By The Kitty Tribe!

The Purr Scouts were gathered for their first group hike.  Purr Scout
 Leaders, Frankie, Ivy, Cosmo, and Sensi surveyed their Purr Scout 
troops. Tails quivered, eyes sparkled and perked ears - 
yes!-excitement certainly filled the air!
"Is it time to go yet? Is it? Is it?" Purr Scout Squeaky asked,
 jumping up and down.   "Yes, is it time to go yet please?" chimed 
the rest of the Purr Scouts. Purr Scout Leader Frankie smiled at the
 anxious faces. "Soon Purr Scouts, soon! Now remember what we learned
 in hiking class, especially to stay together at all times!"
Without further delay, the Purr Scouts embarked upon their hiking 
adventure.  The woods seemed so full of life!  A thousand different 
scents filled the air, swirling about in the fresh woodland breeze; 
bird and bugs were zipping about! 

Several Purr Scouts started to scamper down the trail.
"Whoa!  Slow down Purr Scouts!", called Scout Leader Cosmo, "Slow
 down or you will miss nature's wonders!  Let's start the Purr Scout
 hiking chant!".
"Yes! Yes!" the Purr Scouts shouted.
"Okay Purr Scouts! Left paw forward!" shouted Scout Leader Sensi.
 The Purr Scout Leaders started the hiking chant and the Purr Scouts 
all joined in -
	"Left! Left" Left - Right - Left!
	"Left! Left" Left - Right - Left!
	We lefted our way for 45 days 
	To the point of starvation  without any tuna fish!
	"Left! Left" Left - Right - Left!"

Some Purr Scouts looked a bit concerned.  "Oh dear!" cried Ginger Boo
 and Kricket Boo, "Will it really take us 45 days to get back?". 
 "What! No tuna fish?' cried Ren and Stimpy.
"No - it's just a hiking chant, don't worry." soothed Scout Leader 
Ivy.

Soon the Purr Scouts Leaders had their paws full -trying to answer all
 of the Purr Scout questions.
"What is this strange creature?" asked a wide-eyed Gismo. 
 "That's a wild turkey!" answered Frankie.
"What's THIS?" quipped Katia.  "That's a lizard!" yelled Ren, 
an expert lizard-tosser from sunny California.
"What's that chatter-mouth bird?" asked Salt. 
 "Why it's a Carolina Wren!" answered Hillary of Neverest, in her best 
Southern drawl.  "Look at this!" exclaimed Simon and Pepper, 
"It's like a rock with a head and legs and it's moving!". 
 "That's a turtle.", replied Frankie.  He turned and noticed Squeaky
 lagging behind.  "Hurry up Squeaky!  Stay with the group!".

The Purr Scouts hiked merrily along the trail; they saw great tall 
trees to climb and streams to cross.  There were birds to chase and
 squirrels dancing in the trees.  Then they came to a little waterfall and decided to take a little rest.
"Squeaky!" Purr Scout Leader Frankie called, "Come on!".  
But there was no Squeaky!  Frankie didn't know that Squeaky had spied 
a swallowtail butterfly, and forgetting what she had been told, she
 chased it as it flew away. She ran and ran until she was far away 
from the trail and the Purr Scouts.
"Mew?" Squeaky called, and suddenly she realized that she was LOST!

By now the Purr Scouts realized that Squeaky was lost.  They called
 and called, but there was no answer. The Purr Scout Leaders did their
 best to maintain a calm appearance, but inside they were scared - for 
Squeaky was their little sisfur! Frankie knew something must be done.
  "Cosmo and Sensi - you stay here with the Purr Scouts while I look 
for Squeaky.  Ivy, you run the fastest, go back to camp and get some 
help!".

So Ivy ran as fast as she could.  Panting, she burst through the door of the leader's cabin.   Purr Scout Director Patches, Master Purr Scout Leader Max, and the Purr Scout advisors were busy planning the next Purr Scout community service project.
"Squeaky (pant!) is lost (pant!)!" gasped Ivy.
Purr Scout Director Patches immediately jumped up.  "Quick! We must 
form a search party!", and the advisors, Penny, Tissy, and Murph 
quickly agreed and set out to find the missing Squeaky.
Meanwhile, Frankie continued to comb the woods for Squeaky.
  "Squeaky!  Squeaky!" he called, growing more anxious by the minute.

  Purr Scout Leaders Cosmo and Sensi were doing their best to keep the
 rest of the Purr Scouts calm.
"What if a bear eats Squeaky?" asked Miracle with a quiver in her 
voice.  The Purr Scouts looked anxiously at their leaders for an 
answer.  Purr Scout Leader Sensi did her best to calm their fears, 
 "She won't be eaten by a bear!".  Suddenly she had an idea,
 "I know! Let's sing the Purr Scout song really loud, maybe Squeaky
 will hear it!".

So the Purr Scouts sang as loud and clear as they could -

	"Hey! Ho! Away we go!
	The Purr Scouts on the trail!
	Hey! Ho! Here we go!
	Our friendship never fails!
	Hey! Ho! Away we go!
	So much to do and see!
	Hey! Ho! Her we go!
	The Purr Scouts - wild and free!"

"Oh dear!" thought Squeaky, "I hope they will not be mad at me!  What
 if I miss tonight's campfire? We're supposed to hear stories and 
roast fish!".  Suddenly her ears perked up - she thought she could
 hear singing?  Was that the Purr Scout song?  The singing reminded
 her of what she had learned in hiking class.  She quickly scampered
 up a tree and in her clearest voice, she began to mew the Purr Scout
 call for help -
	"Rawr! Rawr! Rawr!
	Mew! Mew! Mew!
	Rawr! Rawr! Rawr!".

By this time, Master Purr Scout Leader Max and the advisors were 
searching for Squeaky in the woods.  Max's ears perked up; was that
 the Purr Scout call for help that he heard?  "This way!" he cried and 
he ran towards the sound with the advisors close behind.

From the other direction, Frankie also heard the call for help.
  He began to run and reached Squeaky at the same time as Max, Murph,
 Tissy and Penny.  "Squeaky!" they all cried in unison.  "I'll talk to 
you later young lady!" scolded Frankie, trying to look stern. 
 But he was so full of happiness that he had to give Squeaky some nose 
kisseys.  Everyone hurried to join the rest of the Scouts at the 
waterfall.  Oh what happiness!  They all joined paws and danced 
the kitty dance of joy!  Headbutts and rubs for all!  Then they 
proceed to finish the hike with Squeaky enduring some good-natured 
teasing from her fellow Scouts.  She didn't care - she wasn't lost 
any more! And she would NEVER EVER stray from the Purr Scouts 
ever again!
             

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