Arturo and Biro go to Camp (Chp 3)

Friendly looked up at the sky and he noticed the storm clouds above him, and he looked a little bit worried.

Arturo wrote in his notebook to Biro.

"I don't want to return the camp, I prefer stay with them all the time, not with the other guys"

"Wow, you write so fast!" exclaimed Biro

"Um... guys, we might want to get going soon. It looks like it's going to rain" said Friendly

"Cool!! A few minutes ago there wasn't any clouds!!" said Biro excitedly.

Art wrote in his notebook again, this time to Friendly: "He loves rain"

Friendly chuckled. Timothy squeaked.

"I don't like rain very much" whimpered Timothy.

"Why not? is so....wet" said Biro

"If you want, guys, lets go back" said Arturo, using his sign language

Just then, the first drop of rain fell from the sky.

Timothy waddled over to his bike and began to ride back towards camp.

"It's alright, Art. We can all stay together until... you know" said Friendly

Jake got on his bike, but waited for Art and Biro. By the time they had all begun to cycle back towards camp, the rain was getting heavier.

"Timothy! Avoid the puddles!!" shouted Biro through the rain.

Timothy rode around the puddles to avoid getting stuck in them.

"Thanks Biro!" squeaked Timothy

Friendly and Jake rode behind Timothy, while Art and Biro rode in front of him. The rain fell even harder, and the path was becoming very muddy.

"Uh-oh" said Biro, as he turned to see Timothy.

Timothy kept turning his pedals, but his bike stopped moving and the wheel just spuns helplessly in the mud.

"Oh no! I'm stuck!" cried Timothy

Biro turned his bike back to face Timothy.

"Oh god! Hey Art! Wait!"

Timothy kept trying to pedal, but his bike just couldn't grip the sloppy mess underneath it's wheels.

"Not again" groaned Biro, "If you don't want to get wet, come on up with me on my bike"

Friendly chuckled to himself as he watched his chubby little raccoon friend struggling in the mud.

"Timothy, Art is going to load your bike, he's very good at carrying things while he is riding his bike"

Timothy stopped trying to pedal his bike and sniffled.

"I always get stuck in the mud"

"Hey, come on Timothy. Don't cry" said Friendly

"Yes, don't cry, let me help you" said Biro, "Come on, up on my bike with me"

"Alright" said Timothy, as he climbed onto Biro's bigger bike. Biro helped him.

"Hey, come on Timmy. You'll be okay" said Jake

"I hope so" squeaked Timothy, as he held onto Biro.

"Hold onto me, I'll go a little faster" said Biro

"Okay Biro" said Timothy, as he watched Arturo loading his little bike and put it on his back.

"Are you sure you can carry my bike, Art?" asked Timothy

Art nodded.

"Timothy, are you holding on tightly to me?" asked Biro

"Uh-huh" said Timothy

"If you feel more protected, you can hug" said Biro

Timothy hugged Biro tightly.

"Awwww" said Friendly, as they all started to ride again.

"Now you see why it's fun in the rain? We do stuff that we don't do normally, and we get so wet, hehe" chuckled Biro

"I don't like getting wet in the rain" whimpered Timothy, holding onto Biro as tightly as he could.

"I have fun when it rains, everything is different, and Art says everything gets green and colorful"

"But... my shorts get all wet too, and my bike always gets stuck in the mud" answered Timothy

"It's necesary that I teach you how to ride without that pair of little wheels" said Biro, referring to the training wheels on Timothy's bike.

"I'm too frightened to try... what if I hurt myself?" squeaked Timothy

"I'm sure we're going to become good friends, after the camp you can continue to visit us, and I'm sure you'll be fine without your little wheels" said Biro.

"Okay Biro" said Timothy, as he held onto the fox and murred contently.

Jake rode behind Biro.

"You okay up there, Timothy?" asked Jake

"Uh-huh" replied Timothy

Jake struggled to keep up with Biro, even his bike was having a little trouble with the mud.

"Wait up guys!" he cried

Arturo was struggling to keep riding too, while carrying Timothy's bike, his tongue was sticking out in exhaustion.

"Are you alright, Art?" asked Friendly, noticing that something was wrong.

Art nodded, but Biro turned his head to look at his friend.

"No, he's not alright" said Biro

Just then, Arturo fell off his bike, he dropped Timothy's bike and lay on the ground for a moment with much relief.

"Arturo!" cried Friendly, as he rushed over to help him.

"Oh no!" Timothy squeaked, as a raindrop splashed off his nose.

Arturo rose and rejected the help before getting back on his bike.

"I think he's okay, he only wanted to throw the bike off his back, let's continue" said Biro

"Are we nearly there?" asked Timothy

"Almost" replied Friendly, "Do you want to ride again, Timothy?"

"Yes please" said Timothy

"Are you sure that you ok?" Biro asked Arturo.

Arturo nodded.

"Alright then. Let's go" said Friendly

Timothy clambered back on his little bike and rode in front of everyone else.

"Go tim! Forward to make way!" called Biro

Timothy kept turning his pedals, but his bike struggled to grip the muddy path.

"Uh-oh!" he squeaked anxiously

"I really want to throw away that raccoon's little wheels" sighed Biro, to himself.

They were in the same place where Timothy got stuck the first time, Biro noticed the view of the landscape was wonderful.

"Wow, check that out Arturo!! Maybe they won't want to stop but the view is so beautiful with this rain!!"

Timothy struggled to keep riding, but his bike stalled with the rear wheel spinning again, splattering mud all over his butt. Friendly stopped alongside him.

"It's okay Timothy. Art, can you get on the other side of him please?"

Art nodded and got off his bike.

"We'll just have to walk back to camp. Timothy obviously can't ride very well in this weather" said Friendly

Timothy was still turning the pedals on his bike, but the spinning wheel just splattered mud all over his butt.

"Oh no!" cried Timothy, as he looked back at his favourite shorts with dismay.

"Don't worry about your shorts, those can be washed" said Biro

Arturo saw Timothy's face, which showed an emotion of anguish.

Timothy tried harder to pedal his bike, but it just could not grip the sludge beneath it.

"Come on Art, let's help him" said Friendly.

"Please help me Art" Timothy squeaked.

Arturo gave Friendly a thumb-up signal to say that he was ready to start pushing.

"Okay Arturo, let's go" said Friendly, as he began to push Timothy's bike. Timothy kept pedalling to help Art and Friendly.

"How many times has Timothy got stuck in the mud?" Biro asked Jake

"I've lost count" answered Jake

Timothy murred happily as Arturo and Friendly helped him, but Art's feet were sliding around in the mud. Soon they were full of mud.

"What's wrong Art?" squeaked Timothy

Friendly stopped pushing. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Art lifted his paws and showed that they were muddy.

"Aww, poor Art" said Friendly.

Timothy tried pedalling his bike, but the rear wheel just kept slipping in the sludge.

"I'm sorry guys, I'm causing so much trouble aren't I?" sniffled Timothy

"I propose the last idea, I can ride with you and... someone else can carry your bike. I don't think that you can make all the way to the camp on your bike without getting stuck" said Biro.

"I know" sniffled Timothy.

"I'll take your bike Timothy and walk back. You go and ride with Biro, okay?" said Friendly

"Okay" said Timothy, as he got onto Biro's bike and hugged him.

"Are you ready, Tim?" asked Biro

"Yeah, I'm ready" answered Timothy, as he sat behind Biro and murred in his ear.

"Are you ready, Friendly?" asked Biro

"Yeah. I'll see you all back at camp, okay?" replied Friendly

"Okay Friendly. See you later" said Jake

Biro started riding.

"Hey, I haven't asked you, is it ok that I call you Tim or you prefer Timothy?" asked Biro

"I don't mind. Friendly always calls me Timothy, which is my name" said Timothy, he closed his eyes and kept murring happily as Biro rode onwards.

"What about your parents? Do you think they'll let you come to my house to visit?"

"I don't know. I think they will if Friendly comes too" said Timothy

"That would be ok, and you can meet Arturo's brothers, they are so cool. They are two pandas and a grizzly"

"Oooh, I'm looking forward to that" squeaked Timothy

They weren't that far from the camp now. Timothy whispered into Biro's ear.

"Can I tell you a secret if you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Sure, I give you my word of the fox" said Biro, lifting his right paw to his ear so he could hear Timothy clearly.

"Well... it's just... if we have to share a bed - well... I might wet the bed" sniffled Timothy.

"Oh! Hehe, that wouldn't be very nice, hehe, but don't worry" said Biro, then his voice became a whisper. "A couple of years ago I would have done the same"

"Really?" asked Timothy, smiling as he realized that Biro wasn't going to laugh at him.

"That would be understandable, so don't worry... but if that happens, I think I'll put a blanket on the floor and sleep there, but I won't laugh at you or anything, like I said, I understand you, and friends understand each other"

"Um... well... Friendly brought some special underwear for me to sleep in... but I'm worried that the other kids will laugh at me if I wear them" squeaked Timothy.

"Other kids are so cruel, but you're lucky to find kids who hate to make fun of others, like me and Arturo, just don't let others see you, put your shorts on quickly and all will be fine, I can help you and make sure that the others won't see you" said Biro

"Thank you Biro" said Timothy, hugging his friend lovingly.

"Are we nearly there?" Jake asked Arturo.

Art nodded to respond to Jake's question.

"Oh good" said Jake with a sigh.

Timothy was murring happily in Biro's ear as they arrived back at the camp. Everyone else was inside.

Art was not so happy to arrive back at the camp.

Timothy noticed that Art looked a little unhappy.

"Hey, don't be so sad, Art" said Timothy, hugging him warmly.

As they headed indoors, Art and Biro shook themselves like dogs, making Timothy and Jake even more wet.

Timothy shook himself too, but his thick fur stuck out.

"This is why I don't like getting wet" whimpered Timothy. Jake chuckled as he shook himself dry.

Timothy headed over to the fire to warm himself up. Art pulled out his notebook... but it didn't look like a notebook anymore, it was covered with water and mud.

"Nooo!!!" cried Arturo

"What's wrong Art?" asked Jake. Art showed Jake the remains of his notebook.

"Uh-oh" said Jake, "That's not good"

Art carefully tried to change a page, he saw that his drawing of the landscape was almost ruined.

"Oh no, you worked so hard on that too!" said Jake.

Art whispered to himself. "It just can't be worse"

"Hey, don't be so sad. At least we made it back" Jake said

"Yeah" said Timothy, hugging Arturo again.

Art sighed and closed his eyes, he hugged Timothy back and gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, I can get him another one" Biro whispered to Timothy.

Timothy murred happily as Art hugged him. A fussy child approached them.

"Hey, stupid, are you gay?"

Timothy whimpered anxiously.

Arturo turned to the human boy with an angry and scary face.

Jake growled at him. "Go away if you don't like it"

"Can we go somewhere else?" asked Biro

Timothy looked anxiously at the fussy kid.

"I think we should" said Jake

The fussy kid saw they weren't going to be troubled by him, so he walked away.

"Idiot" whispered Arturo

"This isn't the first time, such people are always trying to intimidate us, we must ignore them and they don't do anything. Art reacted to one of them and we left beaten"

"I hope he's not in the same tribe as us" whimpered Timothy

"I hope not either" said Biro

Just then, Friendly arrived back at the hut and walked over to his friends.

"So... we're all back now. Good"

"Friendly!! Finally you're back! Thank you for doing that great favor, I think we all owe you one" said Biro.

"It's alright. Just look after Timothy for me when we split up, okay?" Friendly whispered into Biro's ear.

"Okay! I'll do that. I was talking with Tim on the way back, and I was wondering if you can bring Timothy and Jake to visit us when we all go home. You can meet Arturo's brothers"

"Oh... I think we could do that" said Friendly

"Yay!" squeaked Timothy, excitedly.

"Art and Julio's room is on the roof of the house, if they allow us to stay in their room at night, it would be really great, the stars looks beautiful from there"

Art nodded. Timothy yawned sleepily.

"I'm sure that will be wonderful" said Friendly, chuckling as he watched Timothy yawn.

"Someone's a sleepy little raccoon"

Art yawned too.

"Yes, it was a tiring day, but it was wonderful!"

"Alright. It'll be time for us to go to bed soon" said Jake.

"Uh-huh" said Timothy, as he yawned again.

"How will we know where we can sleep?" asked Biro.

"I think the huts have beds in them. Wooden bunks. We have to share"

Timothy smiled at Biro.

"I'm glad I can share a bed with you"

"Oh yes, it will be great!" answered Biro.

"I can sleep with you if you like, Art" said Friendly.

"I brought my sleeping bag, so I can sleep next to your bunk" said Jake.

Timothy yawned again, just as a camp guard came in to separate the tribes.

Art nodded to answer Friendly. Friendly smiled at him and gave Timothy a plastic bag, containing his special underwear.

"Thank you Friendly" squeaked Timothy.

Biro tried his hardest to look like he didn't know anything about Timothy needing to wear special underwear to bed.

"So, lets go, I'm tired too, I need to rest" said Biro, as they headed off to their tribe hut.

"I choose to be on the top, any objection?" asked Biro.

"No. I'm not very good at climbing anyway" said Timothy, he pulled his shorts down and hurriedly put his special underwear on and pulled his shorts back up.

"I thought we had to sleep together on the same mattress, hehe, this is nice" said Biro.

"Yeah" replied Timothy, as he clambered into bed, still wearing his favourite shorts.

"I don't know about you, but I really love to be in bed and hear the rain outside" said Biro.

"I like that too" answered Timothy, he murred happily as he got comfortable in the bed and closed his eyes.

"Are you already asleep?" asked Biro.

"Not yet" replied Timothy.

"I know this is a common question, but...what is your hobby?"

"Well... just playing with my friends mostly. But I like trains" replied Timothy.

"Trains?" asked Biro.

"Yeah" replied Timothy.

"I like ships, I enjoy all the topics about large ships, pirates, saileros, vikings"

"I don't like pirates much... I wouldn't stand much chance against a pirate" sniffled Timothy.

"But now the pirates don't exist, and it's so fun to play pirates, I am always a pirate and Art is the English sailor"

"Awww" said Timothy, as he closed his eyes again and lay on his pillow, he moved his legs and he heard his shorts rustle as his underwear rubbed them.

"I'd love to go to the same school as Arturo, I would play with him at recess" said Biro.

"I wish Friendly could play with me at recess too. He's much older than me" sighed Timothy.

"Arturo too" sighed Biro

"Goodnight, Biro" yawned Timothy.

"Goodnight Tim, replied Biro"

Art lay down on the bottom bunk with Friendly. He searched for something to write on, he found a little flyer and wrote:

"Sorry if I'm not a great speaker" and he made a quick sketch with Friendly and Art smiling together.

"Awww. Do you wanna sleep with me?" asked Friendly

Art blushed deeply and wrote: "If you don't want to, don't"

"But I do" said Friendly, putting his arm across Art's shoulder and smiling at him warmly.

Art shrugged and turned his head to the other side.

"Listen Art, you don't have to sleep with me if you don't want to, but I'd like you to" said Friendly

"Yes, I'd like to" Art whispered

"Okay then" said Friendly, clambering into the bed.

Jake got into his sleeping bag next to Art and Friendly's bed.

"Don't you want to take the top bunk?" asked Friendly

"No... I don't like sleeping high-up" whimpered Jake

"Okay then" replied Friendly, hugging Arturo. Arturo was nervous of being hugged by Friendly.

"What's wrong Arturo? You're all tensed up" said Friendly

"I'm okay, it's just... this is the first time that I've been hugged by someone that I met just hours ago. But...I'm comfortable, I'm just nervous, I dont know why" whispered Arturo

"It's okay. I'm just glad that we met you and Biro. I don't think me, Jake and Timothy have ever been happier" answered Friendly

Jake: "Goodnight Art, goodnight Friendly"

Friendly: "Night"

Art just sighed and closed his eyes.

(End of Chapter 3)