01x03 - The Puzzle of the Plummeting Eggs/The Missing Mole Rat Princess

[bunniefuu]

Welcome to CLADE. The Covert League

of Animal Detective Experts.

[theme music plays]

Sam Snow.

Kit Casey.

[Sam & Kit] The Creature Cases!

[Scratch] The Puzzle

of the Plummeting Eggs.

[squawks]

[peaceful music plays]

-[indistinct banter]

-[babbles]

Don't worry, darlings.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

[birds chirp]

Cuckoo!

-[upbeat music plays]

-[cameras click]

[beeps]

[Kit] Last one in is a rotten egg!

[splashes]

-Ew…

-Come on in, Sam.

The water's fine.

[grumbles]

What's wrong?

Worried about getting your fur wet?

No, no. I'm, uh,

just doing some stretches first.

[grunts]

[chuckles]

Ah, forget your fur! Just dive in!

I will. Just as soon as I…

-[beeps]

-Oo!

Kit, look! The CLADE crest.

[gasps] Director Scratch has

a new Creature Case for us!

Come on!

[grunts]

Phew!

[grunts]

[record scratch]

Good morning, agents. We've got--

[squawks]

Ah!

Sorry. I was in the pool.

[sighs] Agents,

we've got a puzzling new Creature Case

in the European Wetlands.

The Mice Squad just sent these photos.

Someone or something is making

bird eggs fall out of their nests.

That's terrible!

It's up to you

to figure out what's going on.

Don't worry, Director.

We'll crack the case.

Just don't crack any eggshells.

Remember, CLADE is counting on you.

[upbeat music plays]

[R.O.N.] Now arriving

at destination biome,

European Wetlands.

[Sam] Thanks, R.O.N.

Yuck!

Water looks pretty mucky.

Yahoo!

Ew!

Hm. I never thought I'd say this,

but you're right, Sam.

It is pretty mucky.

We'll move faster with these Super Stilts.

And you won't get your fur wet.

Ha-ha! Good thinking, Kit.

I've never seen so many birds.

Yep.

The wetlands

are a major bird neighborhood.

Good morning, ma'am. I'm Sa--

Caw-caw!

Huh.

Interesting specimen.

Come on, Kit.

We're here to solve a mystery,

not collect feathers.

Okay. Don't soil your spots.

[quiet music plays]

Oh! My poor little egg!

Don't worry, ma'am.

We're from CLADE, and we're here to help.

[gurgling]

Thanks, guys.

[mother bird] That's it!

-There you go.

-Oh, thank you.

I never thought

I'd see my little egg again.

Oh…

This neighborhood's really gone downhill.

Eggs are falling out of nests,

and I hear there's a strange

mystery bird sneaking around.

A mystery bird?

Make way for Wally!

[indistinct commotion]

Ha!

Good day, citizens.

Wally Bungler, nature ranger,

at your service.

Uh… Hello?

He could be the mystery bird

who's messing with our eggs.

Me?

Ha-ha! I'm no bird.

I am a flying squirrel.

And a nature ranger.

Nature ranger?

I heard there was trouble,

so I have come to set things straight.

-[beeps]

-[woman] Wally, dear.

Will you be home for lunch?

I'm making soup.

-[radio crackles]

-Not now, Mom! I'm on a mission!

[radio whines]

What kind of soup?

It's real nice to meet you, Wally Bungler.

But we've got things under control here.

After all, we're agents of CLADE,

the Covert League of Animal Detective E--

Egg alert!

-[Kit] The egg!

-Wally's got it!

[grunts]

Gotcha! [chuckles]

And my fur stayed dry.

Oh my goodness! My egg! What happened?

[gasps] It was the mystery bird!

[Sam] But don't worry.

Your eggs are safe and sound.

[sighs] They're still here,

all three of them.

One, two, three, four.

Huh? Four?

There's an extra egg in my nest!

[beeps]

[Kit] Sam, she's right.

One egg is bigger than the rest.

Hold up. There's an extra egg

in my nest too.

And it's definitely not one of mine.

But where did they come from?

Hm… I'm not sure. But that mystery bird

definitely had something to do with it.

Come on, Kit. We'd better investigate.

Wait for Wally!

Wally!

-[crashes]

-I'm all right.

[funky music plays]

[Clu-Bots chirp]

[Wally] Egg alert!

[music continues]

[Wally] Egg alert!

Whoops.

[music continues]

-Whoa!

-[Wally] Egg alert!

-Whoa!

-[Wally] Oh!

[music continues]

[music fades]

Phew!

[quiet music plays]

[Sam] The situation's always the same.

An egg falls, then a strange new egg

appears in the nest.

And everyone sees this mystery bird

when the eggs go flying.

-[music continues]

-Hm…

Looks sorta familiar.

If we can just figure out

who that mystery bird is,

I'm sure we can figure out why they're--

[Wally] Egg alert!

There!

[bird] Caw-caw!

[exclaims]

"Cuckoo"?

Ah-ha!

The mystery bird strikes again!

And they left a feather behind!

"Cuckoo"…

[gasps]

Cuckoo!

I know. This whole case is cuckoo.

No! I mean, yes.

But we've heard that sound before.

Remember that bird

we met when we first arrived?

It was a cuckoo bird! "Cuckoo!"

We just heard it again when that egg fell.

And look. The feather she left behind

matches the one Wally found.

Whiskers, that's it!

The mystery bird is a cuckoo bird!

Yep. And get this.

Cuckoo birds are known

to be nest parasites.

Nest para-what now?

Nest parasite.

That's when the cuckoo

pushes an egg out of another bird's nest

and lays one of her own.

She tricks other birds

into raising her eggs for her.

So that's what's been going on!

We'd better warn the birdies!

[speaker feedback]

Attention, my feathered friends.

This is Wally Bungler, nature ranger…

[feedback]

…letting you know

there's a cuckoo on the loose!

A cuckoo?

Our eggs!

But worry not!

On my honor as a nature ranger,

Wally will keep you safe!

Who's with me?

[Mom] Wally, dear. Going shopping.

Do you need anything?

Not now, Mom!

[giggles]

If we all work together,

we can stop that cuckoo once and for all!

[all cheer]

[KIt] Everybody, be ready.

That cuckoo could come from any direction.

Don't let her get through.

Caw-caw!

[Kit] There she is!

Not on Wally's watch!

[rock music plays]

Wally!

Whoops!

Caw-caw!

[music continues]

Caw-caw!

Clu-Bots! Go!

[music continues]

Caw-caw!

[music continues]

-[splashes]

-Caw-caw!

[music continues]

[tires screech]

Wally, go!

Wally!

[music continues]

Stay in formation!

[indistinct chirping]

Caw-caw!

Stay sharp, everyone.

She didn't go far.

Caw-c--

[mumbles]

The cuckoo is getting tired.

Keep it up, everyone.

Oh?

[Sam] Don't let her through!

Caw-caw!

Caw-caw!

[all gasp]

[music crescendos]

You'll leave my eggs alone!

Caw!

Ah…

Caw-caw…

[all cheer]

[Kit] We did it!

She's flying away!

[all cheer]

I don't think

she'll be back to bother you.

Thank you for all your help.

You've saved our eggs!

-[cracking]

-Oh?

[Kit] Sam! Look!

They're hatching!

Oh!

Cute little things, aren't they?

[Kit] Three baby chicks!

-[cracks]

-Cuckoo!

And one baby cuckoo.

[Sam] I guess that mama cuckoo

is not coming back for her hatchlings.

Afraid not. Cuckoos lay their eggs

and leave them for someone else

to take care of when they hatch.

But who'll take care

of these baby cuckoos?

You let Wally handle this one. [chuckles]

[happy music plays]

Hey, look!

This way, recruits!

-Ha-ha-ha-ha!

-[cuckooing]

-Your nature-ranger training starts today.

-[cuckooing continues]

Mom, I'm bringing

some new friends home for lunch.

[Mom] That's lovely, dear.

I'll put the kettle on.

[Kit] Woo-hoo!

Go, Wally!

Looks like they're in good hands.

Another Creature Case…

[both] Closed!

I'm impressed, Sam.

You made it the whole day

without getting your fur wet.

-Wally!

-Whoa-- Ah…

[squeaking slide]

Well, almost. [chuckles]

[Kit giggles]

[music fades]

[both] Fact File! Yeah! ♪

Mice Squad Fact File.

-Bill ♪

-Jill ♪

-Status?

-[both] Chill ♪

System Settings?

[both] Set to thrill! ♪

[Jill] Update. Cuckoos!

[both] Fact File! ♪

[Jill] Cuckoo birds are nest parasites!

[Bill] That means they lay their eggs

in other birds' nests. Yuck!

Fact File! ♪

[Jill] Sometimes,

they push eggs out to make room.

[Bill] So they gotta be super sneaky.

[all] Fact File! ♪

[Jill] Cuckoos actually leave

their chicks for other birds to raise.

[Bill] Kinda rude if you ask me.

[R.O.N.] Error. Upload incomplete.

[both] How to fix it?

[R.O.N.] Move your feet.

Fact File! ♪

Fact File! ♪

Fact File! ♪

[both] Yeah! ♪

[Scratch] The Missing Mole Rat Princess.

[squawks]

[rhythmic music plays]

[knocking]

-[male mole] Princess?

-[knocking]

Princess!

[trumpets blare]

Princess, your mother, the queen,

requests your presence at dinner.

[music continues]

She's still not answering, Your Majesty.

Huh?

We're having your favorite,

sweetie. Fresh tubers.

-[record scratch]

-Why won't you come out?! Hmph!

Praiseworthy, break down this door.

Mm-hm.

[grunts, groans]

[grumbles, groans]

[gasps] The princess is gone!

[wails, cries]

[cameras click]

[upbeat music plays]

[beeps]

Mm…

Look, Sam.

They've got stuffed tomatoes,

and sweet potatoes!

Try one!

Ew… Too orange for me.

[gulps] I'll try anything once.

One time, when I was in the jungle

studying tube-nosed fruit bats,

-I even ate a--

-[beeps]

Huh? Dinner can wait, Kit!

The Director's got a Creature Case for us!

[both grunt]

Huh?

[clucking]

Forgive me, agents. I skipped lunch.

Corn kernel?

Mm, no, thank you.

Thanks!

-[Scratch] Hm.

-Mm.

We've got a Creature Case

with royal consequences.

The Naked Mole Rat Princess

has gone missing…

-[wailing]

-…and the queen is beside herself.

I'm sorry. Those are royal mole rats?

But they're naked.

That's why they're called naked mole rats,

Sam. They don't have any fur.

The one in the crown is the queen.

When a female mole rat

starts a new colony,

she becomes the queen,

and her many children become her subjects.

-Hm.

-Like bees in a hive.

The princess

is the queen's eldest daughter,

and tonight she went missing.

Well, what are we waiting for?

Let's find this missing mole rat!

Good luck, agents!

[upbeat music plays]

[music fades]

[R.O.N.] Now arriving

at destination biome,

African Desert.

[Sam] Thanks, R.O.N.

Um, where are the mole rats?

[wind blowing]

And where's the palace?

Sam, the palace is right under your feet.

[Sam] Whoa!

Mole rat tunnels can stretch a long way.

Ha! There's the entrance!

And remember, Sam,

they're all gonna be naked.

Try not to stare.

Ew.

Hiya!

[rhythmic music plays]

[grunts]

[queen wails]

Oh, the misery!

The torment!

My beloved daughter!

[cries]

Your Majesty, I'm Agent Sam Snow.

And I'm Agent Kit Casey.

We're from CLADE,

and we're here to find your daughter.

Oh, thank goodness!

We searched every chamber in the palace.

The sleeping chamber,

the feeding chamber, the toilet chamber!

[water gurgles]

Hm?

The princess is nowhere to be found.

I fear she may have been kidnapped!

[wails]

That's why we're here to help.

Could we see the princess's room?

Praiseworthy will show you.

I can't bear to look.

I assure you,

I conducted a thorough search

of the princess's quarters.

Huh. The princess left

her cute little tiara behind.

[Sam] Look. Fresh dirt.

Hm…

Ah-ha!

A hidden tunnel!

-[dings]

-And it leads up to the surface!

So the princess was taken above ground?

The surface is no place for a mole rat,

let alone a princess!

[queen] Please, agents,

find my kidnapped daughter

before some terrible fate befalls her.

Your Majesty, CLADE is on the case.

Look, Sam! Mole rat footprints!

[beeps]

[Sam] And just as I suspected.

There's only one set.

Which means the princess

wasn't kidnapped at all.

She left on her own!

But why? Mole rats

spend their whole lives underground.

It's dangerous up here.

Lots of critters

would love a little mole rat snack.

Hoo-hoo!

[gasps] Like that hungry owl.

Then we better figure out

where she went, fast.

Follow those footprints!

[swooping sound]

Sam, you hear that?

Is it the princess?

It doesn't sound like a princess.

Sounds more like…

A giant whirling dust devil?

[whooshing]

Run!

[both pant]

-Whoa!

-[grunts]

[both shout]

[tense music plays]

[both panting]

Huh?

-[Kit] Huh! Huh!

-[Sam grunts]

Huh…

Whoa!

Quick! In here!

-Uh.

-Uh…

[both] Shew!

-[both] Whoa!

-What are you two doing here?

What? Are we still above the palace?

Yes. And you should be searching

for the princess,

not lounging around in the sand!

[sighs] We're working on it.

We were sidetracked

by a scorching-hot tornado of sand.

No big deal.

That guy seriously needs a vacation.

[Praiseworthy] I heard that!

The dust devil blew away the footprints.

Any idea which way the princess was going?

Mm… No…

But my iSpyGlove might.

It can detect a creature's body heat.

There! That's gotta be her.

[electronic tone]

-Huh?

-[Kit] Sorry, Sam. That's not gonna work.

Naked mole rats

become the same temperature

as the air around them.

Whiskers!

Well, at least we know

what direction she's headed. Come on!

[Sam] An oasis. Think she got thirsty?

Mole rats actually don't drink. They get

all the water they need from their food.

Oh. Well, maybe she stopped to rest.

Let's ask around.

Excuse me, sir.

Have you seen this mole rat?

[chameleon] Hm…

Yeah. I've seen her.

When?

[gulps] She passed through

a little while ago.

She was wearing a real fancy hat.

Looked brand-new.

A fancy hat? Like a tiara?

[chameleon] No.

I'd say it was more like a crown.

Like the one

the Mole Rat Queen herself wears.

Yeah.

Yeah. Just like that one.

[Sam & Kit] Hm…

Um, excuse me.

Sorry.

I thought I saw a bug.

[Sam] So the princess got a new crown.

But where's she going with it?

[Praiseworthy] Agents?

You've gotta stop doing that.

Her Highness requests a report

on the whereabouts of the princess.

We haven't found her. Yet.

Please, hurry, agents.

I fear she may not last

much longer out here,

what with all the enemies

of our people lurking about.

Hoo-hoo!

Oh my tubers!

-[owl] Woo…

-Whoa!

See what I mean?

Wow. Good thing the mole rats' tunnels

stretch all the way out here.

I can't believe

we're still standing over the palace.

Hang on.

Sam, I think I know

where the princess is going.

Come on!

[both panting]

[tense music plays]

We know the princess left alone

and that she was last seen

wearing a crown.

Now, the princess must be heading

past the boundaries of the palace.

Okay. But why?

Because she wants

to start her own mole rat colony!

That's why she left alone

and why she was wearing a crown!

Whiskers, that's it!

She's going to make her own palace

and become a new mole rat queen!

Exactly!

[owl] Hoo-hoo!

But we're not the only ones

looking for her.

Hoo-hoo!

We gotta find her

before that hungry owl does!

Which way to the closest palace border?

This way.

[gasps] And there's the princess!

Princess, get to cover!

Hoo-hoo!

-[yelps]

-[Sam] Princess, dig!

[babbles frightened]

[owl] Hoo… hoo…

She's not gonna

make it underground in time!

Oh yes, she will.

Clu-Bot, dig!

-[music crescendos]

-[drilling]

[hollers]

[grumbles]

[babbles shamefully]

Princess! Are you all right?

I'm just marvelous!

Thank you for your help.

But I'm not a princess anymore.

I'm now a queen!

And this will be my new palace.

The nursery chamber will go there.

And the toilet chamber over there.

[beeps]

Good news, Your Majesty.

Your daughter is safe and sound.

Oh…

Thank goodness!

[princess] Hello, Mother.

Sorry I left in such a rush.

I just couldn't wait to be queen

and start my own kingdom!

Your own kingdom?

I'm so proud of you!

I could cry tears of joy!

[wails]

[chuckles]

Another Creature Case…

[both] Closed!

-Whoa.

-Princess?

Oh, thank the mighty tubers you're safe!

Praiseworthy!

Gather some food for our guests.

We're having a royal feast!

A royal feast? What are we having?

[chuckles]

[Kit] Looks like your favorite, Sam.

-[chuckles nervously]

-Sweet potatoes!

-[gulps]

-[giggles]

Hm…

If it's good enough for a queen,

it's good enough for me.

[giggles]

[both] Fact File! Yeah! ♪

Mice Squad Fact File.

-Bill ♪

-Jill ♪

-Status?

-[both] Chill ♪

System Settings?

[both] Set to thrill! ♪

[Bill] Update. Naked mole rats.

[both] Fact File! ♪

[Bill] Naked mole rats dig tunnels

that can stretch a really long way.

[Jill] They don't live in palaces,

but each group is led by a queen.

[both] Fact File! ♪

[Bill] Their bodies

don't stay one temperature.

[Jill] They change

to match the air around them.

[all] Fact File! ♪

[Bill] Naked mole rats like

to eat roots, bulbs, and tubers.

[Jill] And for a royal treat,

sweet potatoes.

[R.O.N.] Error. Upload incomplete.

[both] How to fix it?

[R.O.N.] Move your feet.

Fact File! ♪

Fact File! ♪

Fact File! ♪

[both] Yeah! ♪

[closing theme music plays]