NOVEL NEXT B3 | 56 - Mischief
Unlike the last time we made our way from Tropica to Gormona, we didn’t travel along the road for long. After less than a half hour, we approached the first village. Veering off the road and into the forest, the temperature immediately dropped by a few degrees, some of the frosty night air remaining trapped beneath the canopy.
Without needing to talk, we unanimously decided to remain between the trees. It would take us longer to find our destination, but that was fine.
Though I’d listed Teddy’s recent ascension as the third reason for this adventure, that didn’t make it less important than the others. He’d been a regular bear yesterday, and I’d not even known of his existence less than twenty-four hours ago. In such a small span of time, he’d awakened, had the universe pour data into his mind, and then had an otherworldly experience above the clouds. It was a lot to take in, no matter how well-adjusted he may seem.
I shot a glance his way, unable to stop myself from grinning at his behavior. Just like Borks liked to sniff the air as we ran, Teddy was doing the exact same thing, his nostrils flaring and lips lifting periodically. I vaguely recalled something about bears having the keenest sense of smell of any animal back on Earth. I wasn’t entirely sure if it was true, but the way his head twitched toward things that Borks didn’t register made me inclined to believe it.
After a few hours, I was just considering lunch when Borks and Teddy both skidded to a stop.
I opened my mouth to ask what was going on, but then I noticed their ears alert and twitching. They slowly spun their heads, locating the direction of whatever sound they detected. I caught a hint of a deep tone, so faint that I might have imagined it. Borks and Teddy both went rigid, and without sharing a glance, they slipped off through the underbrush.
When I looked her way, Maria’s eyes reflected the worry I felt within. We dashed after them, followed closely by Deklan and Dom. As we seemed to near our destination, the animals slowed, both hunching as low as they could while still creeping forward. I’d caught a few more tones on the wind, slowly growing loud enough that I knew they weren’t a figment of my imagination. When I smelled the unmistakable scent wafting through the air, I finally understood what we approached.
My traitorous mouth watered of its own accord.
Maria sensed it too, because she raised an eyebrow at me, also curious about why Teddy and Borks approached as if expecting a battle. All at once, the buzz of wings bounced off the surrounding trunks, seeming... angry? A sense of urgency came over me and I moved forward, slipping through the trees just to the right of Borks. A moment later, the source of the cacophonous buzzing came into view.
I absorbed the sight in the blink of a cultivator’s eye.
Before us sat one of the thickest trees I’d ever seen since coming to this world. Its branches closed most holes in the canopy, and the surrounding ground was free of other trunks, the leaves having stolen the sunlight others would need to survive. Occupying a hollow midway up the tree, a beehive of gigantic proportions was abuzz with activity. The bees were swarming out of their home, forming distinct clouds in the space between grass and canopy. Their purpose was immediately clear when I noticed the other insects smattered around the area.
The bees were defending their hive.
Giant wasps as big as beetles were on the attack, their mandibles biting through any bees that came too close. Undeterred, the defenders continued their darting maneuvers, attempting to exchange their lives for an attackers’. Before I even had the chance to consider helping, Teddy was on the move. He lumbered forward, slowly enough that any bees he hit just bounced off him, spiraling through the air before righting themselves once more. Each wasp was systematically dispatched by his mighty claws. In a matter of seconds, it was all over.
Rather than thank Teddy for the assist, the bees turned their ire on him. He was neither angry nor upset about the treatment. Teddy knew well that they were only doing as their nature dictated, using every tool they had to defend their hive despite how relatively powerless they were. Teddy had a hint of satisfaction on his face as he retreated from their attacks, no doubt content he could help a hive rather than destroy it.
When he got back to us, he looked back at the clear section of grass. As his gaze roamed over where he’d ended the lives of a dozen wasps, a sense of uncertainty radiated from his core. I immediately knew the cause of his doubts.
“You did good, mate,” I said, patting his large head. “On the good-bad scale, bees are the goodest of boys. You shouldn’t feel bad about taking out a few wasps to save an entire hive.”
The statement took a hint of his self-reproach away, but a shadow still remained. I rubbed his fur some more, knowing there was only so much I could achieve with words. He was sapient now. He would have to work out his morality for himself.
“I’m sure Queen Bee and Bumblebro would be proud. They’d have done the exact same thing.”
This sentiment eased his conscience even more, and he dipped his head gratefully, as polite as ever. We remained there for a few minutes, watching the bees as they slowly calmed. Most returned to the hive, but some others came from it. Unexpectedly, these new arrivals started collecting the fallen. They dragged them across the grass, sometimes moving only centimeters at a time before having to pause, get a better grip, and try again.
“What are they doing?” Maria asked.
“Moving the bodies from the hive to stop the spread of disease. Before Queen Bee awakened, her hive threw all the dead workers out after they were attacked.
“Wow...” Deklan said. “That’s so interesting.”
“They’re like little undertakers,” Dom added, his eyes watching the bees’ efforts closely.
We stayed put, playing witness as the fallen were systematically deposited at the bases of other trees. Once the last was moved, the hive returned to business as usual, scores of insects flying away in search of nectar and pollen.
With the show over, we resumed our travel, everyone slipping into a comfortable silence that was only occasionally broken when Dom and Deklan messed with one another, causing the victim at the time to curse and chase after the offender. Our pace remained leisurely, staying that way until I couldn’t contain my excitement any longer.
We were almost there.
With a hurried clip, I dashed ahead, leading the way for everyone else to follow. None of them backed down from the challenge, and I grinned as I kept stealing glances over my shoulder to see Maria’s pumping arms, Borks leaping from tree to tree while changing forms, and the huffing forms of Teddy and the two brothers bringing up the rear. If he wanted to, Teddy could have charged through the trees unaffected, but he stepped gingerly around them, weaving his massive body so nary a branch was disturbed.
I smelled the water before I saw it, and I skidded to a stop as I entered the lake’s clearing. I turned, waiting for everyone else to catch up. Maria and Borks, having been right behind me, landed at my side. Neither of them had broken a sweat.
Deklan and Dom came next, taking heaving breaths as they jogged from between the trunks. Their eyes went wide when they caught sight of the craterous lake. They ambled up to its very edge, peering down at the water as they leaned on their knees. Teddy’s footsteps came into hearing range, his soft padding barely audible. When he emerged from the trees, he was trailing a black and blue butterfly, watching it with sparkling eyes as it flitted to and fro through the air.
With his eyes pinned to the beautiful insect, he didn’t notice the rest of us. I saw exactly what was about to happen, the future unfolding in my enhanced mind as I took in his trajectory, speed, and mass. I had all the time in the world to stop it…
Instead, I glanced at Maria.
When her gaze met mine, there was mischief dancing in her eyes. I set a hand on Borks’s shoulder, letting him know not to intervene. He darted a quick look my way, an unmistakable grin curling his lips. He’d already reached the same conclusion. It took all of my self-control to not laugh and give it away.
Deklan and Dom were still leaning over, their chests heaving as they fought to catch their breath. Being in such a vulnerable position, they had no hope of withstanding the force of a two-tonne bear barrelling into them. They both released yelps as they sailed into the air above the lake. Teddy skidded to a halt right at the edge of the crater, his ears pinned to his head as he snapped back to reality and realized what he’d done.
When the brothers hit the water, they skipped like thrown stones, their limbs outstretched with the force of their passage. With two gigantic splashes, their impromptu flight finally came to an end.
“Deklan skipped an extra time,” Maria noted, amusement coloring her voice. “Does that mean he wins?”
“Hmm. Maybe?” I tapped my chin. “Dom’s final splash was way bigger.”
“A tie, then.”.
Ruff! Borks agreed, his wagging tail a blur.
In contrast to our enjoyment, Teddy was distraught. He bowed over and over as Deklan and Dom swam back to shore. A constant sound of apology came from Teddy, something partway between a groan and a whine. Rather than annoyed, however, the brothers were laughing and flicking water at each other as they crawled onto shore.
“Thanks, Teddy!” Deklan said. “My brother needed that—he’d worked up quite a lather from our run here.”
“Agreed!” Dom nodded. “And my brother needed it more. He smelled like absolute shi—”
Dom didn’t have a chance to finish his insult. Deklan slammed into him, wrestling him back into the lake. I smiled and shook my head as they fought like only brothers could, their grins never disappearing whilst they postured for dominance over the other.
Despite how happy they were, Teddy continued bobbing his head in apology. I grabbed him by the shoulder. “C’mon, mate. Wanna see how we set up the rods?”
A half hour later, the brothers had changed into dry clothes and all the rods were set up. I hadn’t told them anything about the bait needed to catch the potent alligator gar, wanting them to experience it firsthand. I was sitting between Borks and Maria on the shore, with Dom, Deklan, and finally Teddy to the right of us. The brothers held a finger to their lines, their breaths shallow and calm as they waited for a bite. At the same time, the tips of their rods twitched. Together, their posture shifted, going from relaxed to alert in an instant.
Because they were both experienced fishermen by now, they didn’t strike too soon. They waited for the right moment, and their patience was rewarded a split second later when both their lines went taut.
The hooked fish did their best to escape, but they had no chance. With wide smiles, Deklan and Dom reeled them into the shore. Before they could lift them from the water, though, I got up, facing Maria and gesturing for her to follow. She gave me a questioning look, and I shot her a wink, letting her know I was up to something. Mischief entered her eyes for the second time today, and she followed me down to the water.
I scooped up Deklan’s when it got to the rocks, cupping it in my hands. The jungle mudminnow’s weird little feet immediately pressed into my palms in an attempt to escape, but I didn’t let the odd sensation bother me. Maria did the same to Dom’s, and when we turned toward the two brothers, their attention was locked on our clasped hands.
“What... what are they?” Deklan asked, his core radiating suspicion.
Schooling my face, I locked eyes with him. “Do you trust me, mate?”
After a short pause, he nodded.
“Close your eyes and put your hands out,” I instructed.
Only when their lids were firmly shut did I let my grin show. Moving together, Maria and I placed the jungle mudminnows—in all their horrific, multi-limbed glory—onto the brothers’ open hands.