[horses whinnying]
[horse nickers]
♪ I'm gonna ride ♪
♪ I'm riding free ♪
♪ So come along, let's go along ♪
♪ Come on a journey with me ♪
♪ I'm gonna ride ♪
♪ I'm riding free ♪
♪ As long as I am here with you ♪
♪ I feel the spirit within me ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
[Pru] OK, lesson learned.
No more taking pictures inside.
We look like three blobs.
We can't give up.
This is the official picture of the PALs for my memory book.
-We'll find the perfect place to take it. -[crunch]
Abigail, do you have to crunch right in my ear?
Sorry. He's wild for raisin toast.
We'll be finished eating when we get to Dr. Cope's lab.
I wonder what we'll do in our first vet class.
Dissections? Triage? Foal birth?
[Abigail] I'm ready for whatever.
I brought the journal Mixtli gave me to write down healing ideas.
[sighs] Now that everyone's here, we can get started.
I'm Dr. Cope, the on-site veterinarian here at Palomino Bluffs.
I've been a teacher for a long time,
and a vet for even longer.
I've seen it all. Come along.
[Dr. Cope] This way, Lyon.
I named him after the first vet school in France.
Come along, kids. Let's not tarry.
Once the new dock is completed, we'll be able to go beyond the break
and into the deep ocean.
It's tough to get out there on a boat, what with the currents,
so it will be very exciting to have a research platform.
Dr. Cope doesn't look very excited.
[Dr. Cope] For now, welcome to the tide pools.
We'll be coming out here when we study invertebrates.
[Lucky] Wow.
Ah. Here's a perfect example of such a specimen now.
It looks like a rock, huh? But it's not.
I was completely fooled!
Appearances can be deceiving.
This so-called rock is actually alive.
What is she doing?
[nickers]
[Boomerang nickers]
[whinnying]
[Dr. Cope] Mollusks have an affection for salt.
Wow. How do they feel about paprika?
Gives new meaning to the name salt lick.
It's OK, boy.
That thing's not going to get you. See?
Look at this rock.
So pretty.
So not-gonna-stick-its-tongue-out-at-you.
Don't think about that gross old clam that scared you.
[animal chittering in distance]
[gasps]
[chittering]
-[gasps] -[neighs]
Aw!
You're such a sweetie!
Thanks, little fella.
What are you doing out here all alone? Where's your family?
No, Abigail! Stop!
-Ooh! An otter! -Cute!
-What are you doing? -This otter is separated from his family.
I was going to carry him back to the ocean.
Do not touch him.
We can't let him establish a bond with humans.
I'll take him back to my lab
until we can get someone from the Goldbriar Zoo to come pick him up.
The zoo? Why?
Well, he's little. Probably the runt of the litter.
Likely he wasn't strong enough to keep up when his brood swam past the break,
so they left him behind.
You don't know that!
I don't see any otters here, do you?
Maybe they'll come back!
We should at least try to reunite him with his family.
Sometimes animals get separated or orphaned and never find their way back.
It's sad, but he'll be safe and happy
with the otters at the zoo.
[gasps]
[otter chittering]
That photo we took in the forest is developing upstairs.
Although, it may not even come out.
Give it to me straight. Am I just bad at photography?
Maybe.
I'm starting to think this might be a fool's errand.
Do we really need an official PALs picture?
Do horses need hay?
The answer to both is yes!
My memory book has tons of stories about us,
and one day I'm going to read it to my grandchildren.
And when I'm 103 years old,
I'm probably going to forget what everything looks like.
You'll disappear from my memory and then my memory book!
Forever!
Why are you worried about what's gonna happen when you're 103?
You're 13.
Because...
I don't know! It's my thing!
OK, then we'll find a new place to take our photo.
No forest - too dappled.
Not indoors - too dark.
Abigail, any ideas?
Abigail, what do you think we should do?
Oh! Volcano Park sounds like a great place for our PALs photo.
That's what you said, right?
Are you OK? You've been kind of distracted since this morning.
Do you think that otter's OK?
He probably didn't like being in that cage, huh?
Didn't you think that Dr. Cope was being kind of... mean?
Why do you say that?
She wouldn't even let me touch the otter. She kept telling me to stay away from him.
Well, my mom has said the same thing about animals bonding with humans.
It can be hard for young animals to be with their own kind again.
They're not accepted into family groups
because they never learned to be with them.
But he deserves a chance to find his real family.
If Dr. Cope had just taken a moment to bring him into the ocean,
past the break, maybe he would have seen his family waiting for him.
Yeah, but maybe he wouldn't have.
If Dr. Cope said she knows what to do, I believe her.
Lucky's right. Dr. Cope has years of experience.
She knows what she's doing. You've got nothing to worry about.
-Yeah, sure. -We have to get to our next class.
See you at lunch, Abigail.
Yep. I will be there.
I will not be there. Come on, Boomerang.
-[nickers] -Shh!
[squawking]
Excuse me, Mr. or Mrs. Parrot.
Bingo!
Hey! Welcome back, otter!
I mean... Mr. Otter.
No bonding.
Come on, little buddy. Let's get you back to your family.
And when you see your family, tell them hi from me.
Don't stop swimming until you see them, OK?
Goodbye, Mr. Otter.
Oh. I mean Otis. Let's not be so formal.
-Still, not bonding. -[splash]
-[chittering] -Huh?
[gasps] Otis!
What are you doing here? You're supposed to be out there!
[grunts]
No! Swim!
That way, towards the ocean!
[groans]
[chittering]
OK, Otis, it's time for you to go.
My boots are squishy, and you need to be back with your family.
Stay here, Boomerang.
I won't be long.
[nickers]
We've worked very hard not to bond, right, Otis?
So, it can't be that you're attached to me.
It must be because we haven't gone far enough into the water
for you to swim away.
So we'll get you all the way out there.
-[chitters] -[Boomerang neighs]
[plank creaking]
OK, little Otis, you're as far out as you can be.
Go find your family now.
[gasps] Why?
Lucky, over here!
That's Crater Park. It might work as a good place to take our picture.
It's just dirt.
There's no character to it.
I still vote for Kramer Falls.
The waterfall would be a breathtaking background.
Sure, if you want a picture of us sopping wet.
Crater Park will work.
It's functional. Let's ask Abigail. I bet she'd side with me.
You really think Abigail is gonna go for something "functional"?
-Do you know her? -Where is Abigail?
She was supposed to get here before me.
Otis, you are going to get into that water!
[chitters]
-Please? -[chittering]
[sighs]
[grunts]
[chittering]
[gasps] Yes!
Otis is going home!
Wahoo!
[laughs] Wahoo!
No, no, no!
[exclaims]
[whimpers]
Know where Abigail is?
Was she in class?
She wasn't on stable-wrangler duty?
You sure you haven't seen her?
You think she went for a ride?
And skipped all her classes?
You're right, she wouldn't just not show up.
[thunder rumbling]
Unless she couldn't.
[grunting]
Almost...
got it.
[grunts]
[whinnying]
[sighs]
That's it, Otis.
I'm out of ideas.
[chittering]
I should have told Lucky and Pru where I was going,
but they wouldn't have understood.
They agreed with Dr. Cope about sending you to the zoo.
Now you're not at the zoo and you're not with your family,
so I guess I failed.
We weren't supposed to bond, you know?
Not that I mind bonding with you.
[chuckles] I'll see you tomorrow, Pudgy Parrot.
-Dr. Cope? -Hello, girls. Can I help you?
We're retracing our steps.
Or, more accurately, Abigail's steps. You haven't seen her, have you?
Hm. Not since class let out, no.
Sorry I can't help, girls.
I'm off to send a telegraph to the Goldbriar Zoo about that otter.
-See you next class. -[gasps]
Thanks, anyway.
Now what?
-Pru, come on. -Lucky!
What are we doing in here?
Just testing a hunch.
She took the otter.
Come on. Let's go get her before she does anything crazy.
[Boomerang whinnies]
We've got to start helping ourselves, Otis.
If I can hook one of those planks and pull it over here,
we'll be able to use it as a bridge to walk back to shore.
[grunts]
-[grunts] -[splash]
[grunts]
[exclaims]
[chitters]
I know! We're so close!
Almost there.
Oh, no!
Otis! What are you doing?
Otis!
[thunder crashing]
[screams]
[coughing]
-[whinnies] -Boomerang!
Get help! Get Lucky and Pru!
[neighs]
Good boy! Hurry, please!
[cries out]
We'll start at the top of the beach and ride down.
-[bell ringing] -That's the storm bell!
That storm's coming in fast.
-We have to go find her. -[Spirit neighs]
There's miles and miles of beach and outcroppings and caves.
She could be anywhere.
[Boomerang neighs]
It's Boomerang...
-[whinnies] -...with no Abigail.
-That can't be good. -You know where Abigail is?
Lead the way, Boomerang!
[gasps]
[coughs]
[otter chittering]
[whimpers]
[gasps]
Oh, no!
-[screams] -[chittering]
Otis! Oh, no!
[chitters]
[whimpers]
Whoa!
[coughs]
I gotcha.
[screams]
[whimpering]
[thunder crashing]
[whinnying]
[Pru] Oh!
-[thunder crashing] -[Boomerang whinnies]
[Lucky] Abigail!
Over here!
Abigail, we're coming!
[wind howling]
-[girls gasp] -[whinnies]
Come on, boy. We can do this.
Take it slow, Spirit.
Let's go.
[screams] Not to rush you, but, please, hurry!
[Chica Linda whinnies]
[grunts] Easy, girl.
We have to be careful.
I didn't mean for us to bond.
I just wanted to get Otis back to his family.
Oh, boy, she's named him already.
It's OK, Abigail.
Let's just get you back before it gets worse.
Hop in the water and we'll pull you out.
[both scream]
The current is too strong for me to swim.
Everything that goes in gets sucked out to sea!
I don't think I'm ready to live with the dolphins yet!
I've got an idea!
-[whinnies] -[gasps]
[whimpering]
[yells]
[Spirit nickers]
Abigail, tie this to one of the boards.
-We'll pull it taut and you crawl across. -OK.
[whimpers] Ready!
-[thud] -[whimpers]
Um... What was that?
[screams]
[screams] Abigail!
[grunting]
-What do I do? -Hold on!
But after that?
[whinnies]
[both gasp]
[screams]
[grunting]
[screaming]
Pull, Boomerang!
Whoa!
[Spirit whinnies]
[Lucky] Hold on, Abigail!
[grunting continues]
Whoa!
Here, Abigail!
Grab this and we'll pull you.
[Abigail] Try again!
[straining grunts]
No! Lucky!
We're out of time. We need to get Abigail out now!
[chittering]
[gasps] Pru, I'm gonna throw you something!
Tie the rope around it and throw it back to me.
Uh... OK?
-[grunts] -[chittering]
[gasps]
Nice, Spirit.
[chittering]
OK! Throw it back!
[Boomerang whinnies]
[Pru grunts]
[grunts]
Otis! You did it!
You good, good boy!
OK, pull!
[screams]
[Lucky] Abigail!
[whinnies]
[grunting]
-Where did she go? -[Boomerang whinnies]
I don't see her! I don't see her. Where is she?
There she is!
[Pru] Gotcha!
[grunting]
We gotcha!
[coughs]
[panting]
I'm OK.
What would I have done without you?
[Boomerang neighs]
-[nickers] -I'm OK, Boomerang.
-[Pru] Come on, let's go! -OK, Otis. Let's...
[thunder crashing]
Come on, Abigail. We have to go.
Otis will be fine. He's built for the water.
-[thunder crashes] -OK.
Almost there.
I think everyone's inside.
-[Spirit whinnies] -Whoa!
[Dr. Cope] Not everyone.
[sighs] You had everyone worried sick.
You didn't check in at your Canter House, you weren't in the Salt Lick,
your horses were gone.
We're really sorry, Dr. Cope.
Yeah, really, really sorry.
I didn't mean to worry everyone,
and I didn't mean to put anyone in danger.
But I felt I had to do something.
I'm not going to apologize for trying to help an animal.
I see.
I know you wanted us to be scientific.
I guess I just haven't learned how to turn off my soft side yet.
Hm. When I was your age,
I "liberated" an entire pot of lobsters from a family cookout.
I threw every single one back in the ocean. [chuckles]
All we had for our lobster boil was corn.
You did that?
[chuckles] I'm no stranger to rescuing animals.
But you need to pick and choose rescue missions wisely.
I know you meant well, Abigail, but you went out into that ocean
not knowing if you'd even be able to locate the otter's family.
-I know. -You're lucky you're alive.
You have to keep yourselves out of danger.
You all do.
You can't save animals if you need to be saved.
-[girls gasp] -How did you get that?
Want to meet the bunnies I saved from the brush fire last month?
Aw!
They're going back to the wild,
after they reach a healthy weight.
I'm gonna call this one Hoppy, and this one Rosie,
and this one Ralphie.
I'm bonding with them, aren't I?
[chuckles] I call that one Lionel.
Perfect!
Spirit!
You can't take up the whole picture.
OK, I see what you mean.
Interesting background, nice light. Good thing you found this place, Lucky.
Good thing I took this picture of Otis.
I wouldn't have thought of the tide pools without it.
Camera's all set. Now... Where's Abigail?
-[Spirit nickers] -We need to put a bell on that girl.
-You OK? -Yeah.
Just trying to find the right words for the occasion.
Otis, you were a wonderful otter,
and my very best friend.
[Boomerang whinnies]
My best aquatic friend.
I hope you found your family, and are swimming wild and free.
Goodbye, Otis.
-[chittering] -[gasps]
Otis! Did you come back for a visit?
How's your family?
You tell them that I said you're welcome to visit anytime.
-[girls laugh] -Come on, let's take our family portrait.
-[chittering] -[Lucky laughs]