Miss Snake announced to the class, "Today, we are going on a nature walk."
Zach Zebra cheered. Then he asked, "What's a nature walk?"
Miss Snake explained, "We are going into the jungle to look at trees and wildlife. I want you to draw the most unusual thing that you can find."
Liam Lion yawned. He thought a nature walk sounded like a very boring thing to do.
The other animals began to chatter excitedly as they got ready. They found a partner and lined up at the door.
Miss Snake asked Mr Rhino to come with them. Mr Rhino was enormous and everyone behaved when he was around.
Zach was partners with Maisie Monkey.
"I think we might find something really exciting," Zach said. "Like a pirate ship or a dinosaur's footprint!"
Liam overheard Zach. He laughed and said, "Don't be silly! You won't find pirates and dinosaurs in the jungle."
Maisie smiled at Zach and whispered, "We might!"
Miss Snake and Mr Rhino led the animals out of the classroom. They walked out of the school, across the road and into the jungle. They stopped in a clearing.
"Everyone must stay close to me or Mr Rhino," Miss Snake warned. "Don't go wandering out of this clearing. You might get eaten. Your parents will be very cross with me if that happens."
The animals went off in twos and began to explore the surrounding area.
Liam was partners with George Gorilla. George looked at his watch and said, "It's nearly time for my nap. Let's sit down under this tree."
"We should find something to draw first," Liam said. He looked around him. "But all I can see is boring trees."
Zach and Maisie walked by. Zach stopped and stared at the trees.
"Look at the bark on that tree," he pointed. "It looks like a monster's face!"
Maisie pointed to another tree, "That one looks like Mr Rhino! Shall we draw a picture of them, Zach?"
"No, I think we might find something more unusual," Zach replied.
Zach and Maisie walked away. Liam and George decided to draw pictures of the funny looking trees. Then they settled down for a nap.
Zach and Maisie walked past the Tiger twins. Tina and Tara were sitting on a rock.
They looked scared.
"What's wrong?" Zach asked.
"There's wildlife everywhere!" Tina screamed. "It's crawling up my leg."
Tara scratched her head. "I think there's wildlife in my hair! I wish we could find something unusual to draw and then we can get out of here."
Zach was looking at the rock that the Tiger twins were perched on.
"Have you seen this?" he asked. "The markings on this rock look like windows and doors."
"It's a fairy rock house!" Tina squealed and she jumped down from the rock to get a closer look.
Tara jumped down to join her sister. She knocked on the rock. "Hello! Anybody in there?"
Maisie said, "I've never seen a rock like that before. Shall we draw a picture of it?"
"No, I think we might find something more unusual," Zach replied.
Zach and Maisie walked away. The tiger twins decided to draw pictures of the fairy rock house. Then they waited for the fairies to come out.
Zach and Maisie chatted to the other animals to see what they had found.
Chester Crocodile had found a crowd of centipedes.
"They look as if they're having a race," Chester grinned. "Ready, steady, go!"
Eddie Elephant was looking at leaves.
"That leaf looks like Liam Lion!" Eddie chuckled. "Before he's brushed his mane."
Maisie sighed, "We haven't found anything to draw yet. What about those butterflies? They're beautiful."
Zach wasn't listening. He was looking at the leaves and laughing with Eddie.
Maisie watched the butterflies as they twirled and whirled in front of her. The butterflies danced away into the jungle. Maisie followed them.
Zach pointed to a leaf. "Look, Maisie, that one looks like me!"
There was no answer. Zach turned around. Maisie was gone!
Zach ran around the animals looking for his friend.
Miss Snake saw him running around. She told him to slow down.
"I can't! I have to find Maisie! She's missing," Zach cried.
"Where did you last see her?" Miss Snake asked.
"Over there," Zach pointed. "She must have gone further into the jungle. She'll get eaten!"
"Don't worry, we'll find her," Miss Snake said. "Zach, you come with me and the rest of you stay with Mr Rhino."
Miss Snake and Zach set off into the jungle. They called out Maisie's name over and over again.
After a while Miss Snake stopped.
"I'll climb up this tree to get a better look," she said.
Miss Snake slithered up the tree. Zach kept calling out for Maisie.
"I can see her!" Miss Snake shouted. "Just over there."
Zach zoomed through the trees. He found Maisie. She was crying.
"I got lost. I was so scared," Maisie sobbed.
Miss Snake slid over. She smiled, "Don't cry. We've found you now. Let's get back to the others."
As they began to make their way back to the others Maisie said, "We never got to draw anything unusual."
Suddenly, Zach stopped.
He gasped, "Look! A pirate ship!"
Maisie and Miss Snake stared.
"It isn't a pirate ship," Miss Snake looked closer, "but the trees have fallen over into the shape of a ship. Well spotted, Zach."
Zach walked over to the ship shape. He stood on something peculiar. He looked down.
"Miss Snake! Look at this enormous leaf!" he said. "It looks like a ..."
"... a dinosaur footprint!" Maisie finished.
Miss Snake began to laugh. She told Zach and Maisie that they could have a few
minutes to draw the ship and footprint.
When they had finished their drawings Miss Snake led Zach and Maisie out of the jungle.
Mr Rhino and the other animals were waiting for them. They cheered when they saw Maisie.
"Guess what we found!" Zach jumped up and down with excitement. "No, you'll never guess. I'll tell you. We found a pirate ship and a dinosaur's footprint!"
"No, you didn't," Liam sneered.
"Why don't you show everyone your drawings?" Miss Snake suggested.
Zach and Maisie showed everyone their drawings. The animals were amazed.
"Not quite a pirate ship or a dinosaur footprint," Miss Snake smiled. "But definitely something very unusual!"