Desert+fiction

__The Magical Quest__
"Doughnut?" Little Roo yelled looking around for his genie friend. Roo was a Kangaroo Rat and could easily get picked up by a Gila monster or Coyote and end up a meal. In the desert, anything was possible.

"Yes, Roo?" came the raspy reply. Doughnut emerged from the shadows of a Saguaro Cactus.

"What do you want to do today?" Roo looked up at Doughnut.

"I think you should go on a quest today. I need your help; I just found out I have tuberculosis. Have you heard the legends of the Saguaro Cactus named Senor Sarmony? And how he's supposed to have a magical sweet water?" She continued when Roo nodded. "Well, the water is supposed to cure anything and it will cure my sickness. I need you to get it for me."

"I think I could do it. But I'll need to leave now." Roo said seriously.

"Thank you and good luck, my friend." Doughnut waved as Roo scampered off.

"Anytime!" Roo shouted in response. Roo wandered around aimlessly for hours. Every once in a while, Roo could swear she heard a rustling noise from behind her but whenever she looked, Roo never saw anything or anyone. Darkness was coming and the light was fading fast out of the sky. Roo looked for a comfortable but safe place to sleep. She saw a Prickly Pear Cactus and shimmied up it to curl up and rest her head. Soon daylight was streaming through Roo's eyelids. She opened them and saw a vast world around her. Roo swiftly ran down and looked around, fairly alert. Soon Roo was restarting on her journey feeling refreshed and full of life. Two days later, Roo looked and saw a solitary figure on the horizon; she was almost to her final destination. Suddenly the rustling noise came again, this time it was close, to close. Roo whirled around swiftly and saw a shadowy character moving towards her.

"Hello?" Roo asked hesitantly.

The creature just continued to float towards her.

"Um...Who are you?" Roo wondered aloud, slowly backing up.

"Nobody you know," was the scaly reply.

"Are you the person who has been following me?"

"Maybe."

Roo was starting to freak out. "Will you just tell me?"

The mystery person laughed a throaty laugh. "I'm Bandit, the Gila Monster. I couldn't help but overhear you telling your friend, Doughnut I think, about a cactus with a bottle of sweet water." Bandit's expression was stone. "I was curious. No harm intended, but I don't think you should go alone. Mind if I go with you?"

"Actually, I do mind but I guess you could come." Roo started walking again. Bandit followed.

Little did Roo know that Bandit wasn't up to any good. The duo picked up pace after walking for an hour. Daylight was fading quickly, so Roo found another cactus to sleep in. Bandit slept on the ground a few feet away, pretending to be fast asleep. Roo never let her guard down, glancing at her companion every now and then. She was battling with her eyelids and soon they won as everything faded. Roo awoke later than she should have; the sun was already high in the sky. Bandit was stirring also, as Roo lowered herself to the desert floor. Walking didn't sound like a good idea, but tuberculosis was fatal and Roo didn't want one less friend. She shuddered at the thought. The two continued walking without speaking. Bandit broke the ice.

"So, when do you think we will get to the cactus?" He asked, looking straight ahead.

"In about one hour." Roo responded, shocked at the amount of casualty in her own voice.

One hour passed and Roo finally saw the cactus about twenty yards away. Suddenly Bandit turned on Roo, an evil grin appearing on his ragged face.

"Breakfast time!" Bandit said, lurching at his companion.

Roo neatly dodged this attack and saw a cactus spike on the warm ground. She grabbed it before Bandit could reposition himself. Roo spun around and quickly pierced Bandit without a hesitation. Bandit lay lifeless on the cracked turf, his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

"Ewww." Roo said as she turned and started jogging to the cactus.

"Welcome!" a high voice sang. "But you aren't welcome here!" A cactus wren bombed towards Roo.

"Grrrrreat," Roo thought as she ducked in cover. As the bird flew by, Roo quickly ran up the cactus. The wren was swooping in, and Roo hurdled towards a puffy plant. As she hit it, a puff of smoke shot from the little plant. The smoke was a ghastly smell, rotten and stale. Roo heard the wren laughing a laugh full of humor.

"Carl!" A voice shrieked as another cactus wren fluttered around and landed with the one called 'Carl.' "How dare you be so rude to this little creature! She's no threat to you!"

"Yes, dear." Carl sighed and avoided eye contact with the other wren.

"I am Cantainia, but you can call me Cat. I'm so sorry about my husband's rude behavior. He is just mad that you have approached our home." She glanced at Carl and then back at Roo. "Why have you come here?" Cat asked.

"I was looking for the cactus with the magic sweet water," Roo stated, standing up from the plant. "My friend has tuberculosis and is dying so I need it for her."

There was a long pause as Cat thought for a minute.

"We have a little bit left, we were going to use it but your needs are greater than ours so," Cat went and came back with a bottle of colorful liquid. "here, you can have it." She passed it to Roo.

"Thank you so much, Cat." Roo looked at the magic sweet water. "How does it work?"

"Your friend just has to drink it and wish that her disease is gone and then it will be gone." Carl explained.

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