One thing was set on Griffin's mind at the moment--to get these Chias back
to their homes. He swallowed hard and turned around to face the Chias. "Uh...hello
friends. I am Griffin L. Kingsley...and I'm here to help you all. I mean no
harm...as a matter of fact, I'm a Chia Protector."
The Chias smiled and talked amongst themselves until Griffin continued. "I
just saved you from those slave-drivers..." The Chias talking of joy continued,
then stopped again when Griffin began. "Now, I'm here to get you back to your
homes. But there is only one problem..." They intently listened. "Uh...does
anybody know the way out of here?" The Chias started talking about bad things
now, how they'd die of thirst or hunger...
A yellow Chia with white Arabian clothes stepped forward. "I do, sir...I remember
coming here long ago. The path remains in my mind, sir..." he said. Griffin
smiled. "Thank you, young Chia You are ever kind."
The Chia bowed and got back up, grinning. Griffin felt a tugging on his bandana
and turned around to see Indiana. "What?" he asked nicely. "I'm hearing funny
noises, Uncle Griffin..." Indiana said in a worried tone, shaking her head.
"I think a storm or something' is coming in!"
Griffin looked up at the sky. It was pure blue, with the exception of two or
three tiny, thin white puffs. "Ah, Indy...I think those funny noises are coming
from your stomach. We haven't eaten in a while."
"No, Uncle Griffin! I know it's something different...I'm not hungry at all!"
Indiana wailed.
Griffin sighed deeply, knowing it was probably her imagination. She had a reputation
for her imagination to get the best of her. He helped Indy up onto Larie's back
and then got up himself. Holding Larie's reins and signaling her to start to
walk, Griffin looked down at Indiana. He patted her head and looked over to
the group of Chias. "Okay...just follow my Lenny."
The yellow Chia that said he knew the way walked close by Larie. "Which way
first?" Griffin asked the Chia. The Chia pointed northwest. Griffin nodded and
turned Larie that way, the group of Chias following. He didn't think he'd get
out of this desert alive...but with this Chia as his escort, this miracle Chia,
he was sure they'd find the way home.
"So, what's your name?" Griffin asked.
"Apiaries." The Chia had a light accent.
"Apiaries...I like that," Griffin said. The group continued.
"Uncle Griffin, I'm hearing more funny noises!" Indiana said, perking her head
up. "They're getting louder."
"Don't be silly, Indy," Griffin said, scratching her back. Suddenly, Griffin
signaled Larie to abruptly stop. He glared forward in a trance, Indiana looking
up at him.
"I hear it, too..." Griffin said.
"See? I told you!!" Indiana said firmly.
There was a low rumbling sound...Wockies and Lupes have very keen hearing,
however Chias and Lennys don't. The Chias continued to walk, but Griffin told
them to stop.
The noise was unfamiliar and confusing...Griffin twitched an ear and got off
Larie, talking a few steps forward. The noise got louder. The Chias started
hearing it, too. "Run..." Griffin said, quietly, in fear. He wanted to scream,
but that was all that came out. "RUN! RUN AND GET OUT OF HERE!!" Griffin shouted.
He mounted Larie and cracked the reins. She took off like a bullet, the Chias
close behind.
SANDSTORM!!!
An enormous tornado of sand was afoot, topping immense speeds as it engulfed
the small crew. Hardly anybody could see any more than five inches in front
of them. Griffin clutched Indiana in his arms, shielding her from the harsh
sands. Larie panicked in all the hazard and reared, tossing her neck to and
fro, completely ignoring Griffin's commands to go the ways he believed would
get the group out of the storm.
The intense storm moved on in a matter of ten minutes, however it seemed like
hours. Griffin looked at the beat group. Indiana was asleep in his arms, the
Chias were panting and tired, even Larie was exhausted. "Okay..." he said. "We'll
rest here for the rest of the day. In the night we'll travel...it's cooler then,"
he said. The sun was at its highest point.
The Chias slept behind tall dunes, the shadow of them cooling them off. Griffin
guessed that these Chias had experience in the desert. Perhaps they were native
to the Lost Desert, he thought.
But of course, Griffin couldn't rest. He was like a shepherd, and the Chias
were like his sheep--for the moment, at least. He needed to find them shelter,
keep them out of harm, feed them, and find them water. He sighed and made his
way down another sand dune in search of food or water for the Chias.
Griffin scanned the area for any possible sign of a well or food. Aha! Weeds!
But wait--weeds? It was still good enough for Griffin. He padded down the side
of the dune, kicking up dust into the air. Seeing the green weed bush, he knew
there must be water there!! But how would he get to it?
Griffin grabbed a knife from underneath his hat and started digging. Sand sprinkled
here and there, and then eventually clumps of sand--clumps of brown, chunky,
WET sand, the same kind you get when you go to a beach and dig deep enough.
The hole Griffin made was now about three feet deep--and he set down his knife
and squatted down to dig the rest up with his forepaws.
Then he did it! Griffin struck water! The hole slowly started filling up with
precious water. He kneeled down and drank immensely, taking it in through enormous
gulps. It was so good and sweet, and cold and thirst-killing. He drank for nearly
five whole minutes until he was fully content, as the hole kept on filling back
up. He took out his canteen and filled it up all the way.
There was his water! Griffin went over to the sleeping Chias to take their
canteens to fill up. When he got over the dune to see the quiet group, there
was Indiana, sleeping in the shade of Larie. Indy was tossing and turning in
her sleep, whimpering and growling at some points. Griffin took out his canteen
and put it close to Indiana's mouth, pouring the sweet water into her. She woke
up and smiled at Griffin. "Drink up..." he said. "You'll need it. Now get some
rest, we have a long ways to go tomorrow." Griffin smiled, and, when Indiana
drank everything she needed, he continued to retrieve all the canteens to fill
up.
When that was over and the canteens were filled up with water and neatly lined
up for the Chias to get, and when Griffin was done leading Larie over to the
hole to take some water, it was finally time for Griffin to get some rest. As
soon as he lay down on the soft sand, he immediately fell asleep.
Griffin woke up to see the blazing orange sky with the enormous yellow ball
slowly disappearing under the horizon. The sky was changed to a hazy navy blue
and black sky when the Chias, Larie and Indiana woke up. The Chias found out
their canteens were re-filled and drank only but about a cup. They knew the
dangers of the desert, and Griffin knew that the Chias MUST be desert Chias
Griffin turned around and looked at the night sky, it looked so much like a
dark chocolate cupcake dotted with white sprinkles...NO! He had to get that
image out of his head. More thoughts came up of chocolate cake, chocolate Chias
of all flavours--mint chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, ones with almond
and coconut in, orange chocolate...gingerbread Lupe treats, the frosting of
it just in place...ooooh...he drooled at the thought, then slapped himself.
What was he thinking? There wasn't a drop of chocolate near.
Griffin helped Indiana onto Larie, then mounted himself on Larie's back as
well. He saw Apiaries stride up to him with a wooden staff in his hand.
"Good evening, sir. The night sky is perfect for traveling. We'll go far tonight,"
Apiaries said. Griffin nodded.
"Good...the sooner we get these Chias back to their homes, the better."
To be continued... | 
