Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13 AFTER THE CELEBRATION, WOLFY, VAMPYRA, and Franky said good-bye to Peter and Shadow. "We have to get home," said Wolfy. "Tonight is our Junior Monster Scout meeting," said Franky. "But we'll be sure to visit you!" said Vampyra. They crossed the covered bridge that led out of the village. They passed the Gloomy Woods. They climbed the hill where Wolfy had practiced his howling. They marched past the old graveyard and back to Castle Dracula just in time to grab their Junior Monster Scout merit badge sashes and make it to their scout meeting.

"So, what did you do today?" asked Franky's dad, Frankenstein. Wolfy, Vampyra, and Franky took turns telling about how they had helped Peter find Shadow and about leading the rats out of the village. "And into my basement," mumbled Dracula. "That sounds like great teamwork!" said Wolfy's dad, Wolf Man. "I think you three earned your Teamwork Merit Badge!" "Really?" asked Wolfy. "We did?" asked Franky and Vampyra. Frankenstein opened the Junior Monster Scout handbook. "You worked together to do something you could not have done individually. Wolfy, you led everyone through the woods to Shadow." "Vampyra, you flew up and found the branch she was on," said Wolf Man.

"And, Franky, you used your head and your height so that you all could get Shadow out of the tree," said Dracula. "On top of that, all three of you made a new friend. A human friend. Congratulations, junior monsters," said Frankenstein. He pinned their new badges onto their uniforms. "One more thing," said Dracula. "Wolfy, that was a great howl. I heard it all the way from the top of my castle!" "Sounds like someone earned their Howling Merit Badge!" said Wolf Man.

Wolfy and Wolf Man leaned way, way, way back and howled at the moon. Dracula, Frankenstein, Franky, and Vampyra joined in. "Now let's say the Junior Monster Scout oath," said Frankenstein. The junior monsters held hands and said together, "I promise to be nice, not scary. To help, not harm. To always try to do my best. I am a monster, but I am not mean. I am a Junior Monster Scout!"