10 Our Natural Home

Chapter 10 OUR NATURAL HOME "Ahh!" said Tuya. She clapped her hands. "It's true," said Annie. "The horse led the Takhi across the plain. They outran the wolves." "They galloped back to the corral," said Jack, "and we shut them inside." "What happened to the mystery horse?" Tuya asked. "He disappeared," said Annie. "Vanished." "We don't know where he came from or where he went," said Jack. "Ohhh—maybe he was the wind horse," Tuya said in a hushed voice. "The wind horse?" asked Jack. "In the old stories, the wind horse is a sacred animal," said Tuya. "He has the strength and courage of a horse and the speed of the wind."

"That sounds like him!" said Annie. "He saved the Takhi." Tuya nodded. "When he appears, he is a sign of good fortune. I know now the Takhi will have a great future here. They will live long lives in their natural home." "And zoos will send more of them back here to Mongolia?" Annie asked. "Oh, yes!" said Tuya. "We thank the zoos for keeping them safe all these years. And for helping us bring them home." "Hmm… I have a question," said Jack. "Here, in the Takhi's natural home, wolves can prey on them. So is it really better for them to leave the safety of the zoos?" "Yes, it is," said Tuya. "Last night, my father explained it to me. He said the price for living a natural life in the wild can be danger. But on the Mongolian plain, the Takhi can run as freely as they want. They can find fresh water in flowing streams. They can rest in the shade of the hilltop forests." "Oh, yeah… that does sound like a better life," said Jack.

"My father said sometimes freedom is more important than total safety," said Tuya. "I agree with that," said Annie. "I just wish there weren't any wolves in the reserve." "Yes, but my father says the wolves are important to the natural order," said Tuya. "They help keep everything in balance." "Good point," said Jack. "They're part of the ecology, I guess," said Annie. "The ecosystem." Jack, Annie, and Tuya looked out the window at the open countryside. As they rode back toward the city, they saw red deer on the rolling grasslands and golden eagles overhead. At the edge of the city, they passed factories and tiny colorful houses. They rode through traffic until they came to the park across from the Blue Sky Hotel. Khan stopped at the same corner of the park. He turned off the engine. Jack and Annie followed Tuya to the front of the bus. "May I leave you here at the hotel?" Khan asked. "Yes, that's perfect," said Jack.

"We'll be meeting up with our parents soon," said Annie. "Thanks, Khan!" "Thanks for everything," said Jack. "Good luck, kids," said Khan. "I'll be right back," Tuya said to Khan. Then she climbed off the bus with Jack and Annie. "Where do you go now?" she asked them. "Back to Frog Creek, Pennsylvania," said Jack. "How will you get there?" Tuya asked. "Well…" Annie paused, then smiled. "We'll fly back home on the wind." "Cool," said Tuya. The three of them laughed. "Good luck to you," said Tuya. "Same to you!" said Jack. "Say good-bye to the Takhi for us!" said Annie. "Thank you for helping them," Tuya said softly. Tears filled her eyes. "You were very good guests. You made my imagination run wild. I will miss you." "We'll miss you, too," said Annie. Tuya smiled and climbed back into the minibus.

Annie gave a last wave. Then Khan closed the door, and the bus took off. Jack and Annie waited for the minibus to round a corner. Then they hurried down the stone path and across the grass to the tree house. Annie grabbed the rope ladder and started climbing. Jack followed her up into the tree house. Annie picked up the Pennsylvania book and found the picture of the Frog Creek woods. She pointed to it and said, "We wish we could go there!" The wind started to blow. The tree house started to spin. It spun faster and faster. Then everything was still.

Absolutely still. The noon sunshine was bright. The windy air was warm. "We're home," said Jack. He and Annie were wearing their regular clothes again. "That was a great trip," said Annie. "It was," said Jack. "Except for the part when I thought I'd ruined everything." "I know. But you took responsibility," said Annie, "and you fixed the problem." "With your help," said Jack, "and lots of help from Morgan, mountain bikes, and the wind horse." "We'd better hurry if we want to go on that bike ride with Mom," said Annie. "Right," said Jack. The two of them climbed down the rope ladder. They walked quickly through the Frog Creek woods. "Riding with Mom to the park will be really different from riding over the Mongolian plain," said Jack. "Yeah, but it will still be fun," said Annie.