Chapter V

All of the adults left on the Hill side of the cave-in were summoned to the Royal Courtroom to determine what action was to be taken. Molt was sent back to the Infirmary to have his muddy splint and bandages changed. Tuck and Roll, it turned out, had both swallowed a great deal of water and mud and were for the time being quite ill. Dr. Flora had left the three of them in Cora's care in order to attend the hearing. Dot and the other children were sent off to sleep, quite forcibly where necessary, as many of them - Dot included - were adamant on coming to the meeting. But eventually the last child was tucked into bed and the hearing began.

"It's true," Atta began, "that we can't get any food or medical supplies to the workers on the other side of the cave-in. So we will have to begin work on the new tunnel as soon as possible. But, Thorny has pointed out that the ground is too wet for digging. Flik here - " she indicated the ant at her side, who waved feebly - "has volunteered to head an excursion above ground to set up a tent to keep the rain away from the digging site."

The workers murmured. Above ground, in the rain! It was a suicide mission.

"The digging will have to wait until the tent is in place. Thorny will keep watch in the tunnel to see when the ground has become dry enough to dig. Hopefully the workers on the other side will take the same cue. Flik? Who will be going with you?"

"We all will," Slim answered for the ant, indicating the circus performers as well as the crew. "We've worked together to put up the tent many times before. Unfortunately we'll be missing Tuck and Roll, but we should be able to manage."

Atta paused. "P.T., are you going too?" she asked.

P.T. gave an exasperated grunt. "No I won't," he said.

"But P.T.," said Heimlich, "we need jou to drife the wagon!"

"You're not taking my wagon," answered the flea gruffly. "Take the tent if you have to, but no one is touching my wagon but me, and that's final."

Rosie heaved a sigh. "All right," she said sarcastically. "Dim can carry the tent and we'll all walk in the mud."

"Now you're talkin'," responded P.T.

"We've decided to leave right away," said Flik before anyone could complain. "There's no time to waste."

Atta nodded. "Very well Flik. Let's go."

Flik staggered. "'Let's'?"

"Atta!" exclaimed the Queen, rising out of her chair. "You can't go!"

"Mother, I have to," Atta tried to explain. "If I'm going to be Queen I have to do whatever I can to ensure the safety of the Colony, don't I? You heard Slim; without Tuck and Roll they're going to need extra hands and those belong to Flik and myself."

The Queen slowly sat. "All right then," she said.

"Your Majesty!" hissed Cornelius.

"Can it, Corny."

"This meeting is adjourned." Atta rapped her stone gavel on the podium and stepped down.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Team Alpha (so they were christened by Thorny) were all set to move by the time the sun had begun to rise over Ant Island's neighboring strawberry patch. The heavy tent was all bundled up and strapped to Dim's back with several ropes made of dried strips of dandelion stalk, and rations of food were packaged in preserved berry peel and fashioned into packs for the bugs to carry. Medical supplies, too, were handed out among the team members, and the Main Entrance was unsealed (not being as heavy a task as unsealing the back exits).

"But Mom!" Dot, who had been unable to sleep the night before and had early on discovered her sister packing to leave, was resolute. "If Atta gets to go, I do too!"

"Nonsense, Dot," replied the Queen.

"Yeah, Dot," Atta said, "you can't go."

"Why not?" demanded the little Princess.

"Because you have to help your mother run the Colony," Flik broke in swiftly. He threw a prodding look at Atta.

"Oh - right!" Atta pretended to agree. "You'll have to take over for me as Queen-In-Training."

This didn't convince Dot. "But I want to go!" she insisted.

"Goodbye! Bye!" said Atta loudly, pulling Flik after her out of the Anthill's main entrance.

"Um...bye!" Flik joined Atta in waving to the ants staying behind - as well as P.T., who was scowling at the departure of his tent. "We'll be back soon! Nobody worry!"

"Good luck!" shouted Dr. Flora.

"Do you think they'll make it?" Thorny asked the rest of the Royal Council as soon as Team Alpha was well on their way down the Anthill.

"Not a chance," huffed Cornelius. "Why, they'll be nothing but little smears of mud by noon! Well, except for that beetle, he'll be a big smear of mud."

"Cornelius!" cried the Queen, covering Dot's ears.

But Dot wasn't concerned. "I never get to do anything," she said, apparently her role as the voice of the 'bird' that scared off the grasshopper gang not counting as anything. She wiggled away from her mother and buzzed off to find something interesting to do.

Outside, Team Alpha was trying to cope with the muddy ground. It had stopped raining, but sinking into the mud became a very real possibility. They quickly discovered that if they walked only on decaying leaves, that they at least wouldn't sink - although the smell wasn't the most pleasant.

Slim was cursing P.T. "Miserable parasite," he grumbled. "Couldn't even allow his own hard-working employees borrow his team and wagon..."

"So how far have we got to go?" Francis wondered.

Flik frowned at the western horizon. "It's not normally very far," said the ant, and he rubbed his antennae. "But we can't make a beeline if we have to walk only on these leaves. It could be an hour or more."

"And then we's gotta figure out how to pitch the tent in the muck," supplied Flash cheerfully. Blip elbowed him.

"That's right," said Flik thoughtfully, slowing for a moment. "I forgot."

"We'll figure it out," Atta assured him. But now she was more worried than ever. ...Be natural, she told herself. Laugh it off.

"...What's she laughing about?" Francis whispered to Heimlich, who shrugged.

Flik knew what was wrong, however, and nudged Atta. Atta knew what the nudge meant and took Flik's hand. The two ants sighed and trudged along.

There was a rumble of thunder, off in the distance. The bugs all paused and look nervously at the sky.

"Greeeaaat," commented Francis, rolling his eyes. "Nice plan, Flik."

"Will we make it there and back in time?" worried Gypsy.

"No," Slim answered her as a drop of rain crashed nearby.

"We have to keep going," said Atta firmly, pulling her hand out of Flik's. "The Colony is depending on us."