarmed, his eyes widen as his arm reached out. His hand shot out this green magic which shifted into a vine and zoomed straight to Spike's hand, grabbing whatever was on the plum. The hedgehog bit into the purple fruit casually as the vine returned to the wolf.

The others looked at Timber, surprised and curious. Spike noticed his friends' reaction and looked at their direction, puzzled. The wolf's hands were cupped in a way that he was holding something.

He slowly opened his hands and there was this little green and furry caterpillar with little antennas and pink making and big blue eyes.

"AWWWWW!" Adira, Zinti, Bella and Magus awed at the little creature, their eyes softened at how cute it was. "Everyone. Meet Azalea. She's a silk caterpillar. Cute right?" He introduced her. The furry bug nibbled on his finger playfully.

"Aw she so cute! Can I pet her?" Zinti asked him, her tail wagging. The wolf nodded to her. "Sure. Just be gentle" he told her, gently guiding her hand, pulling out her finger. He placed her finger on the caterpillar. Zinti could feel the little fur on this small bug. Azalea purred in response, making Zinti feel the vibration of that sound. The little bug loved gentle attention.

Tazer, however, noticed that that vine that Timber shot out looked like magic and it came from his own hands. No weapon or object that held magic.

"Hey Timber. That's an interesting vine trick. How did you that?" He asked him curious. Timber noticed his suspicion rising again and averted his eyes nervously, petting Azalea. Adira noticed this and she glared at the fox.

"OW!" Tazer yelled when the snow leopard hit his shoulder hard. "Why don't you mind your business fussy fox? Or I'll gladly teach you how. My way" she told him firmly, placing her hands on her hips as her eyes narrowed at him the fox turned his attention at her and glared at her, his ears flatten. She also was suspicious to him. He still had the feeling she was here for a reason and didn't want anyone to know.

Zinti summoned a snowball from her little paws and threw at the two of them. It caught them by surprise from the sudden cold and they looked at the fox kit.

"Would you two quit it and just get along? You two clearly like to fight the moment you find that chance. Well stop it. Because that's kid stuff. And I should know because I'm a kid" Zinti scolded them both.

Tazer and Adira both looked down, embarrassed at getting lectured by a kid. Tazer hated to admit it. But sometimes, his sister knew the right words to say.

"To answer your question Tazer..." everyone looked back at Timber who stood up, placing the bug on his shoulder. "It was from magic potion I made myself. I have a couple more to aid me. And they should aid us in preparations for the festival" he explained to them.

"See. Nothing wrong there" Adira told the fox, smirking. Tazer growled at her. He knows what he saw. Timber does have potions yes. But they were in his belt. He didn't grab them or used them. They were from his own hand. Tazer was sure of it. Sure that this connects Timber to the guardian.

But Max, the closest thing he had to a brother, didn't listen all because he knew Timber his whole life. And Adira certainly was getting on his nerves, acting all smug around him. The fox felt his frustration growing and just couldn't take anymore of it. He turned around and stormed off.

"Hey Tazer! Where are you going?" Twitch called out to him as everyone watched him go. "You think he's hungry?" Spike suggested as Zinti looked at her brother worried. She was going to go after him but felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see it was Timber. "Let him be Zinti. He may need sometime to cool down a bit" he explained calmly.

Higgabottom turned to Adira, not please with what she did. "Adira. I don't think you should've irritated him like that. He only asked a small question and you turned it into an argument" he explained to her calmly.

"What? He was being rude to Timber. And acting all suspicious again. I mean can't the fox just chill out and mind his business?" She told him, crossing her arms. Adira wasn't too fond of anyone sticking their noses in things that did not include them.

"Adira" Timber said her name calmly but serious as she looked at him. Unknown to them, Timber was aware that Tazer was on to something. That he was right. However, it wasn't the right moment to reveal that. He would have to find a way to calm the fox and lure him off his trail. But for now, he has to restore peace between Tazer and his friends.

"Tazer means no harm to anyone. He is just trying to look for all of you. Even if it might not look like it. For example, a Venus fly trap may seem dangerous and bites back. But it only does that to protect itself. Rather than mocking one for being wrong which may hurt them, gently explain their error and caution them to be more careful" he advised her.

Adira's smirk faded and suddenly, she found herself feeling bad for what she did. Timber placed his hand on her shoulder "When you see him, try to fix things. For now, let's start helping out before night time falls. And hopefully, we'll join up with Max, Leena and Tazer again" he told them as the snow leopard gently clenched her necklace and sighed. She hated seeing a friend down. Even if it's that fox.

"I'm gonna go find Tazer. I'll meet with you guys later" she told them and followed the path where he took off too. Timber smiled to see that. Azalea came up to his face, gently nuzzling him as a way of saying good job. He gently petted her head before he and the others began the work.