Anastasia's tale: A macro adventure

Chapter 28: Finding and Aqueduct

Anastasia grinned “Oh it was a creation of the tinies. But first we had to get there. We followed the tinies large trail. Shira walked along with it going right through her legs. Me and Vladmir also realised our own water bottles were in need of refilling. We could have used them to wash if they were full. So remember, always keep your water bottles as full as possible!” .Boris and Valentina nodded “We will!”

Vladimir resumed “As we walked we trampled on the tinies empty travelling boxes as before. But this made Shira growl back at us”. Both youngsters yelped “Why would she growl at you?” Anastasia sighed “she wasn’t happy with us trampling the tinies things, even if empty”. Vladimir huffed “I wasn’t too bothered by it, the tinies didn’t need them so what was the harm in crushing them. They could make more anyway”. Anastasia snorted at him. “Well there was no need to upset Shira. So I copied her, placing my paws either side of the trail. I stepped on Shira’s own larger paw prints to reduce the damage to the tinies world and cover our tracks”.

“Did you copy them father?” Asked Boris. He nodded “yeah, I copied them. Just as well cover our tracks”. Anastasia gave him a funny look, knowing what he really meant. Vladimir ignored her glance. “So we soon saw the tinies construct, it was an aqueduct that crossed right over the valley. It was just below shoulder height to us. Our arms, shoulders that is. It was so tall that we could squeeze underneath if we tried. We could even see how Shira and Zoysa had crossed previously”.

“How did you tell?” Questioned Valentina. “Shira had left some large deep prints and Zoysa smaller ones. They’d leapt over rather than try to go underneath. We also saw the pure fresh water moving across the aqueduct. Zoysa dismounted Shira as she started to lap up the water eagerly. We came up alongside her and lapped away”. Boris cock his head “Did it taste good mother?” Anastasia nodded “Yes, as Zoysa had told us the water was fresh”.

Vladimir spoke up “Not only was it refreshing to drink, it was nice to splash into our fur to clean off. Shira was quite a messy drinker. She squirted it out of her jaws to clean her sabres, just like Shadow does actually”. The two youngsters giggled as Shadow grumbled. After a meal he’d be quick to find water to clean off his pristine white sabre teeth. “It didn’t take long for us to clean ourselves and our weapons. We filled our water bottles, it was a tight fit but the neck of our bottles just fit in the stream of water. But it was then when something coming along the water caught all of our attention”.

Both youngsters looked on keenly “Oh what could catch all your attention at once?” Asked Boris. Anastasia laughed “It was a long thin floating travelling box coming along the stream of water. Obviously the tinies used it for transportation. The box made a funny sound. Zoysa didn’t like it at all; he covered his ears to try and block out the sound”. Vladimir laughed “ha! It was funny how such a little thing could make him cringe. But what was most amazing was Shira’s reaction to it”.

The youngsters leaned forwards as did Shadow. Vladimir glanced at Anastasia, she nodded and continued. “Shira was absolutely fascinated by the thin travelling floating box. There was a single tiny one on the box, he ran inside as Shira walked up to the box.she turned and followed alongside. She was absolutely mesmerised. She still watched her steps as she avoided the tinies trail. She followed the box right across the aqueduct then stopped”.

“Aww she sounds so cute. I bet Shadow would be just as mesmerised by the tinies things.” Giggled Valentina. Shadow chuffed happily in a ‘yes’. Anastasia chuckled “I think he would. She returned to Zoysa and nuzzled against him before she looked after the floating box. She wanted to follow it. Zoysa was curious to where the stream went as was I. Zoysa mounted Shira as she turned and followed the stream. We soon caught up with the floating travelling box. Shira gave it a final sniff and chuff before she walked on. We glanced down at it as we passed”...

Vladimir snorted “It was such a funny thing. So long and thin. It sounded weird as well. But as we walked on far ahead of us we could smell a town but it gave off a nasty scent”. Both youngsters gulped, “Had it been raided?” Both parents nodded slowly. Both youngsters cringed for the next part.