A/N: It aggravates me to no end that Cars, which is possibly the worst Disney/Pixar film (not that it was a BAD movie, it was just not up to par of the other Pixar films) is getting a sequel when A Bug's Life, which has been my favorite Pixar movie since I first saw it, isn't. Or, at least, there are no plans as of yet to give it one. You can bet that if I land a job with Pixar (it's one of the places I'm considering applying for when I graduate as I'm majoring in Computer Animation), I'll be nagging them non-stop about making a sequel to A Bug's Life.

Now, back in the late 90s, after I saw A Bug's Life, I came up with several sequel things-not an actual story, though, but I made plenty of characters that could have a role in a sequel. Recently, I came across a notebook that had a bunch of those ideas in it. It was painful to look at, but I went through it, pulled out the things that could work, got rid of those that wouldn't, axed characters who were just taking up space, kept those who could contribute, and added new ones to balance out the roles left. This is the result.

You can find some of the concept art in my Deviant Art gallery.

I want to come up with a subtitle for the story, but as of yet I can't think of one. It was originally going to be called A Bug's Life: Year of Trials and took place during the first year of Atta's reign as Queen, but then I changed things so the story unfolds over the span of a little more than two years. As soon as I come up with a good subtitle, I'll rename the story.

I've been waiting since 1998 for a sequel to A Bug's Life. This is for all of you who have also been waiting. I hope this won't disappoint you.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own A Bug's Life. However, the idea for this story does, indeed, belong to me.

HERE'S YOUR TRADITIONAL, FRIENDLY NEIGHBOORHOOD REMINDER THIS IS NOT A SLASH FIC.

NOTE: DO NOT READ THIS FIC UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN A BUG'S LIFE! MAJOR SPOILERS ABOUND!

A Bug's Life 2-Prologue

Title: The Healer

LATER, WHEN SHE LOOKED BACK ON THE EVENTS that took place that fall, Moss would realize that the rains had come nearly a full day earlier than they usually did.

Small for a grasshopper, Moss lived by herself in a small cave on the western side of the river. She led a quiet enough existence; it gave her plenty of time to study the plants that grew along the river and determine uses for them-the leaves, the stems, the roots. Seeds, flowers, and berries, too-if any were to be found.

Moss was a healer, and she used the plants she found to make her medicines. Not many bugs lived along the riverbank where she did-she supposed the bird was a deterrent-but there was still always work to be had. From a cricket with a terrible cough to a stag beetle with a broken wing, they managed to find her, and she treated them all.

The night the rains had come, she had been out collecting plants to replenish her stores, and was caught in the middle of the fierce downpour. Stranded, Moss had no choice but to shelter under some twigs and wait for the rain to slacken. To occupy herself while she waited, Moss took stock of what she had managed to gather that night. It was a decent haul-she had even managed to tug a few strips of willow bark from a tree growing on the bank. Precious, that-willow bark was a wonderful pain reliever and she hadn't collected any for months.

Her stocking done, Moss peered out from her makeshift shelter. With a sigh of relief, she noticed that the rain did seem to be slowing down. It was safe to head back home. She gathered her supplies and placed them on the largest strip of bark. That done, she fastened a grass rope to one end of the bark strip and began dragging it in the direction of her cave home.

She hadn't gotten very far when she heard a faint moaning. Moss let go of the grass rope and stood absolutely still, twitching her antenna as she tried to get a bearing on the sound.

There it was again. Moss recognized the sound immediately.

It was the sound of an injured insect. A badly injured one, judging by how weak it was.

Abandoning her makeshift sled of supplies, Moss hurried off in the direction the sound was coming from. Rounding a clump of grass, she froze at the gruesome sight that met her eyes.

It was a large insect. Exactly what kind of insect it was, however, she could not tell. It was far too badly injured for that. Its face was a bloody mess, one leg was twisted awkwardly, and its wings were tattered and torn. Blood was everywhere.

Moss got over her shock quickly, her instincts as a healer taking over as she raced forward. The insect was silent now and absolutely still. Had it died?

She knelt next to it and held a hand over its mouth. She felt a slight breeze against her hand; it was very faint, but it was there. It was breathing. So, the insect was still alive.

But it wouldn't be for much longer if she didn't help it. Moss turned and ran back to where she had left her newly gathered supplies, and hurriedly pulled them back to the fallen insect. She pushed the supplies to one side and carefully lifted the insect onto the bark sled. She didn't have the right supplies with her to treat such horrible injuries, so she had to get back to her cave as fast as she possibly could. It would take all of her healing expertise to save this one, but that wouldn't help if she didn't get to her cave quickly.

Moss gave the grass rope a tug, and pulled the bark sled swiftly towards home.