The Messy Meerkat
Page 4
“Don’t worry, Percy,” Great-Uncle Horace replied. “We’ll have him back in his enclosure in no time and we’ll get everything looking spick and span.”
“But what about the special prize?” Zoe said glumly as Mr Pinch strolled off, muttering and shaking his head. Zoe went over to Max and took the toy from him. “Everyone’s going to be searching for the special prize in the treasure hunt. But we can’t give it away now, it’s filthy!”
When Max saw how sad Zoe was he hung his head and yelped.
Zoe stroked him. She knew that he’d only wanted to play with the toy meerkat, but the special prize was ruined! What was she going to do? The cuddly meerkat had been the best gift ever. Unless… Zoe suddenly had a great idea.
“What if we changed the special prize?” Zoe said to Great-Uncle Horace. “What if instead of a cuddly meerkat the prize was to cuddle a meerkat? Max loves being held and stroked. I’m sure he’d really enjoy that.”
“That sounds like a great idea!” Great-Uncle Horace smiled. He called Mo over and asked him what he thought. Zoe whispered her suggestion to Max who nodded his little head, eager to make up for his naughty behaviour. Mo also agreed that it was a brilliant plan and went back to carefully checking the enclosure.
Great-Uncle Horace took a pen from his jacket pocket. He picked up the special prize sign and wrote on the back in big, fancy letters:
Congratulations! You have won the special prize of cuddling a meerkat!
Then Great-Uncle Horace tucked the piece of card and the bow back under the bush.
“Good thinking, Zoe,” he said, patting her on the back. “Now, let’s get this little chap back inside his enclosure.”
Zoe picked up Max and they turned back to the enclosure, but just then Mo came running towards them. He looked really worried.
“Mo, what on earth is the matter?” Great-Uncle Horace asked.
“It’s the baby meerkats,” Mo said. “They’ve escaped too!”
Chapter Eight
The Baby Meerkat Hunt
Zoe looked at Mo in shock. “How have they escaped?”
“I’m guessing the same way this little fellow did,” Great-Uncle Horace said, pointing at Max. “Through the tunnel.”
Max looked really upset.
“Oh no!” Zoe looked around for any sign of the baby meerkats but they were nowhere to be seen.
Max yelped to Zoe. She cuddled him close to her and whispered in his ear. “It’s OK, I know you didn’t mean for them to copy you.”
“We need to find them quickly,” Mo said. “Look, the visitors are arriving and soon the zoo will be packed!”
Zoe looked over to the zoo gates in the distance. A stream of people were making their way into the zoo, all clutching their treasure maps.
“Let’s split up,” Great-Uncle Horace said. “That way we can search quicker.”
“OK, I’ll go this way,” Zoe said, heading off down the path towards the hippo enclosure with Max in her arms and Meep scampering after her.
Max chattered anxiously to Zoe.
“I really hope they’re OK too,” Zoe replied.
When they got to the hippo enclosure, Henry came lumbering over to greet them.
“Have you seen any baby meerkats?” Zoe asked him. “They’ve escaped from their enclosure.”
Henry shook his head and grunted.
“OK, let’s try the monkeys.” Zoe hurried off along the path. In the distance she could see the crowds of visitors running this way and that, beginning their search for treasure. She bit her lip. When she’d hidden the prizes for the treasure hunt she thought she was going to be able to have fun watching people find them. She had no idea she’d be going on her own hunt – for baby meerkats!
When they got to the monkey enclosure Zoe called out to a marmoset named Maisie. “Maisie, have you seen any baby meerkats go by?”
Maisie shook her head. Then she hooted to Zoe and scampered up into the branches of a tall tree.
“She’s going to see if she can see them from up there where she’ll have a better view,” Zoe explained to Max and Meep.
When Maisie got to the very top of the tree she looked all around. Then she swung back down through the branches and scampered over to Zoe, chattering and shaking her head sadly.
“Thanks for trying!” Zoe called. She looked around. The paths were now full of people. Over by the reptile house a little girl gave a shriek of delight as she grabbed a packet of sweets from behind the banner. “Mummy, look, I’ve found some treasure!”
Zoe, Meep and Max carried on up the path. Max started yelping loudly when he saw the reptile house.
Zoe stared at him. “Why do you think the baby meerkats are in there?”
Max barked sheepishly.
“You told them that you had a brilliant time riding on the snake?” Zoe cried. “But that’s not true, Max! The snake was very cross and you were lucky not to get hurt. What happens if the babies get into trouble?”
Max looked really worried.
“Come on, there’s no time to waste.” Zoe hurried inside the reptile house with Max and Meep close behind her.
Thankfully there were no visitors in the snake room. Zoe squinted in the darkness. It was hard to see anything after the brightness of the sun. In the enclosure closest to them a huge cobra was uncoiling.
Max leapt out of Zoe’s arms and clambered on top of an information sign. He stood up straight and threw back his head and started barking really loudly. Zoe realised he was giving the warning bark. She held her breath. Surely if the babies were nearby they’d come running when they heard him. She and Meep stood still and waited as Max continued to bark. Moments later Zoe heard the scampering of paws on the floor and she turned to see the babies hurrying out from a darkened corner of the cobra enclosure!
Zoe rushed over and carefully lifted each of the baby meerkats out of the enclosure. They looked a bit frightened and were very relieved to see their big brother.
The babies huddled close to Max and he began chattering away to them. Zoe realised the babies were telling Max that they thought they’d ask the big cobra if they could have a ride on him. But when he uncoiled they realised just how big he was and they felt very scared. So they had stayed very still in the corner of the enclosure. Max was telling them to stay away from all snakes in future, as they could be very dangerous.
“I think Max might have learned his lesson,” Meep chattered, and Zoe smiled with relief. She knew the baby meerkats could have been in big trouble if the cobra had spotted them and been feeling hungry…
“OK, we need to get you back to your mum and dad,” she said, crouching down by the meerkats.
Max yelped excitedly.
“You want to lead them home?” Zoe said.
Max nodded.
Zoe thought for a moment. Could Max be trusted to look after his brother and sisters?
She knelt down next to Max. “Do you promise you’ll stay close to me and lead them straight back to the enclosure?”
Max nodded his head and stood up even taller. Then he barked at the babies and they all got into a line.
Zoe smiled. Max certainly seemed to be taking his job as big brother seriously.
“OK then, follow me,” she said.
Meep hopped up on to her shoulder and Zoe led the meerkats out of the reptile house. Outside, the paths were busier than ever with people searching for treasure. But as soon as they saw Zoe and the line of meerkats behind her they stopped and smiled.
“Ah, look at those meerkats!” a little girl exclaimed.
Max puffed his chest up proudly and checked that his baby brother and sisters were OK.
They carried on walking along the winding footpath, back past the monkey enclosure. Maisie shrieked excitedly when she saw the babies. Then they walked past the hippos. Henry tilted his huge head back and grunted happily when he saw them. All around them the visitors stopped searching for treasure and pointed and giggled at the meerkat procession. But, as he’d promised
, Max didn’t get distracted and stayed close to his baby siblings. Finally they arrived back at the meerkat enclosure. Zoe used her paw-print pendant to open the gate and Max marched the babies inside. His mum and dad came scampering over, barking excitedly.
Zoe crouched down beside them as Max told them that he was really sorry and promised he’d never mess around again.
Zoe couldn’t help giggling at how serious he’d become. Max’s mum and dad groomed him affectionately and chattered away. Zoe smiled. They were telling him that it was OK to mess around and have fun sometimes – just not all the time. And that all the meerkats should stay away from snakes!
“Zoe, you found them. Thank goodness!” Zoe turned to see Great-Uncle Horace and Mo entering the enclosure.
“Yes. Well, Max found them really,” Zoe said with a smile, stroking Max on the head.
“What a relief,” Mo exclaimed. “I’ve fixed the enclosure wall, so it definitely won’t happen again.”
Just then there was a shout from outside. Zoe turned to see a little girl jumping up and down by the bush.
“I’ve found the special prize!” she exclaimed, waving the card around. “I’m going to cuddle a meerkat!”
“Aha, we have a winner,” Great-Uncle Horace said to Zoe, his eyes twinkling. “Would you like to give the young lady her prize?”
Zoe nodded. Then she picked Max up. The little meerkat looked very sad.
“What’s the matter?” Zoe asked as she headed over to the gate of the enclosure.
He chattered sadly in her ear.
“Oh, you haven’t ruined the prize,” Zoe whispered. “You are the prize. This little girl wants to give you a cuddle!” Zoe pointed to the girl, who was still jumping up and down with excitement.
Max barked happily.
Zoe took him out of the enclosure and over to the girl. She showed her how to sit still and let Max sit on her lap.
“This is Max,” she said. “He’s a very important member of our new meerkat family. He’s the baby meerkats’ big brother.”
Max nodded importantly.
As Max settled down happily Zoe and Mo told the little girl all about meerkats and their special skills.
“Thank you,” the little girl said, stroking Max softly. “This is the best prize ever!” Later, once the treasure hunt was over and all the visitors had gone, Zoe began making her way back to the cottage. The setting sun was dipping down behind the trees in the giraffe enclosure, making the zoo shine in the evening sun. What a lovely day! Zoe thought to herself as she skipped along beside Meep.
The treasure hunt had been a huge success, Max had learned an important lesson and he’d rescued the baby meerkats.
As she opened the door of the cottage her mum greeted her with a huge smile. “I have a special something for you,” she said, sounding very pleased with herself.
“What is it?” Zoe asked.
“A special prize for all of your hard work with the treasure hunt.” Lucy handed her a present, wrapped in gold paper.
Zoe opened it excitedly. She nearly dropped it in surprise when she saw the toy meerkat inside! Its fur was now fluffy and clean and it looked as good as new. “The cuddly meerkat!” she exclaimed. “But how did it get so clean?”
“I popped it in the washing machine,” Lucy said with a grin.
“Thank you!” Zoe hugged the toy meerkat to her and then hugged her mum. Just when she’d thought the day couldn’t get any better, she’d won a very special prize that she’d treasure forever!
Copyright
First published in the UK in 2019 by Nosy Crow Ltd
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Text copyright © Working Partners Ltd, 2019
Illustrations © Sophy Williams, 2019
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