Chapter 137: The Cubs Followed the Giant 2
Miko’s smile had disappeared.
He looked backward.
The forest behind them no longer looked familiar.
"Maybe..."
Everyone stared at him.
Miko swallowed.
"Maybe go home?"
Kairo’s eyes widened.
"You say that now?!"
Miko’s ears flattened.
"Forest got scary."
Nilo whispered:
"We should turn."
Lumi nodded violently.
"Yes."
Tavi was already crying silently.
Then Miko looked ahead.
Druun was still visible.
Farther between the trees.
"We almost there."
Kairo stared at him.
"How know?"
Miko opened his mouth.
Stopped.
Thought.
"I don’t."
Silence.
"But we already started."
Kairo’s face became unbelievable.
Nilo slowly covered his eyes.
Lumi whispered:
"We follow stupid cub."
Tavi sniffled.
"I knew."
Miko puffed his cheeks.
"Not stupid."
A massive shadow moved ahead.
All five screamed silently and dove behind a fallen trunk.
Druun stopped.
His head turned.
Slowly.
His eyes narrowed.
One tiny black ear remained visible behind the wood.
Druun stared at it.
The ear disappeared.
Another tiny rabbit ear popped up.
Then vanished.
Druun closed his eyes.
He knew.
Of course.
He turned around.
The cubs panicked.
"Hide!"
"Where?!"
"Under Tavi!"
"Why me?!"
Miko crawled beneath Kairo.
Kairo shoved him out.
Lumi pressed herself against the tree.
Nilo simply sat down.
It was over.
Druun reached them in several enormous steps.
Five guilty faces looked up.
He stared.
Miko smiled.
"Hi."
Druun’s face became deeply tired.
He reached down.
Miko squealed as an enormous hand closed carefully around his middle.
Kairo was picked up next.
Then Nilo.
Tavi.
Lumi tried running.
One giant finger hooked gently around her clothing.
"No!"
She rose into the air.
Within moments, Druun had arranged them across himself.
Kairo sat on one shoulder.
Nilo on the other.
Miko clung to the top of his head between thick strands of hair.
Lumi sat in the bend of one arm.
Tavi occupied the other hand, looking relieved beyond words.
Druun lifted his eyes toward the sky.
Flying predators could still come.
His enormous hands curled protectively around the cubs.
Then he turned toward home.
Miko grabbed his hair.
"Wait!"
Druun stopped.
"Happy plant."
Druun’s jaw tightened.
"Please."
"No."
"Mama hurt."
"No."
Miko crawled forward until his tiny face hung upside down in front of Druun’s forehead.
"Please?"
Druun moved him back.
Miko crawled forward again.
"Mama smile."
Druun moved him back.
"Mama happy."
Back.
"Please?"
Back.
Miko’s lip trembled.
"Giant like Mama?"
Druun stopped.
Miko pointed toward the forest.
"Plant for Mama."
The giant sighed.
It was a sound so deep leaves trembled.
Then he changed direction.
The cubs cheered.
"YES!"
Druun immediately raised one finger.
"Quiet."
Five tiny mouths snapped shut.
...
The forbidden section appeared beyond a wall of black roots.
The moment Druun crossed it, his entire body changed.
His shoulders tightened.
His steps slowed.
Miko stopped smiling.
Broken chains lay across the ground.
Not rope.
Not vine.
Not bone.
Dark ancient metal thicker than tree trunks.
One chain disappeared beneath a cracked stone ridge.
Another had been ripped completely apart.
Faint light still moved through carvings along its surface.
Kairo whispered:
"Big chain."
Nilo stared.
"Who chain giant?"
Druun did not answer.
Farther ahead stood a stone door.
Buried beneath roots.
Enormous.
Sealed.
No handle.
No opening.
Only deep carvings cut across its face.
Miko leaned forward.
"What inside?"
Druun stopped so suddenly everyone rocked.
His head snapped toward Miko.
"No."
Miko blinked.
"I just ask."
Druun’s chest rumbled.
Not his usual annoyed sound.
A growl.
Real.
Deep enough that all five cubs went silent.
He stepped between them and the sealed door.
His huge body blocked it completely.
When Lumi tried leaning around his arm for another look, Druun stamped one foot.
BOOM.
The ground jumped.
Tavi screamed.
Kairo grabbed Miko.
Nilo’s ears flattened.
For the first time, they were afraid of Druun.
Not because he wanted to hurt them.
Because Druun was afraid.
Whatever rested behind that door terrified something large enough to pick up half their settlement.
Miko whispered:
"Go home."
Druun nodded immediately.
Then his eyes moved toward a patch of stone near the broken chains.
Soft blue light glowed beneath a cluster of leaves.
Moonbell.
Miko saw it.
His whole face brightened.
"Happy plant!"
Druun stared at him.
Miko clasped his hands.
"Please."
Druun looked toward the sealed door.
Then toward the cubs.
Then toward the herb.
Another exhausted sigh.
He crouched carefully.
His enormous fingers were surprisingly gentle as he picked the glowing plants without crushing them.
One.
Two.
Then several more.
Blue light spilled over his palm.
Miko bounced on his head.
"Mama happy!"
Kairo grinned.
Nilo actually smiled.
Lumi clapped.
Even Tavi forgot to be afraid.
Druun divided the plants carefully.
Each cub received one small stem.
Miko stared at his.
Then at Druun.
His little face crumpled with happiness.
He grabbed Druun’s nearest finger.
Pulled it toward himself.
And kissed it.
"Thank you, Giant."
Druun froze.
Completely.
Miko hugged the finger.
"For Mama."
Something softened in Druun’s enormous face.
Then he immediately stood.
Enough.
Home.
Before these children discovered another way to die.
...
Back at Ironwood Basin, Tilla was the first to notice.
"Tavi?"
No answer.
She looked around.
"Tavi!"
Ena turned from the drying racks.
"Lumi?"
Silence.
Both females froze.
Mora’s face changed.
"Where are the cubs?"
Someone laughed nervously.
"They were playing near the planting rows."
"They are not there."
Swanly stepped from the cooking shelter chewing the last piece of roasted meat.
"What?"
Tilla was already running.
"Tavi is missing!"
Ena shouted:
"Lumi!"
Swanly’s stomach dropped.
She looked toward the cub shelter.
"Kairo?"
Nothing.
"Nilo!"
Nothing.
Her blood turned cold.
"Miko?"
Silence.
The food fell from her hand.
All three.
All three of her sons.
Missing.
Again.
Swanly’s face went white.
"No."
Kael appeared instantly.
"What?"
"The cubs."
His entire body went rigid.
"They’re gone."
Black fur exploded across him.
His roar tore through Ironwood.
Soren’s eyes snapped open from across the settlement.
His head turned toward Swanly.
The scale beneath her wrist burned with her panic.
He moved.
"Where?"
"I don’t know!"
Swanly was already running.
"They were here! They were right fucking here!"
Mora grabbed weapons.
Raku shouted for hunters.
Arion rallied the Sunmane males.
Tilla was crying now.
Ena screamed Lumi’s name toward the forest.
Kael lowered his nose to the dirt.
Tiny scents.
Five of them.
Heading east.
His head rose.
The forbidden forest.
His roar became murderous.
Swanly saw the direction.
Her heart nearly stopped.
"No."
Everyone knew that area had been forbidden.
Everyone.
"Miko," Swanly whispered.
Of course.
Of fucking course.
The settlement emptied into the trees.
Parents called names.
Hunters spread out.
Soren moved beside Swanly.
Kael vanished ahead.
Nerin followed the tracks.
Raku smashed through brush.
Swanly could barely breathe.
Her hand stayed against her stomach.
Her other babies.
Her three boys.
All she could think about was Miko’s little face.
Kairo trying to be brave.
Nilo quietly watching everything.
What if something had already happened?
What if she found blood?
What if she found collars?
What if she found nothing?
"MAMA!"
Swanly stopped.
A tiny voice.
Far ahead.
Then branches moved.
Something enormous stepped from the dark forest.
Weapons rose everywhere.
Kael skidded to a stop.
Soren’s body shifted.
Swanly froze.
Druun.
The giant emerged between the trees.
Kairo sat on one shoulder.
Nilo sat on the other.
Miko was perched proudly on top of his head.
Lumi rested safely in one arm.
Tavi sat in his massive palm.
All five were muddy.
Alive.
Smiling.
Holding glowing blue plants.
For one heartbeat, Swanly felt such violent relief her knees nearly collapsed.
Then she saw where they had come from.
The forbidden forest.
Her relief turned into blazing fury.
Kael growled.
Ena gasped.
Tilla burst into tears.
Every adult looked at Druun.
At the cubs.
At the forbidden path behind him.
And reached the same conclusion.
Druun had taken them.
Miko waved his glowing herb.
"Mama!"
Swanly stormed forward.
Her hands were shaking.
Her eyes burned.
Fear and rage twisted together until her voice cracked.
"Why would you take them there?!"
Druun froze.
His huge eyes widened.
Slowly, he held the bundle of glowing herbs toward her.
Like a peace offering.
The cubs smiled proudly.
Swanly stared at him.
Druun stared back.
And nobody gave him a chance to explain.
They all believed he had taken their cubs towards danger.
...
I loved writing this Chapter so much!