by Tracey West
“We’ll tell her you said hello,” Thaddeus said threateningly.
Then the two dogs barked at the Hunter and ran off. They were on Mary’s trail.
Bo watched them, horrified. What are they going to do to Mary?
Dave landed on Bo’s back. He didn’t realize that his friend was worried about Mary.
“Woo! They left the gate open!” he cheered, doing a happy dance.
A pigeon called down to Dave from a nearby railing.
“Hey, Dave! Way to shake your tail feathers, bro!”
Dave looked at Bo. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Eleven
Which Way?
Dave rode on Bo’s back as the donkey trotted through the streets of Nazareth. They reached a fork in the road.
Dave pointed left with his wing. “Okay, the Royal Caravan is this way. We’ll catch it in no time.”
Bo paused. Then he headed right instead of left.
“Wait, where are you going?” Dave asked. “Dream is that way.” He pointed left again.
“Right,” Bo said, “but Mary is this way.”
Dave shook his head. “Oh no, no. The Royal Caravan cannot wait for a rescue mission. Especially when that guy is after her. He is major bad news.”
“I’m not just gonna let her get hurt, Dave,” Bo said. “She was nice to me.”
“Oh, I see. She was nice to you,” Dave said. “Nice? I’m nice! I humiliated myself back there so we could break out and join the Royal Caravan!”
Bo walked past a fence post. A group of pigeons laughed at Dave and pointed.
“Hey, Dave! Heard you’ve got some impressive dance moves!” one of them called out. The other pigeons snickered.
Dave flew over to them. “Yeah, yeah, real funny, Jeff,” he replied. “You’re bitter because pigeons are just ugly doves!”
Then he flew back to Bo. “Come on, Bo, we’ve been waiting for this,” he pleaded.
“It’ll just take a second,” Bo promised. “Once Mary’s safe, we’ll turn right around and join the Royal Caravan. Deal?”
Dave hesitated. “Fine. Deal. So we turn right around,” he said. “Leave this to me. I know a shortcut.”
Bo and Dave headed to the city gate. Bo squeezed under it, and they walked toward the road to Bethlehem.
They didn’t know it, but they were being watched. The Hunter’s dogs had lost Mary’s trail at the gate. But Thaddeus knew that Bo would try to find Mary. So they waited until they spotted Bo to see where he would go.
“He’ll lead us right to her,” Thaddeus said.
“And then what?” Rufus asked.
“Then we find the baby,” Thaddeus explained.
Rufus growled. “Oh, that baby messed with the wrong dogs! Nothing scares us, not even a baby. Right, partner?”
Thaddeus sighed. “Just . . . stop.”
“Thaddeus, do you think I’m bad at being bad?” Rufus asked.
Thaddeus didn’t answer him. He trotted off after Bo, and Rufus followed.
Ahead of them, Dave was giving Bo directions for his shortcut. The donkey soon found himself on the top of a tall cliff overlooking a steep canyon.
“Okay, Dave, be honest. Are we lost?” Bo asked, as he slowly climbed up the narrow trail.
“No,” Dave insisted.
“ ’Cause this doesn’t exactly look like the beaten path . . . ,” Bo said.
“It’s a shortcut,” Dave promised. “Trust me.”
But Bo’s next step almost sent him plummeting off the cliff! He skidded to a stop, barely keeping his balance.
“Aaaaaaaah!” Bo yelled.
“Hey! Bo! Right here!” Dave said, flapping in front of him. “Look at me, buddy. Just breathe. Breeeeathe . . .”
Bo closed his eyes, nodding frantically. He took one big, deep breath, and then opened his eyes.
“Aaaaaaaah!” he yelled again. He scrambled away from the cliff’s edge and spread his legs so he was flat on the ground.
“Nope, that’s it! No more of your terrible shortcuts!” Bo protested.
He started to turn around on the trail, so he could get back on the road. Then he spotted something down below, in the canyon. A caravan of travelers was heading to Bethlehem. Some were walking, others were pulling carts, and some rode on donkeys. And Mary and Joseph were with them!
“Hey, look. It’s Mary!” Bo cried happily. “That’s them!”
“Guess we’ll have to take my terrible shortcut, then,” Dave said. “You’re welcome.”
“Wait, no, come on, really?” Bo asked. “Which way am I supposed to go?”
“It’s a cliff,” Dave replied. “There’s only one way to go. Down.”
Dave gracefully flew down and disappeared from sight. Bo took a deep breath and began to climb down the side of the cliff. He followed the cracks and crevices in the rock, moving back and forth as he made his way down.
He couldn’t get a footing on the rocks! He stumbled, tumbled, and somersaulted down, bumping into every rock he passed.
Splat! He finally landed on a nice, solid rock. He regained his footing and stood up.
A sheep was standing next to him on another rock. She grinned.
“Hi,” she said. “I wouldn’t stand there if I were you.”
Confused, Bo looked down. The rock he had landed on was tiny, and it was stuck between two big rock formations. One false step, and he would plummet to the ground below!
“Aaaaaaah!” Bo screamed.
Chapter Twelve
It’s a Sheep Thing
Frightened, Bo jumped in the air. The rock got loose and began to drop down the cliff. Bo tried to keep his balance as the rock careened faster and faster down the rocky cliffside. Thinking quickly, he bit down on a twisted tree root just as the boulder dropped out from under his feet.
He chomped down hard. The root was the only thing keeping him from plummeting into the canyon. The root started to pull out of the ground. As he tried to figure out a way to save himself, he heard a voice behind him.
“Hi, again!”
It was the sheep. She was standing on a rock ledge next to him.
“Could ynn hnnlp mnn gnt dwn! Plsss!” Bo begged.
“Just let go,” she said.
Bo was confused. “Whhnat?”
“It’s okay, just let go,” the sheep said, but Bo was too frightened. “Here, then, let me.”
The sheep bit through the root.
“Wait, nnn nnn nnn!” Bo screamed.
He fell . . . and landed safely on a ledge just a few inches below. The sheep hopped down beside him.
“I’m Ruth,” she said.
“Hi, Ruth,” Bo said. “I’m Bo.”
He started climbing down again, stumbling and tumbling once more. Ruth walked along with him, right beside him.
“Hey, Ruth, you’re a little close,” Bo said. “You know? Personal space.”
“Oh, sorry. Flocking,” she explained. “That’s a sheep thing.”
She took a tiny step back from him—actually, more of a half step. Then she stared at him, smiling.
“Ooh, this is luxurious,” she said happily.
“So, what are you doing all alone on a cliff like this?” she asked.
“Well actually, I’m here with my friend Dave,” Bo answered.
Ruth looked around. “Dave?” she asked. She looked at the empty space next to Bo. “Oh, hi, Bo’s imaginary friend Dave. Pleasure to meet you. You sure are a fine-looking normal donkey.”
“What? No, he’s a dove,” Bo corrected her. “And he’s real.”
“Whatever you say!” Ruth replied, although she clearly didn’t believe him.
She sat down on a ledge while Bo made his way down the cliff.
“Okay, let me start over,” he said. “I’m meeting Dave at the bottom. We’re on the road to Bethlehem so we can catch up with my friend Mary and save her. And once we do, we’ll be joining the Royal Caravan.”
He hopped down to the next ledge—and found Ruth
already there, waiting for him. Her eyes were wide.
“Oh, sounds exciting!” she said. “I guess I’ll get back to following the Star.”
“The Star?” Bo asked. “You mean, the super bright Star?”
Bo dropped to the next ledge.
“Yeah, that one,” Ruth replied. “Have you noticed that it’s been getting brighter?”
“Totally,” Bo agreed. “And the weird way it kind of pulsates?”
Ruth nodded. “Yes, it’s like—”
“Like it means something,” Bo finished for her.
The two of them made their way down the cliff as they talked. Ruth was always one step ahead of Bo.
“Exactly!” Ruth said. She leaped past him and easily jumped across a break in the rocks. “Okay, come on, we’re almost down! One more chasm!” she called to Bo.
She spread her legs and planted her two left legs on one of the walls of the chasm, and her two right legs on the other wall. Once her body was wedged between each side of the gap, she expertly scrambled down the chasm. Then she settled on a rock to watch Bo.
“This is really easy for you, isn’t it?” Bo asked.
“You got it, Bo! Just don’t look down!” she encouraged him.
Bo tried to mimic what Ruth had done. He spread his legs as wide as he could so that his two left legs touched one side of the gap, and his two right legs touched the other side, just as Ruth had done.
“Yeah, we’re going for a wedge thing here,” she coached. Bo’s legs were in the right position, but they wobbled like jelly. “That’s it! You got it! You’re a wedge! How does that feel?”
Bo answered with a terrified whimper.
“Great! Okay, just lift that hoof, and take a step down,” Ruth instructed.
Bo looked down at the scary gap between his legs. “Nope,” he said. “No, no, no.”
“You can do it,” she said calmly. “Just one hoof at a time.”
Bo carefully moved one hoof away from the rock wall and lowered it to take a step down.
“That’s it,” Ruth coached. “Just be the wedge.”
Bo’s hoof was about to make contact, but it was so wobbly that he slipped!
“Aaaaaaah!” Bo screamed as they plummeted down the chasm.
At the bottom of the cliff, Dave was waiting for Bo, bored.
“What is taking him so long?” he wondered.
“Aaaaaaah!”
Dave looked up to see Bo falling through the chasm, flailing his legs wildly.
Whomp! He landed right on Dave!
Ruth gracefully landed on Bo’s back and then bounced off him, onto the ground.
“Well, you didn’t exactly stick the landing, but that was good!” Ruth complimented Bo. “You’re a fast learner!”
Then Bo heard a muffled grunting sound.
“Dave?” Bo called out. “Dave!”
“I’m under you and in a lot of pain!” Dave replied.
Bo stood up and looked behind him. Poor Dave was squashed against his butt!
“Yep, I’m right here. On your butt,” Dave said.
“Come on,” Bo said. “Let’s get moving.”
Bo and Ruth trotted down the road. Dave flew to catch up.
“You must be Dave!” Ruth said happily. “I’ve heard great things about you. Well, okay things. You did leave your friend on a super dangerous cliff.”
She whispered to Dave. “And he cannot climb.” Then she smiled. “But hello and I am Ruth!”
“Pleasure,” Dave said. “Well, we’ve got places to be, people to save, caravans to join. See ya.”
“Thanks, Ruth,” Bo added.
He smiled and walked on, leaving Ruth behind. He and Bo continued for a bit when Ruth suddenly appeared in front of them.
“Have either of you actually been to Bethlehem?” she asked.
“I’ve never been anywhere before,” Bo admitted.
“Well, you’re in for a treat,” Ruth said. “The Samaritan mountains are beautiful this time of year. Deadly steep, but great views.”
Bo stopped. “You’ve been to Bethlehem?”
“Are you kidding?” Ruth replied. “I grew up around here! I know all the shortcuts. The ins and outs. How to avoid thieves and predators, and treacherous high cliffs.”
Bo looked at Dave.
“Treacherous high cliffs. You’re not really considering this, are you?” Dave asked.
Bo nodded at Ruth. “Come on, Ruth. Take the lead.”
Ruth gave a happy hop. “Sheep are usually better at following, but I will do my best. Let’s go, flock!”
The three of them continued on the road to Bethlehem together . . . while the Hunter and his dogs silently followed on their trail.
Chapter Thirteen
King Herod’s Plan
Back at King Herod’s palace, the wise men’s three camels had escaped from their stable. Now they were sneaking toward the palace. Deborah led the way, followed by Cyrus, and then Felix, who was dragging his feet.
“Come on, Felix!” Cyrus urged his friend.
“Shouldn’t we be sneaking out?” Felix asked. “Why are we sneaking in?”
“Because King Herod is up to something,” Deborah answered. “And we’re gonna find out what. Just gotta distract that guard.”
She kicked a rock into the throne room. Clang! The rock hit the guard’s helmet and he dropped, knocked out cold.
“Come on, hurry!” Deborah whispered.
The three camels quietly entered the throne room. King Herod was talking to his chamberlain and his scribes.
“Still no report from my hunter?” the King was asking. “Has he found the child?”
“No, sire,” the chamberlain replied. “But your scribes are ready to present their findings.”
King Herod grunted. “Finally, someone’s doing their job!”
“According to the prophecy, Your Majesty, the new King is to be born in Bethlehem,” one of the scribes said.
“And, that’s all?” the King asked. “To what family? Who are they? I am the only King of Judea. If you people can’t find this one child, then I’ll just have to kill them all!”
Deborah turned to Cyrus and Felix. “See? I told you!” she whispered.
“Shhh,” Cyrus warned.
“Shall we send soldiers to track him down?” the chamberlain asked.
“No,” King Herod replied, thoughtfully considering his plan. Then he spotted the three wise men walking past the palace.
“You three! Come!” he cried.
“It’s the wise men!” Deborah cried.
“Hide! Quickly!” Cyrus urged.
Caspar approached King Herod. “Any word of the new King?” the wise man asked.
“Yes. Look for him in Bethlehem,” the King replied. “You are free to go.”
Balthazar bowed his head. “Our humblest thanks, Your Majesty.”
“When you find him, send word to me,” King Herod instructed. Then he smiled strangely. “I dearly wish to know where he is, so that I may honor him . . . with a gift.”
He plucked a flower from an arrangement next to his throne. He sniffed it—and then crumpled it and tossed it onto the floor.
Cyrus eyed the broken flower. “You know, I think he might be up to something,” he guessed.
“I know what’s happening! He’s using the wise men to hunt down the new King!” Deborah realized.
“Yeah, and plus, did you see him crumple that flower?” Felix added in a loud voice.
“Be quiet!” Deborah hissed.
“We have to warn the new King,” Cyrus said.
“Pack your bags, boys,” Deborah told them. “Looks like we’re going to Bethlehem!”
Chapter Fourteen
Saving Mary
Dave perched on Bo’s back as they made their way down the road, trying to catch up with the travelers headed to Bethlehem. Ruth followed behind them, chatting the whole time.
“On the left, you’ll see the field where I had my first kiss,” she told them.
“It was with my mother. But she wasn’t an affectionate sheep, so it meant a lot to me.”
Dave rolled his eyes.
“And up ahead you’ll see some bushes,” Ruth continued. “You may be wondering if the berries are poisonous, and the answer is . . . I don’t know.”
Dave glared at Bo. “I’ll never forgive you for this,” he said.
Bo ran ahead and looked out over the pass. He spotted Mary and Joseph in the distance.
“There they are! Come on!” he urged.
Bo and Ruth broke into a run. Up ahead, Joseph and Mary were making their way across the rough, bumpy road. Mary walked alongside Joseph, who pulled the cart behind him.
“Mary, are you sure you don’t want to sit in the cart?” Joseph asked.
“No, it’s hard enough for you as it is,” Mary replied. “Just let me fix my boot.”
Joseph set down the cart and turned to grab Mary’s hand. Then his eyes got wide.
“I don’t believe it,” he said.
“Really, I’m fine,” Mary assured him.
“No, not that,” Joseph replied. “That!”
He pointed down the road. Mary turned to see Bo running toward them, with Ruth by his side, and Dave flying overhead.
“Bo?” Mary asked, in disbelief.
“Mary, you’re in danger!” Bo warned. “You need to listen to what I’m about to say extremely carefully!”
Bo went on to tell Mary about the Hunter and the scary dogs and how her baby was in danger. But Mary only heard the sound of a donkey braying. She stared at him.
“Do you ever feel like he’s trying to talk to us?” Mary asked.
“Why is he here?” Joseph wondered.
Bo stopped. “Ugh! She’s not getting it!” He turned to Dave and Ruth. “Okay, uh, new plan. Can you two act like dogs?”
“What do you think?” Dave asked. He was a great performer. He could impersonate anything!
“Uhh, yes! I do a great dog!” Ruth answered. “Dogs are my fourth best animal!”
Bo nodded. “Great. Just follow my lead.”
Because Mary couldn’t understand Bo’s words, he needed to act out the danger for her. He folded his ears down so that they looked like the covering Mary wore on her head. “Look at me, I’m Mary! I’m sooo pregnant!” he said in a high voice.