Chrissy plucked another argia out of the air and fed it to Neville. Within moments it disappeared. She tried to focus on the conversation happening about their shortcut, but small grubby paws kept entering the bottom of her peripheral vision.
"I'm sorry, repeat that again?" she asked.
Nathaniel adjusted his glasses.
"I was saying that we need to be hyper vigilant. Beyond that, even."
"Boshy, don't worry about it. It's a straight shot, barely even an inconvenience."
"How long is it?"
"We're barely even crossing. Stay here tonight, leave in the morning and we'll be there before noon. Then we walk for four–five hours, tops–and we'll be at Cavargi!"
"Ava, I implore you, please do not mention we stopped there," Nathaniel sighed, "I apologize in advance."
Travlack chuckled. Chrissy looked between him and Nathaniel.
"I don't trust it when you laugh. Care to let us know what's so funny?"
He remained laughing as he replied.
"The people of Cavargi are nudists."
Chrissy snapped her fingers.
"Knew I was forgetting something."
"Excuse me, nudists?"
Ava put her fingertips together and pursed her lips.
"Some Therians are more comfortable in their skin than others," Jay explained, "Myself included. But on the job? I wear pants."
"But Cree, Hoga, and Alex wore clothes?"
"I can't explain what they feel, Ava. But as for the people of Cavargi and I? We're in full Therian attire."
"Which is nothing at all," said Chrissy.
"We don't have to…partake…do we?" asked Ava.
"Of course not!" Jay smiled, "Just don't stare."
"What? Jay! You–?"
Ava followed after Jay, voicing her concerns. Leaving Travlack, Chrissy, and Nathaniel behind. Loud cries of want reminded everyone that Neville was still strapped to Chrissy's chest.
"Travlack, Chrissy, be honest with me. Are you certain you have the strength to traverse this?"
"I have enough. The resonance you and Travlack gave me should tide me over until we reach Cavargi."
Travlack nodded.
"Plus," added Chrissy, "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. I never get to see orchid mantises anymore. Mainly just tracking lost serpifeli in geyser zones."
"I'm glad you're getting your fill of adventure, but mantises are not a vacation," Nathaniel stated. He took off his glasses and began cleaning them. "Travlack, have you faced one before?"
He nodded.
"Rare. Not fun. Very tall."
"Sounds like a mantis," nodded Chrissy, "Ever ate one?"
"Once. Very tough. No flavor."
"That tracks. Think we can snag a petal off their back?"
Nathaniel coughed so hard he lost grip of his glasses. Travlack bent over and picked them up, placing them back into his hand.
"Thank you Travlack."
Nathaniel cleared his throat and addressed Chrissy directly.
"Why are you bent on endangering us? What comes from grabbing that?"
"How many people–more so, rovers and rangers–can say they plucked one off the back of a live mantis?"
"Could it have anything to do with its vice grip? The fact that it cuts entire trees in two? Oh, maybe the fact that their bite can break bone without flinching?"
Neville somehow managed to snag another argia from the air. He broke it into two parts and devoured both without blinking.
"Okay, fair, but imagine Ava returning to the capital without a scratch on her. And in tow? A mantis petal. We show that to Cooper–who by this time probably has received a report from Marlowe–and he can't say we're not fit for the job."
"But Travlack made a deal with Marlowe," Nathaniel said, snapping a finger, "So we're in the clear."
Travlack shook his head.
"Not filing Chrissy's error. Lanon has to be reported. William, Valyn, and Uriel as well."
Nathaniel went to respond but put his finger down. He paced around for a second, running his fingers through his hair.
"Just one mantis petal?"
"Since when has a grand gesture ever gone wrong?" Chrissy smiled.
"Cabinet full at Department–"
"Ignoring that!" she snapped, "Can't go wrong. I feel great, Travlack is capable. Ava and Jay would love the idea."
Nathaniel put his hands together in prayer and stared at the night sky.
"I didn't know you were religious, Nathaniel."
"I'm not," he uttered, "But Mala was. If there is a god, I'm praying that I'll live to make better decisions."
"Mala?"
"Ignore that. We'll set out in the morning. The decision on the mantis petal has yet to be made."
Nathaniel walked off, gently waving the argias aside. Chrissy watched Neville's paws slowly reach for one flying low to the ground. Just as he was about to catch it, Travlack beat him to it. Without hesitation, he ate the argia while staring at Neville.
It was more than he could bear. Furiously, Neville chittered as he attempted to reach Travlack's face. Chrissy backed up and stifled her laugh the best she could. A long smile stretched across Travlack's face as he chewed.
"You uh, you don't wanna know what he said. I didn't even teach him those words."
Chrissy woke up before anyone else to retrieve her harness secured to a tree, Neville still bundled inside of it. Before she freed him from his binds she spoke in a low tone.
"I'm going to let you go eat, but you have to promise me you will remain–"
The moment Neville felt he could escape he took it. He shot off from the tree and cried with all the strength a twenty pound pup could muster, waking the entire camp.
"...quiet."
Everyone watched, in awe and confusion, at Neville's hunt.
A spin.
A glide.
A flip.
Truly, a display of accuracy and grace. Up until he got too close to the surface of the water. A large fish escaped from the water and snagged an argia Neville had been targeting. Unable to adjust, Neville hit the backside of the fish, skipped along the water, and arrived sliding on the shore.
Chrissy jogged over and knelt down, inspecting him. His mouth was full of food and his fur was matted with mud. He crawled over to the water to wash himself off, but noticed he had an audience. After chittering angrily, forcing everyone to look away, he cleaned himself and took his place on Chrissy's back.
The path to mantis country was relatively flat. The rolling hills and gentle dips were no problem for the capastra. Every so often they would stop to eat a patch of grass they found particularly interesting.
As always, any extended silence was filled by Jay and his piccolo. As he serenaded the group, Chrissy focused on picking the specks of dirt from the grooves in her hooks. Whenever she spotted low hanging fruit she would send Neville to retrieve it for her.
All the while, Ava remained snapping her fingers. Every so often she would snap to the beat of whatever tune Jay played. Even rarer would she claim there had been another spark from her fingertips, to which she could never replicate.
The sun was just about at the highest point in the sky when Jay stopped playing. Throughout the morning Chrissy's strength had been diminishing. More beads of crimson seeped through her bandages. She covered her torso with her forearms and saw the density of the forest ahead increased sharply.
"Alright," Jay clapped his hands together, "Past this point? Here be mantises. Short break and we'll get to Cavargi before sunset, no problem."
Chrissy dismounted and stood at the edge of the forest. Nathaniel and Travlack approached from behind.
"Whose turn is it?" she asked.
"I believe it's mine," Nathaniel replied, "Try to make it count."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and exhaled. The weariness she felt started to fade away with every passing second. Beads of sweat formed on his brow as he let go. Chrissy flexed her hands into fists a couple of times. She rolled her wrists, then moved onto her shoulders and neck. Each section created a popping sound that caused her to smile.
"Oh yeah. That's the stuff."
"Good, make it count. I can't get it back as fast as I give it. Hopefully, Cavargi has everything we need or else this would have been all for nothing."
"Agreed," she sighed, "I'll take point since I'm fresh."
Travlack nodded.
"Everyone ready?" called Jay from atop his mount.
"Almost. The almanac I purchased has very little to say about mantises," said Ava, "It warns about getting close. Even more so trying to pluck a petal from its flower."
Ava, Nathaniel, and Travlack shot each other several glances.
"The only helpful thing–aside from detailing how it will rip us apart–is its false eye?"
"Pseudopupil," Nathaniel corrected, "It's just how the light hits its eyes. An optical illusion of light, nothing more."
"Oh, and speaking of eyes: Vae and Neville need to be very still," added Jay, "Small animals do not last long in mantis country unless you're being saved for later."
Chrissy commanded Neville to rejoin her on her back. He strapped himself in and gave a quick squeak. Ava coiled Vae around her arm and gave the command to stay. Satisfied with their preparation, Jay led the party into the dense trees.
Following Jay, in order, were Chrissy, Ava, Nathaniel, and Travlack on the rear. They slowly traversed the crowded forest path. Light managed to peer between the trees, occasionally illuminating the faces of each member.
Ava began snapping once more. Jay gently, but quickly discouraged her from creating any more noise than necessary. She complied and opted to stare at the trees. Chrissy fought the same battle as Ava. Words frequently caught in her throat while fighting the urge to speak. To say anything that would alleviate the sickness known as silence.
She heard every crunch of the leaves her mount trampled upon.
The sound of someone shifting on their saddle.
A sudden rustle–
Chrissy whipped her head in response. Jay held a hand up, forcing the line to stop. A hand gravitated to one of her hooks. Jay raised a hand to continue their path at a snail's pace. One by one, they stared at the spot of the noise. Even when they were past, Chrissy could not help but give a couple of quick looks.
Just to be sure.
More walking.
The verdancy of the forest responded to the light breeze. The limbs of trees stretched over the group softly bounced in the wind. Every so often Jay would stop the group again. Every time Chrissy palmed the handle of her hooks.
The rustling of bushes from far away caused them to stop once more. This time, the noise did not cease. It was headed right for them, barreling through the bushes at an incredible rate.
Chrissy hopped off and drew her hooks. Ava pulled behind Jay while Travlack and Nathaniel moved to Chrissy. Neville peered over her shoulder with wide eyes, softly chittering in anticipation.
Something bursted from the bushes.
The chubby menace smashed into Chrissy's leg, causing her to topple over. Neville escaped from the harness and remained flying as Chrissy hit the ground.
It was a capridae.
The wobbly fiend looked around at the party and backed up. Then ran back in the direction it had come from. Chrissy used her hooks to stand before sheathing them. With tongue in cheek she dusted off her shorts and turned to Jay.
"I've fought off poachers and giant beetles. I've fought the Muted Chorus and the occasional husk without a scratch. But a capridae…"
She exhaled and remounted her capastra.
"A capridae takes me out."
They continued on their path with small interruptions.
A cridas.
Another capridae.
Yet another capridae.
By the fourth disturbance Chrissy did not even bother to look. It was indeed another capridae. They remained on a steady pace, unfazed by the random disturbances. It was not until they spotted a tree cleanly cleaved at the stump that they stopped.
Jay dismounted from JJ and spread his hand over the stump. He pinched a bit of sawdust from the top of it and rubbed his fingers together. Chrissy came over next to him and did the same.
"Do you know what this means, Jay?" Chrissy whispered.
"Yes," he replied in a low tone, "This poor tree will never get to be as tall as the others. Truly, a shame."
"What? No. This stump still has sawdust on it. This is a fresh cut."
"Does that mean–"
Chrissy jumped and immediately grabbed one of her hooks. It was only after she saw Ava's face did she calm down.
"Ava, for the love of Hyro and Kutax–"
"Sorry! Sorry! But does that mean we're approaching a nest? Is it a mating clearing? The book said either could be–"
The wind suddenly shifted.
Neville let a soft coo escape as he clutched Chrissy's shoulder.
A large petal fluttered between their faces. Both of them watched as it danced in the wind and came to a graceful stop beside the cut tree. Ava reached down and picked it up. The azure petal was larger than her face, with white veins that stretched to the edges. After a moment of inspection, Ava turned back to Chrissy.
"It means if mantises weren't watching us before, they are now. Nice souvenir."
They returned to their path. No further disturbances halted their progress. Chrissy was back on edge. Every couple of minutes they would spot another mangled tree.
Another perfect cut.
Diagonal this time, with rough edges.
This tree was not cut all the way through. Splintered bark and woodchips lay at its base.
"What's wrong with that one?" inquired Ava.
"Must have been practice," stated Chrissy, still looking forward. "Or perhaps a juvenile. Either way, we're not finding out."
From across the forest Chrissy spotted a dark green silhouette hanging from a tree. She snapped her fingers to get Jay's attention. He stopped the caravan and turned back to Chrissy. She leaned from her saddle and squinted, trying to get confirmation. She raised a finger to where she was pointing, hoping to make it easier to spot.
The silhouette trembled in the wind. Long limbs stretched from its spot underneath the tree.
Chrissy slowly dismounted and drew her hooks, preparing for an encounter. The figure fell from the tree.
She slowly walked forward and readied herself. Her shoulders hiked up, anticipating a sudden strike. The figure drifted closer until it snagged itself on another tree. When the wind died down, it hit the ground with a papery rustle.
The limp molted skin of a mantis lay at her feet. A collective sigh of relief could be heard as Chrissy sat down. A slight chuckle from Jay broke the silence further. He walked over and dangled the skin over his arms, impersonating a mantis.
"Ooooh" he whispered, "Ask not why the mantis prays."
He let out several low groans of focus as he used the molted arms to chop the air. Soft laughter sounded from the party. Satisfied, he set the molted skin onto a low branch.
They set out once more. The hacked trees had decreased in number, but remained a constant reminder. Ava used the petal to fan herself as she surveyed their surroundings. Vae, who remained coiled around her arm, suddenly flexed her body. The sudden pain caused Ava to gasp, causing everyone to turn to her. Vae had her claws dug into Ava's forearms, alarmed at something no one else could see.
Chrissy felt Neville's paws dig into her shoulder as well. Out of the side of her eye she saw Neville's ears flatten and shake. Everyone went on alert attempting to find what had rattled them so sharply.
AH-CHOO!
Everyone turned to Nathaniel.
"Pardon me. Allergies to mantis petals. But I don't know if you should be holding that, Ava."
She immediately let it drop to the ground.
"It isn't poisonous," Chrissy said.
She dismounted and picked up the petal. Before handing it back to Ava she inspected it for herself. Chrissy looked around for any signs of threat before facing Nathaniel again.
"Besides," she continued, "This way we don't have to fight a mantis for their petals. Easy win."
Neville kept his head on a swivel.
"Easy? Yes. Win–?"
AH-CHOO!
"–no. I don't know why it took so long for this to occur to me, but mantis petals are laden with pheromones."
Ava gave the petal back to Chrissy.
"Fair, but we have it now and we're almost out," she remarked, "Right Jay?"
Jay nodded. Chrissy handed the petal back to Ava.
Neville shifted on her back, now scanning another direction.
"Chrissy, I know I originally agreed taking a petal back could bolster our argument when we get back, but I'm thinking it isn't worth it."
Travlack nodded. Ava hesitated. She looked to Chrissy for guidance, half extending the petal to her. Chrissy put a finger on it and pushed it back. Now Ava spoke.
"Wait, why do you need a petal to keep your jobs?"
Nathaniel sneezed so hard his glasses came off. He caught them and started cleaning them off. Chrissy looked away and palmed the back of her neck.
"Ava," started Chrissy, "I'll be frank. We're probably losing our jobs when we return to Strohl. All but Travlack, at least."
"Why not Travlack? And why would you lose your jobs? I don't understand."
"Where do I start?" Nathaniel groaned. "Chrissy in the cave, Chrissy leading us onto reservation land and not telling us–"
"We don't need to go into every detail," snapped Chrissy.
More adjustment on Chrissy's back. Neville started clicking in rhythm.
"The plan was to grab a petal to prove we are worthy of remaining your escorts," Nathaniel stated, cleaning his glasses.
"That I can understand, but why not Travlack? Would he not be in as much trouble?"
"Job security," he uttered, "Hard to replace. Great benefits."
"So you see–wait, benefits?" asked Chrissy.
"Full coverage. Emergency. Dental–"
"Ficia yae sae nae–dental–?!"
"The POINT," growled Nathaniel, "Is that two things can be true. We do need to go to Cavargi for emergency medical attention. Chrissy has been borrowing Travlack's and I's strength these past couple of days. Mantis country also provided a chance for us to prove we had some competence left–"
AH-CHOO!
"–at least, whatever remains of it."
Neville tapped Chrissy's shoulder.
"Neville, not now, I'm trying to figure out if we should put in a transfer–"
Chk. Chk. Chk. Chk.
Chrissy snapped her head in the direction Neville directed her to. A small pair of black dots met her eyes.
She walked to her left.
They followed her.
She walked back to her right.
Those beady specks tracked her move.
Her stomach dropped as the outline of an insect head became clearer.
Everyone flinched at the speed at which she armed herself. Travlack reached for his PRAC while Nathaniel put his hands together.
"Why is Neville clicking?" Nathaniel asked.
Chrissy took a long breath. Without deviating the direction of her gaze, she responded.
"This isn't easy for me to say, Nathaniel," sighed Chrissy, "But..I maybe kinda sorta owe you an apology."
__
Language Translation:
Kutaxia:
Ficia yae sae nae - liar that you are