Surviving Zombies Was Easier Than Raising Beast Cubs

Swanly stared at him.

Kael stared at him.

Soren stared at him.

Raku slowly covered his mouth.

Miko continued, apparently unaware that he was confessing to several crimes.

"Giant not take cub."

He pointed at Druun.

"Giant say home."

Then at himself.

"Miko say follow."

Kairo muttered:

"You say Mama proud."

"Yes!"

Miko bounced.

"We heroes."

Swanly looked horrified.

"You..."

Her voice vanished.

Miko held up the glowing herb.

"We get Mama medicine!"

He ran toward her.

"Mama no hurt now!"

Swanly looked at the glowing herb.

Then at Miko.

Then at Druun.

Everything inside her went cold.

The truth rearranged itself piece by piece.

Druun had not taken them.

He had found them.

The cubs had followed him after he explicitly told them no.

He had carried all five through a part of Ironwood that even he feared.

He had protected them.

He had picked the herbs they wanted because they told him Swanly was hurting.

Then he had brought every single cub home.

Alive.

Uninjured.

Not one missing.

Not one bleeding.

Swanly slowly looked over Druun again.

Only now did she notice the fresh scratches along one enormous shoulder.

Long marks.

Something had struck him.

He had wounds.

The cubs did not.

Her stomach dropped.

"Oh."

Druun stood several steps away.

His enormous shoulders were lowered.

The bundle of blue herbs remained cradled in one palm.

He could have crushed every person who had surrounded him.

Instead, he looked like someone had struck him somewhere claws could not reach.

Swanly’s shame hit hard.

She had screamed at him.

Kael had threatened him.

Half the settlement had accused him.

And Druun had barely been able to defend himself.

Druun pointed toward Miko.

"Follow."

Then toward himself.

"Find."

His huge hand carefully gestured toward the five cubs.

"Safe."

Three broken words.

That was all he had.

Swanly’s throat tightened.

"Druun."

He looked down.

"Look at me."

For several breaths, he did not.

That hurt worse.

Swanly stepped closer.

"I was scared."

His eyes finally lifted.

She swallowed.

"That does not make what I said fair."

Druun blinked.

"I thought you took them."

He shook his head immediately.

"No take."

"I know."

"Cub follow."

"I know."

Miko raised one tiny hand.

"Miko plan."

Swanly’s head slowly turned.

There he stood.

Covered in mud.

Hair full of leaves.

Holding one glowing herb like a warrior returning from glorious battle.

Proud.

So horribly proud.

Swanly closed her eyes.

"Of course it was."

Miko slapped his chest.

"Miko hero."

Her eyes opened.

"You are the opposite of a hero right now."

His mouth dropped open.

Kairo muttered, "Told you."

Miko whipped around.

"You come!"

Kairo stiffened.

"That not matter."

"It matters!"

Nilo quietly stepped backward.

Swanly pointed.

"Do not even try disappearing."

Nilo stopped.

Miko rushed forward with the herb in both hands.

"Mama."

His face became excited again.

"Mama tummy hurt."

Swanly froze.

Miko touched his own stomach.

"Make bad face."

"What bad face?"

Miko immediately scrunched his entire face.

Eyes squeezed shut.

Tongue slightly out.

One hand clutched his stomach as he groaned dramatically.

"Uhhhhhh."

Kairo stared.

"That not Mama face."

"It is!"

Nilo considered it.

"Little similar."

Swanly did not know whether to laugh or cry.

Miko stopped performing.

"Lady say blue plant make pregnant Mama no hurt."

His eyes shone.

"Make Mama happy."

He held the herb higher.

"So Miko get."

Simple.

Perfectly simple in his tiny head.

Mama hurt.

Plant stopped hurt.

Therefore, go into forbidden nightmare forest and retrieve plant.

Swanly stared at him.

"You nearly got eaten because my stomach hurt."

Miko frowned.

"Not eat. Giant there."

"That does not make it better!"

"Giant very big."

"I KNOW!"

Druun shifted awkwardly.

Miko pointed at him as though presenting irrefutable evidence.

"Nothing eat Giant."

Druun looked toward the forbidden forest.

His expression suggested he strongly disagreed.

Swanly caught that.

Her blood chilled.

"What happened in there?"

The cubs went strangely quiet.

Tavi immediately hugged Tilla’s leg.

Lumi’s ears dropped.

Kairo stared at the ground.

Nilo answered because apparently one child in this group possessed honesty.

"Bad sounds."

Swanly’s face changed.

"What sounds?"

"Dragging."

Tilla pulled Tavi closer.

Ena grabbed Lumi.

Nilo continued.

"Something flying too."

Swanly looked at Druun’s scratched shoulder.

There it was.

Her stomach twisted.

"You protected them from something."

Druun did not answer.

Tavi did.

"Giant cover."

His little voice shook.

"When sky thing come, Giant hand over us."

Tilla’s face drained of color.

She looked at Druun.

"You covered them?"

Druun nodded.

Tilla’s anger disappeared.

Her mouth trembled.

A few moments earlier she had been shouting at him.

Now she hugged Tavi tighter.

"I..."

She could not finish.

Ena checked Lumi all over again, as though wounds might suddenly appear.

Lumi squirmed.

"Mama, fine."

"You could have died."

"But Giant..."

"I know."

Ena looked toward Druun.

Her expression softened painfully.

"I know now."

Miko tugged Swanly’s clothing.

"Mama still proud?"

Swanly looked down.

His golden eyes had begun filling.

Damn him.

She crouched.

"I am proud that you wanted to help me."

His entire face brightened.

Really brightened.

Miko bounced once on his little feet, hugging the glowing herb against his chest.

"Miko knew! Mama proud!"

Something inside Swanly snapped.

"This is not funny, Miko!"

Her shout made him freeze.

The smile vanished from his face.

"There is nothing to be happy about!"

His ears dropped.

"You could have died!"

Her voice broke.

"All of you could have died, and I would have been here waiting for babies who were never coming home!"

Miko stared at her.

The excitement slowly drained from his little face.

Swanly’s eyes filled again.

"I am NOT proud of how you did it."

The brightness was completely gone now.

"Little proud?"

"No."

"Tiny?"

"Miko."

"One bit?"

Her throat tightened.

"No."

His shoulders slumped.

"Okay."

Kairo leaned toward Nilo.

"She tiny proud."

Swanly’s head snapped around.

"I HEARD THAT."

Both brothers froze.

Kairo pointed immediately.

"Nilo say."

Nilo stared at him.

"You liar."

Miko gasped.

"Brother fight!"

Swanly grabbed all three before another disaster began.

"No one is fighting."

She pulled them against her.

Miko buried his face in her neck.

"I wanted Mama happy."

That destroyed what remained of her anger.

"I know, baby."

She kissed his muddy cheek.

"I know."

Kairo pressed against her side.

His voice was quieter.

"I went because Miko go anyway."

Swanly looked at him.

"That was your reason?"

Kairo nodded.

"He not listen."

Miko lifted his head.

"Miko listen."

Four people immediately said:

"No."

Miko looked offended.

Nilo touched Swanly’s arm.

"I went because Kairo follow Miko."

Swanly stared.

"So this was one idiot following another idiot to stop the first idiot?"

Nilo nodded.

"Yes."

Lumi raised her hand.

"I went because they stupid."

Kairo spun.

"You came too!"