Set among the misty peaks and hidden trails of stories of Appalachia, follow twelve-year-old Maggie as she embarks on a dangerous journey with only her favorite llama, Churro, by her side to prove she can help save the family’s mountain lodge.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Maggie and Churro
Twelve-year-old Maggie stood on the porch of Mount LeConte Lodge, staring out at the misty peaks of the Smoky Mountains. The early morning sun was just beginning to rise, casting a soft glow over the valley below. Today was llama day—the day her favorite animals would come up the Grotto Falls Trail, carrying supplies to the lodge.
She tugged on her hiking boots and grabbed her worn-out cap, her heart racing with excitement. “Dad, I’m heading down to meet the llamas!” she called into the cabin.
Her father, who had owned and run the lodge for as long as Maggie could remember, was sitting in his chair by the fireplace. He looked up from his book and smiled weakly. “Don’t go too far, Maggie. We’ve got a lot to do today.”
Maggie’s smile faltered. She knew that her father had been struggling lately. The long days of managing the lodge, combined with his worsening knee pain, had him talking more and more about selling the place. The thought gave Maggie butterflies in her tummy. This lodge, these mountains, and the llamas—they were all part of her. She couldn’t imagine leaving it all behind.
But today, she wasn’t going to think about that. Today was for the llamas.
She hurried down the trail toward the spot where the wranglers usually unloaded the animals. She could already hear the soft clinking of metal against rock, the sound of the llamas’ hooves as they made their way up the mountain. Maggie grinned when she spotted Churro, her favorite llama, leading the pack. He was smaller than the others, with soft brown fur and a white patch on his nose that always reminded Maggie of snow on the peaks.
“Hey, Churro!” Maggie called, running toward him.
The llama lifted his head and gave a soft grunt, his large dark eyes watching her approach. Maggie reached out and patted his neck, feeling the warmth of his thick fur beneath her palm. Churro was stubborn, but he and Maggie had a bond that went beyond words.
“Ready to help me out again this summer?” Maggie whispered to him, and Churro huffed in response.
The wranglers, sturdy men who had worked the trails for years, waved as they began unloading the supplies. Maggie stood by, watching with eager eyes as food, tools, and other necessities were unloaded from the llamas’ saddlebags. The work never ended at Mount LeConte Lodge, but that was part of what Maggie loved about it.
She spent the morning helping organize supplies, making sure everything was carried up to the lodge. By lunchtime, the llamas had already started their trek back down the mountain, and the lodge was bustling with activity. Maggie’s father was inside, working with her mother to prepare for the guests who would soon arrive.
But all Maggie could think about was the conversation she had overheard last night.
“We can’t keep doing this,” her father had said, his voice low and tired. “The lodge needs more attention than we can give, and my knees aren’t getting any better. We have to think about selling.”
Maggie had crept back to her room, her heart pounding in her chest. Sell the lodge? The idea seemed impossible. She had grown up here, spent every summer running through the trails, helping with the llamas, and meeting the hikers who arrived after a long trek. The thought of losing all of it made her feel as if a part of her would disappear, too.
She couldn’t let it happen.
An idea began to form in her mind, one that made her pulse quicken. She would prove to her parents that she was ready to help more. If she could take on some of the work, maybe they wouldn’t have to sell the lodge. And she knew just how to do it.
Tomorrow was another supply day, but instead of waiting for the wranglers, Maggie would take Churro down herself and bring supplies up. It would be hard, but she knew the trail better than anyone, and with Churro leading the way, she was sure they could do it. She wouldn’t ask for permission—she knew her parents would say no—but when she returned with the supplies, they’d see that she was serious.
Chapter Two: Into the Mist
The next morning, Maggie woke before dawn. Her parents were still asleep, and the lodge was quiet, save for the gentle creaking of the wooden beams as the wind stirred outside. Maggie slipped into her boots, grabbed her pack, and headed outside. The cool morning air hit her face, and the mist that clung to the mountains made everything seem dreamlike and quiet.
She made her way down the trail, her heart pounding in her chest. What she was about to do wasn’t exactly allowed, but it wasn’t strictly forbidden either. Her father had always said that the mountain rewarded those who knew it well, and Maggie knew every inch of the Grotto Falls Trail.
When she reached the spot where the llamas were kept, she found Churro resting in his pen. His large ears perked up when he saw her, and Maggie smiled.
“Good morning, Churro,” she whispered, slipping a rope around his neck. “We’ve got a big job today.”
Churro stood, his body shaking off the night’s chill, and Maggie led him out of the pen. She quickly saddled him with an empty pack, knowing that they’d fill it once they reached the trailhead. The other llamas watched them leave, but Maggie didn’t take any more—just Churro. He was enough.
The trail down was steep, but Maggie had walked it countless times before. She moved carefully, guiding Churro over the rocky path and through the patches of thick underbrush. Grotto Falls roared in the distance, its sound growing louder as they neared the lower part of the trail. Maggie felt a rush of excitement as the morning sun began to break through the mist. They were going to make it.
By midday, they reached the trailhead, where the supplies were waiting in crates. Maggie took a deep breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead. Now came the hard part.
She loaded the supplies onto Churro’s back, securing them tightly with the ropes her father had taught her to use. The llama stood patiently, his large eyes watching her as she worked. When the last crate was empty, Maggie stepped back and admired her work.
“We’re ready,” she said, patting Churro’s neck. “Let’s head home.”
Chapter Three: The Storm
As Maggie and Churro began the climb back up the trail, the sky darkened. Clouds rolled in, thick and heavy, and a distant rumble of thunder echoed through the mountains. Maggie’s stomach wobbled with worry. A storm was coming.
She quickened her pace, urging Churro forward. The trail, which had been dry and firm, was beginning to turn slick with mud as the first drops of rain fell. Maggie’s boots slid over the rocks, and she had to hold onto Churro’s reins tightly to keep her balance.
“Come on, Churro,” Maggie whispered. “We can do this.”
But the storm came fast, faster than she had expected. The wind howled through the trees, bending the branches and sending leaves flying across the path. Rain pelted down, soaking Maggie’s clothes and turning the trail into a muddy river. Churro stumbled, his hooves slipping on the slick rocks.
Maggie’s heart pounded. They couldn’t turn back now—the supplies were too important, and she was determined to prove herself. But the storm was making the trail dangerous, and they still had a long way to go.
Suddenly, Churro stopped. His ears flattened against his head, and he let out a nervous grunt. Maggie tugged on his reins, but he refused to move.
“What’s wrong, boy?” she asked, her voice trembling.
Churro’s eyes darted toward the trees, and Maggie felt a chill run down her spine. In the distance, she could hear the faint rumble of rocks—landslides were not uncommon in these mountains during storms. They had to keep moving.
“Come on, Churro,” Maggie urged, pulling harder on the reins. But the llama wouldn’t budge. He stood, his legs trembling, his body tense.
Maggie took a deep breath and stood in front of him, looking into his eyes. “Listen, I know it’s scary, but we’ve got to keep going. We’re almost there, I promise.”
She reached out and patted his neck, trying to calm him. Churro released a soft huff, and finally, after what felt like an eternity, he took a step forward. Maggie smiled through the rain.
“That’s it, boy. We’re going to make it.”
Chapter Four: Homeward Bound
The storm didn’t let up, but Maggie and Churro pressed on. The trail became more treacherous with every step, but they kept moving slowly and carefully. Maggie’s clothes were soaked through, her boots caked with mud, but she refused to give up.
By the time they reached the top of the trail, the rain had begun to slow. The wind had died down, and the clouds were starting to break, letting in patches of sunlight. Maggie could see the lodge in the distance, a warm glow in the misty morning.
“We did it, Churro,” she whispered, her voice hoarse with exhaustion. “We made it.”
When they finally reached the lodge, Maggie’s father was waiting on the porch, his face pale with worry. He rushed down the steps as Maggie and Churro came into view.
“Maggie!” he called, his voice shaking with a mix of relief and concern. “What on earth were you thinking?”
Maggie sat down, her legs trembling with exhaustion. “I… I wanted to help. I wanted to show you that I can do this, that we don’t have to sell the lodge.”
Her father stared at her for a moment, taking in the mud-splattered clothes, the drenched hair, and the tired but determined look in her eyes. His gaze shifted to Churro, who stood patiently with the supplies still strapped to his back, then back to Maggie.
“Maggie, you could’ve been hurt,” he said softly, kneeling to her level. “But… you did it. You really did it.”
Maggie blinked up at him, surprised. She had expected a lecture, but instead, there was a flicker of pride in his eyes. She glanced at Churro, who gave a soft grunt as if to say, “We made it together.”
Her father sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened to you, but you proved something today. This lodge means the world to you, doesn’t it?”
Maggie nodded, her throat tight with emotion. “It’s our home.”
He smiled a tired but genuine smile. “Well, I guess we’ll have to figure out how to keep it. But from now on, no more solo llama adventures, okay?”
Maggie laughed, relief washing over her. “Deal.”
Together, they unloaded the supplies, and as Maggie worked beside her father, she felt a deep sense of satisfaction. She had done it. She had shown him that the lodge, the llamas, and the mountains were as much a part of her as they were of him.
And as the pastel sunset faded over the Smokies, Maggie knew one thing for certain: the lodge would stay, and so would they.
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