“Is a tree about to fall?” Clementine tilted his head.

Cri-i-i-i-i-i-ck! The noise grew louder and louder. Benjamin, alarmed, stood still. Billy stopped dancing on the branch and it started to descend.

“Sire, I suggest you get off that dam right now!” Paco yelled.

The terrified raccoon struggled to free himself as the tree leaned his way.

“Your Majesty, get off now!” Roscoe shouted. “The tree is falling!” The giant tree’s momentum was pushing it over. Billy jumped to the ground and fled.

“Benjamin, help!” Malcolm shrieked. Benjamin ran and leaped through the air, landing on the raccoon and cradling him in his shirt. Waboom! The noise thundered down both ends of the creek and shattered wood flew everywhere. The other three, running from the crash as fast as they could, were hit with limbs and sticks. Roscoe stopped and turned around for fear of what may have happened. They could now see the top of the altered beaver dam. Benjamin was nowhere in sight.

“Sire?!” Paco called to the massive pile of sticks and logs. There was no answer.

“Come on, we’ve got to find them!” He hopped up on one log and then another. Roscoe and Clementine followed him to the top of the dam.

“King Benjamin, are you here?!” Roscoe shouted.

Clementine panicked. “He’s dead! They’re both dead!”

“Shut up!” Paco rebuked him. “Sire?” He walked across the dam. It shifted under his paws. “Keep moving. They must be here somewhere.”

“Hello?” Benjamin’s muffled voice called from below.

“He’s under here!” Roscoe pointed a hoof.

“King Benjamin, are you hurt?” Clementine asked.

“I don’t think so. I can’t move, though.”

“Stay where you are, Your Majesty. We’ll get you out!”

“Stay where you are? Where do you think he’s going?” Roscoe sneered.

“This isn’t the time!” Paco said. “It sounds like they’re right below here. King Benjamin, are you directly under my voice?” Paco yelled and scratched at the dam.

“It sounds like it. Yes, I think so.”

“Alright, guys. Start pulling out all the sticks you can!”

The three tossed aside any piece of wood that fit in their mouths. Roscoe’s stubby horns moved bigger branches while Clementine’s body pushed larger loosened wood. They had some difficulty keeping their footing, slipping as they worked.

“Be careful!” Paco said. “We don’t want to get stuck like that raccoon that got us into this mess to begin with!”

“I can see you above me!” Benjamin shouted.

They worked harder and faster to get the sticks and limbs out. A few of the larger pieces of wood were wedged in the dam, but they moved around them.

Paco saw Benjamin’s white shirt under a layer of branches that pinned him down.

“Can you move now, Sire?”