Find Your Wings

An Island Quarrel

Hopper's Narrative
Now that I was basically noticed, thanks to this little worker, my next task was to get to the rest of them. Perhaps the Queen who probably had a heart attack if the princess was almost snatched up. I may have been loud and nasty to hornets but they had to know that I wasn't here to just butter them up, like how I did with that spoiled widow spider. Molt certainly told them about me and they probably sent him out to find me. Ants knew better than to piss anyone off. This worker was spunky enough yet he was respectful nonetheless. I just about told him to take us back to this anthill of his because I was expecting a horde of ants muttering to each other that I murdered someone, or something along those lines. I did have a black mark on my record in that regard, having fed a hornet to a spider out of spite. Despite that, I really meant no harm to them. After what they did for Molt, I was about to make another one of those promises.

Flik, which was a somewhat fitting name, led both of us up and through this clover forest, wisely, just in case if a hornet would come back. I knew how he must have felt, having two giant grasshoppers following him. He kept that little blue head low, avoiding looking me in the eye. That kind of behavior reminded me of the power I had over anyone if I just stuck my mind to it. Others feared me. That was something else that would prove useful in order to keep this tree. To my surprise, when Flik gasped and pinned against a blade, I just kept walking.

"No, Hopper, wait!" he tried to argue with me.

I plainly stared him down with a very unreadable expression even though in my own mind I was plotting something.

"For one thing, I kinda need an introduction, kid. Besides, I'll be the one doing all of the work. So, you first."

"Hey, hey hey — Ah!"

I took him by the arm, as gentle as I could manage and lightly threw him before Molt and me. My massive size and strength proved just how I was unwilling to waste time on pettiness. If Emerald taught me anything about leadership, assertiveness played a good role. Watching him scramble ahead of us, I heard Molt shakily whisper to me.

"Hop... ya didn't just do that..."

"I did. And hey ... I just gave him a little nudge." I whispered back as we came over the last and final hill. When we did, I gave my little brother a nice shove too. "You too, genius, who can't do as he's told."

As to why the ant was freaking out, there happened to be a group coming out. I had no mind to keep hiding and casually followed the two. When they set their eyes on me, they all stopped and gaped wide eyed. In the center of this wide space before the tree, there was a small group of ants who were anticipating another attack. I stood for a moment, observing them before I took a breath in. In all honesty, I had an glimmer of nervousness by the looks of their faces. It all made me feel the same way as that morning watching those hornets drown. I could see, feel and smell fear off of them. As I stepped forward before them, I towered over the rest, daring not to say a word until this one female had the courage. Molt gasped which told me that he knew this one. She was a stout little thing and she stuttered the same way Flik did.

"Molt, dear ... goodness me, you're all right!"

"I am, miss. I told ya!"

Apparently they knew each other, which got me the idea that there wasn't a catch. She shrunk at my own gaze though. I stepped foward and kneeled to get more level with these guys.

The others except her jumped and stepped aside. Flik shrunk yet he stayed with her.

"Care to give me a name?" I finally lent my calmest of voices, in my own opinion. "...since he clearly knows you."

She was a little confused at first but she politely nodded. "I am Dr. Flora, this colony's head nurse."

"Well then, that makes a lot of sense."

"We heard from the sentry that you fought off a hornet..." another spoke up. "Is that true?"

I slowly stood back up, grimly silent. It was a good situation for me that they were full of fear because I did worry if they were going to attack me before.

"Molt spoke of you. You are the brother he lost?"

"He has the scar..." whispered another ant.

"We're the same color, aren't we?" I cracked at them. "And thank you for the observation." I soured at the crowd after overhearing that whisper. "It's not something I take lightly..."

"Please, he didn't mean it, Hopper!" Flik came out in front of me. "W-with all due respect, sir, we-we really want to thank you for keeping them at bay."

"You saved our future Queen!"

"How do we know he did it so he could take advantage?" remarked Cornelius.

That made me harden and I took a strong foot and set it down harshly in front of this old geezer of an ant. He took a whack at my leg, but alas, it did not work well on his end.

"Listen! I did not come here to be prodded by some imprudent old ant. I came here in search of him." I pointed to Molt who was nervously watching. "Your accusation is tempting but I have a hive to find. Here's an idea..." I mocked at the old ant, prodding him back. "... how about you back off? As you can see, I am very tired and very irritated. So be smart, old man."

"Oh golly gee!" Cornelius regretted his impassioned decision and scrambled away.

Flik tugged his own antenna down, nervous as ever. I glanced at him, Molt and Flora before I stood tall again.

"Now that I have your attention, my brother and I came from a meadow far away from here, following these hornets who attacked us. And now that I came here to you, it seems that your colony is suffering the same problem. I saw that they are taking you, one by one, with each raid."

With that, I stopped walking, my risen voice dying down before I glanced over this group of ants. That wound in my heart was starting to bleed and it began to swell... I tried hard to hide it.

"... and I know how that feels. The least I want from you is to be afraid, even of me. Just because you saw me take out a hornet does not mean I'd do the same to you. Though I do not regret what I said to you." I said, glaring lastly at the old ant who had his say. "But the rest of you went out of your way to help my only brother." my voice slowly softened. "... I really can't believe you did that." I stated, gazing down.

That was when these ants let their guard down, completely, while some began to look really ashamed. Sensing the tense silence, I slowly turned back to face them when another came up. It was the nurse, Flora. She was a lighter color, with slight speckles of darker purple, which made me remember the speckled throat pattern of female hummers for some reason.

"We never wish harm on others, but we only try to defend ourselves. But we're being driven to even worse solutions. We thought Molt had fallen because of them but he was never touched. Not even a single shred of skin was out of place, only that he was exhausted. Yes, we had to help him. Our Queen offered him hospitality and safety."

Molt tearfully smiled at her and let out a shaken sigh, which gave me the impression of how grateful he was and that I wasn't alone with this emotion.

"If it would be all right... I would like to speak to your Queen." I gently asked, not knowing for a moment that my voice was leaking some of the anguish I felt. "I have something... to offer her. To offer to all of you."