Never Too Careful

**Never Too Careful** is the fifth episode of the first season of Veggie Animals.

## Plot

Laura is chased through the forest by Juodas who is still intent on catching her, even when she crosses over a stream with a path of rocks in the middle. Laura ends up tripping, rendering her vulnerable, but before Juodas can pounce on her, a white blur suddenly leaps in front of Juodas, before the blur is revealed to be a beautiful female Arctic fox, who tells Laura to run while she handles Juodas. Laura runs off and hides behind some bushes while the Arctic fox faces off against Juodas. Juodas is angry when he sees the Arctic fox, saying, "Not you again, Isabella!", which causes Laura to realize that the Arctic fox's name is Isabella. Isabella is able to fight back against Juodas and drive him off, despite getting bitten on the arm by him. Once Juodas is driven off again, Isabella assures Laura that she doesn't have to worry anymore now that Juodas is gone. After Laura introduces herself to Isabella, Isabella tells Laura to be more careful when wondering in the woods, which Laura takes to heart, after Isabella leaves again.

Back in the main forest, Laura explains to Bob, Larry, Mr. Lunt, Jean-Claude, Phillipe, and Madame Blueberry about the kindly Arctic fox who saved her from Juodas. Laura wishes to find Isabella so that she can show her appreciation to her for saving her from Juodas, though Bob warns Laura that she is not to go into the deep part of the woods without any supervision, which Laura agrees to. When Laura still wants to find Isabella, Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude and Phillipe offer their services to accompany Laura into the deep part of the woods. In the deep woods, Isabella is surveying the area for Juodas, all while thinking about how Laura had a strong will despite being defenseless, before deciding to find her. However, she is suddenly confronted by Juodas, as she angrily asks him what he wants, though Juodas assures her that he won't bite her this time and that he came to make a proposition with her. Isabella tells him that she doesn't make a deal with "double-dealing wolves", which surprises Juodas, thinking that Isabella doesn't trust him, all because he bit her, though he admits to her that those were instincts that he couldn't control, as well as admitting that he knows about how Isabella saved Laura, which surprises Isabella.

Because of this, Isabella has no choice but to begrudgingly listen to Juodas's proposition, with Juodas telling her that she is to bring Laura to him, but when he whispers the rest of his plan into Isabella's ear, Isabella is shocked, not wanting to go through with what Juodas has planned. This angers Juodas as he tells Isabella that he was nice to her long enough, and that if she insists of being too stubborn to go through with his plan, then he would skin her alive, which horrifies Isabella into going through with Juodas's plan, which Juodas is gleeful to see. After Juodas leaves, Isabella thinks about Juodas told her to do, knowing that Laura would be in danger if she does what Juodas asked her to, coming up with a plan on how to prevent Juodas from getting Laura. Back in the main forest, Bob, Larry, and Mr. Lunt are surprised when Laura tells them that she is going back into the deep woods to find Isabella and thank her for saving her from Juodas, though she assures them that Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude, and Phillipe are going to accompany her. Because of this, Bob has no choice but to reluctant support Laura's decision, as Laura leaves afterwards.

Laura soon meets up with Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude, and Phillipe, before they make their way to the deep woods again. Even if Laura doesn't know where Isabella is when asked about it by Jean-Claude, she is confident that by waiting in the spot where Isabella saved her before, then Isabella will come back. Isabella then peeks out from some bushes, becoming happy when she sees that she found Laura again, but also frustrated about having to carry out Juodas's plan. Fortunately, she is able to come up with a plan on how to save Laura from grave danger, where she pretends to have tripped while in the bushes after leaning on a twig that snaps. The twig snapping alerts Laura, Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude, and Phillipe, before Isabella makes herself known to the group, telling Laura about how she knew she would come back to the deep woods. Laura answers that she had to because she wanted to introduce her friends to Isabella. Isabella is honored to meet Laura's friends, before she warns Laura against returning to the deep woods, explaining that if she told them, then they'd all be in grave danger.

Unknown to Isabella, Juodas is hiding in some bushes on a nearby hillside as he overlooks everything, awaiting to see Isabella bring Laura to him. Laura is confused about why Isabella would want them to leave, before Isabella tells her, Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude, and Phillipe to follow her out of danger, away from the hillside. Juodas becomes shocked and angry when he sees that Isabella is not doing what he told her to, deciding to carry out the plan himself. Isabella continues to lead Laura and the others through the forest, before telling them that Juodas wanted to catch Laura, but Isabella did not want anything to happen to Laura. At first, the group think that they are in the clear, until Juodas shows up, after having gotten around them. Meanwhile, Bob, Larry, and Mr. Lunt have gotten the help of Aristotle so that they can find Laura and the others. When they do not know which way to go, Aristotle flies ahead to find which path to take, until finding some footprints on the ground, where the encounter took place. Aristotle then tells Bob, Larry, and Mr. Lunt of his discovery, before they go down the path where the footprints are.

At Juodas's lair, Isabella, Laura, Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude, and Phillipe are now captured and tied up by Juodas, while Isabella apologizes to Laura for not telling her earlier about the danger she was in, admitting that she didn't realize that Juodas would be watching her every move. Juodas then approaches the group, sadistically telling Isabella that she shouldn't have tried to go back on her word, while Isabella defends herself, telling Juodas that she wasn't going to let any harm come to Laura. Bob, Larry, Mr. Lunt, and Aristotle approach Juodas's cave, surprised to see that Juodas has captured their friends. Mr. Lunt is about to charge into Juodas's cave, but Aristotle holds him back, telling him that Juodas would have captured him as well. Bob then says that they need a plan to save their friends, before coming up with one.

Juodas is about to eat Jean-Claude, who pleads to him not to eat him, before noticing pieces of the ceiling falling. This prompts Juodas to put down Jean-Claude before he goes to find out what's wrong with the ceiling. Mr. Lunt then pops out from the ceiling, surprising Laura and the others, realizing that Bob, Larry, and Aristotle have also come to save them. Juodas peers outside of his cave, before being attacked by Aristotle. Juodas is angry when he sees that Aristotle has come back, but when Aristotle tells him that he isn't being very careful, Juodas is confused, until Aristotle reminds him that his dinner is escaping. Juodas is surprised when he sees that his captives have escaped, thanks the hole that Mr. Lunt made in the ceiling, before Juodas also starts to climb through the hole. On top of the hill, Bob and Larry are waiting for Mr. Lunt, who then comes out from the hole, followed afterwards by Laura, Madame Blueberry, Jean-Claude, Phillipe, and Isabella, much to the relief of Bob and Larry.

After Isabella is introduced to Bob and Larry, the group is suddenly ambushed by Juodas, who also comes out from the hole as well, very angry that his captives have escaped. Isabella reminds Juodas that he should have been more careful, which only angers Juodas, but before he can pounce of Isabella, Aristotle intervenes, giving the others a chance to escape, but Laura stops because she is worried about Aristotle, which Isabella acknowledges. Laura expresses concern that they can't leave Aristotle alone, so because of that, she goes to help Aristotle, while Isabella follows after her, with the others watching. Juodas is able to turn the tables against Aristotle by striking him in the chest, but before he can do in Aristotle, Laura yells at Juodas to leave Aristotle alone. Juodas is very angry that Laura has interrupted his revenge on Aristotle, while Laura says that she would never abandon a friend in trouble.

Juodas then chases after Laura and Isabella, while the others go to see if Aristotle is alright. Laura and Isabella run up a nearby hill with Juodas still after them, until reaching the steep part of the hill, which Juodas cannot reach Laura and Isabella from while he is at the bottom. Even if Laura and Isabella are safe for now, they still have to think of a way to get rid of Juodas, until Laura notices a huge pile of rocks on top of the hill. Laura and Isabella start to push on the rocks, while Juodas tries to reach them, until Jean-Claude and Phillipe start teasing and jeering him, which prompts Juodas to chase them, until Larry tackles him from behind, which makes him even angrier. Laura and Isabella have now gotten the rocks loose, as the rocks start to tumble down the hill towards Juodas. Juodas tries to get out of the way, but he gets caught in the rockslide, disappearing down the hill. Once Juodas has been beaten again, everyone is proud of Laura for getting rid of Juodas, but Laura tells them that she couldn't have done it without Isabella. Everyone is surprised when they discover that Aristotle and Isabella know each other, but they've not seen each other in years, before Bob lightly scolds Laura for being more cautious in what she does, to which Aristotle quotes, "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise". Isabella interprets the verse, which amazes Larry, who states that he didn't know that Isabella believed in God too, while Isabella explains that Aristotle taught her about the Lord and what he can do. When Laura asks Isabella to come with her the others back to the main forest to meet the other Veggie Animals, Isabella accepts, before the group, now with Isabella with them, start to head home.

## Fun Facts

* The verse quoted is "Ephesians 5:15".
* Character Introductions: Isabella