The family decides to split into three groups, or rather two groups and Brandon. Ana, Celia, and Clara are looking for wild herbs, berries, and mushrooms to gather. Osmond is in charge of Dani and Emma; they're searching for beetles and butterflies. Brandon plans on spending another day fishing.
"Ew!" The familiar squeal comes from Clara.
"What is it?" Ana calls back to her daughters a little behind on the trail.
"I almost stepped on some bugs!"
Ana turns around and looks. "Clara, don't be ridiculous those bugs are at least a couple of feet away from you. Just walk around them, sweetie."
"What is it?" Ana calls back to her daughters a little behind on the trail.
"I almost stepped on some bugs!"
Ana turns around and looks. "Clara, don't be ridiculous those bugs are at least a couple of feet away from you. Just walk around them, sweetie."
Meanwhile, when Brandon reaches the fishing spot he had hear about he unfortunately finds a bit of a crowd already gathered. He had wanted to spend the day here admiring the beautiful waterfalls while relaxing with some more fishing, but he has no desire to spent it with strangers and inevitably having awkward small talk.
Instead he asks the park ranger about other nearby fishing spots that campers are allowed to use. As soon as he has directions to another lake close by, Brandon is off.
With Osmond's group, the hunt for insects isn't going all that well. Emma and Osmond haven't spotted any butterflies. Dani has seen a few crawling insects, but not the type beetle she's looking for.
"What type of beetle is she even looking for?" Emma asks. "I mean I saw some back there, but she said it wasn't the right kind."
"I don't really know, Em, but let's keep going. Hopefully we'll find you some pretty butterflies soon."
"I don't really know, Em, but let's keep going. Hopefully we'll find you some pretty butterflies soon."
Back with Ana's trio...
"Oooo, look, girls! Here's some weird looking mushrooms. I'm not sure if they're safe to eat, but I'm gonna pick some anyway, we can try to identify it later." Ana says when she finally spies something worth collecting. "You two keep looking. I'll catch up in a sec."
"Mom! Come quick! I think I see something!" Clara says excitedly.
"What do ya, know? It looks like you're actually having fun." Celia teases.
"Hey! I guess I am." Clara realizes as their mom hurries over to see what they've found.
"What do ya, know? It looks like you're actually having fun." Celia teases.
"Hey! I guess I am." Clara realizes as their mom hurries over to see what they've found.
"What did you find some flowers? Or is it more bugs?" Ana asks.
"Neither. Look I think there's some kind of cave over there." Clara says.
"Neither. Look I think there's some kind of cave over there." Clara says.
Ana doesn't like the looks of it, at all. "Girls, why don't we head back in the other direction. That looks like the kind of place some big, wild animal would call home. I'd feel better if we all stayed well clear of it."
Checking back in with Brandon...
He found that other, more secluded fishing hole and is fishing the day away. It doesn't take much to make Brandon happy.
A little later the insect hunting group comes across the same area that Ana and the twins had vacated earlier. Emma and Osmond are looking around for more butterflies when Dani spots the cave and decides to take a closer look.
Osmond spots her just as she stepping under the thorny branches that half conceal the thing. "Dani, I don't think you should go in there!" He tries to stop her.
Osmond spots her just as she stepping under the thorny branches that half conceal the thing. "Dani, I don't think you should go in there!" He tries to stop her.
But it's too late. The branches fall back into place as Dani steps farther into the mysterious cave. Osmond hurries over and tries to call her back, but she either can't hear him or chooses to ignore him.
When calling her doesn't work he tries following after to find her, but when Osmond steps inside the cave it seems surprisingly small. And empty. Dani is nowhere to be seen.
When calling her doesn't work he tries following after to find her, but when Osmond steps inside the cave it seems surprisingly small. And empty. Dani is nowhere to be seen.
Immediately Osmond finds the nearest ranger and reports a missing (disappearing) teen. Then Osmond has to meet up with Ana and tell her that one of her daughters is missing. Search parties are formed. The entire forest is swept, but so far no sign of Dani has been found.
As night falls, the rangers are concerned about the other kids being out in the forest at night, and eventually it is suggested that the family head back to the campsite. Ana doesn't go for it at first, but then they suggest that it would be good for them to at least rest and eat some supper. Then they can resume the search fresh.
The rangers of course will keep the search going in their absence.
As night falls, the rangers are concerned about the other kids being out in the forest at night, and eventually it is suggested that the family head back to the campsite. Ana doesn't go for it at first, but then they suggest that it would be good for them to at least rest and eat some supper. Then they can resume the search fresh.
The rangers of course will keep the search going in their absence.
Back at the campsite, Ana is becoming positively distressed.
"How can I just sit here, while she's out there...Who knows what could be happening to her? She had her cellphone. Why hasn't she called? If she was okay, she would have called by now, right?... I can't believe you lost her." Ana adds the last angrily and a bit thoughtlessly.
Osmond knows Ana isn't meaning to lose her temper or blame him; she's just worried and upset. He tries to calm down his wife, but it's not an easy task. Especially because he's pretty worried himself. And feeling quite a bit guilty.
Osmond knows Ana isn't meaning to lose her temper or blame him; she's just worried and upset. He tries to calm down his wife, but it's not an easy task. Especially because he's pretty worried himself. And feeling quite a bit guilty.
Meanwhile.....
Dani had not heard any of Osmond's shouts for her to come back when she first entered the cave. And it had not been a small little space that she had stepped into. Instead she had found a long passage way that she felt her way through.
When she emerged from the dark tunnel she was greeted by a beautiful secluded forest clearing.
When she emerged from the dark tunnel she was greeted by a beautiful secluded forest clearing.
Dani felt a small pang of guilt as she began to explore the area. She knew she shouldn't separate from the group, but surely she could take a quick look around. That's harmless enough, right.
She had much better luck finding her beetles in this area of the forest. She even spotted some butterflies for Emma. Then she saw an insect that was truly remarkable. Something she had never seen or heard of before in all her life. It almost looked like a fairy. It glowed bright blue, putting a firefly's small glow to shame.
She had much better luck finding her beetles in this area of the forest. She even spotted some butterflies for Emma. Then she saw an insect that was truly remarkable. Something she had never seen or heard of before in all her life. It almost looked like a fairy. It glowed bright blue, putting a firefly's small glow to shame.
It was only after she caught this beautiful specimen that she realized it was already starting to get dark. When did that happen? It's like it got dark almost instantly. I better get back to the others.
But it wasn't that easy. It took Dani longer than she would have though to find the cave passageway that brought her here. And by the time she finally did, Dani was feeling fairly terrible. She could imagine that her family was starting to worry by this point. But why didn't they just follow through the tunnel I found?
But it wasn't that easy. It took Dani longer than she would have though to find the cave passageway that brought her here. And by the time she finally did, Dani was feeling fairly terrible. She could imagine that her family was starting to worry by this point. But why didn't they just follow through the tunnel I found?
Dani crossed paths with one of the rangers who had continued the search for her soon after passing back through the tunnel. That ranger led her back to the campsite, while lecturing her on the importance of remaining with her hiking party.
When they reach their destination, Dani nervously waits near the edge of the campsite. She's quite nervous about facing her mother after causing so much worry.
"Good news, folks." Ranger Shawna says as she walks up to Ana and Osmond.
"You found her?!!" Ana shrieks, and hops up. Dani's siblings are already gathering around her welcoming her home.
"Good news, folks." Ranger Shawna says as she walks up to Ana and Osmond.
"You found her?!!" Ana shrieks, and hops up. Dani's siblings are already gathering around her welcoming her home.
"Don't ever scare me like that again!" Ana says as she wraps her daughter in a bear hug.
It had already gotten very late while the family waited for word of Dani. So after everyone had hugged Dani. They began to settle in for the night.
It had already gotten very late while the family waited for word of Dani. So after everyone had hugged Dani. They began to settle in for the night.
When everyone else had gone to bed, Ana decides to apologize for aiming her anger at Osmond earlier. She knows the incident wasn't his fault.
And no one interrupts them tonight.