Free Welcome to the Jungle by Matt London

Sprout.
    â€œYes, but we haven’t constructed any other buildings on the continent,” said Rick, his voice hushed.
    â€œMaybe Dad moved his workshop to a different location,” Evie wondered aloud.
    â€œNo way,” Rick said. “He didn’t have the time or resources to accomplish something like that.”
    â€œSo are you saying what I think you’re saying?” asked Evie.
    â€œI’m saying that there’s someone else on this continent.”
    Rick led the way across the spongy terrain. Sprout followed along at his side. “Aw, Rick, if y’all got rustlers trespassing on your continent, then they’re gonna be in for a rude surprise when I acquaint them with my lasso.”
    The problem was that Rick didn’t think a lasso would be enough to handle whoever had built these other buildings. On the kids’ past adventures they had Dad or Mom, or at least 2-Tor, to protect them. Now they were on their own. Mom had been right all along. It was stupid and dangerous to go off without supervision.
    â€œEveryone be quiet,” Rick cautioned the others. “We don’t know what we’re dealing with yet.”
    Evie walked behind Sprout, shoulders back, hands at the ready. “I’m not afraid of any trespassers. Whoever’s on our continent is going to regret bumping into me.”
    â€œThis is serious, Evie,” Rick snapped. He’d been trying to be a little less belligerent toward her ever since they’d headed off in the direction of the buildings, but then she had to go and be her usual bullheaded self. “Quit pretending to act tough. It’s that kind of attitude that lost the super root and got us in this mess.” There were enough risks in creating a new continent. They couldn’t afford to have Evie take unnecessary ones.
    As they reached the top of the next hill, they looked into the valley below and saw that the buildings were more than just random structures—they were a new settlement. Men in dark suits patrolled the area, armed with icetinguishers and stern faces. Each building was labeled with a sign written in a blocky font: “Paperwork Depository”; “Regulation Station;” “Hovership Permit Parking:
Park your permits here!
”
    â€œIt’s—it’s Winterpole,” Evie stammered. “They’re not supposed to be here! They don’t have jurisdiction.”
    Rick shrugged. “They must have found a way around that.”
    Evie shifted on the rocky hilltop. “What do you think they did with Dad and 2-Tor?”
    â€œWell I can answer at least part of that last one,” Sprout said. “2-Tor. He’s y’all’s big bird thing, I reckon. Yeah?”
    â€œThat’s right,” Evie nodded. “How’d you know?”
    Sprout pointed to an open plaza in the center of the settlement, where a big ice sculpture stood on a deactivated hoversled, guarded by two armed agents in suits. At first glance Rick had assumed it was a shrine to cold weather erected as a result of Winterpole’s weird obsession with its namesake season, but on closer inspection, he could see something inside the ice. A beak. The tip of a black feather.
    â€œ2-Tor!” Rick gasped.
    â€œWhat? Trapped in the ice?” Evie rushed toward the settlement. “We have to save him!”
    â€œEvie, wait!” Rick tackled her before she could get too far ahead. They tumbled to the ground, sending Rick’s glasses flying. Sprout laughed uproariously.
    â€œGet off me!” Evie shoved Rick away. “2-Tor is in trouble!”
    â€œThat Winterpole camp is crawling with guards. Don’t you get it? They’d freeze you in two seconds, and then Sprout and I would have to rescue you
and
2-Tor.”
    â€œYou don’t know that,” Evie said.
    Sprout tipped back his hat. “I think Rick is right, Evie. We gotta be cool as cucumbers if we want to save