h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

*sniff sniff*

*searching for rawhide toy*

*entering the tree line on the Old Cafe Path*

Ludwig! Luuuuuuuudwig!

*thought the trees were trying to grab him*

*unable to find toy*

*hears Lil's voice, relieved*

*tries to locate Lil, but suddenly her voice seems to be echoing all across forest*

*puzzled*

*hears whining*

Drat, he's gone off the path. *checks pockets and finds compass and mini-Maglite* Now, which way is the wind blowing? He'll have to catch my scent....

*A few probes enter the forest after the other people, and begin to look around. Unfortunatly, being in this particular forest makes them a bit unreliable as far as tracking goes, and they soon become lost...*
*Needless to say, the Professor forgot to activate anti-magic systems on them...*

*Looks around, spots Lil*

Lil, where's Ludwig? Do we know?

*suddenly one of the trees - or, at least it looks like a tree - does indeed grab *



*-pulling him into its trunk*

I heard a yelp! *points* That way!

*dashes off, not caring whether or not he has a compas or flashlight*

*relieved to have help*

I don't know where he is. First I heard play-barking, then some whining. This path leads to what used to be called the Aroma Cafe -- I'm not sure what it's name is these days -- and the forest is magic. That means we can't go trompling on the greenery or it will get offended. And it means that landmarks tend to shift. This path is reliable, and there's a fork that heads generally downhill, past a campfire and a swimming hole. And there's a meadow on a hill where we used to fly kites... Maybe we should head for the meadow.

Can you track?

What happened? Where's Ludwig?

*hears yelp*

*senses movement*

What's that?

*Arl dashes off before Lil has finished explaining*

Arl, come back!

Titania, I think we better stick to the path...

Wow! Major simulposting!

...but where is Ludwig?

*A few feet off the path, Arl gets caught in a major simulpost*

*Hear's Lil, rushes back, ends up behind her*

Um. That forrest is kinda freaky.

Guess you're right, Lil, you know these parts better than I do...

*using all her elven senses trying to trace Ludwig and Arl*

*Simulposting about the simulpost! Love it! *

*ducks as a probe whizzes past*

Professor! Did your mechs see anything?

*moves along the path*

*Looks around to see if any more simulposts are creeping up on him*

OK, so we're all here; Lil, Prof, Arl and myself - but where is Ludwig?

*One of the probes stops at sighting Lil, and decides to follow her, picking up your question to the Prof.*
*His voice calls back.*

I've got a few of the little things out and about. I think there's one with each person now, but two of them are lost searching for Ludwig. I can't pick him up in the open anywhere...