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to pull it all out. “We have to get home, like, now!”
    Piper looked dazed. “But how will we get home?”
    Another monkey swung down, landing on the wooden floor with a thud, scowling. He towered over Finley and was darker, with a very long tail and serious eyes. His red striped scarf was secured in a tight knot around his left arm. Gabriel recognized him from the night before as the monkey who looked like their leader. Finley motioned toward the stern-looking monkey.
    “He Rakur, charge of Fegan.”
    Rakur frowned at them and folded thick arms over his chest, his dark eyes darting from Piper to Brent, before finally settling on Gabriel. “The humans cannot stay here, Finley. Their scent is everywhere. It won’t be long before the gruocks return.”
    Gabriel shuddered. “Our scent?” He clenched his trembling hands into fists. “I’m sorry for any trouble we’ve caused. But we’re totally lost and need to find a way home. Can somebody lead us to your master?”
    Finley motioned toward the stern-looking monkey.
    “It’s too dangerous out there,” replied Rakur. “I won’t let anyone travel the lands of Valta. Our world is sick, and the creatures are agitated. We see the seekers more often than ever traveling about the land and snatching up our berries. Valta is especially hazardous and uncertain.”
    Gabriel thought for a moment and realized that what Rakur called seekers were the creatures with the gazillion eyes that Finley pronounced as eeker.
    Finley patted his chest. “Me take them, Rakur. Finley go.”
    “That is not wise, Finley.” Rakur’s voice was firm. His mud-brown eyes narrowed to slits. “You risk much for these human strangers.”
    Finley glanced around at his newfound friends, his voice growing shaky. “Me found them. Me help them. They kind. Me help them.”
    “I will not stop you. But you will be on your own. You may take them to Shataundra, to the palace. But there you must leave them at the gate.”
    “But what bout prafaceee, Rakur?”
    Rakur chuckled. “You mean, prophecy? Now, you don’t believe in Valtan tales now, do you? Go if you must. Take refuge at Carissa Springs on your way to Shataundra. Move swiftly and speak to no one.”
    Rakur waved to other monkeys high in the trees. They hooted and screeched as they rushed across the branches. The monkeys gathered fruit, which they brought to the three friends. Gabriel ate eagerly, but Brent peeled back the banana and sniffed at the fruit before shrugging and taking a bite. He chewed slowly, then gave Piper a thumbs-up.
    “Go for it,” he said to her. “It seems okay to me.”
    Piper grimaced, but then sighed and took a small bite of her banana. After a few minutes, she grinned. “My stomach’s good,” she proclaimed.
    Afterwards, they packed the leftovers in burlap sacks and thanked Rakur for his help.
    Piper smiled at the monkeys. “Thanks for everything. Seriously, thank you.”
    “Yeah, you guys totally rule!” Brent said around a mouthful of banana.
    Gabriel wiped his sticky hands on his jeans and shook Rakur’s hand. “We’re very grateful for your help. I don’t know what we’d have done without Finley.”
    “We’d have been road kill,” Brent mumbled. Piper scowled, and told him to be quiet.
    “You are welcome,” said Rakur. “Stay close to Finley. He is a young Fegan, but well-trained and a good tracker. He will lead you to the palace in Shataundra. Go well.”

Chapter Six
    Gabriel followed Finley down the path. The gold and powdery dust that covered the ground also coated his shoes. It shimmered under the bright sunlight, making everything almost too bright for his eyes. He looked at his compass instead. The heading showed south, which, judging by the location of the mountains, would have been north back home. He gave the compass a tap. As he moved it around, the needle changed direction like it was supposed to.What should have been west was east, and what should have been south was north.
    It’s