The Hey Arnold! Fantasy Adventure Epic [COMPLETED]

Chapter 4

"It looks like we're lost," said Gerald. The group of four had been walking for what seemed like hours in a densely packed area of the forest.

"We're not lost," countered Helga, leading the horses through the trees. "I've been following the map to a T."

"Then why haven't we reached the other side of the forest yet?" Gerald argued back.

"I'm afraid that I must concede, Helga," said Phoebe, leading the other horse. "It does appear are navigation and progress has been quite stagnant."

"I swear I've seen that stump at least five times already..." commented Gerald.

"Look, I'm telling you that we're not lost! I know exactly what I'm doing."

"Yeah, well maybe next time you actually learn how to read a map..." muttered Gerald.

"All right, wise guy – you think you're so smart? YOU try leading us out of this forest!" Helga thrust the map at Gerald.

"Oh no – you said you knew what you were doing!" said Gerald, thrusting the map right back at her.

"Uh, guys?" said Arnold.

"I DO know what I'm doing! It's just that...this is an old map. The landscape may have changed since it was made?"

"Guys?" repeated Arnold.

"Then why are you giving it to me? Just admit that you got us lost!"

There was a loud whistle; Gerald, Arnold and Helga turned to see that Phoebe was the source of the whistle in an attempt to silence the bickering.

"Thank you," said Arnold. Phoebe smiled and nodded.

"Okay, look," said Helga, turning to face Gerald. "I may have slightly veered off the beaten path...just a tad."

"Mm-hmm," was all Gerald said in response.

All of a sudden, the horses were ripped from Phoebe's and Helga's hands and lifted into the air by several vines.

"What the heck?!" exclaimed Helga.

"Run!" said Arnold. The group fled quickly from the area that was swiftly being swarmed by several living vines. They ran for several minutes until they bumped into boy with a big nose and stringy hair.

"Are you alright?" asked Arnold, helping the boy to his feet.

"I think so – thanks," said the boy, dusting himself. "What are you running from?"

"That!" yelled Helga, pointing to the vines that were aggressively fast approaching.

The boy shrieked. "Boy howdy! Quick follow me!" Arnold, Gerald, Phoebe, and Helga decided to follow the boy's lead and copied his winding path through the forest until they reached a gnarly-looking stump in a clearing.

The boy lifted the stump, revealing a passageway underground. "Hurry, in here!" The group did as instructed and entered the passageway, and the boy closed the entrance with the stump just as the vines had proceeded to go through area.

For a hole in the ground, it was rather well-lit and lived-in. As the four travelers stopped to catch their breath, the boy sat on the ground and wiped his forehead.

"That was a close one," he said.

"I'll say," replied Arnold. "Thanks for saving us. I'm Arnold, and this is Gerald, Helga, and Phoebe."

"My name's Sid. I'm a ranger."

"A ranger?" Gerald perked up. "That means you can help us find a way out of this forest.