Mike the Hiking Viking

    Mike the Hiking Viking passed all his forest-dwelling neighbors every morning on his hike, and they always greeted him with chitters and squeaks. One day, Mike did not pass through on his usual hike, and the woodland neighbors were concerned. They decided to go out and search for him.

    He came up the same path every day, so they simply followed that path down the mountain, hoping it would lead directly to him. It was a good plan they had because it did lead right to him! When they reached the bottom of the mountain, they found themselves in a Viking encampment.

    In the middle of the camp, they saw Mike bound to the ground. They found that strange, but maybe that's how Mike slept. Then other people that looked like him started walking back and forth on top of him in a marching fashion. That too was weird. The visitors imagined that it must hurt a lot, but since Mike was the only visitor of his kind, and they didn't actually know much about him, they presumed it to be normal.

    Mike looked up during a break from being marched on top of and saw his forest-dwelling neighbors.

    "Help me, my friends, help me! I'm being punished for hiking while on duty! Free me from these bonds!"

    But all the visitors heard was "Glabba gneudle mish mash poof" which they assumed was his way of saying hello as he waved to them energetically. They waved back to be polite, but they realized they evidently knew very little about Mike. They suddenly realized their foolishness and decided to return to their homes in the forest. What were they thinking coming to search for a familiar face who was in fact a complete stranger?