Smiling Critters 2: The Story Continues.

An Excellent Reinforcement!

(☀️)

Honestly, I did not agree at all with my colleagues' idea.
But if I know something as a leader, because I think it is time to take the position again to help them, it is that I must take into account the opinions and desires of my team members. And above all, in situations as dangerous as this.
Now we are only four out of eleven. The other seven are in imminent danger, and they don't deserve it. We have to help them. And quickly, before BullyBull gets more crazy.

When we reached the hatch to exit the long hallway, I stopped them from coming up yet. We have to plan what to do and how to do it so as not to regret more losses, apart from the present ones.

DogDay: So, how will we look for him?

Hoppy Hopscotch: CatNap is surely either lurking around here, or maybe returned to PlayCare.

DogDay: I hope he didn't return to PlayCare. I don't want to get far from this place. They have to have our friends here...

Hoppy Hopscotch: I just hope they aren't in the kennels.

PickyPiggy: Okay, seriously, are those "kennels" so horrible?

Hoppy Hopscotch: Do you know how it could feel to be in a pretty narrow space, so narrow you could only be comfy when standing, too deep to escape, completely in the dark, possibly with no food or water for who knows how long?

PickyPiggy: ...No?

Hoppy Hopscotch: Exactly. And wouldn't you like to know how it feels.

PickyPiggy: Ever been in it in the very first place?

Hoppy Hopscotch: They almost, ALMOST got me in. And from there we got GraciousGoat out.

PickyPiggy: Really? By the way, where will GraciousGoat be? I haven't seen him since CatNap arrived.

LuckyLlama looked a bit pale.
And I was also a bit scared of GraciousGoat having been trapped by the Rejected Critters...

Hoppy Hopscotch: Well, we should get out now. We shouldn't waste time down here. We have to find CatNap and convince him to come.

DogDay: I don't think we're going to convince him...

PickyPiggy: Well yes, because you're going to apologize to him.

...Me?
When did I do something wrong?!
He's the reason behind all this catastrophe!
We could be living in PlayCare, calm and safe...if it weren't for him!
Even if he has helped us get supplies and information from outside the other two months we've been down here, he still has a lot of work to do to earn my trust.

DogDay: But why should I apologize? Did I do something wrong?

PickyPiggy: Nothing, apart from despising him a little...but then at least we'll have him on our side! What if he asks you for forgiveness too?

LuckyLlama nodded to reinforce PickyPiggy's argument, but I was still not convinced, even though they had a good point.

DogDay: I understand it may help, but...no, I don't think I can!

Hoppy Hopscotch: C'mon, DogDay! I'm pretty sure you can! And if you don't make it, we'll manage on our own! With or without the help of CatNap, we are going to save our friends! Let's be positive! Everything will turn out perfectly!

I looked at Hoppy.
It's been so long since he said we should be positive... what's happening? We are evolving into Critters we were not before, and now we're...going back to normal?

DogDay: ...Okay, let's do it.

Hoppy Hopscotch: I'll check nobody is around.

Hoppy went up the ladder and opened the hatch. I stayed downstairs until Hoppy whistled at us.
It was our signal to go upstairs.
I helped Picky to get to the ladder, and then helped Lucky. I was the last one to go upstairs.