CHAPTER 2

"What should we do now?" Grammi asked as they stared in disbelief at the grassy ground, where Gummi Glen should have been.

Zummi snapped out of his shock. "We have to find out what happened. The scepter must have magically transported us somewhere."

"But everything looks the same, except Gummi Glen’s gone!" Gruffi countered.

"A different time, maybe?" Zummi shrugged hopelessly.

"Oh, I hope the cubs are all right…"

Distant but approaching laughter startled them.

"Hide!" Gruffi ordered unnecessarily. The three gummies took cover in surrounding brush, the laugher drawing near.

Peeking out, they were awed to discover a happy group of four unknown gummi cubs running by with a kite. The three shocked gummies exchanged glances, struck numb by the sight and unsure whether they should reveal themselves.

"I don’t believe it!" Gruffi exclaimed in a hushed voice. Not just four cubs but an entire warren of cubs were all enjoying the sun and a light breeze.

"This can’t be Gummadoon." Zummi added, just as confused as the others.

"But they are gummies."

"You’re right, Grammi. We need to find someone in charge here. We can ask them to help us."

"They might also have a Great Book."

The three emerged slowly from the brush, Gruffi more confident. "As long as we can get to the bottom of this."

The cubs of various ages more or less ignored Grammi, Gruffi, and Zummi. Gruffi stepped amid the running and laughing and kites, intending to stop a yellow-furred youngster, but found himself nose-first in the dirt as someone else, also not watching, ran him over from behind. The kite the other was flying fluttered down between them.

"Gruffi!" Grammi called as she and Zummi rushed over.

"Are you alright?" Zummi helped him up.

"Yeah, yeah." He picked up his fallen hat.

"I’m sorry," came the voice behind the kite. "I didn’t see you and…" As the kite was lowered to apologize face to face, the young brown-furred gummi frowned as he realized he’d never seen these strangers before.

Zummi, Grammi, and Gruffi stared on at the young gummi bear, for he bore a striking resemblance to a particular human boy they knew.

"My stars!" Zummi exclaimed.

"Could it be?… Cavin?" Grammi asked the youngster.

"No. My name’s Cavvi." the brown-furred gummi corrected. "You’re not from around here, are you?"

"We’re from Gummi Glen. I’m Zummi, this is Grammi, and you’ve already run into Gruffi."

"Where are we? And who’s in charge here?" Gruffi all-but-demanded. This whole situation was getting to him again.

Cavvi pointed to an obviously gummi city not far away. "That’s Gumwyn Castle. Queen Marionberry rules there."

"A queen, huh? We need to see her right away."

Cavvi blinked. "You want to see the Queen?"

"Yeah. What’s wrong with that?"

"Well… It’s not gonna be easy to see her today if you’re not royalty or nobility."

"And who says we aren’t?" Gruffi posed, crossing his arms.

"I guess… if you still want to try and see her, I can take you to Sir Londonberry."

Gruffi waved ahead of him and spoke as if he did have all the authority in the world. "Lead the way."

Zummi and Grammi walked closely beside Gruffi as they left the happy kite-fliers behind.

"Gruffi," Zummi whispered. "We’re not nobility."

"I know that. But if we wanna get to the bottom of anything, I’m willing to let him think we are."

Grammi looked at her dusty clothes. "I wish I’d had time to brush up…"

"We’ll be fine. Just don’t let anybody push you around."

They were led through the gates of the high-walled city, seeming to be in full swing with festivities. The three looked in all directions as wares were traded, music played, couples danced, and gummies wandered in the filled courtyard wearing their best.

"Is there a holiday going on today?" Zummi asked, sidestepping two cubs as they ran through carrying a fascinating toy.

Cavvi nodded. "It’s the Kite Day Festival. There’s Sir Londonberry."

Their brown-furred escort led them to a yellow gummi knight. He was around Grammi’s age and sported a thick mauve mustache, heavy eyebrows, and a highly polished armor. He’d previously been surveying the happy faces with a pleased smile of his own at the castle’s entrance. At young Cavvi’s approach, he eyed the strangers with cautious curiosity and waited for the situation to explain itself.

"Sir Londonberry, these strangers are requesting to see the Queen."

"Hm?" The gummi knight quirked a brow and looked the three over.

Gruffi puffed out his chest and put on a high-handed manner. "Yes. We request an audience with Her Majesty."

In the shadows, a small orange-furred figure observed the goings-on unseen.

"Sweeti!"

Startled by the whispered voice, the child clapped her hands over her mouth to stop her cry. She turned quickly, upset that Strawberri had nearly gotten her caught. "Don’t sneak up on me!" she whispered back.

"C’mon!" The other, slightly older cub tugged at her sleeve, stressing urgency. "Your mother’s asking where you are."

"Oh no!" Sweeti cringed and dashed off, fearing her mother would give another talking-to about ‘disappearing on important days’.

"And you are?" Sir Londonberry queried of the short brown-fur.

"Gruffi Gummi, of Gummi Glen."

The puzzled frown from the knight suggested he’d never heard of such a place. This worried Zummi and Grammi. The lavender wizard stepped forward.

"It’s very important that we halk to ter… Er, that we talk to her." Zummi spoke up.

The knight eyed them a second before pulling Cavvi aside. "Who are these gummies?"

The cub shrugged. "They say they’re foreign nobility."

Zummi, Gruffi, and Grammi had a huddle of their own.

"He looked as if he’s never heard of Gummi Glen." The idea really scared Grammi.

"We must have been transported to a land so different, it doesn’t even exist." Zummi pondered.

"That’s why we need to get in to see this queen. That scepter disappeared but it came with us here. Someone’s bound to know something about it."

"These gummies seem a little suspicious of us, Gruffi." Zummi put in, glancing at all the curious looks now aimed at them. "Maybe we shouldn’t tell them how we got here just yet."

"Good idea. We’ll just ask about the—"

"Fellow gummies!" A grinning blue-furred bear, his hands spread wide, held in both a small platter each with cheese pieces. "May I offer you a sample of the finest cheese in the land?"

"No thanks." Gruffi declined.

The other looked shocked. "But… It’s the finest!"

Londonberry stepped in. "Perhaps later, Muntzi. This way, gummies." He led Zummi, Grammi, and Gruffi inside the castle walls. Cavvi took up the rear.

It was a truly huge castle. They went up a staircase two-stories high and under an archway which led to a vaulted room. There, tables of food and many gummies were present, most of which were young and dressed in the fine clothes of nobility.

As Grammi and Zummi looked about at the colorful and inviting scene, Gruffi couldn’t pass up a comment.

"Good thing Tummi isn’t here. We’d never get past this room."

Grammi was reminded of the cubs all alone back home. Her head bowed in sadness and worry. "Tummi…"

"Don’t worry, Grammi. I’m sure they’re fine."

Londonberry heard the exchange but said nothing as he led the gummies into the large council-room, which today doubled as a meeting hall for guests. He cut swiftly through the crowd and up the three steps to Her Majesty’s throne.

"Three strangers are here claiming an urgent need to speak with you." he answered her querying look. "And despite their appearance, they claim to be nobility."

"How intriguing." The pink-furred Queen watched the others moving forward through the crowd. One was wearing what appeared to be a… a gummi medallion?

Her orange-furred daughter came up meekly from behind the throne and took her place on her mother’s right.

"Sweeti, dear, where have you been?" the Queen asked on a sigh. The child disappeared all too frequently.

"She’s not even in appropriate clothes." Starri, on her mother’s left, stared darkly on her little sister. Arms crossed, she decided not to mention again how much she hated wearing a dress.

"Starri, please." Queen Marionberry rose to greet the waiting foreigners. The room quieted some at the gesture. "Everyone? It appears our festival has attracted foreign attention." She looked down upon the three gummies as the crowd gave them space. "Tell us, please, who you are and from where you’ve come."

"Zummi, Grammi, and Gruffi of Gummi Glen, Your Majesty." the lavender-furred wizard responded. "May we speak with you in private?" he added quietly, glancing about the crowd.

"I’m sorry but I can’t leave my station. It’s a holiday, you know. Everyone from neighboring lands is here to enjoy themselves and, if need be, I am here to discuss matters. I, regretfully, cannot maintain a private audience at this time. Unless, you’re in some danger?" The idea suddenly occurred to her.

"Er… No. I don’t think so. But—"

"Don’t you all think livin’ like this is dangerous?" Grammi asked, both confused and wanting answers at the same time. "Aren’tcha afraid humans’ll find this place?"

That received a dead silence, then nearly the entire crowd burst out laughing, including Sir Londonberry and the Queen.

Londonberry had to catch his breath before replying. "My good lady, you’ve been drinking too much honey-berry wine! Humans are faerie tales! Hahahah!!"