“Toshty? Who’s that?” Helga asked.
“Oh, he’s my art teacher,” JanWoo-Corriboo replied. “He’s a WooSheep who has lived at both the WooPeace and the Bottoms and couldn’t handle living in either place. So he stays away from both places. He thinks the way the WooSheep clans don’t acknowledge each other’s existence is nuts, just like you do. He’s kind of calmed down recently—just kind of retreated into his art—but he would really agree with you. He’s a fantastic artist and he’s teaching me and a few Otters how to paint.”
“Well,” Helga sighed, “I’d like to meet him someday. It would be refreshing to meet a WooSheep that has some sense! Oops!” She looked at Janty and Tatty. “I mean excepting you two, of course!” Janty and Tatty grinned at her.
“Well, we forgive the insult,” Tatty chuckled. “But, it does hit a little too close to home. The truth of what you say is pretty depressing.” He looked lovingly at Janty. “My wife and I wanted Janty to have a better life. Even though Janty’s mother really loves the WooPeace and, in a way, I like it too, we knew that Janty had more energy and talent than the WooPeace could absorb. We have a good life in the WooPeace...Terrific friends, a comfortable life, a sense of peace. But it’s not for everyone...” His voice trailed off. “It’s just very lonely sometimes,” he continued, reaching out for Janty’s hand. “We really miss Janty.”
“I know what you mean,” Helga replied softly. “I miss my father terribly, too.”
“What happened to your father?” TatterWoo-Corriboo asked.
“He’s a Woonyak!” Janty interjected. “He’s down in the WooPeace somewhere!”
Helga looked at JanWoo-Corriboo. “What did you say, Janty?” she asked, looking intently at the young Fox. “You think Papa fell into the WooPeace?” The idea had never before occurred to her.
“Sure!” Janty replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “From what you’ve said, it all points to Breister being a Woonyak. Why in the world would someone see him at the Drownlands Cutoff saying he had been at the Bone Forest and was heading to the ‘Mountain That Moves But Stands Still’? It makes no sense, unless somehow he got mixed up with the WooPeace someway. No one has seen a Wood Cow at WooSheep Bottoms, and the WooSheep are the only ones who know where the ‘Mountain That Moves But Stands Still’ is. If Breister had been at the Bone Forest and was heading back to the ‘Mountain That Moves But Stands Still,’ it really can mean only one thing: He was a Woonyak and fell into the WooPeace. He found a way out and for some reason is coming back.”
Helga grabbed Janty and hugged her tightly. “Oh, Janty, Janty! What a good friend you are! I never would have thought of such a thing. Why didn’t you mention it before now?”
Janty, nearly smothered by Helga’s massive arms, gasped out, “I didn’t want to get your hopes up until we could ask Father if he’d seen a Wood Cow in the WooPeace...Have you seen a Wood Cow Woonyak, Father?”
They all looked at Tatty. “Yes,” he replied with a smile. “We’ve had two Woonyaks lately—a Wood Cow and a Cougar. WooZan, our Chief, has been introducing them to life in the WooPeace. Most Woonyaks join the WooPeace eventually...unless they find a way out.”
“Breister was seen at the Drownlands Cutoff!” Burwell observed excitedly. “He must have escaped!”
“Perhaps,” TatterWoo-Corriboo replied, “but the odds are against it. It’s not easy to get out of the cave system. Most Woonyaks can’t do it. I have not seen the new Woonyaks lately, but that is not unusual in the WooPeace. Some of the beasts live in different caves in the system. Even on nights of the Common Bowl there are so many beasts, I don’t see everyone. They may be there and I just haven’t met them.”
“Yes, that’s true,” Helga agreed, “but Papa would never join the WooPeace. He would be like a wild beast to get out of there and find me. I know him. So, if he was seen at the Drownlands Cutoff, he was there. To me, it’s simple. He found a way out, and is coming back to see if perhaps I am here!” She closed her massive arms around Janty again and renewed her joyous hugging of the young Fox.
“Gasp...gasp...choke...wheeze...breath...air...” Janty’s muffled voice was barely audible under Helga’s ferocious hug.
“What? What’s that you say, Janty?” Helga asked, releasing her grip.
Janty, looking somewhat dazed, smiled weakly. “I said, ‘Thanks for letting me breathe!’” she replied.