Due to Shirra's careful nature, the pups avoided the path. It would only mean being picked up by humans again, probably being put in the Pound this time. As before, the pups simply wandered through the grass and the wilderness, not knowing where they were going, now and then putting noses to the ground to try to detect a familiar scent.

Gradually, they reached a forest, and looked around in wonder at their surroundings. The tall trees seemed to tower miles above their heads, the calls of tree-birds echoing through the branches, and bright-winged butterflies flickered in and out of the shafts of golden sunlight like airborne jewels. It was unlike any environment they had been in before.

They were so enthralled by the scenery, in fact, that they did not notice the bush in Frolic's path until he walked right into it. "Ow!" "Are you alright, Frol?" asked Shirra anxiously. "It didn't hurt," said Frolic. "The bush said that." "Can you hurt a bush?" asked Mint, curiously.

Asco, however, walked right up to the bush and poked at it with a paw. "Don't kill me!" squeaked a terrified voice from inside the bush. "Don't eat me!" "Eat you?" asked Frolic, puzzled. "Why'd we want to?" "It's your instinct, isn't it?" squeaked the voice. "Natural order of prey and predators, that sort of thing. You Lupes are all the same." "We're not Lupes," said Asco loudly. "We're-" "Oh, you're not Lupes?" asked the voice, sounding rather relieved. "Well, then that changes things."

The leaves of the bush rustled, and out tumbled a plump little green creature with a tousled mop of hair on top of his head and stubby limbs. Standing at full height he was only about as tall as the Gelert pups. "What are you?" asked Shirra, making no effort to hide her surprise. "I'm a Chia," said the creature, dusting himself off. "Never seen one," said Mint. "But Mama said that Lupes eat them."

"Your Mama's pretty well right," said the Chia. "Which is why I jumped into the bush when I heard you lot coming-thought you were a Lupe pack. But I can pretty much see that you're all Gelerts. Pretty young, though, aren't you? Where's your pack?" "We're pets," said Asco. "Well then, where's your owner?" "That's what we're trying to find out," said Shirra. The Chia peered closely at them. "I think you'd best sit down and tell me the whole story and your names."

Once the pups had finished their sad tale, the Chia told them his own story. He, too, had once been a pet. A nice little girl of about seven had adopted him and life had been good then. She bought him everything, toys, books, videos, food and lavished affection on him. "Sounds like a nice life," said Frolic. " Why'd you leave?"

"She got another pet," said the Chia grimly. "A cute little baby Kacheek. All of a sudden, all time, all money, all love is spent on that tiny thing. She couldn't do enough for it. 'Are you feeling ok, Gumdrop?' 'Can I get you some food, Gumdrop?' 'Oh look, Gumdrop, a Rainbow Aisha Plushie. D'you want it?' And me? Instead of my own bed in my own room, I'm suddenly forced to sleep under the staircase in a cardboard box. Instead of fresh Chokatos and Smoothies and Chia Pops, it's Bitten Red Apples, parts of Omelettes and the remains of food that the baby can't finish. All my toys, books I hadn't read yet, videos and stuff is given to that Kacheek.

"So one night I'm lying shivering in my box, and suddenly the little Kacheek -Gumdrop- is opening the door. 'What d'you want,' I say. 'She doesn't love you anymore,' she says. 'I don't think you like it, so I'm helping you get out of here.' I was surprised, I can tell you. But I follow her anyway. We pack some food and a bottle of water, and then she lets me out the door. I've finished the supplies since then, but I found this forest, where there's enough food to last a lifetime for a Chia. Yep, I'm pretty happy here."

The Chia looked at the Gelerts. "I never knew they did that to baby NeoPets. You must be pretty upset, I mean, I was only a newborn when they took me away, so I don't remember my parents. But you four-you got to know your parents, know and love them. Losing them must've been hard. Why, Frolic, what's the matter?"

Frolic hastily wiped the tear from his eye. "Me? No, nothing's wrong with me." "Anyway," said Asco, "we really should be going." He got to his feet. "C'mon, guys." "I'm coming with you," said the Chia suddenly, rising to his feet. Shirra stared at him. "Don't you want to stay here?"

The Chia shrugged. "You guys don't even know where you're headed, you need a navigator. I know the terrain around here well. And anyway, the woods are getting too small. I need to have an adventure." "Wow, thanks," said Frolic. "No problem. But first, work out where we're going. Are there any landmarks around your home that might stand out?" Asco closed his eyes and thought for a bit. Home...Tara...Uncle Hyper...Mama and Daddy...

Pictures appeared in his mind, himself and his three siblings racing on the grass, romping with Uncle Hyper and his father, Tara and his mother laying the bowls on the sand floor, Tara getting water from the nearby river... The river.

"The river!" he cried suddenly. "There's a river near our home!" The Chia smiled approvingly. "Well, there you go. There's only one river round here, we can try following it. I can get you there." Frolic and Mint barked for joy and began to dance around happily. Shirra's eyes shone with joy. Asco could hardly stop grinning. "One thing, though," said the Chia, "to get there we have to cross the plain just north of here."

"What's so bad about that?" "What's so bad is that the plain is roamed by a ferocious Lupe pack. They attack any creature that they find trespassing. Wild Lupes hate Gelerts and eat Chias for fun. Plus, their leader is Bloodtooth, the most feared creature in this part of Neopia. It's said that he once sent a Grarrl and a Skeith packing in the same fight."

The Gelerts looked at one another in alarm. "But, I can help you avoid them. You just need to follow me and do what I tell you." The Gelerts nodded willingly. "Right, let's go." As they moved northwards out of the forest, Mint said, "Wait a bit, you never told us your name."

"I'm Gellythechia," he called back. "Did you say you're the Jelly Chia?" "No, I said I'm Gellythechia. It's a stupid name, I know, you can't help what your owner calls you. Just call me Gel. Everyone does. Come on, let's move."

To be continued...