Submission (#1356) Approved

Ottegone looked out over the vast ocean, searching for her little friend. Bubba the Marine Specimen usually didn’t have any trouble below the surface. Her mothering instincts were kicking in, and she shouted Bubba’s name. Bubba still didn’t return.

A few long hours passed. The sun was setting at an impressive pace. Leem had joined Ottegone in the search for Bubba. “That’s what besties do.” Leem had told her. They sent Viola after Bubba, hoping the Violet Shiny Squid could help find the missing critter. But Viola turned up empty tentacled.

It was almost dark. Ottegone had set up a camp by the ocean, and the rest of the Amalgam of Misfits crew joined her. Ego laughed at her, saying she was dumb looking for that wild animal, who probably just left to go back to his real family. Twosyde punched him hard enough on the shoulder to send him sprawling backwards. He, too, had an expression that read “Bubba won’t return”. Leem told all of them to never give up hope. So, reluctantly, Ottegone went to rest in her tent.

Bark. Bark!
Ottegone didn’t move. It was far too early to go looking for Bubba, and she had been dreaming about him all night. But that bark was way to close to be fake. She tried to resist the barking of the critter outside her tent. She eventually gave in, tiptoeing out of the tent as to not disturb the others.

Where are you, Bubba? She thought, frustrated. She couldn’t see anything in the pale moonlight. Except for a rock. The rock was large and round… And… Moving?

Ottegone quickly went to the “rock”, who had a basket stuck on its head. It was a beautiful basket, woven by their predecessors. But Ottegone didn’t care about the beautiful basket. She wanted Bubba.

The bark came from the basket. Leem yawned, stretched, and exited the tent to find Ottegone fussing over a rock. “Girl! What are you doing?!?” They cried, trotting over to her friend. Ottegone pulled the basket off of Bubba’s head. Bubba held a pail of shiny coins.
“He must’ve been looking all night for this sunken treasure!” Ottegone exclaimed, scooping up her precious Marine Specimen. Leem hugged Ottegone.
“I’m glad he’s safe.” They both sighed in unison.