Find Your Wings

Time to Go!

The next thing I knew, I was lying in a different posture. My head hurt, my wings felt as if they've been pulled and besides all that, my leg stung. My vision was overall foggy for a moment, slowly coming to realize that I was underground. My least favorite place to be.

"You must be Blade's best friend." came that chuckling voice, which tempted me to groan.

I squinted at her, still suffering a headache. "... who the hell are you...?" I asked, bluntly.

"Spitz!" she answered, popping back into view.

She was smaller than the leafcutters and was covered in golden armor with a large nozzle between her brown eyes, with two stout antennaes sticking up and twisting, listening and smelling for any disturbances. In her stubby little claws, she had a small bead of water. I was lying on a piece of dead leaf that laid curled above me against the burrow's wall.

"Not again..." I muttered, more so to myself than her.

She placed that bead right by me and I was questioning where she got it.

"It's not acid." she laughed. "I got it from the aquifer... Sure beats going out with that snake. Thanks for waking it up, by the way."

"I did not know there was a snake nearby. I'm not exactly a local."

"I can see that... So, what's up with you?"

"Enough about me.... I can't stay here and chat."

Before I got up however, I drank that water... and it was so soothing down my throat that I had to take a moment to relish the feeling. "Guh..." I panted after swallowing it whole."The aquifer, you say...? You can reach one from here?"

"Well, yeah! It took a lot of aimless searching, but I found one. But the way I take is mine! I spent half my life working for it."

I studied her, concerned for the ants and I understood her dilemma, but time was wasting away.

"Does it go under the river?"

"Yeah...?"

That was it!

"Listen. There's a colony of ants that live on that island in the middle of it and those hornets that you helped me from, they're going to kill them. They need a way out. I also have a brother over there and a fledgling hummer. Your way might just be the thing we need."

"Ants!? I'm not giving up my well path for a bunch of ants..."

"Listen! I am not giving options here. I need to make sure they find a way out. You're the only one here who's given me the chance." I told her before I felt dizzy again.

I had to kneel down and I began to feel terrible, that I went this far and so far nothing has happened or have gotten better. Visions and memories passed by, almost losing Molt, losing Flitter, the sight of the chaos at the berry bush and so there came the grief that I still had. I began to hurt so much that it started to show through my eyes. I felt the tears well up and I had to look away from the termite for a moment. She knew something was going on, especially at the shaky, heavy breaths I was taking.

I got the strength to face her, feeling exhausted... "Please... I don't usually do this, but please... They need help. I need help. I need as much of it as I can get. I can't — I can't do this alone." I admitted, and wow, didn't it feel rotten to say. I've been fighting alone for so long... I couldn't do it anymore.

Spitz took a step back, looking conflicted but her eyes brightened with realization. "Whoa there, flyer..." she rose her little arms towards me when my legs felt wobbly. I had to lie down again. My head was pounding. I wasn't sure if I could fly again.