Kulipari: Seeds and Weeds

Wallflower

Everyone knew who Kuli was talking about. The Kulipari lowered the heads as if in mourning, except for Wilka and Koa, who had no idea who they were talking about.

The Triplets' faces fell. Old Jir sighed like he was 10x older than he already was.

Even Corah and Gee's faces showed the sadness and grief of a lost friend.

Darel couldn't meet the Snakes' eyes.

"What has she done now?"

"What, who are they talking about?" Wilka asked.

Husk laughed. "How does a Kulipari not know?"

Kuli raised an eye ridge. "She is not an original member of the Kulipari four. Her ignorance is not her fault. The Kulipari have ignored the growing roots of their wayward member."

They turned to Wilka and Koa. "Quoba was on of the Kulipari Four that protected the Amphibalands and helped find Nova Australis. But in doing so, she used up all her poison..."

"Hey hey hey," Dingo interrupted. "Our friend, our story." But she seemed sad as she said it.

"So she tried to find a new way to help fight and protect us." Burnu picked up. "She began to practice..." He shivered. "War Botany."

Wilka and Koa looked at him in confusion.

"An ancient form of combat using plants." Webber explained. "The user is able to control plants."

"But it comes at a cost." Husk warned, shaking her head. "The need of a plant to grow is implanted inside you. But to grow more powerful. Even the most innocent use of it can corrupt someone."

"Which is what happened to Quoba." Darel said sadly.

Silence filled the chambers again, in respect for the dead Kulipari and the Frog that remained.

"And she has grown into a problem." Kuli started again. "One that you have to uproot."

Yabber shook his head. "I knew something like this was going to happen. I saw...something when Darkan fell...but I didn't know what it meant."

"What? What was the vision?" Deral asked.

"Let me guess," Parasite said for him. "Quoba was sitting on Darkan's throne?"

"Yes. How did you know?" The new Turtle King asked.

The Snakes stared at him a moment.

"Oh. Oh that's bad."

"Everyone left in Terra Australias after Darkan's fall have tried to build a life for themselves," Kuli began.

"Which you know as you trade with them." Sac interrupted, seeing Burnu move to say the same thing.

"But, as you might have noticed, all outgoing trade has stopped, recently." Webber picked up.

"Why do you think that is?" Husk hissed.

It was like adults chastising pollywogs.

Darel sighed as he sat down. "That was one of the many things we were to talk about. Please, share what you know."

"A few weeks ago, mysterious plants started appearing everywhere, crops fields, in tree roots, and even bare trails." Kuli began. "The people of Terra Australias tried to de-root the plants, but they always came back. Nothing else will grow, people can barely move, and buildings are collapsing under the vines."

"And then a child of the Cobra Queen was killed."

"What?" The Stargazer gasped. The killing of a child of the Queen Cobra invited her wrath.

Sac nodded her head. "We were there. Don't know what it was doing, but it tried to destroy the plants. But then they fought back."

Webber shivered. "Vines and thorn surrounded it, punctured its skin and eyes, enter its mouth and attacked from the inside, choked it, then ended it by the vines coming together and going right through it."

"That's when we realized it was War Botany. And realized someone was sending a message." Husk spoke.

"Quoba." Ponto gasped, shocked at his old friend's actions.

"And suddenly, she wanted tributes." Kuli said.

"What kind of tributes?" Darel asked.

"I hope its only food." Gee whispered to Corah.

"Artifacts. Dangerous ones."

"And weapons!" Husk added.

"Of course it's not." Gee mumbled.

"And if she didn't get them," Kuli cut a finger across their throat.

"How could anyone get what she is asking for?" Jir asked.

"Remember, these were once Darkan's people." Webber reminded.

Deral sighed again before looking Kuli in the eye.

"Thank you for bring us this  information. We deal with this problem."

"Now. You will deal with this problem now." Kuli said as their friends spread out behind them. "Even if we have to drag you all the way to the swamps."