At that point, I didn't know how many snails we had lost already, but I was determined to rescue as many snails as I could. Without thinking or having much of a plan, I rushed back onto the stem of the leaf.
The stem still seemed solid and well intact. But, I couldn't say the same about the leaf. In the distance, I saw that cracks had formed throughout the leaf, but luckily, it still had enough integrity that my siblings were still able to slide over it as they madly dashed towards me - towards the branch that was behind me.
As quickly as I could, I dodged past snail after escaping snail. I tried hard not to hit them as I slid back onto the leaf.
Boom. BANG! Roar.
I turned around and glimpsed two plumes of dirt and dust being launched into the sky at the edge of our forest. 'Something had slammed into the ground or into another creature in the distance and their battle is getting closer!' I thought. 'I need to hurry.'
Just as I had confirmed that there was a battle, we were hit by the aftershock from the attacks. Quickly, I ducked back into my shell and hung on as hard as I could as two strong waves hit our leaf once more.
Seconds later, it stopped.
'I REALLY need to hurry.' I thought as I pulled out of my shell once more and felt the leaf below me. The leaf crinkled below my feet and still manage to hold itself together under my weight.
I didn't look back again. I knew it was a race against time as I slid further into the leaf. Secretly, I had hoped to the heavens that they battle would end quickly so we wouldn't be pounded by more and more aftershocks. Our leaf probably couldn't take anymore.
Unfortunately, it was the opposite of what I hoped for. Soon the number of back and roars grew louder and clearer. Their fight had gotten closer and closer our leaf! But I remained focused on my task.
As I entered the middle of the leaf, I approached 7 and 11 who were carrying a few smaller snails each.
"Where are you going?" 11 asked me worriedly as she stared at me.
"Rescue. Going to rescue more snails!" I shouted.
"But it's too dangerous! Just get to the branch!" 11 yelled as I passed her by.
"I can't. I'm a responsible brother!" I yelled without looking back at them. I knew that there were still snails that were struggling. I knew that I needed to save them.
A few seconds later, I saw what I was looking for. Jutting out from the leaf was a group of snails. They didn't appear to be moving. Instead, they were huddled in the middle of the leaf. From my position, they looked like they were shaking in fear.
"DON'T WORRY, I'M COMING!" I shouted out.
Without thinking, I slid forward towards them.
It was a mistake.
As I approached, I felt the leaf break below me. The leaf was torn to shreds by the wind and it was a minefield full of danger. I, like the stupid snail that I was, had barreled forward without looking around. Dumb. So dumb. I slid at such a speed that half of my body plummeted through the broken leaf that had lost its ability to hold itself together.
I pulled back and managed to stop myself before I fell off the leaf through the hole I created.
"Argh" I shouted as I gritted my teeth together as I tried to pull myself back onto the leaf with the remaining part of my foot. I fought a hard battle with gravity as it tried to pull me into the green abyss below my leaf.
I felt that I was almost perfectly balanced. My shell that held most of my weight was just on the edge of tipping over and downward. I knew that if I another gust of wind or a rumble would have sent me off of the edge and past the point of no return.
I produced the stickiest mucus that I could make in a desperate attempt to regain my footing on the leaf. 'Slowly.' I told myself as I tried my hardest to pull myself upwards. I felt myself making a little progress as my shell tipped back from the danger point and back onto the leaf. My effort was slowly being rewarded! Well, that was what I thought.
Unfortunately, I was barely making any progress as I was moving a couple of micrometres per second. The leaf had tilted downwards with my weight and I was only making small gains as I fought against the gravity that was pulling me down.
'I hope the wind doesn't hit...' I thought as I knew it was going to take half a minute for me to get back onto the leaf.
Why did I have to think about that? It felt like I jinxed myself because I as I thought that, I heard another large explosion. Soon after, the wind picked up once more and my leaf was hit by another torrent of wind.
WHOOOOOOOOOOOSH!
I felt my head being pushed upward as the leaf had begun to flutter in the wind once more.
"Mmph."
I held in my shout as my head hit against the bottom side of the leaf and broke through completely. I was nearly launched back on top of the leaf, but before I could turn around and grab back on it, the wind died down once more and I plummeted back through the hole.
With the new force, I could feel my body falling past the point of no return. The added force from my jolt back downwards had pulled my body a millimetre off of the leaf. This was just enough for me to begin sliding off of it.
"Please, oh heavens, don't let me die!" I said out loud as I hoped that I didn't fall off and down into the abyss below me.
"How can I be so unlucky?" I asked out loud. My question was of course directed at the heavens that were above me.
It seemed like the heavens were constantly hearing my prayers. Because soon after, my yell of anguish, I felt something latch onto my shell and it began to tug hard. A few seconds later another body latched onto the back of my shell and pulled. Soon more and more latched on.
Slowly, I felt my body being pulled back onto the leaf. After a few seconds of struggling, I got back on top of the leaf.
I turned around.
It was 7 and 11. Behind me, my siblings were working together with 7 and 11 to pull me back on top of the leaf.
"Thanks," I said as I let out a sigh of relief.
My siblings had saved me.
...
I had learned that day that rushing forward blindly was almost never the answer.
Almost.