Born to be Wild Chapter 2

Wildernessa and Cheesesticks were walking in the streets of Herkleston, looking for animals in distress. She spotted some exotic fish in a tank in a window of the local library. She went inside, but was immediately kicked out because dogs aren’t allowed.

“Sorry, Cheesesticks.” Wildernessa told the large dog. “It’ll only be a few minutes.” She went inside and walked over to where the fish tank was. She was about to lift the lid off the tank, but then Wildernessa heard a voice.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Said the voice. It was a seven-year-old girl with black hair, fair skin, a blue shirt, red pants, yellow shoes, and pink socks with a flashlight strapped to her forehead. She was in a bean bag chair reading 'Nigel Planter and the Drinking Glass of Brimstone'.

“What would you know?” Asked Wildernessa. “You’re an evil human.”

“Slow down, girl.” Said the younger girl. “Aren’t you aware that you’re a human, yourself?”

“I’M NOT A HUMAN!” Shouted Wildernessa.

“Inside voice, please.” Said Stacks, the younger girl. “I’ll give you proof that you’re human. Place your hands on mine, please.” Wildernessa did as instructed, and they matched. Wildernessa was, in fact, human.

“Guess I am a human.” Said Wildernessa. “By the way, my name’s Wildernessa.”

"Oh, yeah!" Said Stacks. "Kelsey told me about you! You told her that animals should be free, so she freed many of the dogs on this side of Herkleston. However, you blamed Craig for this mess and claimed that Kelsey was brainwashed by mankind, even though you're a human yourself." Wildernessa felt the guilt sink in: She probably should have been more specific when she told Kelsey that all animals should be free. Wildernessa then started to cry.

"I really am a horrible person!" She wailed. "I never should have met Kelsey in the Creek! I should've just took the turtle and left! Because of my misguidance, I almost let the ecosystem go out of whack!" Wildernessa took the teddy bear mask off her face and blew hard.

"It's okay, Wildernessa." Said Stacks, comforting the older girl. "We all make mistakes. You shouldn't beat yourself up like that. Instead of just being angry at your own kind, why don't you do something that benefits the environment? There's lots of things you can do: You can recycle plastic bottles and metal cans, turn off lights when you don't need them, take shorter showers, and don't use pesticide on your flowers."

"Then what do you do about the animals whose homes are destroyed?" Asked Wildernessa.

"Animals like rhinos, gorillas, pandas, and tigers are endangered." Said Stacks. "That means that they're in danger of going extinct, like the dinosaurs. What we do to help them is to protect their homelands and place endangered species in zoos. The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, which is just 37 minutes away from Herkleston, is dedicated to helping endangered species.” An imaginary light bulb then appeared above Wildernessa’s head.

"I think I’ll do a jailbreak." Said Wildernessa.

"Are you insane?!" Asked Stacks. "You'll get in tons of trouble for letting non-indigenous animals free in the US!"

"That's why you're gonna help me." Said Wildernessa. "Using available books in this building, you will teach me everything about the Maryland Zoo animals, including their habitats, diets, and what countries to release them in."

"Okay." Said Stacks with an unsure tone. "I just hope it won't be like the dog incident Kelsey told me about."

"It won't," Ensured Wildernessa. "Because I'm going to recruit some familiar faces: The same three kids who saved the Creek after the fossil rush."

'At least there will be one more person to talk about books with.' Stacks thought to herself.

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After four long weeks, Wildernessa learned all about the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. She even kept Stacks' cell phone number to keep in touch with her. She threw away her teddy bear mask because it was a dark reminder of her past. Right now, she was riding over to the Creek on Cheesesticks. Meanwhile, Craig, Kelsey, Mortimer, and JP were in their stump hideaway. Craig was writing down which places in the Creek they have and have not visited yet.

"Let's see." Craig thought out loud. "We climbed Mt. Sycamore, we made it through the poison ivy grove, we found Big Pinchy's hideaway. What haven't we explored yet?"

"The Rock That Looks Like a Turtle?" Asked JP.

"The Couch of Teenage Mysteries?" Asked Kelsey.

"Good suggestions." Said Craig. "But the couch sounds a bit scary. How about King of the Hill Hill?" Their conversation was interrupted by a knock. Craig checked the periscope to see who it was, and he was shocked when he found out who it was.

"Is Kelsey down there?" The voice asked. It was Wildernessa, the self-proclaimed guardian of nature, except she wasn't wearing her teddy bear mask.

"It's Wildernessa." Craig said in bewilderment.

"Wildernessa?!" Said Kelsey. She climbed up the ladder, with Mortimer in her hair, and opened the door on top of the stump. "What are you doing here?"

"I want to say sorry for saying that mankind brainwashed you." She said, while Kelsey got out of the stump. "I also want to apologize to Craig for saying he knew nothing about animals and blaming him for almost letting a dog get run over by a car." Craig then crawled out of the stump.

"You really mean that?" Asked Craig. "Weren’t you the one who punched Jason and made him cry like a baby?"

"Yes, I do mean it, Craig." Said Wildernessa. "And yes, I’m the one who punched, bit, and scratched Jason. He also has to help kindergarten kids as a punishment, along with his flunkies." JP then crawled out of the stump.

"Where's your mask?" He asked.

"I ditched it because it was a reminder of my past." Admitted Wildernessa. "However, I no longer hate all humans, but I still dedicate myself to saving animals in distress. That reminds me, Kelsey. Could you help me on a secret mission? I want to free some animals at the Maryland Zoo and release them back in their proper habitats." Kelsey then stared at the sky and started narrating in her head again.

"Today, Wildernessa returned and asked me to join her on a quest to free animals back in their right habitats. Will Kelsey Pokoly be able to do this by only herself, this forest girl, and her faithful falcon Mortimer?" Wildernessa started waving her hand in front of Kelsey's face to get her attention.

"What's happening?" Asked Wildernessa.

"It's nothing." Said Craig. "She's just narrating to herself. She does it all the time." Kelsey then snapped back to reality.

"So, where are we going to go first?" Asked Kelsey.

"Since we can't drive yet," Said Craig. "We'll have to ask one of the Elders of the Creek to drive us there. There's no way our parents would let us."

"Then it's settled!" Declared Kelsey. "To the Cave of the Elders!" Wildernessa then jumped on Cheesesticks' back.
"Would you like to ride my dog, Craig?" She asked. "I've been told you couldn't last time because you were taking the place of the Timekeeper, right?"
"Correct." Said Craig. "And I'd love to ride your dog, even though I haven't riden a horse yet, unless you count one of the Horse Girls."
"Then hop on, Craig!" She said. Wildernessa and Craig jumped on Cheesesticks and headed to the Cave of the Elders, with Kelsey and JP following from behind by foot.
Author's Notes: Stacks is a character on Craig of the Creek who loves to read books, and she is also more than welcome to do book reports for other kids. So far, she only appeared in two episodes: 'The Final Book' and 'Secret Book Club'.

The Poison Ivy Grove, Big Pinchy's Hideaway, Mt. Sycamore, The Couch of Teenage Mysteries, King of the Hill Hill, and The Rock That Looks Like a Turtle are all one of the many locations in the Creek in Craig of the Creek.

One of Craig's many revisions of the Creek Map.

'Nigel Planter and the Drinking Glass of Brimstone', the book that Stacks was reading, is a spoof off of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Nigel Planter, a parody of Harry Potter, was a character on The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy who would appear from time to time.

Billy, Mandy, Grim, and Nigel (the one with the glasses) encountering Lord Moldy-Butt (a parody of Voldermort).