Find Your Wings

Your Choice!

Hopper's Narrative
Things were going to get violent. I kept repeating that thought in my head, not holding much expectation that I was going to live through it. There was just enough brush around to hide me. I could only be so thankful for my camouflage. Pinned against some firm stem, I slowly peered out at a delicately spun web attached to four blades of grass. It was at an angle that once released, it would make a good trap. Certainly, I couldn't outright steal this work of art. Watching it sway in the morning gusts, my broken heart began to form into that of passion. I was not going to lose my brother in all this, first of all. Slowly, I crawled along the limb looking out for the owner of this web.

No wonder this art piece was so large. Tucked in the small doorway of web was a smooth brown set of legs. From inside this little nook, I could hear him snore. To my horror, hidden beneath this stunning web, there were dry bundles hanging from below of beetles and moths. What really shot out to me was the few dead hornets. I froze, wanting so badly to go back. My instincts were on overdrive, stabbing and jabbing me to fly. I had to fight it... I knew I was dealing with someone who was as much as a killer as Blade. I had it in my mind to wake the recluse. I took a stem of the dead leaf above me and broke it off. It fell and landed onto the sticky web, making it bounce and flow from the weight. The recluse in the nook shook and grumbled. I saw him press himself out. He had eight long brown legs connected to this strong torso. His abdomen was small but served him well to fit anywhere possible. He had sharp dark gold eyes and he sneered when he saw it was only a leaf that fell on his trap.

"Damn, you woke me up for no reason!" he snarled before he spotted me on the weed limb far above him. I felt like I couldn't move actually.

"Sorry for the intrusion."

"I should say. More like, I'm sorry for realizing your mere existence. Too smart for my web, are you?"

"I'm not here to taunt you. I swear on my life." I spoke as calmly as I could, slowly backing away as he inched closer upwards.

I could see that he was winding some web from behind him as he smirked.

"Maybe we can come to terms."

"Screw terms. I'm hungry and your innards will hit the spot."

With that, he shot a line of thick web which caught me by the leg. "Guh! Geez! Please, listen to me for a second!" I reasoned before I realized that he was pulling me in. "Can't a dying locust have a last request!?"

"I'm hardly one for last requests." the recluse snickered.

"Fine! I can see that you keep yourself occupied. You've met a few hornets, I see."

The Recluse paused reeling me in and just rested his head against his leg, liking to see me struggle.

"This scar is proof that I can fight them. I've been at war with these guys for a while. But in order for me to get a handle on them, I need a lot of help. If you— if you let me go right now... I can bring you as many as you like. Enough to feed you for days. Weeks."

"You drive a hard bargain, grasshopper. Who are you?"

"Hopper. A Captain and a former Soldier."

"Is that so?" the Recluse thought deeply. "Former. Can't say that I'm that convinced."

"I know you've got a name here." I breathed with my leg still bound. "I know you need to eat, I just need a few more to help me get this to work. We need to rally to get rid of this hive. I've got a whole team. A termite, a fellow hummer whom I helped raise, a widow but now I need a snake and a large bird to make it happen."