Genre Creatives: Animal Story Submission.

She came to me in a flurry of matted fur and rain. I didn't know why she came to me, but she came. I watched as she darted around looking to and fro digging in her pouch with a frantic urgency. I knew then why she came, she came for the same reason all the pretty fliers come. She had lost someone. Someone important; the fear in her face proved that.

"How may I help you Mrs.…?" I asked extending my paw.

"Pockets. Call me Pockets. I've seemed to have lost my baby Fuzzy," she replied pawing in her pouch once more.

Ahh, there it was. A lost joey. As much as I hated to admit it, I was no stranger to these cases. "I'm Kanga, and this is my number one right hand man Roo. We at Kanga and Roo Private Investigators can help you."

"He's done this before.. He's always hopping out of the pouch, but he's never been gone this long."

Poor thing. I had to help her. I never could leave a worried mother without assistance. "Consider your joey found."

"His name's Fuzzy, not Joey," she replied smoothing her fur away from her eyes.

"You say he's run off before?"

"Yes, he's a handful. He refuses to stay in my pouch like little Skippy and LilRoo here," she said patting the furry bundles on the head.

"Have you looked in his favorite spots?"

"Yes, several times. He's nowhere to be found."

"When and where did you notice him missing?"

"Well. I was at the market. I had to buy some food. I got caught up talking to Lisayi, a friend I bumped while there.. I turned to leave after putting the food in my pouch and I saw he was gone..." her voice trailed off cut short by her sobs.

I was afraid that this was more than a case of a curious joey hopping off to play. I was afraid there might be something more sinister at work.

I looked at Pockets still filled with worry and fear. I couldn't tell her that. She was worried enough as it was. "I'm sure he just hopped off to explore and he's just fine. Did you wait for him to return?"

"I suppose he might have. Yes, I did wait around at the market. I asked everyone if they had seen him hop off. No one saw anything, not even LilRoo or Skippy. They were asleep and when they woke he was missing. You will help me, won't you?"

I looked at her. She had become visibly relaxed at the thought that maybe he'd come home on his own. I only hoped that that was the case. I don't think the poor girl could handle anything other than that right now. "Yes, we'll help you."

"Thank you Kanga and Roo," she said shaking our paws.

"Anytime. What can I say? I have a soft spot for lost joeys. We'll need help from you. Can you give us a list of places little Fuzzy likes to go to? Friends, family, anything will be helpful. We'll also need to know where we can find you when we have any information.

I watched as Pockets fumbled in her pouch for a pen and a piece of notepaper. The poor girl was still a wreck, but put on a good brave front. Probably to help keep the siblings calm. It had been quite some time since I had met such a brave, selfless animal. I knew the moment she stepped into our office she was a one of a kind gal, and well, I was right.

"Here's all the information I have. Will that do?" she asked handing me the list.

I looked at the flowery writing, despite her fear, she wrote like an angel. "Yes, yes that's wonderful, thank you," I replied jarring myself from the visions that her writing invoked in my head.

I had it bad for this girl.

"We'll get right on the case and your joey will be hopping into your pouch before you know it," Roo assured.

"I hope you are right. Thanks again."

I watched silently in awe as she hopped out of our office. "That creature is possibly the most stunning kangaroo I've encountered in years."

"You always say that."

He was right, but I'll be darned if I was going to admit it. "What do you say we hop to it?" I said hoping Roo wouldn't notice I was changing the subject. "I suggest we start at the market and ask the animals there what they might have spotted when Fuzzy went missing. If we are lucky someone might have seen something that can help us."

"Good idea Roo."

***
The market was busy, as usual. Something in the distance caught my attention. "Roo, you go on without me. I want to check something out over here first."

I perked up my ears and sat up straight.

What was that?

I hopped closer… closer still…

Crying. Who could possible be crying, I thought as I inched closer yet.

"Hello there?" I call out hopping closer.

A little joey gasped in fear.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Kanga. Who are you?"

"I'm Fuzzy, and I've lost my mommy," he said wiping his muzzle with the backside of his paw.

"Your mother is worried about you."

Fuzzy perked up. "You know my mommy? Mister, can you help me find her?"

"I'll do better than that. I'll take you home to her," I said reaching for his paw.

"Mom is mad at me, isn't she?"

I looked into his big black eyes. "No, I think she's just going to be happy to have you home."

"Mama!" Fuzzy called at the sight of Pockets.

"Fuzzy? You had me worried sick."

"I didn't mean to run off. Really, I didn't."

"I know you didn't. I'm just glad you are home and safe," Pockets said giving Fuzzy a big hug.

"Kanga, how can I ever repay you?"

"Your happiness is payment enough." Like I said, I have a soft spot for lost joeys.

Author's Note: This was written for another site the original kangaroo names (Pockets, Skippy and LilRoo) are used with the exception of Fuzzy who was named Fred. The names were the chosen names of the site's mascot family and I was unable to change them at the time this was written. I've made a few small changes to this version that do not appear on the version that was published on the other site.

This isn't my strongest writing, but it's all I have right now for an animal story.

Photo: 3 Kangaroos at the Circus World Museum. Photo Credit: Myself.

The image