Mia yawned as she stretched and looked around the van. Emma and Sunnie were still asleep, Annie was on her phone, and Blackie was up and out, playing with the cubs.
Mia chuckled softly as she jumped out of the van. " Hey, Blackie." She called. " Nice weather, huh?"
Blackie looked up and nodded. " Yep!"
Mia heard a click, and she turned to see a sleepy Emma.
" Good morning to you." Mia said.
" Hi Mia." Emma yawned as she snapped more pics of the misty forest. " Sure is nice isn't it?"
Mia looked around and nodded. The air was fresh and crisp, birds were chirping, and the tall trees, stretching over their heads, provided them with shade.
" So, where to today?"
Mia shrugged. " Honestly, Emma, I don't know. We have to release the animals, pack up, and get back on the road."
" The ' releasing ' part will be a bit hard for those two." Emma said, pointing to Cookie and Sunnie.
Mia sighed. " I know. But the animals need to be in the wild. It's their home. And hey. When we're back in Ninjago, maybe we can find her a cat that looks like Spotty. she seems to like him the most."
Emma nodded. " Yeah. Maybe."
Mia smiled as she looked over at the cubs, their tiny paws playfully batting at Blackie, who was happily keeping them entertained. "It'll be tough, but we have to do what's best for them."
Emma lowered her camera and gave Mia a sympathetic look. "Yeah, I get it. It's just... Sunnie’s so attached to them, especially Spotty. She’s really grown fond of him."
"I know. It's hard," Mia agreed, her voice trailing off as she watched Sunnie sleep, her face peaceful but still holding that faint trace of concern. "But at least we gave them a safe place until they were strong enough to go back."
Emma smiled. "True. But Sunnie... I think she sees the animals as family now. It’s gonna be a tough goodbye."
Mia nodded, her eyes lingering on Sunnie, then glanced over at Annie, who was still glued to her phone. "Hey, Annie, are you ready to help with the release today?"
Annie looked up from her phone, blinking as if she'd just been reminded that the world was happening around her. "Huh? Oh, right! Yeah, totally. I’m just... checking something real quick."
Mia chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Okay, but don't get too distracted. We need to get this done."
As Mia and Emma began packing up their things, Blackie walked over, his paws light on the soft ground. "Mia, I think we should take some time and say goodbye properly. For Sunnie's sake. She needs closure with them."
Mia’s heart softened at Blackie’s words. “You’re right, Blackie. She deserves that.”
Sunnie stirred in her sleep and let out a soft sigh, her face scrunching as if she were dreaming. Mia walked over quietly, sitting beside her. "Hey, Sunnie. It’s time to wake up."
Sunnie blinked, rubbing her eyes as she sat up. "Mmm... what’s going on?" she asked, her voice still thick with sleep.
"We’re going to release the cubs today," Mia said gently, her voice steady. "We’ll give them a chance to go back to the wild."
Sunnie’s eyes widened, and for a brief moment, she looked as if she might protest. But then she took a deep breath and nodded, her face softening with understanding. "I know. They need to go. I just... I’ll miss them."
