Chapter 136: The Cubs Followed the Giant 1
Swanly stared at Thalara.
One of her sisters may have created Druun.
That sentence should have started another hundred questions.
It nearly did.
Swanly opened her mouth.
Thalara looked at her.
Swanly closed it again.
No.
Not now.
Because every time Thalara opened one door, seventeen more appeared behind it.
But the thought would not leave her.
Thalara had been trapped beneath the Rot Nest.
Her sisters had been imprisoned.
Ancient creatures that should have remained asleep were waking.
Now Druun had scars from the same ancient binding metal.
Was the apocalypse really just infection?
Or had the infection only disturbed something much older?
Swanly touched her stomach unconsciously.
"Can it be ended?"
Thalara’s forehead eye shifted toward her.
"The rot?"
"The apocalypse."
Thalara went very still.
That was enough to make Swanly’s stomach sink.
Before she could ask anything else, Thalara turned away.
"Another time."
Swanly stared after her.
"Of course."
Always another time.
Always half an answer.
Fine.
She would corner the strange root woman later.
Right now, she was starving again.
Swanly turned.
"Where is my food?"
Kael looked at her.
"You ate."
"I know."
"You ate a lot."
"I know."
Soren’s mouth twitched.
Kael glared at him.
Swanly pointed at both males.
"Neither of you speak. Find me food."
Kael immediately turned.
Soren did too.
They nearly walked into each other.
Both stopped.
Both looked at each other.
Swanly closed her eyes.
Pregnancy was going to kill her before the apocalypse managed it.
...
Ironwood Basin settled back into noise.
Stone struck stone.
Females sorted roots.
Hunters cleaned meat.
Tovan shouted directions at anyone unfortunate enough to walk near his new wall.
Druun eventually moved away from the center and lay beneath a cluster of enormous trees.
The ground dipped beneath his body.
Within moments, he looked almost asleep.
Almost.
One eye remained slightly open.
Watching the little creatures invading his home.
Especially the cubs.
Which should have worried everyone far more than it did.
Unfortunately, everyone had started trusting him.
A little.
That was the mistake.
Not Druun’s.
The cubs’.
Miko was sitting beside a cooking shelter chewing dried fruit when two older females began talking nearby.
"The moonbell herb grows farther east."
"Near the forbidden stones?"
"Yes."
"I would not go there."
"Neither would I. But my mother used it when she carried my brother. Eased the stomach pains."
"It helped?"
"She said it calmed everything. Even made her happy enough to stop shouting at Father."
The second female laughed.
Miko stopped chewing.
His little ears rose.
"Happy?"
Neither female noticed him.
"My aunt said it glows after sunset. Soft blue leaves."
"Beautiful plant."
"And useful for pregnant females."
Miko slowly lowered the fruit from his mouth.
Pregnant females.
Mama.
Mama had been tired.
Mama had been hurting.
Mama had cried.
His little face became serious.
Very serious.
Dangerously serious.
"Mama need happy plant."
No one heard him.
That was unfortunate for everyone.
Ten minutes later, five cubs were gathered beneath a broad leaf behind the planting rows.
Miko stood in the middle.
Kairo sat with his arms crossed.
Nilo crouched quietly beside him.
Lumi’s rabbit ears poked above the leaf.
Tavi looked like he already regretted being born.
Miko whispered:
"Secret."
Kairo frowned.
"Why secret?"
"Because adventure."
"That bad reason."
"No."
"Yes."
Miko pointed dramatically toward the eastern forest.
"There happy plant."
Nilo blinked.
"What plant?"
"Make Mama no hurt."
The brothers went quiet.
Miko touched his own stomach.
"Mama baby make tummy bad."
Kairo’s expression softened.
Nilo looked toward the settlement.
Miko continued.
"We get plant. Mama happy."
Lumi’s ears twitched.
"Where?"
Miko pointed.
"Forest."
Every cub froze.
Tavi immediately shook his head.
"No."
Miko looked at him.
"My Mama say no trouble."
"That good Mama," Kairo muttered.
Tavi nodded quickly.
"No forest. Forest eat cub."
"It not eat."
"How know?"
Miko paused.
Then pointed toward Druun sleeping in the distance.
"Giant."
Four little heads turned.
Druun’s chest rose and fell beneath the trees.
Miko’s eyes brightened.
"Giant big."
Nilo nodded cautiously.
"Very big."
"Giant strong."
Kairo nodded.
"Very strong."
"Nothing eat giant."
Lumi stared at Druun.
"...Maybe."
Miko spread his arms.
"So safe."
Kairo frowned.
"That not mean we go."
Miko immediately changed tactics.
He clasped both little hands beneath his chin.
"Mama hurt."
Kairo’s ears lowered.
"Mama sad sometimes."
Nilo looked down.
Miko’s lip trembled.
Not because he was actually about to cry.
Because he had discovered manipulation.
"Mama need cub help."
Tavi’s resolve weakened visibly.
Lumi looked uncomfortable.
Kairo tried to remain strong.
"Mama say no forest."
Miko leaned closer.
"If get happy plant..."
He whispered like revealing the greatest secret in the world.
"Mama proud."
Kairo’s eyes changed.
Miko saw it.
Victory.
"Mama say, ’Kairo brave.’"
Kairo sat straighter.
"Nilo smart."
Nilo’s ears lifted.
"Lumi strong."
Lumi immediately stopped looking frightened.
"Tavi good cub."
Tavi blinked.
Then Miko slapped both hands against his chest.
"And Miko hero."
Kairo narrowed his eyes.
"You just want hero."
"No."
"You do."
"Little."
Nilo sighed.
"We ask giant."
Miko beamed.
"YES."
Kairo pointed at him.
"If giant say no, we no go."
Miko’s smile remained suspiciously bright.
"Okay."
That should have warned them.
...
Druun woke because something was climbing his face.
His enormous eye opened.
Miko was standing on his shoulder.
Kairo was gripping a fold in his hide.
Nilo sat carefully near his collarbone.
Lumi hung from one enormous finger.
Tavi sat safely on the ground and looked like the only person in the group blessed with survival instincts.
Druun blinked.
Miko leaned over his face.
"Giant."
Druun blinked again.
"Need help."
Druun slowly sat up.
The cubs squealed as the world rose beneath them.
Lumi grabbed his finger with both arms.
"High!"
Miko giggled.
Then remembered he was supposed to look pitiful.
His face collapsed instantly.
Big golden eyes.
Tiny trembling mouth.
Ears down.
"Giant..."
Druun stared.
"Mama hurt."
His expression changed.
Miko pointed toward the eastern forest.
"Happy plant."
Druun’s face immediately became hard.
"No."
Miko blinked.
"Please?"
"No."
"Little go."
"No."
"Kairo protect."
"No."
"Giant protect."
Druun shook his enormous head.
"No."
Miko turned toward his brothers.
"Help."
Kairo swallowed.
"Mama stomach hurt."
Nilo added softly:
"Plant help pregnant female."
Lumi nodded.
"Mama Swanly happy."
Tavi whispered:
"Then we go home."
Everyone ignored him.
Druun carefully removed Miko from his shoulder.
Placed him on the ground.
Then Kairo.
Then Nilo.
Lumi had wrapped herself around his finger.
Druun stared at her.
She stared back.
He gently shook his hand once.
Lumi tightened.
"No."
Druun sighed.
He lowered his finger to the ground.
She finally climbed off.
Miko stood before him.
"Please?"
Druun pointed toward the settlement.
"Home."
"But Mama."
"Home."
Miko’s shoulders collapsed.
"Fine."
Kairo stared.
That was easy.
Too easy.
Miko turned away.
"Come."
The cubs followed.
Druun watched them leave.
Miko did not look back.
Not once.
The second they disappeared behind the planting rows, he dragged everyone beneath another giant leaf.
Kairo’s eyes widened.
"What?"
Miko whispered:
"We follow."
Tavi’s mouth fell open.
"But giant say no!"
"He go forest."
Nilo stared at him.
"You lied."
Miko looked offended.
"No."
"You say fine."
"Fine mean giant no take."
Kairo slowly understood.
"No."
Miko smiled.
"We take selves."
"NO."
"Mama proud."
Kairo’s mouth closed.
Lumi whispered:
"Adventure."
Tavi looked around desperately for an adult.
There were none nearby.
He was doomed.
Miko put his tiny hand in the middle.
"For Mama."
Nilo stared at it.
Then sighed and placed his hand over Miko’s.
Kairo groaned.
His hand joined.
"For Mama."
Lumi added hers.
Tavi stared.
Everyone stared at him.
"No."
Miko widened his eyes.
Tavi’s ears lowered.
"No."
Miko’s lip trembled.
Tavi lasted three seconds.
He added his hand.
"No trouble."
Miko grinned.
"No trouble."
They should never have trusted that sentence.
...
Druun entered the eastern forest shortly after midday.
Five tiny shadows followed him.
At first, it was wonderful.
Miko had to cover his mouth to stop giggling.
Druun’s footprints were so large all five cubs could stand inside one.
Lumi jumped from print to print.
"Look!"
Kairo whispered fiercely:
"Quiet!"
"You louder."
"I whisper!"
"You bad whisper."
Nilo pointed toward Druun’s distant back.
"He stop."
Everyone dropped.
Miko dove behind a root.
Lumi flattened behind Kairo.
Tavi landed on his stomach.
Nobody breathed.
Druun scratched his shoulder.
Then continued walking.
Miko slowly lifted his head.
"Almost catch."
Kairo grabbed his tail.
"Stay close."
"I close."
"You always say close before disappearing."
"I here."
"For now."
They continued.
The trees thickened.
Light became thin.
Then thinner.
Eventually, Ironwood’s bright green disappeared behind them.
The air changed.
Sweet.
Wet.
Wrong.
Tavi stopped.
"What smell?"
Nilo sniffed.
His face tightened.
"Rotten."
A dragging sound came from far between the trees.
Wet.
Slow.
Scrape.
Pause.
Scrape.
Lumi grabbed Kairo’s arm.
"What that?"
Kairo swallowed.
"Nothing."
Another sound answered from deeper inside.
Something heavy moving through mud.
Tavi’s eyes filled.
"I want Mama."