Piper had spent the entire day trying to keep the twins out of trouble. It hadn’t been any fun. Now she saw three cats approaching in the distance.
“That looks like Cisco,” she thought. “I expected Isis, but I wonder who the third one is.”
“Okay, you two,” she said, turning to the twins. “I’ve got things to do. You two go do your worst.”
“Just remember,” she said with an evil grin, “there’s a Ranger behind every bush watching you.”
“That’s about what it would take,” she thought to herself.
The twins took off, and Piper went to meet the trio.
“Well, Cisco, it looks like you found Isis,” she smiled. “But who’s this sweet little girl with her?”
Turning to his two companions, Cisco said, “As you already guessed, this is Isis, and this is her daughter, Suki.”
“I’ll bet you’re Piper,” Isis said, stepping forward to greet her. “From the stories Cisco told us about you and Jax, well, I thought you’d be ten feet tall.” She laughed.
“Not even close,” Piper grinned. “But we do have one Ranger, Baxter, who comes pretty close.”
“And you, Suki,” Piper said, “how did you get stuck traveling with these two?”
“Just standing in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she joked back. “But really, I can’t wait to see the Valley of the Flowers.”
“Okay, enough of this,” Piper said with an arm around both Isis and Suki. “Let’s go meet the rest of the Rangers.”
“Watch out for the twins,” Piper cautioned them. “They love to play pranks, but they tend to go too far.”
“That doesn’t sound like the Rangers,” Suki said, looking skeptical.
“Oh, they’re not Rangers,” Piper replied. “Their parents sent them to us, hoping we could teach them a little responsibility.”
“I can’t say we’re having much luck though.”
As the group settled in at the lodge, Isis and Suki were introduced to the rest of the Rangers.
Suki’s eyes grew big as she was introduced to Baxter, a rugged-looking cat who was half again as big as the other cats. She’d never seen a cat that big.
“Hey there, Cisco! I’m glad you’re back,” Baxter said, clapping him on the back. “We’ve missed your stories around here.”
Next, they met Stony, a calm and gentle cat who was always ready with a kind word and helpful advice.
Benji, a mischievous-looking tom with a sparkle in his eye, walked over to join the group. “Hey, guys! What’s all the excitement about?” Benji asked, his tail twitching with curiosity.
Introducing him, Piper said, “He’s not quite as big as Baxter, but when they work together, there’s not much can stand in their way.”
“And now, on to the lady Rangers,” Piper said, introducing Breezy, Juni, and Zelli. “Breezy and Juni can build anything you want,” Piper said. “And then they’ll talk your leg off telling you just how they did it.” she added with a grin.
“And Zelli here is a wonder. She’s as petite as can be, but she always finds a way to use her size to the best advantage.”
“So, Cisco, what are you going to do now?” Piper asked. “Do you want to spend the night here and go on in the morning?”
“I think we’d like to keep on going,” Cisco replied, nodding to Isis and Suki. “What do you say? Shall we push on to the Valley of the Flowers?”
Isis nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely! I can’t wait to see it!”
“Me too!” Suki agreed. “Let’s go!”
“By the way,” Isis said, “I thought you were going to have us meet the twins.”
“Oh damn!” Piper swore, looking nervously behind her. “I forgot all about them!”
Baxter laughed. “Don’t worry, I told them we had a big project for them. I’m sure they’re hiding in the woods so we can’t put them to work.”
“They’ll come back when it’s time to eat,” he chuckled. “For now, let’s enjoy the peace and quiet.”
Piper grinned. “Well, I’ll leave that up to you.
“Cisco, you know where everything is. If there’s anything you guys need before we head out, go get it while I get my pack. I can’t wait to see the valley again.”
A few days latter, the group approached the Valley of the Flowers.
As they walked, Piper fell into step beside Isis and Suki. “So, how are you enjoying the journey so far?” she asked them.
Isis smiled. “It’s been wonderful! I’ve loved seeing all the different countryside and meeting the other Rangers.”
Suki nodded in agreement. “Yeah, me too! Although sometimes I’ve had to work hard to keep up with Isis and Cisco.”
Cisco chuckled. “Ah, I’m sorry about that. We’ll get to the valley soon enough. And then you can take it easy for a while.”
Near the end of their journey, the group left the forest trail near the stream. “This is where Jax and I first caught the fish for the Hungry tribe,” Piper explained.
Walking upstream, the group finally caught sight of the fields of flowers in the distance. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers.
Piper breathed in, her eyes shining with wonder. “It’s even more beautiful than I remembered.”
Isis gasped in amazement. “Look at all those shades of violet! It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen.”
Suki simply looked on with tears in her eyes. The flowers were so incredibly beautiful.
As they walked, Isis began studying the flowers intently, taking samples and making notes in her journal.
Looking up, she saw that Jax was waiting for them.
“Perfect timing!” Jax said, a wide smile on his face.
“I figured you’d be off exploring,” Piper said, giving him a hug. “Jax, this is Isis and her daughter, Suki.” Piper said, gesturing toward the two cats.
“It’s really nice to meet you both.” Jax said, “You must have seen the flowers on the way in.”
“Flowers to the left and the right. There was no way to miss them.” Cisco laughed. “Come on, ladies, let’s get those packs off.”
“The tough part was just getting here,” he grinned. “Now the fun begins.”
“You’re right about that,” Isis replied, swinging her pack to the ground. “Drop your pack, Suki, we’re done walking for a while.”
Suki worked to get her pack off until Jax came over to give her a hand. “Thanks,” she said, giving her pack a kick. “I was starting to think that thing was permanently attached.”
“I’m so proud of you, Suki,” Isis said, hugging her. “The way you kept up with us was amazing. I love you, kid.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
“Well, I wouldn’t have wanted to make that journey with anyone but you two,” Cisco said, getting a hug from both of them.
“Why don’t you guys relax,” Piper told them. “I’ll see what Jax and I can scare up for lunch.”
“So, Piper, do you still remember how to catch fish?” Jax grinned.
“Doesn’t that involve throwing you in the stream and seeing if any fish splash up on the bank?” she laughed.
“You remember it a little differently than I do,” Jax said, making a grab for her.
“I think it was actually *you* being thrown in the stream.”
“Okay, okay, maybe we should just wade in and snag a few.” she laughed dodging his grab.
By the time they had some fish on the bank, Cisco had a fire going, and they all enjoyed a nice lunch of fresh-caught fish.
Leaning back with a contented sigh, Isis turned, laying a hand on Cisco’s arm. “Thanks for bringing us here. This is really nice.”
Placing his hand on hers, he said, “Yes, it is, very nice.”
“Okay,” Jax said, leaning forward, “now that everyone’s had a chance to unwind, there’s something we need to discuss.”
“You’ve seen where the fields of flowers are. Well, the Hungry tribe has settled on an area a few hours downstream from there.”
“I’ve explored both that area and the area around here, and it looks like there’s plenty of game everywhere, plus quite a few springs up and down the whole valley.”
“It’s my thinking that the lower valley where the Hungry tribe are has plenty of resources to support the whole tribe.”
“Now, the reason we’re here is the violet flowers.”
“Isis, are they as important as Cisco thought they might be?”
“Absolutely,” Isis instantly responded. “If the ancient legend of the plague has any truth to it, the violet flowers might just save our lives.”
“Okay then,” Jax replied. “If that’s true, then we need to be here to protect those flowers.”
“We need to claim this upper end of the valley as our own.”
“You’re right,” Piper agreed. “We’ll probably have to build something permanent here.”
“I agree,” Cisco said, then turning to Isis and Suki. “What do you two think?”
“I think this may be our new home,” Isis said, hugging Suki, who nodded in agreement.
“In that case then,” Jax said, “we’re going to have to go meet with Luna and Grady and the Hungry tribe.”
A while later, after letting everyone rest up a bit, Jax stood up. “We might as well get this over with. Let’s go talk to the Hungry tribe.”
“I think we can leave our packs here,” Piper said, getting up to stand next to Jax. “There’s nobody around to mess with them.”
“If you guys are ready, let’s take a walk downstream.”
“I thought you said we were done walking,” Suki said with a grin.
“Somebody lied, baby girl,” Isis laughed.
“Well, nothing for it,” Suki sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”
They followed Jax downstream, passing by the original fishing spot then continuing on downstream to the new home of the Hungry tribe. Luna and Grady came over to greet them, along with several other elders from the tribe.
“Welcome back, Jax and Piper,” Luna said, her eyes warm and friendly. “Are these more of your Rangers?”
“The ladies are Isis and Suki,” Jax answered. “Isis studies plants, and Suki is her apprentice as well as her daughter.”
“Oh, and Isis is also a renowned healer.”
“That guy over there, Cisco, is, in fact, a Ranger.”
“It’s nice to meet you all,” Luna smiled. “I’m Luna, and this is Grady.”
Luna went on to introduce the elders who were standing with Grady. Once the introductions were done, Grady spoke up. “You folks look like you’ve got something on your mind.”
“You’re right, Grady,” Piper said, looking from Jax to Isis. “Isis believes that the violet flowers are an important discovery, and she’d like to study them. Because they are extremely rare, she feels they should be protected.”
“To do that, we’d like to set up a permanent research station, or possibly even a small village.”
“To get to the point, we want to claim the upper part of the valley. The area would extend from the original fishing spot upstream to the cliff face. That would, of course, include the fields of violet flowers.”
Nodding thoughtfully, Luna considered the proposal. “From what we’ve seen,” she said, “the entire valley, both upstream and down, has plenty of game, and there’s no shortage of water, so that wouldn’t be a problem.”
“And to be honest, we do feel a major debt of gratitude towards you Rangers for saving us from starvation.”
“Give us a moment to talk it over,” she said, turning to Grady and the elders.
The elders conferred among themselves, discussing and debating the pros and cons of the proposal, though it seemed mainly for show. Finally, they nodded in unison.
“Very well,” Luna said with a smile. “We accept your proposal. The upper part of the valley is yours to claim as your own.”
Grady stood up, extending his paw in a gesture of goodwill. “Welcome to the valley, Isis, Suki and Rangers! May our friendship flourish like these beautiful flowers we see all around us.”
Isis smiled, her eyes shining with excitement. “I’d like to call my part of the valley, Valley of the Flowers,” she said.
“That sounds perfect,” Luna said, nodding in agreement. “And our tribe members have decided to call our part of the valley, Home of the Hungry Tribe.”
Jax spoke up next, his brow furrowed in concern. “There is one other thing. I’ve noticed that many of your tribe are having physical problems, probably from being so near to starvation.”
“Unfortunately, Isis can’t do much to help until she gets her supplies from her old home,” Jax continued. “However,” he said, with a smile, “My mother, Willow, is also an accomplished healer. I could ask her to come and help get your tribe healthy again. I’m sure she’d be glad to help.”
“That would be wonderful,” Luna said, her voice filled with gratitude. “Again, we owe you a debt of gratitude. I hope we can repay that debt someday.”
Grady stood up, rubbing his round belly. “I think now would be a good time for a tasty meal before you head back to your Valley of the Flowers,” he said.
Even though they had eaten only a few hours ago, the group graciously accepted the invitation. It was the polite thing to do.
Later that evening, back at their camp, they sat around the fire, discussing what to do next.
“Well, since it seems Suki and I are going to be living here, at least for a while,” Isis said, reaching for her notebook, “I’d better make a list of what I’m going to need from my old home.”
“That sounds like a job for the Rangers,” Cisco said, thinking of what would be needed. “I’ll stop by the Ranger’s Lodge and recruit whoever’s there to go with me. We’ll bring back as much as we can carry.”
“I appreciate you doing that, Cisco,” Isis said, giving him a warm smile. “I’ll try to keep the list down to just what Suki and I really need.”
“I’ll head out in the morning.”
“Since you like to hike so much, do you want to come with me, Suki?” he asked with a grin.
“Uh no, I’m sure Isis has all sorts of things for me to do here,” Suki quickly replied.