Plucky sat up in a cold sweat, his heart pounding as he breathed a few deep breaths to recover from what just happened. He had to keep moving. Grabbing his pack, he urgently walked towards where he thought the mountains were. All sleep had left him. It was dark out, but Plucky had no problems seeing. It was then he realized the Lions could see just as well, if not better than he. Suddenly, he heard the howling of a lone wolf in the distance. He glanced at the scar on his arm. It looked a strange color, and it felt tender now.
Plucky's feet began to sweep once more but he managed to keep moving, all be it at a slower pace. As he walked, he checked his pack for food - there was an apple and an orange. He grabbed the apple and bit into it. I need to make it out of this forest, he told himself. After walking a while more, his feet were throbbing. He needed to rest. It was then he heard a new sound: trickling, streaming water. It was not that far ahead. Plucky's lips were parched. He ignored his feet and followed the sound and came upon a small clearing in the sky. It was about the middle of the night, Plucky guessed. He saw the source of his hope. There, before him, was a fresh stream of water. Before he knew it, Plucky had knelt by the water and was drinking water by the handful. Looking downstream, he saw a narrow wooden bridge.
Halfway across the bridge, and having no recollection of dropping the apple he had just been eating, Plucky reached into his pack and pulled out the orange. He would have to hunt for berries. He looked down at the flowing water - there was not a fish to be seen. Not a second later, he heard the thundering roar of the Great Lion. Plucky's pupils widened and in that moment, he remembered about the banana peel - The Great Lion must have found it! Plucky stuffed the orange back in his pack - he had not begun to peel it - and ran to the other side, weaving around trees and bushes. He felt there was someone chasing him. He noticed there weren't as many trees on this side. He did not see any mountains but he could only think about escaping with his life. Don't stop now... keep running... keep moving. He pace slowed to a jog and he was gasping for air.
He saw one last tree in front of him. Beyond the tree was a wide open plain, as far as the eye could see, dotted with earthy mounds and patches of wild grass. Just a few more steps... no! Plucky collapsed from exhaustion. The last thing he felt were a few sets of paws brusquely lifting and carrying him by his arms and legs. Mother... help... Plucky drifted into total darkness.
———
As the noon day sun scorched the desert plain, three large, dark red ants crawled out of a hole in the ground. Marching single file, they walked up a particularly large sand dune. Without warning, a large plume of grey smoke appeared at the summit, right in front of the head ant. They froze in their tracks, half covered by a long shadow. They ants did not scatter - they couldn't.
"Is the tunnel ready?" Olive asked.
The lead any turned around, finding his mobility restored, and signaled the message to the middle ant with his antennae. After he responded, he turned back to Olive and nodded his head twice. Olive squealed with delight.
"Excellent! You may go now, and remember, we never met!"
She waved her staff. The three ants shook their heads, as if recovering from a trance. They turned towards each other, and after a short exchange, they went back down the dune.
"Now, I have one more matter to attend to," she said, studying the forest.
———
The seven Lions had found the banana peel and had followed Plucky's scent to the bridge and stream. They searched the area. By the strength of Plucky's scent they figured he was not too far ahead. They had difficulty determining where Plucky had gone from there.
"He must have left the forest. Were he still here, we would have found him by now," one of the Lions remarked.
"Quiet! Keep hunting! His trail must pick up somewhere!" The Great Lion urged. Turning back, he was visibly startled to see Olive standing before him. He instinctively jumped back. The other Lions stopped to glare at her.
"My, my, magic has truly filled your senses. It truly is a shame that one inexperienced bear cub is able to outfox not one, but seven Great Lions..."
The Great Lion growled in frustration. Olive continued.
"I suppose you are wondering why I am here. It wouldn't be very lady like to leave our conversation unfinished, now would it?"
"Spare us your empty words. Why have you come?" The Great Lion demanded. Olive sighed.
"As much as I despise you, I need you to do something for me."
"What would bring you to think that we Lions would ever do you a favor?"
Upon hearing this, Olive calmly waved her staff in the air. The Lions tensed up. This time, a vision appeared in the air. Olive explained.
"As you can see, my hyenas and a large number of warrior ants are busy taking your forest friends prisoner. Should you ever wish to see them again, you would do well to heed my word."
The Great Lion growled in disgust.
"If you harm even one of them..." he trailed off.
"What would you do, I wonder?"
Olive mockingly asked. "I'd like to see what you can do without your magic."
Olive held her staff in front of her with both paws and began to hum. Immediately, particles of light began leaving all seven Lions and concentrated on the shard atop her staff. In agony, the Great Lion shouted, "How can you do this? Your magic should not be this strong, especially after creating the ruby!"
Olive continued humming the strange melody until all of the magic had left the Lions. Weakened, they collapsed to the ground.
"There. That's better," Olive said. After a pause, she added, "It is astonishing how much you underestimated me. Did you really think I would so easily fall for such a childish trap? That is why I absorbed all of your magic. Now that you are practically harmless, I expect you will be much more cooperative to my demands."
"What would you have us do?" The Great Lion weakly asked.
"Before I made your precious crystal, I stored half of my life force into a second crystal, made of the darkest onyx in this world. Neither hem can exist without the other. I need your help locating it."
"We... will... never help you!"
The Great Lion trembled as he struggled to stand.
"Very well, you leave me no choice but to deliver you to the Formian Ants."
At this, the Lions' eyes widened with fear.
"I'm sure they still remember the time you ruthlessly attacked them, and under the guise of finding my ruby. I imagine they will be quite pleased to have you among them..."
Olive waved her staff, and magic ropes appeared, binding the Lions' fore and hind feet. She then closed her eyes, as if in meditation.
"It seems that the bear cub has gotten himself into trouble. This news, however, has afforded me a very pleasant opportunity... yes, indeed!"
