One Hop Forward

"Hopper." The chief made eye contact with the youthful rebel, his voice morose. The pain of Black Worm poison had him lying on a thickened patch of leaves.

"Are you…are you really going?" he asked. His face was cringing; his words seeped out weakly, but he demonstrated a strong effort he took against the aches that consumed his frail body.

With a smile on his face, Hopper nodded vigorously. He was excited with becoming free. As he stood next to the chief however, Hopper seemed oblivious to the scene. His vigor made him forget sympathy. Inside the chief's heart, he still thought Hopper leaving was preposterous, but he knew the importance of it all. The boy was a symbol of hope and courage. After all, he brought back a net full of Rhodo Mithri.

Later, everyone sans the sick gathered at the village center.

Mocchi, Tiger, and Hopper returned to Leap Forest long after Gray Wolf and Pel. After being worried out of their heads, Gray and Pel breathed a sigh of relief. Tiger had to brag about how he took the Rhodo from out of the tree.

"No." Gray Wolf looked astonished, gawking at his baby brother.

"Couldn't do it without little Tiger!" Hopper said, showing Gray Wolf's a thumbs up. Gray Wolf couldn't help but smile. It must've happened, he thought. Having not seen it with his own eyes, Gray was easily skeptical, but his brotherly feelings made him think that Tiger had a lot of potential.

"Where's Pel?" Hopper asked one of his kin.

"At your house. She already got her share of the tea."

Hopper faced elsewhere and took one step before pausing. She was approaching the crowd; "Don't go yet Hopper," Pel called. She held onto another purebred Hopper, who was limping. All of the other rodents gasped. Monsters of the same breed, if bunched together, weren't that easily distinguished. They could vary in size, depending on eating habits, and there might be a difference in body patterns.

"Good, I am not late." The limping Hopper had blue eyes.

"Sprintan!" shouted one Hopper, worried.

Even Hopper was shocked. "Father, it's too early for you to stand!" He sounded a little upset.

"I got to, because my little boy is leaving on a journey." Even though his face looked dreary, the blue-eyed rodent gave his son a warm smile.

"But I already said goodbye to you, father!" Indeed he did – when Pel was tending to Sprintan in his bed. The father was partially asleep, and the son said a quick goodbye and left his house.

"Don't be so hasty. I want to see your back a bit more clearly," Sprintan said.

"My back?" Hopper was confused, his eyes widening. Pel nodded her head and rose up a hand to her neck.

"Also kid, your sister wants to give you something," Sprintan said with a wink. Pell pulled off her neckband and reached out to her brother.

"Here," she begged, "take it with you."

Hopper swung his arms in front of his face and turned his head away. He looked revolted. "Sis! I am not wearing anything pink."

"Idiot! It's for you remember us!" Pel complained.

"I'm not wearing pink!"

Everyone laughed as the two argued. Gray Wolf felt easy; it was a reminiscence of his first meeting with the Leap Forest Hoppers. When he saw Hopper complaining with Pel back and forward, he could sense the young monster's fervor. To a certain degree, Gray was reminded of himself; he also thought of Tiger, looking at his baby brother and smiling. He still couldn't believe what he had heard earlier, but sensed that the boy would blossom in the future.

Eventually, Hopper took the neckband – and it became an armband. With Sprintan, a tearful Pel, and others watching, four monsters departed the subterranean village and Leap Forest.

"Parepare huh? Sounds pretty far, chi," Mocchi said. After Leap Forest was another outstretched clearing.

"So Gray, what did Jell say?" asked Hopper.

Gray Wolf looked ahead, his eyes narrowing. Standing far off in his line of sight was the border of a jungle.

"By the sound of it all, it looks like there's going to be a large scale battle."