Chapter 138: Papa no cry
For one heartbeat, Swanly could not move.
Five tiny bodies.
Alive.
Muddy.
Smiling.
Sitting all over Druun like they had returned from a pleasant afternoon walk instead of the forbidden forest.
Then Miko lifted the glowing blue herb over his head.
"Mama!"
Swanly broke.
She ran.
"MAMA!"
Miko barely had time to open his arms before Swanly ripped him from Druun’s head and crushed him against her chest.
Her knees hit the ground.
She did not care.
"Oh my God."
Her voice shattered.
She kissed his hair.
His forehead.
Both cheeks.
Then hugged him so tightly he squeaked.
"Mama squish!"
"You disappeared!"
Another sob escaped her.
"You disappeared!"
Kairo climbed down Druun’s arm.
Swanly grabbed him too.
Then Nilo.
Suddenly all three boys were trapped against her chest while she cried into their hair.
Kairo’s little arms wrapped around her neck immediately.
"Mama..."
Nilo pressed his face against her shoulder.
"We okay."
"No!"
Swanly pulled back, tears streaming down her face.
"You are not okay! You went into the forbidden forest!"
Miko proudly raised the herb again.
"But Mama..."
"No!"
His mouth closed.
Kael reached them next.
He shifted so violently his clothes barely survived it.
For one second he only stared.
His sons.
Alive.
Then all three disappeared into his arms.
Even Kairo stopped pretending to be grown.
"Papa!"
Kael buried his face against their heads.
His shoulders shook once.
Only once.
Miko patted him.
"Papa no cry."
"I am not crying."
Miko touched the wetness beneath his eye.
"Water."
Kael grabbed him tighter.
"Be quiet."
"Yes, Papa."
Tilla was sobbing somewhere behind them.
"Tavi!"
Her tiny mink cub launched himself at her.
"Mama!"
She fell to her knees and hugged him so hard his feet left the ground.
"What did I tell you about trouble?!"
Tavi burst into tears.
"No trouble!"
"You disappeared into the forest!"
"Miko say safe!"
Every adult head turned toward Miko.
Miko slowly lowered his herb.
Ena had Lumi crushed against her chest.
Lumi’s rabbit ears were completely flattened beneath her mother’s chin.
"You followed them?"
Lumi sniffled.
"I help."
"You help WHAT?"
"Kairo."
Kairo looked offended.
"I not need help."
Lumi immediately twisted around.
"You scared too!"
"I brave scared!"
"You scream!"
"That Miko!"
Miko gasped.
"Why blame Miko?"
Nilo quietly moved behind Swanly.
Smartest cub in the family.
Then Swanly remembered.
Druun.
She stood.
Slowly.
Her tears did not stop.
But something else entered her face.
Fear became rage.
Druun was still standing several steps away.
Huge.
Silent.
His enormous hand remained extended.
Blue herbs glowed in his palm.
Swanly stared at them.
Then at him.
"You."
Druun’s shoulders shifted.
Swanly marched toward him.
Kael rose behind her.
Soren came to her other side.
The entire search party closed in.
Swanly pointed toward the forbidden forest.
"What the fuck were you thinking?!"
Druun’s eyes widened.
"You took five cubs into there!"
Druun shook his head.
"Mama," Miko started.
Swanly did not hear him.
"You knew that place was dangerous!"
Druun lowered the herbs slightly.
"You knew!"
His mouth opened.
"Druun..."
"No!"
She slammed both palms against one enormous finger.
It did absolutely nothing.
But Druun flinched anyway.
"You are strong enough to survive in there. They are babies!"
His eyes moved toward the cubs.
His face changed.
Swanly’s voice cracked.
"If something had happened..."
She could not finish.
Her hand flew to her mouth.
Kael stepped closer behind her.
His golden eyes were murderous.
"You should never have taken them."
Druun looked at him.
Then at the cubs.
Then down at the herbs in his palm.
His enormous shoulders slowly lowered.
Raku arrived with more hunters.
He took one look at Swanly crying and Druun standing before the children.
His expression hardened.
"You brought the cubs beyond the marked boundary?"
Druun shook his head again.
Nobody understood.
A Riverbone female hugged her own child tighter.
"What if something followed them back?"
Another male snapped, "He knows that forest better than us. He should have known!"
"Exactly!"
"He could have gotten them killed!"
Tilla stood, still holding Tavi.
Her fear had become anger now.
"My cub has never gone that far!"
Tavi opened his mouth.
"Mama..."
"Not now!"
"But..."
"No!"
Ena pointed toward Druun.
"You should have brought them back the moment you saw them!"
Druun’s face fell further.
He tried extending the herbs.
Nobody took them.
"Happy..."
Swanly stared.
"What?"
Druun struggled.
"Female..."
Miko jumped.
"MAMA HAPPY PLANT!"
Nobody listened.
Druun’s hand slowly lowered.
His eyes lost their brightness.
For the first time since Swanly met him, he looked small.
Impossible for something that enormous.
But he did.
He looked like a creature that had tried to protect something precious and somehow returned home accused of nearly destroying it.
His fingers curled carefully around the herbs.
Not crushing them.
Protecting them.
Even now.
Nerin noticed first.
His gentle green eyes moved from Druun’s face to the cubs.
Something did not fit.
"Wait."
Nobody heard him.
Kael stepped toward Druun.
"If you take my sons anywhere again..."
Miko’s ears shot upright.
"NO!"
Kael stopped.
Miko shoved his way out from between Swanly and his brothers.
"Miko," Swanly warned.
The tiny cub marched forward.
His muddy face was furious.
Everyone continued speaking around him.
"We need stricter rules."
"The children cannot be allowed near him alone."
"Maybe Druun should remain outside the settlement."
Druun’s eyes lowered.
Miko’s entire body began shaking.
Not with fear.
With outrage.
He inhaled.
Kairo saw it.
His eyes widened.
"Oh no."
Miko screamed.
"SHUUUUUT UUUUUUP!"
Silence exploded across the forest.
Birds flew from three nearby trees.
Raku physically jerked.
Swanly stared.
Miko stood with both fists clenched, chest rising and falling.
His tiny face was red.
He pointed at everyone.
"Too loud!"
Nobody spoke.
Miko nodded, satisfied.
Then he pointed at himself.
"Miko idea."
Swanly’s face slowly changed.
"What?"
Miko proudly slapped his chest.
"Miko hear lady say happy plant make pregnant Mama no tummy hurt."
Swanly went completely still.
Miko pointed toward Kairo.
"Miko tell brothers."
Kairo immediately looked at the ground.
Traitorous silence.
"Nilo come."
Nilo became very interested in a stone.
"Lumi come."
Lumi hid behind Ena.
"Tavi come."
Tavi began crying again.
"Mama, sorry!"
Miko continued proudly.
"We ask Giant."
Druun lifted his head.
"He say no."
Swanly’s eye twitched.
Miko smiled.
"So we follow."
Absolute silence.