That morning before light was seen, the king sent a messenger to the town crier to announce an urgent meeting in the palace. The youths were also sent for.
“Last night we searched everywhere we could but he don’t seem to be in this part of the community. I sense he’s trapped for my son doesn’t stay outdoor through out the night” the king explained.
“This thing is becoming scary. No one is safe anymore. I am afraid, seriously. For I haven’t heard that anyone was found after missing. And not that they don’t search thoroughly for them. They do. They search everywhere they could just as you said you did last night but I don’t think they are anywhere in this physical world” the giraffe said.
“Stop saying that. You should be giving him hope not all these” the elephant niggled vehemently in a whisper to the giraffe.
“Giving him hope that’s apparently impossible?” He whispered back.
“Enough of that” the zebra who was next to them snapped almost above normal voice.
“Who told you that all hope is lost? I don’t know why you always have this niggling feelings about things, as lengthy as you are. If you can’t help us deliberate on what to do, be yourself. Stop castigating. because it weakens us the more. We must find the Prince your highness, no matter what it takes. We can do anything. I agree to what you said that he is a n danger somewhere. We haven’t searched thoroughly enough, I reckon”
“Good words stripped one. Thanks for that” the elephant praised. “we will send the youths to search again. We’ll split them in groups at every direction to search every nooks and crannies and even in our neighboring communities if necessary. And in other to get them striving to do that attach a splendid reward for whoever that finds him or knows where he is”
“Wisdom! Mr. Parrot exclaimed “we have another Jim in our midst”
“I’m ready to do anything. Help me think please. Should I divide my wealth and kingdom in parts?”
“No your highness. There are other things other than sharing your treasures”
“What then are we talking about?”
“In life, we all wish for a good life, consisting of good reputation, families and fortune”
“So, what are you arriving at?”
“The lucky one shall be head of all the youths in our community sincere they don’t have a representative in our meeting. They will be well paid, they will marry their crush no matter what it takes. Some properties will be given to them too”
“Will that be enough?” the king asked and everyone concurred to secretary’s opinion.
“If I was still young and strong, I won’t let such opportunity pass me by” porcupine said sincerely adjusting its spiky body.
They took the idea. Youths were summoned and we’re told what came up and what they are to do. Many were willing to go but they can’t allow all the youths to leave the community at the same time . The community will go dry and it is not known if those who will be going for the mission will return. They were carefully selected and after which they were sent home to prepare themselves and come back to the palace the following day as early as possible.
“We still need to see the chief priest. We are not wiser than the spirits no matter what we do. Abandoning him will make things worse instead. Let’s consult him” Jim said.
“Before they leave?” the gorilla asked, a bit disagreeing.
“No. They can go. Just we the elders. In fact, that will be our own part of the search while they are away”
“wisdom! Our father is right again. And that we’ll not hesitate” The parrot said.
“And that will be tomorrow morning. The same time the youths leaves” the king finalized. Visiting the chief priest as suggested by porcupine was made too sooner than expected but the gorilla did not care who was comfortable with it. He doesn’t need any opinion. He believes that whatever he come up with is excepted.
It took the elder over seven hours to trek out of Greenwood. A river separates Greenwood and the wilderness. They walked through gorges, woods, valleys and rocky mountains. The plants and boulders there gave it a beautiful topography. Then they entered a dark scary cave. It has one way in but inside and it were many confusing paths which are mostly downward sloppy. No matter how frequently one goes to that cave he will surely be confused by those spreading paths whenever he goes there. It was evening they reached the cave but it was so dark inside like at midnight. It’s usually like that even at hot noon. So light was needed to avoid stumbling.
Eventually, they reached the shrine which glows in blue light. It was some precious stones in the shrine that gives that amazing dim light. Though the light was admirable but those images that we’re almost like shadows couldn’t stop being scary. They got to a place and some were asked to stay behind. The king and two of his closest officials went in to talk to the chief priest. They rest could still see the shrine from where they were asked to stay but the glimpse therein was worse to them.
“The king of Greenwoods, the warrior, the undefeated, your son is not dead”
A voice from the dark echoed clearly. The statement sent in to them a mixed feelings of doubt, confusion and as well as excitement. Shortly the saw a tortoise very slowly holding a rattling staff that made his presence more terrifying. He has lived so long that nobody knows how old he is.
“Where is he, the wise one?” the king managed to ask.
“In danger” The tortoise's hard shell made him round when he stands facing or backing them.
“Where is that?”
“Yet to be revealed to me but…”
“ But what ?” the king trembled.
“There will be an answer to that but not from me. Someone among you will tell you where to find your son”
That statement made them think far. They thought maybe someone among them kidnapped him and kept him somewhere or maybe he fell in a deep pit or got trapped. The king was contemplating on whether to ask questions for a better understanding or to go with just what he heard. There were more things he still needed to know but he was scared that asking for more would offend the tortoise.
“One more thing. Take notice, where he is may not be easy getting him out. It may be almost impossible. But that shouldn’t discourage you. Unity and determination matters here. Whatever you decide, the gods will stand by you. And, do something as soon as you get the information”
“Thank you wise one. We’ll do just what you’ve instructed us to” They bowed and offered what they came with then they reversed.
They returned to Greenwood the following morning. The gorilla’s feelings were mixed up. Happy, nervous and confused at the same time. Hearing that his son is still alive is something to be happy for but knowing where he is and rescuing him which the tortoise said was almost impossible was the reason for his anxiety and confusion. More so, the time given was limited and what if the person who knows about it did not say it on time? Will his son not die before he does so? They were not to delay otherwise it will be too late.
The king made haste to seek solutions among his subjects. Many were summoned and questions were asked but no reliable answer was gotten. All were confused just as the king himself. It continued this way until the gorilla started doubting chief priest and was having a negative impression about it, but he had all his hopes on those sent to search for him. He believed they were his last hope if really what tortoise said was true. On the fifth day, some of those sent to search for the prince started coming back. On the seventh day it was considered that all who survived the journey returned. And none of those who returned delivered what was anticipated.
“ I told you I doubted this” the king said to his wife on their evening discussion after dismissing the last reporters who left them hopeless with their report. “For if there’s anyone who knows this he or she wouldn’t have kept it away from us after all the pleas and promises I made. The tortoise would rather have told me that my son is dead than putting me in such a confusing state. Were those words to have me relieved? I’m hurt already. They makes me feel worse instead”
“Why is he the eyes of the gods if the gods can not reveal such things to him? And why should the gods reveal it to someone else instead of him? The gods can’t be bias, that I know. I sense deceit”
“It’s very obvious. I was too dumb to notice it. I will never go there again. I will learn to depend on my ideas”