Arturo and Biro go to Camp (Chapter Six)

So the boys all ran over to their bikes. Biro on his favorite blue bike. Friendly onto his darker blue bike. Jake onto his black bike, and Timothy on his little red bike with training wheels.

"I love to ride my bike, but I hope the path isn't too muddy" squeaked Timothy, whose bike always had trouble with the mud.

Friendly puts his arm around Timothy's shoulder sympathetically. "It's okay Timothy, we're here for you if you get stuck"

"Yeah, don't worry pal, we'll choose a better path than the other time" said Biro

"Hey Arturo, this is the last day of the camp, enjoy those last moments! Then you'll miss all this nature, surrounded by trees"

"I'll be glad to leave this place. Then we can come and see you!" said Timothy.

"I don't know... I think this place is kinda fun. I too like nature and the trees, all the smells, it's wonderful!" yapped Jake.

"Not when they force to have fun" said Art, in sign language.

"Well... yeah" agreed Jake.

"Well, no one is forcing us, we are free, but... well.. you know, it's not even a recommendation.... it's just that... I want you be happy, hehe" Biro said to Art, as he started riding. "Follow me!"

Timothy turned the pedals on his little red bike and rode after Biro, trying his hardest to keep up. Friendly rode along behind him.

Just then, Gin the skunk approached them with his mountain bike.

"Hey guys... guys!!!" called Gin.

Timothy stopped pedaling his bike and turned to face the skunk, pedaling backwards to brake.

Biro also stopped and turned to face Gin.

"Can I... ermm.. stay with all of you?" said the skunk, a little awkwardly.

"Woah!" cried Friendly, swerving to avoid bumping into Timothy and almost crashing into a tree trunk.

"Friendly!" squeaked Timothy, getting off his bike and running over to his friend.

"Oh god! Are you okay?" asked Gin, also rushing over with Timothy.

"I'm alright" said Friendly, as he got to his feet and brushed himself off with his paws.

"I'm sorry Friendly" sniffled Timothy.

"Awww, it's okay buddy" said the fox, gently picking Timothy up with all his strength and hugging him. "I could never be cross with you"

"Sure! You can come with us" Jake panted happily, wagging his tail.

"OK! Let's continue! I don't know where we should go, but I'm sure it will be a special place!! said Biro.

"Well, I know a special place!" piped up Gin.

"A mystery tour sounds good to me" chuckled Friendly.

"Me too!" agreed Timothy.

"Really?" asked Jake, "What is this special place?"

"Well, I know a place; but if you guys like magic mystery tours, I can keep the secret of where I'm taking you, are we agreed?"

Arturo raised his hand and nodded his head.

"Wow, if Art agrees then I do too" said Biro.

"Okay!" squeaked Timothy, "Let's go!" he got back on his bike, but as he turned his pedals his back wheel just spun.

"What about the rest of you?" asked Gin, not noticing Timothy's problem.

"Sure, that's okay with me" said Jake.

"Yep" agreed Friendly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" said Gin, as he started riding. Art and Biro followed him. Friendly and Jake rode along too, Timothy tried to follow them, but his back wheel just spun helplessly.

"Oh no! I'm stuck again!" squeaked Timothy, pedaling harder but only making his back wheel spin faster.

"Ooh, not again!" said Biro, turning his bike around and stopping near Timothy. "Are you sure you are stuck? There isn't any mud!"

Timothy sniffled and looked at his back wheel as it just spun. His training wheels were taking enough load off his rear tire that it couldn't get any

traction. He tried harder, but he just sat and his back wheel just spun and spun.

"Those training wheels are the problem" said Biro, as Friendly, Gin, Jake and Arturo returned with their bikes.

"It's okay, it just that his back wheel can't touch the ground, and it's just spinning. Poor Timothy" said Friendly, sympathetically.

"Can you guys help me?" asked Timothy, looking at them pleadingly.

"It is really necesary to quit this and you learn how to ride a two-wheeler bike... I know not right now - hehe - but those little wheels are a huge problem. I'd need tools to take them off, and we don't have them"

"But I can't ride without my training wheels!" cried Timothy.

"Come on Timothy, it's okay" said Friendly, giving Timothy a hug. "We'll soon get you moving again"

Friendly squatted down behind Timothy's bike and put his paws on the raccoon's butt, before gently pushing him out of the rut in the path."What if we left this little bike back at the camp and you can ride on the pegs of my bike" suggested Biro.

"No, I'll be okay. I like riding my own bike" said Timothy.

"Okay Timothy. I'll help you if you get stuck again though" said Friendly.

"Thanks Friendly" smiled Timothy. "But... if it rains and the path gets very muddy, can I ride with you, Biro?"

"Of course, I'll be glad to help you" said Biro.

"Thanks Biro" answered Timothy.

"Much talk! Let's go!" said Gin, impatiently.

As the boys prepared to ride along the trail again, Friendly whispered into Biro's ear.

"I don't like the idea of leaving Timothy's bike at the camp, someone might take it - then Timothy would be very upset"

"Hmmm..." replied Biro, watching as Timothy turned his pedals and rode on in front of them, his training wheels scraping along the trail behind him.

"I hope he'll be more careful... I trust in him" continued Biro.

"We'll both have to help him if he gets stuck in the mud again. Poor Timothy. He can't help it you know"

"I think he has already learned to not ride where it's muddy" said Biro, watching as Timothy steered carefully around a small patch of mud as best he could.

"He won't just get stuck in the mud. Uneven ground... grass... sand... he'll probably get stuck in it" said Friendly.

Meanwhile, Gin was talking to Art as they rode along the trail, side by side.

"Did you guys all know each other before this camp? I think you did, I came here alone, so it was good to meet all of you, you know? Why are you so shy and serious? I mean, I haven't seen that you speak a word, well, better said, I haven't heard you a word from your mouth"

Art just looked at Gin with a blank stare, continuing to turn the pedals on his big green bike.

It wasn't long before Timothy was exhausted. He got off his bike and sat down on the grass, panting a little from his efforts to keep up.

Friendly got off his bike and sat down next to Timothy, giving him a hug.

"Awww, are you all tired out?"

"Hey! Stop everyone! Those couple of cheesies are tired, let's wait for them"

"Poor Timothy" said Friendly, patting the raccoon's back.

Timothy trilled happily and snuggles with Friendly, starting to get his breath back.

"Hey buddy, did you have a good breakfast? I don't think you did, it's important, you know?" said Gin to Timothy.

"We all had watermelon, remember?" asked Friendly.

"I'm alright... I just needed to catch my breath" said Timothy.

"Be patient with him, Gin, he's only little" said Biro.

Timothy snuggled with Friendly again, obviously getting comfortable.

"Come on Timothy, let's save it for when we get to this special place" said Friendly, helping the raccoon to his feet.

"Okay" replied Timothy.

"I have some energy drink" said Gin, taking a gatorade bottle out of his backpack and offering it to the little raccoon.

"Thanks Gin" said Timothy, opening the bottle and gulping down some of the gatorade.

"We should be there soon" said Gin, watching as Timothy gulped down the gatorade. "Wow, you're real thirsty, huh?"

Timothy wiped his chin as he closed the bottle again and gave it back to Gin.

"Thanks Gin, I really needed that"

Soon, they arrived at the entrance to a big cave.

"Here we are" said Gin.

"Wow!" squeaked Timothy excitedly.

"The bear's cave!" continued Gin.

"Hey! His brother is a bear too" said Biro, pointing to Art - who nodded.

"Well, that's the nickname of the cave, but it doesn't mean that a real wild bear lives in there"

"I hope not!" said Timothy.

"Do you dare to enter?" said Gin, grinning slightly.

"Um.... um..." Timothy stammered, looking a little flustered. "I don't know"

"It's okay Timothy, you can hold my paw if you're frightened" offered Friendly.

Timothy held onto Friendly's paw tightly and squeaked "Thanks" to his friend.

As the boys entered the cave, the echoing sound of a waterfall could be heard.

"Wow! There's is a waterfall inside?" asked Biro.

"Not only a waterfall, there's a whole river, do you want to see?"

"Yeah! That sounds exciting!" barked Jake.

"Do you want me to carry you, Timothy?" asked Friendly, noticing his friend was trembling a little.

"Yes please, Friendly" squeaked the raccoon.

"Awww, come here" said the fox, picking Timothy up and carrying him behind the others, gently rubbing the seat of Timothy's shorts with his paw to calm him.

Arturo had already entered the cave, leaving everyone else behind him.

"Hey, raccoon, wait for me!" cried Biro, going in after his friend.

In the cave it was pitch black; nobody could see a thing until Gin shone his flashlight. The little natural light that did come from the cave walls made the water reflect on the ceiling of the cave.

"Woooow!" cried Biro, his voice echoing eerily inside the cave. "The cave's larger and higher that it looks like outside! Amazing!"

Friendly carried Timothy along through the cave, behind everyone else. Timothy sniffled a little as he turned his head to see where they were going.

"It's okay Timothy" reassured the fox, gently rubbing Timothy's butt.

"How much further, Gin?" asked Jake.

"Not much further, we can see before the waterfall starts, it is not dangerous, I swear"

"Good. Friendly won't let me take Timothy anywhere that might be dangerous" said Jake.

Arturo's feet suddenly found shallow water and his feet made a slight splashing noise.

'Hey, water, I found the water!" chuckled Biro, as he scooped some in his paws and threw it at his friend, playfully. Arturo was trembling.

"Wow, the water is too cold, extremely cold!" continued Biro.

"What did you expect? It's a underground river!" said Gin.

"I don't like cold water..." squeaked Timothy.

"I love this place, it's dark, we're alone, and... well not all alone, my favorite animal in the world lives here"

"Really? What's that?" asked Jake.

Just then a sort of squeal or squeak came from somewhere in the cave.

"What... what was that?" said Timothy, starting to shiver with fright.

"That flying animal! It's so beautiful, you won't see it because it's invisible to us in the dark, but he doesn't need to see us, he can't see.

"A bat?" guessed Biro.

"Yes! Not only one bat, thousond of bats!"

"Oh god!! I... don't know if I'm afraid of them or not" cried Biro.

Timothy: shivered more as he was a little frightened.

"It's okay Timothy" Friendly said, hugging his friend.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, they do nothing, they're rather tame. C'mon, follow my light, you mustn't forget the waterfall, it's incredible"

Timothy squeaked as something fluttered past his ear.

"All the bats should be asleep, they're nocturnal animals, so don't worry about them. If you see one, maybe he has insomnia"

The sound of the waterfall got louder as they made their way deeper into the cave. Everyone followed Gin further in. Suddenly the tunnel got much lighter, as the friends turned around a corner they found themselves inside a cenote. The sunlight shone brightly inside through a hole in the ceiling, and the tall waterfall surrounded by small vegetation made it look like a paradise.

"Wow! This is fantastic!" barked Jake, wagging his tail.

"Look at that rainbow from the waterfall!" said Biro, pointing it out to Arturo.

"Oooooh man! There's nothing more wonderful in this world than this view, it's worth passing the bats and that dark place for this" Gin cried.

Gin then began taking his shirt off. "This is safe for swimming, you know?" he said.

"It's not deep, is it?" asked Timothy, anxiously.

Gin jumped in and surfaced, trembling a lot.

"Your body..... has to..... get... used to it.... first because it's..... really cold, frrrrr....oh, ye..ee..s

Tim...i..if...you do..do...don't know how to sw.w..im better..not enter....it is a ....little...de..ep" said Gin, through chattering teeth.

"Okay... I'm not going in" said Timothy, "I can't swim"

"I've got your floaties this time, Timothy" said Friendly, taking Timothy's yellow floaties out of his backpack and helping Timothy take his blue t-shirt off.

"Thanks Friendly!" said Timothy, feeling more confident as he put his floaties on.

Art stared at the deep water with wide eyes.

"Hey, what is the matter, Art?" asked Biro.

"It is really deep!!" said Art, in sign language.

"Gin, you know how deep the water is?" asked Biro, as Timothy jumped in.

"I'm not sure, maybe 100 or 200 meters" said Gin, exaggeratedly and grinning a bit.

"Oh my...emm..I'm afraid of deep water, you know?" replied Biro, taking a step back.

Timothy trembled and shivered as he floated around in the cold water - his floaties keeping him afloat. Friendly jumped in and swam up to him.

"Come on Timothy, you gotta keep moving in order to warm up" said Friendly, swimming around his friend.

Arturo smiled, as he began to enjoy swimming around in the deep water. Biro still wasn't sure.

"If you'd like, Biro - you can borrow Timothy's floaties when he's done" suggested Jake.

"It's not that... I'm just afraid of how deep it is" said Biro.

"Timothy's floaties will help" said Jake.

"Ermmm... no no, that's not the reason. Have you already tried to see the bottom?"

"Not yet... I can't see the floor from here" said Gin.

"That's what's making me nervous" replied Biro.

Friendly held onto Timothy's paw as the raccoon waded into the water. Timothy shivered a little as the cold water soaked into his fur.

“You gotta keep moving if you wanna stay warm” said Friendly, swimming around Timothy in a circle as the raccoon shivered, relying on his floaties to stay afloat. Friendly put his goggles over his eyes and dived, watching as Timothy tried to swim but his feet just spun uselessly in the water. After watching Timothy's spinning feet and wiggling butt for a moment he swam around and surfaced behind the raccoon, pulling him close and giving him a hug while treading water with his feet.

Timothy: "Th.... th... thank.... you... Friendly......" shivered Timothy.

Friendly smiled. "Do you wanna float around for a bit with me?"

"Uh-huh" said Timothy, suddenly realizing the water didn't seem so cold anymore.

Arturo swam over to the edge, next to Biro and began talking to him in sign language.

"Biro, let's go, I'll help you"

Biro: "Oh... just because I trust you, otherwise I wouldn't go in there"

Biro entered to the water but holding tightly onto his friend.

"This is not very deep, it is, Gin?" Biro asked anxiously.

"No....no more than 32 ft" said Gin.

“Wow, that is deep” Friendly whispered to himself, so Biro couldn't hear.

"Not really, I know cenotes deepers than this one" said Gin, whom was so close to Friendly he could hear the fox's whisper.

"You know, Your words not aren't encouraging me very much" said Biro.

Arturo held onto Biro's arm and took him into the water. Biro began to shiver as the cold water ran up his shorts.

"Aw nooo, it's cold, it's really really cold!"

Friendly chuckled at the younger fox "It's not that cold Biro"

Biro calmed down within a moment or two. "Well, I think I'm getting used to the temperature, hehe"

Just then Jake yelled "Cannonball!" before jumping from the rocks into the water, with a huge splash.

"Jake!" chuckled Friendly.

"I'm glad I've got my floaties, I can't swim" said Timothy.

"Me neither, Tim, but I've got a raccoon" grinned Biro.

Timothy tried to swim over to Arturo and Biro, but his feet just spun uselessly in the water and he didn't move anywhere. Friendly chuckled as he saw the little raccoon struggling and said "Let me help you, Timothy" as he held onto Timothy's arm and pulled him through the water.

"Thanks Friendly" squeaked Timothy.

"Hahaha, there's another thing that I must teach you, little raccoon - how to swim.

"Oh, really, big swimmer? Do you know how to swim?" grinned Gin.

"Of course!" said Biro, indignantly.

Arturo stared at his friend in a slightly quizzical manner.

"I mean - it's just that I'm afraid of deep water"

Jake clambered up onto the rocks again and yelled "Geronimo!" as he jumped into the water, feet first.

“That looks like fun! Can I do it?” asked Timothy.

“Sure, buddy. I'll help you up” said Friendly, taking Timothy over to the rocks and boosting his friend out of the water, so he could climb. Friendly pushed on Timothy's butt until his friend was out of his reach.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Gin.

"I've got it, Gin" said Friendly, smiling as he watched Timothy climb up onto the rocks.

Once Timothy had reached the top, he smiled down at his friends and said "Here I go!"

Arturo wanted to say something, but he couldn't because he was still holding Biro. Timothy jumped from the rock and went feet first into the deep water.

"Wow, that was a big splash" remarked Jake.

Timothy grinned, but suddenly he realized his floaties were deflating fast.

"Oh no!" he cried, kicking his legs trying to stay afloat, but his feet just kept spinning uselessly in the deep water. Timothy tries to cry out to his friends for help, but his mouth was already below the water and he continued to sink.

“Timothy!” cried Friendly, swimming over to the struggling raccoon as fast as he could.

“What's happened?!” Jake barked, also swimming over with Friendly. Gin swam over too from the other side, but both of them weren't watching where they were going and they bumped each others' heads.

"Ow!" cried Gin.

"Sorry" whimpered Jake, rubbing his head between his ears.

As Friendly held onto Timothy, he tried to take his friend back to the shore, but his chubby raccoon friend was very heavy and he started to sink too.

"Help! I can't hold him alone!" cried Friendly, just before his mouth went below the water.

Biro leaped from Arturo's arms and started swimming over to them. Holding onto one of Timothy's punctured floaties, he treaded water to assist Friendly. Jake and Gin held the other side of Timothy and did the same.

"Biro? Did you just... swim by yourself?!" gasped Friendly.

Timothy sniffled and started to cry. "I nearly d... d...dddd...drowned!"

Friendly held onto Timothy tightly and gave him a small kiss on his cheek.

"We've got you buddy, you're okay"

"I told you, I know how to swim, it is I'm just... afraid, but I was more afraid for you, Timothy"

Timothy sniffled and looked at his punctured floaties. "I can't swim with my floaties like this"

"I knew was it was not a good idea that you jumped, little coon. This place is dangerous as you can see, it's beautiful but really deep, and under this water is completely dark; I know how to dive but even I wouldn't have been able to rescue you had you sunk deeper"

Timothy sniffled more as he imagined what might have happened had his friends not seen his flailing, and he began to cry some some more.

"Shhhh, it's okay Timothy, it's okay" said Friendly, rubbing the seat of Timothy's shorts in a circular motion to calm him down, and hugging him.

"Poor Timothy, now he can't join in with us" said Jake, sympathetically.

"I don't want to swim here again" said Biro.

Arturo got out of the water first, then everyone else followed suit. Jake decided to swim around a little more as his friends all got out.

"I'm gonna miss you guys, Today may be the last day that I'll ever see you" said Gin, sadly.

“Yeah, it is sad. We gotta get each other's addresses so we can write letters to one another, and maybe we can meet up again sometime”

“Yeah! That'll be fun” agreed Jake, as he too got out of the water.

"Friendly, can you carry me?" asked Timothy.

"Yeah, don't worry Timothy, it's okay" said the fox, picking his chubby little friend up as they prepared to leave the cenote.

“Poor Timothy. Biro and I have got to teach you how to swim... in fact maybe we can all help you learn how to swim” suggested Friendly.

“I hope so... my poor floaties!” sniffled Timothy.

Friendly hugged Timothy as they began to walk towards the tunnel, continuing to rub the seat of the raccoon's shorts. Timothy began to trill contently in his raccoon way, as Friendly's rubbing of his butt began to make him feel more at ease.

"I love you Timothy, like I would my own little brother. I wouldn't let anything bad happen to you" said Friendly, giving his friend a kiss on his cheek.

Timothy kept trilling contently and smiled warmly at his friend.

"Do you love me, Art?" asked Biro, looking at his raccoon friend.

Art just shrugged and grimaced to Biro in an "I don't know" way.

“I can see where this is going” chuckled Jake, wagging his tail as he began to walk behind everyone else.

“Thank you Friendly, I love you too” said Timothy, hugging the fox tightly.

Biro chuckled too as he looked back at Art.

Once the boys had emerged from the dark tunnel, they had to shield their eyes from the bright sunshine for a moment or so.

"Wow... I never realized how bright the sun was" said Gin.

"Yeah... I never noticed either" chuckled Jake.

Arturo, who was still soaking wet, started to shake his wet fur and soaked everybody around him.

"Art! Now we're all soaked!" laughed Friendly.

"That was the idea, silly!" Arturo said in sign language, laughing inside his head.

“I think we should all shake ourselves off”

"Sii, that sounds fun!" grinned Biro.

The boys all shook themselves off together.

"I hate my thick fur" Timothy groaned, as as his thicker fur all stuck up as he shook himself dry.

Friendly couldn't help chuckling as he walked behind Timothy and helped to straighten out his fur.

"It's okay buddy, we're all dry now"

"Humans have to use towels to dry off, we can just shake ourselves" said Biro.

"I think I'd rather use a towel" said Timothy.

"I'll bring one next time" said Friendly, kneeling down behind Timothy to straighten out his leg fur.

Timothy looked as Friendly straightened out his fur.

Just then the fox had a sly sort of grin plastered on his face. When Timothy turned his face away towards the other boys, Friendly pulled open the velcro pocket on Timothy's shorts and stuck his paw inside, wiggling it around. Timothy began to giggle helplessly as Friendly's paw tickled his butt cheek.

"Heeheeeheeeheee! Friendly... heeheeheeehee!!"

Friendly laughed and closed the velcro flap, turning his chubby friend around and hugging him.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist" smiled Friendly, patting Timothy's butt cheek to close the velcro flap properly.

Biro laughed and also grinned, looking at Arturo's green shorts.

Arturo saw Biro's grin and what he was staring at, and gave him a look as if to say "Don't you dare, little fox"

Biro shrugged and walked over to Arturo, giving him a hug. Arturo sighed and hugged his friend.

Gin and Jake just looked at each other awkwardly.

"This is nice and all... but - yeah" chuckled Gin.

"Yeah, oh well. Let's just do a high-five or something" said Jake

"Good idea" said Gin, shaking his fluffy tail and giving Jake a high-five.

"That was awesome, let's do it again!" barked Jake.

So they did.

"Alright, let's get back. I don't want it to rain and then Timothy not be able to ride back" said Friendly.

"We gotta get each other's addresses when we get back though" said Jake.

"Yep, we'll do that. Hopefully you can come and see us soon, then I'll teach Timothy how to ride without his little wheels" said Biro.

"Awesome" said Friendly.

"Yeah, Timothy should learn to ride without them - he just keeps getting stuck all the time" agreed Gin.

"I... I um... I'll try. I promise I will" said Timothy, a little hesitantly.

"Alright, let's go" said Friendly, helping Timothy onto his bike and giving him a little push to get going.

...and so that was that. As the friends all rode back to the camp - Timothy in front on his red bike with training wheels, Friendly behind him on his dark-blue bike, Biro on his blue bike, Arturo on his green bike, Jake on his black bike, and Gin on his yellow bike - they just couldn't stop thinking about if or when they would meet up again.

The End