The Truffula Gardeners

Chpt 3. Whoops

"come here little fella...I'll get you out of this" the moonlight sparkled against the silver on this innocent creatures shackles. I felt nothing but a loving sorrow. But I had to remain headstrong, before the sting of tempting revenge crept to my sensitive mind. I unbuckled and slipped off the harness around the mule, dropping it to the cold ground. "You must have been...deeply mistreated. I-I bet that idiot doesn't even feed you!" My eyes naturally dart around the trees to search for truffula fruit. "I could jump for one of the lower hanging fruit...but I can't see any...hm..." I thought to myself. I instead went the rout I used to go my first years of being a renegade. "Okay. Let's go" I retied my ponytail tighter and footed my way toward the closest tree I could find. I looked up at it's pink tufts in the darkness that shown through the cracks and swung my bookbag around the trunk. My foot planted onto the wood of the tree and I made a hearty jump. My legs were the only thing holding me place, sending my spine to tremble slightly. I looked down find myself above ground. "Heh...I've still got it." I swung the bookbag around lifted myself up once more, eventually climbing my way high enough to reach a lump of fruit dangling from the tree fluff. With the animal in mind I snatched the fruit, careful climbed halfway down the tree and jumped the rest.

"Whew. Now...c'mere little buddy..." I spoke in my most gentle voice, walking towards the mule with open arms. What a brilliant animal. Sometimes i feel i care too much about nature but when I've got no one else...this is my family. And my family is worth protecting. I'll never have to trust anything else. I fed the juicy cold fruit to the soft mule whilst petting his cotton-like fur. At least he was well groomed...

Suddenly I heard a creak. My instincts kicked in and I panicked. I ran towards the closest bush and crouched behind it, trying to make as little noise as possible. The bush rustled. Shit. A bright yellow light shown to reveal not only a large...cozy looking cottage in the middle of my forest but also to reveal a familiar slender boy this time, sporting a very tasteful set of bunny pajamas. My face wrinkled with anger. I knew it! But I gave him the benefit of the doubt. I find out not only that he's killed a tree but kept an animal enslaved as well! What a parasite! I hissed within myself at his selfish acts but stood carefully behind my hiding place and waited for him to leave back into his shameful home. Instead, he searched he area and called out. "Hello? Is someone here?"

I realized my bookbag was left against the tree. Double shit. He must have noticed too. "Whoever's here, please PLEASE don't hurt me! I mean...not that I'm at all defenseless or anything." What? Ugh. He's as pathetic as he looks. At least I know he won't be a threat. The jig is up, anyhow. I slowly raise myself from the bush and look into his blue trapping eyes again. Surprisingly, I found a smile creeping onto his face. "You...you're that girl from town! I remember you!" I brushed off the bush's leaves and step in front of it. "Yeah sure you do, pretty boy." "Um...thanks? That's a compliment right? I mean you seemed pretty nice earlier." He stepped closer toward me as well, putting me off slightly. "I was just...neutral! Don't get me wrong, mister! I have a big problem with you." I pointed a shameful finger at him (which one is left to your imagination). "Me?? But I'm innocent!" "Innocent!!?? Innocent enough to cut down a poor defenseless tree for your...stupid product!" I yelled. "you mean that...?" He pointed toward a lone stump lighted by the yellow from his house. It was enough to bring a year to my eye, but I kept my composure and glared back at the culprit. "Look...I know it looks bad but I made an oath!"
"I don't care about your stupid oath! You've gone and...and and hurt this tree! And probably that poor mule you've kept captive-" I was surprised at how calm he kept himself after all my yelling.

"Woah woah you mean Melvin? I raised that little guy, i would never hurt him!" A raised...pet? Impossible...I thought..."wait...really....?"
"Um yeah. I can't believe you assumed he was a slave before you assumed he was a pet. Are...you okay?" I flushed. I...might have gone a little overboard with judgement. I'm so used to distrust. But I can't admit my faults now! I'll look like even more of an idiot. So naturally, I slowly backed up and eventually ran away. My face was hot and my body shaky. Looking back, running away obviously wasn't necessarily the best option. But if anything...it is what started an interesting spark to an even more...interesting friendship. And it all began the next morning.