“I doubt it,” muttered Jake under his breath.

“I’m with you, Jake,” said Fionn. The girls nodded in agreement.

“Well,” said Ann Marie, “I’m guessing I will be writing the best grasslands report that’s been seen for quite some time.” The others gave Ann Marie a sideways glare. “OK. OK. We will be writing the best grasslands report ever.”

“Yeah,” said Susan, “maybe just like we were in balance out there, maybe we are still in balance right now, with each other?”

Jake twisted his face some. But then he smiled. He gave Fionn a friendly, light punch on the shoulder. Fionn grinned and punched him back. Ann Marie laughed.

Susan was right. It was sort of corny, but it was true. The kids had been through something together; they were a team, and that was a feeling that they would remember for a long, long time.