Chapter 47 Lovely Changes

Singe stayed with us for quite some time afterward, which I found to be the best possible scenario. Despite his initial desire to turn him into a glittering pile, Kam grew close to him too. We all appreciated Singe's presence in the society.

Me more than anyone else.

You see, not only was Singe physical attractive, but his personality was commendable. He had the most beautiful smile, one that brightened any room that had the fortune of experiencing his presence. He also had a beautiful singing voice. Every evening, he would sing songs that he had either written or heard in passing to the rest of us. His voice was like molten chocolate, being lathered onto the skin of my eardrums like a rejuvenating lotion.

I loved him. I loved him more than anyone else in the whole world. Even Kam...while I loved Kam, it was a different kind of love. I loved him as a brother would; nothing more, nothing less. But SINGE? Singe was someone who I wanted to be with. He was someone who I would gladly follow to the moon and back.

But I couldn't admit it. I just couldn't. I was too scared.

So, instead of actually fessing up about my developing crush to the object of my affection...I talked about it with Kam.

"Dude," Kam said one time. "You have got to get over this."

"I...I can't, okay?" I said. "I want to tell him. I would give up an arm and a leg if it meant I would be able to tell him. But…"

"Let me guess; you can't?"

I sighed, misery drenching my tone. "Yep."

Kam rolled his eyes. "You're such a weenie. Asking someone out is not that hard. Would you like me to give you a lesson on how to do it?"

"No! No, I...I don't need that."

"Don't need what?"

I nearly jumped out of my robe when I heard Singe's voice in the doorway. I turned and saw him coming into my bedroom. If it was anyone else, I would have scolded him six ways to Sunday. But Singe? No. I couldn't scold him.

"Uh, um….ice cream! We don't need ice cream in the hideout!"

Singe blinked. "You're discussing getting ice cream?"

Kam snickered. "No, actually. We were discussing how Kamark is too much of a chicken to…."

I pounced forward and covered Kam's mouth with my hand. I didn't want my secret to be revealed. I wasn't ready.

"Don't you dare!" I hissed to him. I gently removed my hand, causing Kam to glare at me. I turned back to Singe. "I'm too much of a chicken to get a freezer to keep the ice cream. I...I'm scared of the stuff! The sugar and fat content in that stuff? Yikes!"

Singe raised an eyebrow. "That's...an odd thing to be scared of."

I chuckled. "Well, not all fear has to be rational, right?"

Singe stayed silent, looking at me in a way that indicated he was trying to comprehend what I was saying, trying to piece together how it could make any sort of sense. I blushed.

"Why are you here love...I MEAN, why are you here, Singe?"

Singe raised another eyebrow, but thankfully, didn't question my blunder. "The other members of the Society are in need of your assistance."

"Why?"

"Just come and see."

Curious, Kam and I followed him. We followed him all the way out to the Society's main room where the entire organization was gathered around one spot. This only made my curiosity increase. I exchanged a look with Kam.

"What's going on?"

Marcus, who had heard us, turned around. "Kambert! Kamark! You have to see this!"

The society cleared to make way. It turns out, they had surrounded a monty mole. A baby monty mole. My heart...my heart melted right in that instant.

"Aww!" I squeed.

Kam looked at the baby, not with adoration, burt rather, confusion. "How did that get in?"

Marcus pointed up toward the ceiling. Just below it was a hole, just big enough for the baby to borrow through. I waved my wand, causing the hole to close up.

"I'm guessing that it made its way in through there?"

Marcus nodded. "Yep. It came in less than ten minutes ago."

I looked down at the baby. It had cuts and gashes all across its golden body. The thing also had a breathing rate that only those who were on the brink of death would have. I felt a pang.

"We can't release this baby back out into the wild." I picked it up. "We need to nurse it back to health before that happens."

The society gave me understanding looks. I cradled the baby mole in my arms, petting it on its soft little head. I beamed down at it, feeling the same type of emotions that a new parent would. I would nurse this mole back to health if it was the last thing I do.

…

I rocked the baby in a cradle that I had procured with my wand. The thing was so helpless, so little. The Society had managed to heal its wounds and stitch up its cuts, pulling it away from death's door at least for the time being. Regardless, it was still pretty weak. It needed as much nourishment as possible.

"What's this?" I asked as the baby let out a little cry. "Is Mr. Moley hungry?" I waved my wand and produced a bottle of cream before picking up the baby. Mr. Moley gripped the bottle and gently sucked on it. I couldn't help but beam at the sight. "Daddy loves you. Yes he does! Yes he does!" I turned toward the door, and my heart stopped.

Singe was there. He smiled at the sight of me with the Monty Mole. "Cute, Kamark. Really cute."

"Uh...thanks." I stroked the eating baby under the chin. "I love this little guy."

"It would appear that way." Singe took a step in, still smiling. "I didn't take you for the nurturing type."

"Well, I run a society," I said. "Some of the members of said society are still very young. Gentleness is required if I want to be a good leader."

"I see." He went up and stroked the baby on the chin. "Who's a good boy?" He baby talked. "Who's a good boy?"

The baby removed the bottle form its mouth and softly burped. I chuckled. "Mr. Moley is now ready to go back to the bed." I made the bottle disappear and laid Mr. Moley in his cradle. I gently rocked it, hoping the rhythm would loll him to sleep.

"You know," Singe said, "it's possible that Mr. Moley isn't the only monty mole who is like this."

I looked over at him. "What do you mean?"

"Monty moles are on the endangered species list, and have been for a while. Piranha plants are one of their predators, and they can be found in droves." His eyes shined with concern. "What I'm saying is that I don't think we can be satisfied with helping just one mole."

I looked down at Mr. Moley, digesting what was being said to me. I remembered reading something in a book that supported what Singe was saying. Granted, the book had been published a while ago. But if what Singe was saying was to be believed (which I believed it was), I couldn't just dismiss the facts that the book had lain out on the table for me.

"You're right." I rubbed my face. "We need to become more proactive in protecting these creatures."

Singe smiled. "Maybe we should go on a hunt for them sometime tomorrow?"

My spirits soared. "Yeah! And we could turn that unused section of the hideout into a nursery for them!" I looked at Singe, loving him more and more with each passing minute. "That's a great idea."

Singe beamed. "I'm glad you like it."

"Oh, I love it! We could make it our mission as a society to do good for these moles! After all, by helping the environment, we are helping the world."

"Just like the society wants."

I paused. "Exactly." I approached him. "Just like the society wants." I allowed myself to soak in his appearance. It was so beautiful. So perfect. So…

"Hey."

I turned and saw Kam. Disappointment claimed me, but disappeared when I realized that I could start arrangements to help the moles with him.

"Kam," I said. "Singe just gave me the best idea ever."