This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:01] Amy Daniels: Have you been waiting to hear what's happened to everybody as they evacuated for the fire? If you missed our last two episodes, Unexpected Spark and Ready, Set, Go, you might want to tune in to those before jumping into this one.

[0:15] Kitten, Meow, Meow, and Clucky: Our two best friends, trying to make sense of the world around them. Adventures and discoveries around every bend. Come along and explore with them.

[0:37] Amy Daniels: Season 4, Episode 3, Comin' Down the Mountain.

[0:48] Xander: Dad, do you think we will see the fire as we drive down the mountain?

[0:52] Dad: I doubt it. There is too much smoke.

[0:53] Xander: I hope the animals do okay on our journey. I don't like that Kitten has to be in a cage.

[0:59] Dad: I know, but with so many animals in the SUV, we need to make sure they are all secure.

[1:04] Xander: At least her and Rosie's crates are next to each other.

[1:07] Dad: They are also a little higher up so they can probably see out the window.

[1:10] Xander: Yeah, we didn't want to pile stuff on or on top of their cages, so it made sense for us to put their cages on top of the stuff.

[1:17] Dad: We got as much in these vehicles as we could. We already knew what to pack because of all of our experience evacuating from hurricanes in Florida.

[1:23] Xander: True. I am just so relieved we found Kitten. I cannot imagine leaving without her.

[1:28] Dad: I am glad we found her too. How are the chickens doing down there?

[1:32] Xander: They look pretty good. Mom draped a light blanket over them so hopefully they will think it is dark and will get some sleep.

[1:38] Dad: I hear them making a little noise.

[1:40] Clucky: Rock, who don't have bloods?

[1:42] Rosie: Ladies, can you say anything?

[1:44] Clucky: Nope, just the tarp we are laying on and the bottom of the driver's seat.

[1:47] Rosie: I can't move to get a better look around. I'm wrapped up too tight.

[1:50] Clucky: I don't even have a seat to look at, just this black wall in front of me.

[1:55] Rosie: This unexpected dark is making me tired and being all wrapped up, I almost feel like I'm tucked into bed.

[2:00] Clucky: How can you sleep at a time like this?

[2:03] Rosie: Oh, now you are making me yawn.

[2:06] Xander: Kitten, are you there? Can you see anything from your travel crate?

[2:11] Kitten: Yeah, just the trees as we drive down, but not many.

[2:15] Kitten: The smoke is pretty thick. It almost looks like we are in a cloud.

[2:18] Clucky: Ruff, ruff, ruff.

[2:20] Kitten: Oh, Clucky, I can't see anything.

[2:24] Kitten: It's all white-gray past the trees.

[2:27] Clucky: Oh, I hope we'll be okay.

[2:31] Rosie: Oh, what about our home?

[2:35] Kitten: I know we have not been there that long, but I don't want to lose it.

[2:40] Clucky: Ay, ay, ay. I love the yard and all the animals we have met since we've been there.

[2:46] Rosie: Oh no, what will happen to all the animals in the woods?

[2:52] Xander: Rosie, are you okay? You don't need to whine back there. We are just driving down the mountain.

[2:59] Kitten: Meow, I agree. We've only lived there a little over a year, but we've made so many wonderful friends in the woods.

[3:06] Clucky: Try not to worry too much, Rosie. We did see many of our forest friends as they were leaving. Several stopped by to check on us.

[3:13] Kitten: See? That is just what I mean. Almost every creature we have met has been so kind.

[3:22] Rosie: Oh no, Kitten, what about Feral?

[3:25] Clucky: What about Feral? Aren't you worried about him?

[3:29] Rosie: I know he likes you. What if you never see him again?

[3:33] Clucky: It was fate that brought the two of you back together here in Washington. He searched for you across the country and found you against all odds.

[3:42] Kitten: Wow, you make that sound much more like a love story than it is. Feral and I are just friends.

[3:48] Clucky: And don't worry, his human took him away a week ago when the fire started.

[3:52] Kitten: If the house survives the fire, I have no doubt that he'll be back.

[3:56] Rosie: Right, he better be back. We have another KFC adventure planned.

[4:04] Clucky: KFC adventure?

[4:07] Kitten: Kitten, Feral, and Clucky. That's what Clucky calls our little group.

[4:10] Clucky: I thought you were sleeping.

[4:12] Kitten: Well, I started to doze off. The rocking of the SUV and the dark blanket is really calming.

[4:19] Clucky: What's the next KFC adventure?

[4:22] Kitten: Uh, kangaroos.

[4:25] Clucky: Croak, croak, croak.

[4:27] Kitten: What? What is that?

[4:30] Clucky: Croak, croak, croak.

[4:32] Kitten: Hey!

[4:34] Clucky: Croak, croak, croak.

[4:36] Kitten: Did you fall asleep?

[4:37] Clucky: Did you fall asleep?

[4:39] Kitten: I think he did fall asleep.

[4:41] Clucky: He must be quite cozy all wrapped up down there.

[4:44] Kitten: But I wanted to know about the rat kangaroo.

[4:49] Clucky: Oh, that's just Clucky mishearing the word rendezvous. When Victoria Peckham literally blew in to say goodbye, she said she was going to rendezvous with some of her Stellar J friends, and Clucky heard rat kangaroo instead of rendezvous.

[5:04] Kitten: Oh, I can see that. Are you all going to go find the rat kangaroos?

[5:10] Clucky: Oh, can I come too?

[5:13] Kitten: Of course you can come. However, I don't know if we'll actually be going anywhere to discover rat kangaroos.

[5:19] Clucky: My guess is they live in Australia, which is a long way from here.

[5:23] Kitten: Isn't that another country?

[5:25] Clucky: Yes, it is.

[5:27] Kitten: Not only that, it's another continent.

[5:29] Clucky: What's a continent?

[5:31] Kitten: A continent is one of the main land masses on the globe. Most people recognize seven continents.

[5:37] Clucky: These are Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, which we live on, South America, Australia, and Antarctica.

[5:45] Kitten: Many of the major continents are separated by large bodies of water like oceans.

[5:49] Clucky: In the case of North America, where we live, and Australia, they are separated by the Pacific Ocean.

[5:54] Kitten: Oceans are really big bodies of salt water, right?

[5:58] Clucky: How would Club KFC and me get there?

[6:02] Kitten: Ah, water.

[6:04] Clucky: No, I can't swim.

[6:07] Clucky: Rock, rock, rock, rock.

[6:09] Kitten: Huh?

[6:11] Clucky: Are you awake again, Clucky?

[6:13] Clucky: Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock.

[6:18] Kitten: Guess not.

[6:20] Clucky: I don't think we'll be traveling across the ocean. However, Maddox and I can research about rat kangaroos in books or on the internet.

[6:27] Kitten: There are many ways to find out about things besides just traveling there.

[6:31] Clucky: But you said you were going to go on an adventure. Doesn't that mean that you go someplace?

[6:38] Kitten: Sometimes, but sometimes it just means we find out more information and use our imaginations to take an adventure in our mind.

[6:45] Clucky: Imagination?

[6:48] Kitten: Yes, your mind is so powerful. You can close your eyes and picture so many things. It's kind of like dreaming while you're awake.

[6:56] Clucky: Cock-a-doodle-doo! Oh no, we left Sensei!

[6:58] Clucky: Alert! Alert! With us! Go back!

[7:00] Kitten: Rock? What?

[7:02] Clucky: Oh no!

[7:04] Kitten: Meow! Clucky, calm down. Sensei lives in a pond. He's surrounded by water. Water does not burn. He'll be safe from the fire.

[7:12] Clucky: Oh, right.

[7:14] Kitten: Okay, back to my nap then.

[7:16] Kitten: Maddox, see if you can calm him down.

[7:18] Maddox: It's okay, Clucky. You are safe.

[7:21] Maddox: There's a good boy. Just relax. You don't want to wake everyone else.

[7:27] Clucky: Rock, rock, rock.

[7:30] Rosie: What was that about?

[7:33] Maddox: It's okay, Rosie. Everything is fine. He just remembered the koi fish in the pond, Sensei.

[7:38] Rosie: Have you met him?

[7:40] Maddox: There are fish in the pond?

[7:42] Clucky: I take it that's a no.

[7:44] Maddox: Yes, there's one large fish in the pond named Sensei.

[7:47] Clucky: Well, actually, his original name is Balthazar Lancaster.

[7:50] Rosie: Baltha-what?

[7:53] Maddox: Don't worry about it. That story is so last season. He goes by Sensei now.

[7:59] Clucky: It seems that Clucky remembered he lives in the pond and woke up worried that he was not safe from the fire.

[8:05] Maddox: However, he's a fish and he lives in water. He should be the most safe, right?

[8:09] Clucky: If you say so.

[8:11] Kitten: Meow, I wish I had a book to look this information up. I hope I am right about Sensei and he'll be okay in a pond.

[8:18] Maddox: Try and get some rest, kitten.

[8:20] Clucky: Clucky is right. The car does make you sleepy.

[8:28] Maddox: Worrying won't change anything.

[8:43] Xander: Come on, Clucky. I'll bet you're ready to stretch your wings.

[8:46] Clucky: Huh? What? Are we there yet?

[8:48] Xander: Mom, how do we get this off of him?

[8:51] Mom: It looks like he worked one leg out.

[8:53] Xander: I'm coming, Xander. I've got the scissors.

[8:56] Mom: I'll just snip through the plastic wrap.

[8:58] Xander: You won't cut his feathers, will you?

[9:00] Mom: Nope. I'll just run the scissors down the plastic wrap and snip.

[9:04] Mom: Just like that.

[9:06] Mom: You're free!

[9:08] Clucky: Freedom!

[9:10] Clucky: Boy, it feels good to move around again.

[9:12] Xander: Quick, Xander. Hold up another one and we'll get them all unwrapped.

[9:15] Mom: We have more pets to get settled.

[9:16] Mom: Come here, Bridget.

[9:18] Bridget: It's not like I can go anywhere on my own.

[9:21] Mom: Snip. All done, Bridget.

[9:24] Bridget: Stretch. That feels good.

[9:28] Mom: You're next, Bella.

[9:30] Bella: Does the snip hurt?

[9:32] Mom: Not one bit.

[9:34] Mom: Snip.

[9:36] Mom: Just one more.

[9:38] Bugicha: Am I? This look might be slimming, but this girl's got to move. Rook!

[9:45] Mom: Great. That's all of them.

[9:47] Mom: Now let's go help Dad and Maddox with Kitten and Rosie.

[9:50] Mom: We also need to get the hamsters moved into the house.

[9:53] Xander: Mom, can I ask you something?

[9:56] Mom: Sure. You can always ask me anything.

[9:59] Xander: How are you so calm?

[10:01] Mom: What do you mean?

[10:03] Xander: This whole time, we just left our home. We don't know what's going on with Sapphire, and you don't seem bothered by any of it.

[10:09] Mom: Oh, honey. I'm so glad that I appear calm to you. I certainly don't feel calm on the inside.

[10:15] Xander: You're not?

[10:17] Mom: No, sweetie. This is all very scary, and we've had to tackle a lot of new situations in a very short time.

[10:23] Mom: I mean, after all, we've never had to evacuate chickens or a cat before.

[10:27] Xander: That's right. We only evacuated Jack and Rosie before a hurricane before.

[10:31] Mom: The last hurricane we stayed in home was Kitten and the chickens. Evacuating for a fire feels a lot different than evacuating for a hurricane.

[10:38] Xander: Yeah, you get more warning with a hurricane.

[10:41] Mom: Usually, yes.

[10:43] Xander: Why are you acting so calm when you don't feel calm?

[10:47] Mom: Well, there's so much to do. If your dad and I freaked out, how would we manage to get everything done?

[10:54] Mom: There's no time to panic.

[10:56] Xander: So that's it? You didn't freak out because there's no time to panic?

[10:59] Mom: Not exactly.

[11:01] Mom: I was scared, and I'm still scared of what may happen.

[11:04] Mom: But I also know that there are many things that I can do to make sure that the family and the pets have the best possible outcome.

[11:10] Mom: When you are in an out-of-control situation, I find it's best to focus on the things I can't control.

[11:17] Mom: I put all my energy and focus into the things that need to get done, and that helps me keep the schedule going.

[11:22] Xander: But what if the scary thoughts and feelings come back?

[11:25] Mom: Oh, they do. They seem to be lurking on the edge of my mind all the time.

[11:30] Mom: Every time I complete something, it's like they're waiting there to jump back in and make me panic.

[11:36] Xander: Yes, you feel that too? How do you stop them?

[11:39] Mom: I don't.

[11:41] Xander: What? That makes no sense.

[11:43] Mom: I don't know.

[11:53] Amy Daniels: I hear that thought that says, you could lose your house in the fire. You need to worry about this. Stop what you are doing and worry. You have thoughts like that? So do I. But then what do you do? I use a little thing called A.V.P.

[12:07] Unknown speaker: A.V.P.?

[12:09] Amy Daniels: Yes. Acknowledge, Validate, and Permit.

[12:12] Unknown speaker: What is A.V.P. and how does it work?

[12:18] Amy Daniels: Well, those thoughts come creeping in like, we could lose the house. I first acknowledge the thought, which means I accept that as a possibility. So, yep, we could lose the house. Then I think about how that makes me feel. That makes me feel scared. This is where Validate comes in. I think, is this a valid or reasonable feeling in this situation? Yes. Losing the house in a fire is very scary. That makes sense why I feel this way. Then step three is to permit this feeling. It means I let myself feel scared and I do not try and ignore the feeling.

[12:56] Unknown speaker: How does this help?

[12:58] Amy Daniels: Allowing yourself to be scared. By acknowledging and allowing myself to feel scared, I'm taking control of this feeling. I'm not letting it take control of me and make me lose my focus on what is important and what needs to get done. It lets me ask other questions like, is there anything I can do about this right now? No. Will me worrying about this change anything? No. Is there anything I can do right now to help me or those around me deal with this situation better? The answer to that is always yes lately. So then I focus my attention on what I can do.

[13:30] Unknown speaker: It's that simple?

[13:32] Amy Daniels: It's not simple. And when things are scary like this, these thoughts come back over and over. So I'm working a lot on focusing my mind and my body on doing the things I can right now. I also know that we have a lot of support. We are so lucky that your dad is not traveling right now and that he was here to help us evacuate. I am so grateful that we moved to the west coast last year and we are close to your grandparents, which means we have a safe place to evacuate with all the animals. This would not have happened in Florida. We would have had to go to a friend's house or a hotel or maybe even a shelter. So I also try and focus my thoughts on all the good things around us.

[14:10] Unknown speaker: Yeah, when you put it like that, we are pretty lucky. I can't see how we could have done this trip without Dad. Alex and I cannot even drive.

[14:16] Amy Daniels: Yeah, see, there's so much to be grateful for. Come on, now let's go help them unload everything else.

[14:25] Unknown speaker: Clucky, ladies, here's some corn.

[14:27] Clucky: Yum, corn! Get settled in here and I'll come out and check on you in a little bit when we got everything unloaded.

[14:35] Unknown speaker: Bye, Xander.

[14:37] Clucky: Oh, it's tricky to find this corn with all this sawdust on the floor.

[14:41] Unknown speaker: You are right. It falls under the dust pretty quick.

[14:45] Clucky: I enjoy the hunt. Plus scratching at the ground is helping me move my legs more. I'm not even mad Xander sprinkled the corn all over the stall. It will get us moving more.

[14:55] Unknown speaker: Bridget, what's wrong? You're not eating.

[14:59] Bridget: I'm not hungry.

[15:01] Clucky: Since when? We always love eating.

[15:03] Bridget: You always love eating, Clucky.

[15:06] Clucky: Well, true. But we all do.

[15:10] Bridget: I guess. Are you having trouble moving after being wrapped up?

[15:14] Clucky: No.

[15:18] Bridget: Are you having thoughts?

[15:20] Clucky: Thoughts? What kind of thoughts?

[15:26] Bridget: Ugh, yes! I'm having all the bad thoughts. What if the forest burns? What if the house burns? What if we have no home to go back to? What will we do?

[15:38] Clucky: Wow, that's a lot of thoughts. But remember what the mom person said? You need to do the AVP.

[15:48] Bridget: Acknowledge, validate, permit those feelings. Don't push them away or they'll run you astray. Acknowledge, validate, permit. It makes sense you're scared, but we're glad you shared. Acknowledge, validate, permit. If you permit your fear, it can't control you here. Acknowledge, validate, permit. AVP those feelings all day. We'll all get through this together.

[16:20] Unknown speaker: Together.

[16:22] Clucky: Yeah!

[16:24] Unknown speaker: Wow, great job, Bella. I like how you made a song out of that.

[16:28] Bella: Thanks, Bella. Just sharing all that made me feel a lot better.

[16:36] Unknown speaker: Well, you are certainly a loud bunch. I hope you won't be singing all night.

[16:42] Oscar: Rook! Rook! Rook!

[16:44] Unknown speaker: Sorry, we did not mean to disturb you. We were just trying to cheer up our friend.

[16:48] Oscar: Oh, I heard you. It was quite the racket you were making. What's the matter? Don't you like singing?

[16:56] Oscar: Actually, no. I don't think I've ever met anyone who did not like singing.

[17:02] Oscar: You still haven't. We have not been introduced. My apologies again. My name is Bella. This is Bridget, Brigitte, and Clucky. Now we have been introduced.

[17:12] Oscar: I'm Oscar. I have not made up my mind yet if it is nice to meet you. I'm going to the pasture to nibble on some grass. I may be back later to talk, or I may not be.

[17:26] Unknown speaker: Okay, bye then.

[17:30] Unknown speaker: Well, that was strange.

[17:32] Unknown speaker: It was. He was not exactly rude, but not exactly friendly either.

[17:36] Bridget: I am going to use AVP on this. How?

[17:40] Bridget: I am going to acknowledge that he might be grumpy because he does not like singing and we interrupted his silence. If I was interrupted by a bunch of noise, it makes sense that I would be a bit grumpy.

[17:50] Clucky: That's the validate part!

[17:52] Bridget: Yes, and I am feeling a little unsure about Oscar. He seems a bit like a grouch. I am going to permit my feelings of uncertainty. That's all AVP! Acknowledge, validate, permit! Great job!

[18:14] Unknown speaker: Meow, it's finally started to rain. That must mean we can go home soon. We have been here almost a week. I am ready to go home. Home would be nice.

[18:24] Unknown speaker: I think we are running low on my favorite seeds. Escape would be nice. Going back to that habitat is just a more luxurious cage. But I am still trapped living the life of a prisoner.

[18:38] Rubix: Really, Rubix? Life as a prisoner? It has not been so bad here.

[18:44] Rubix: Oh, that is easy for you to say. You get taken out of the house to go visit your bird parade friends, but I am stuck here with only Chubby for company. I am not even taken out to play in the pen or anything.

[19:00] Unknown speaker: Every time Maddox tries to take you out, you snap at her. Why are you so mean to Brownie? That is not a way to make friends. When will you get it through that fluffy head of yours? I don't want friends. I want minions and followers. I want to rule the world. Remember?

[19:18] Rubix: Hamster of doom living in your room. Watching and waiting, always calculating. It's Rubix, the hamster of doom.

[19:32] Unknown speaker: How could I forget? It's a catchy tune.

[19:36] Rubix: It's more of a theme song. I want it played when I am crowned supreme ruler.

[19:42] Unknown speaker: And how is that going to happen exactly?

[19:44] Rubix: Oh, I have plans. Big plans.

[19:48] Unknown speaker: Kitten, Rubix, Brownie, great news. We get to go home. Mom, Dad, and Xander are wrapping up the chickens to get them ready to go. I came up to get all of you ready.

[19:58] Unknown speaker: I agree. It is so exciting. Some of the neighbors are already back. One neighbor told Mom that there were three fire trucks parked in our driveway while the fire was going on. They could see the fire best from our place and were ready to take action if needed. However, we got really lucky. The fire was about a mile from our house when the winds died down. The hotshots, you know the trained wildfire fighters, were able to get in in front of it and stop the progress. Then today, the temperatures dropped and it started to rain. I have never been so happy to see it rain.

[20:26] Unknown speaker: Meow.

[20:28] Unknown speaker: Yes, even you are excited for the rain and you hate rain. However, this rain saved our house and all the houses in the neighborhood. The fire is not completely out, but the forecast shows a whole week of rain ahead. The fire department said that the danger is gone and we can all return home. Come on, let's get you all ready.

[20:46] Unknown speaker: Kitten, would you like to come downstairs with me and walk around a bit while they wrap up the chickens?

[20:50] Kitten: Meow.

[21:02] Unknown speaker: Clucky, you okay all wrapped up down there? Feels like it did when we came here. A hug that won't quit.

[21:08] Clucky: I'm just happy we get to go home. Hey ladies, don't run around. Let them catch you. We want to get a move on. I see them wrapping up the hens. They'll be packed up soon.

[21:18] Unknown speaker: I'm so happy the fire is out. Do you know what the firefighters have left?

[21:22] Unknown speaker: I heard the mom person say that the firefighters will be around for a while still. Did you know that the fire can continue to burn underground into the roots? It's called a ground fire or zombie fire.

[21:36] Unknown speaker: Zombie fire? Like it can come back from the dead?

[21:40] Unknown speaker: Yes, the firefighters are going to stick around for a while and check and make sure that there are no underground fires. If they find any, they will put them out and they'll make sure the fire is fully out at the base of the tree so it doesn't get to the roots. They work really hard to prevent the roots from catching fire because it can start a forest fire all over again.

[22:00] Unknown speaker: Well man, they can stay as long as they like to keep those fires out.

[22:04] Unknown speaker: I agree. Hey you two, mom is finishing up with the hens and then we'll just pack up and get on our way. It'll be so nice to sleep in our own beds again.

[22:12] Unknown speaker: Can't wait! Me-ow!

[22:20] Amy Daniels: Thank you for joining us for today's episode. Character voices were performed by Olga Rivera as Rosie.

[22:24] Olga Rivera: If you say so.

[22:28] Matt Daniels: and Dad.

[22:30] Matt Daniels: We already knew what to pack.

[22:32] Matt Daniels: and Oscar.

[22:34] Matt Daniels: We have not been introduced.

[22:36] Corbin Daniels: as Xander.

[22:38] Corbin Daniels: You're free!

[22:40] Parker Daniels: and Brownie.

[22:42] Parker Daniels: Home would be nice.

[22:44] Parker Daniels: as Maddox.

[22:46] Parker Daniels: It'll be so nice to sleep in our own beds again.

[22:48] Unknown speaker: Bridget.

[22:50] Unknown speaker: It's not like I can go anywhere on my own.

[22:52] Unknown speaker: Bella.

[22:54] Unknown speaker: Are you having thoughts?

[22:56] Unknown speaker: and Brigitte.

[22:58] Unknown speaker: What kind of thoughts?

[23:00] Amy Daniels: and Mom. You can always ask me anything.

[23:04] Unknown speaker: Kitten.

[23:06] Unknown speaker: Me-ow, I wish I had a book to look this information up.

[23:08] Unknown speaker: Klucky.

[23:10] Unknown speaker: Zombiefire!

[23:12] Unknown speaker: and Rubix.

[23:14] Unknown speaker: Oh, I have plans. Big plans.

[23:16] Amy Daniels: Special thanks to our theme song composer Henry Johnson. Did you know he wrote that when he was only 12 years old?

[23:22] Unknown speaker: Wow, he is so talented!

[23:24] Amy Daniels: This episode was written by Amy Daniels and Christine Rosen. The Kitten and Klucky podcast was created, edited, and produced by Amy Daniels, all rights reserved. Music and sound effects provided by Epidemic Sound and Premium Beats.