Sibby and the Beach Cave

     "Where?"

     "Over there!"

     "What- oh."

     "Cassie, if you're not going to pay attention, then there is no point in playing this game," a little wispy voice stated bluntly.

     "Ooh! Sibbly, but we only just started," another booming voice whined behind.

     "Fine, but if Cassie doesn't start paying attention, I don't want to continue... It's no fun that way!"

     Stumbling out from the tall green grass, a long-eared Aisha, the shade of pink that could blind a person, trotted towards a brightly sand-covered beach. Her ears were pinned back with a messy blond fake wig perched atop, and all the while she moved with an important looking stride. Behind her, two others followed. A scruffy red Kougra wearing a fake pirate claw and patch darted quickly along, and bringing up the rear, Cassie, a yellow Ogrin, strode slowly.

     "Heroun, you're not supposed to come with us!" Sibby shouted drastically. The Red Pirate Kougra lowered its head and moaned slightly before turning around and walking back to the edge of the grass where they had emerged. He sat sternly, waiting until Cassie, the dazed Ogrin, moved close to Sibby then dashed out quickly on all four legs, only to stop directly in front, pointing his plastic hook hand at them.

     "Pirates!" yelled Cassie enthusiastically, to which Sibby turned in complete surprise at her friend.

     "Cassie... that was unexpected," Sibby admitted before noticing the characterised look of surprise on her friend's face. Heroun giggled slightly before turning to the water where Cassie had been staring before dropping his mouth wide. Sibby too looked onward out to the sea, slightly started and saw an enormous black sailed ship in the distance drawing nearer. "Pirates," she echoed awestruck.

     "We better leave," Heroun stated frantically.

     Sibby looked taken aback. "No way!" she retorted, "we can fight some REAL pirates!" A nervous look shot across both her friends' faces as the glanced to each other. "Come on," Sibby instructed while galloping to the edge of the grass before either of them could voice their refusal. "We can hide in here and follow the ship until it lands. I want to find out what they're up to!"

     The enthusiasm in Sibby had not subsided in the slightest as the boat drew nearer, looking more menacing and gigantic as it approached. In fact, she sounded much more excited as time went on. It was her chance to prove just how much she was like Hannah, who Sibby idolised more than anyone. Of course, Hannah had plenty of help to drive the pirates away, not only once, but twice so far. Silence had spread among Cassie and Heroun as they moved behind Sibby with a dreadful air around them. Cassie hung her head low near the ground, hoping to disappear in the sands and grass while Sibby bounced happily along.

     They approached a large cavern after twenty minutes of following the giant ship's path where it drove smoothly up the large mass of water that had flown out. "This is it," Sibby warned in a serious voice. Off she went, slowly down the beach towards the entrance of the cavern. Heroun followed immediately, half distracted by a large beetle crawling in the same direction while Cassie remained full of dread and wondered why she even went along.

     Sibby had waited for them at the base of a small path leading up a few rocks. They could hear small voices and in the distance the dim light that beamed from the ship. Sibby herself beamed too, hoping to catch a glimpse of some pirates close by. Without a word she moved up the stony path and hid herself behind the rocks at her side. Heroun joined her mindlessly without waiting for Cassie, who cranked her neck to look behind her at the bright beach. "Goodbye," she whispered in despair.

     Cassie moved quicker to catch up to her friends but became jumpy swiftly as they entered deeper in to the cave. Though the tunnel became brighter, the comfort grew weaker. Sibby, however seemed to be unaffected by all this. Her chance at proving bravery seemed to dull her smartness. "Shh," Sibby finally said lightly as she crouched down between two boulders and peered down. Heroun crawled to the left side of one of the boulders to look out too.

     Sibby gasped.

     "I knew they were pirates!" she said in a loud whisper. Cassie watched above Sibby at the ship. Several Kyrii, Techos, and Moehogs moved back and forth off the ship carrying heavy loads and crates. They placed them all down in a pile next to a large Yurble with a red handkerchief on his head. He held something in his hands and shouted out orders for the deckhands to get a move on and kept glancing at the object he held. "I bet they're hiding their treasure!" Sibby announced.

     Cassie grimaced and whispered back, "They must be really bad to have that much treasure," she said, filled with dread.

     "Maybe we can take some, you know, for safe keeping," Heroun added excitedly.

     Cassie frowned and backed up slightly. She thought about turning around and leaving long while shifting about. "Mabe we should- Eeeeeek!"

     THUD.

     Sibby gasped once again and darted up. Cassie had fallen right down off the small ledge and landed on her behind. The shriek attracted the pirates' attention. Many of them stared right at the three. "What you staring for! GET MOVING!" the large Yurble shouted loudly at his crew. Heroun dashed down skilfully and helped Cassie up, meanwhile the Yurble pointed to three others and came towards the young group with them.

     "Uh oh," Sibby said, sliding carefully down to join her friends. The Yurble pulled something long and pointy from his side and came closer still. Sibby shivered slightly while Heroun stared, wide-eyed.

     A tall red Techo in black scruffy pants approached swiftly. "You all righ'?" he asked. Another Techo pulled a lamp up to brighten the scene and smiled.

     The Yurble, who finally stood towering in front of them clicked his pen, noted something on his clipboard. "Now, what do we got here?" he asked rhetorically. "You three shouldn't be out down here; could get hurt!"

     "But!" Sibby tried to spit out what they had been doing, but it seemed all too hard. She was so sure they had been evil, menacing pirates all along. "You're pirates!" she finally stated bluntly.

     "Oho!" The Yurble chuckled along with the others with him. "No, m'dear, I'm just a delivery man. You see, I've been paid to bring four thousand Baggusses all the way from the Lost Desert to here. Can't imagine why... but I don't ask questions, I just do the deliverin'."

     Sibby looked defeated.

     "What're you three lookin' for pirates for anyway? Them be dangerous fiends!" he stated.

     Heroun wiggled his nose and swatted at a little floating bug in the air. "We would have defeated them anyways," he added once again mindlessly.

     The Yurble chuckled again. "Well," he began, "me names Sterval, an' me ship's called Hollywibble. Don' ask why. We're almost done here and I gotta go round to the harbour anyway, so why don' we give you three a ride there, and don' be lookin for no more pirates!"

     They nodded. Sibby was still looking completely defeated as they went along. Cassie lifted her head and moved up the ramp after her. "You're still the bravest anyhow, Sibby," she said simply.

The End