Huckleberry Hound: Thru the Horn

Chapter 4: The Heart of the Melody

"Alright, so where's the opera house again?" Huck asked as they made their way past the village border.

"Not sure," Bugle said. "I think Tempo said something about the woods?"

"Yeah, the Woodwind Woods are our first little detour before we reach the valley of A Capella," the beatnik cat reminded his friends.

Snag trembled. "I hope we don't run into any dancing bears...or singing tigers, even."

"Dancing bears? Singing tigers? That sounds like fun!" Huck cried with a chuckle.

"Once again, he misses my whole point," Snag groaned, rolling his eyes.
"It's too bad you guys couldn't come and see Brass Basin," Bugle said. "It's a really beautiful place...at least it was..."

"Afraid that's out of our way, little cat," Tempo replied. "But I'm sure our friends here will love the sights of the Woodwind Woods! Nothin' to be afraid of!"

"I think I can see them up ahead," Viola observed. "Yep, that's them alright! I can tell by the clarinet trees!"

"Clarinet trees?" Huck asked. He stopped as they entered a grove of strange-looking trees. The trunks were covered in keys and buttons and sounded a strange eerie sound as the breeze flowed through them. "Ohhh, I see now!"

"These trees used to sound so lovely," Viola sighed. "But thanks to Cacophony, they sound so miserable now."

"Figures," Tempo replied.

Snag gasped and shook as another warbling sound echoed through the trees. "It sounds like a lot of spooks coming to haunt us...scare us, even!"

"I don't know if it's a monster, Snag," Huck replied.

"Well we have to cross through the woods anyway," Bugle said. "Let's go check it out."

"Ohhhhhhhh noooooooo!!!" Snag cried.

The gang headed into the woods where all they could see were trees, trees, and more trees. Just then, they heard the warbling sound again. Snag gasped and huddled against the others, shaking all over.

"It's coming right for us!!!" The lion shrieked.

Just then, some little green birds with bright orange wings came flying at them, and they warbled their songs throughout the woods.

"So, it's these birds?" Snag wondered. "Heavens to Murgatroyd! Just look at their faces! They look so funny!"

Snag was right. These weren't ordinary birds. They had saxophones for beaks!

Huck burst out laughing. "Now that's one of the funniest things I've ever seen!"

"They're totally harmless too, dog," Tempo chuckled. "Of course, they're not exactly singin' on-key anymore these days."

Huck sighed. "Makes ya' feel awful sorry for the little fellers."

"The whole forest used to sound like it was singing a beautiful tune," Viola said. "If only Cacophony's magic hadn't messed everything up."

Huck glanced up into the treetops and noticed something rather odd. Nestled amongst the branches, he could see pan flutes growing among the strangely-colored leaves. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully as an idea came to mind.

"Maybe I can help," he finally said. "Snag, can ya' gimme a boost up to that there tree?"

The mountain lion looked confused. "Whatever for, Huck?"

"You'll see!"

Snagglepuss shrugged, but he lifted Huck off the ground and raised him so that the hound could stand on his shoulders. Huck then reached for the nearest branch and plucked a pan flute from the leaves. Hopping down from Snag's shoulders, he blew a few notes into it to test it out.