Hours later, they finally reached the water. As Blain washed the mud off his fur, he eventually became distracted. Leo was clicking away, causing Blain to bark every time.
“Would you knock it off?” Blain yelled at the parrot.
“Promise you won’t get mad, Blain,” Leo begged.
“I’m already upset. But tell me. I promise not to get any more upset than I already am.”
“Okay,” Leo said, sighing. “We went the wrong way.”
“I knew it,” Gus the snake said, laughing. “Something felt off about this path.”
“Oh, no!” Blain slumped down and curled into a ball. “I miss my human.”
“We know,” Gus said, curling up beside Blain.
“Let me see if I can find a shortcut,” Leo said, flapping his wings and then lifting into the air.
“Am I doomed?” Blain asked.
“I doubt it.”
Blain licked some mud off the snake’s back, then closed his eyes.