11
The company traveled all day without a break, and they now rested. Gregor noticed it was rather warm. Not quite the heat he remembered from the jungle, but still warmer than the Underland usually was. The heat was taking its toll on the Underlanders, who were used to the same mild temperature every day. Gregor and his cousin thought it was nothing compared to the summer sun. While they began distributing food, Gregor decided to ask a question that was bothering him.
"So if there are four species on this expedition, how are you going to distribute the land?" Everyone went quiet. Whiptail looked agitated. Lapblood broke the silence.
"The gnawers did not agree to participate in this to leave with nothing, if that is what you are asking." It was not what he was asking.
"You think Regalia would try to keep your fair share of land from you?" Luxa said, sounding more than a little offended.
"I would not put it past you. We have had a tentative peace recently, but that does not fix all of the past."
"Four species are included on this mission, so anything that is found will be divided four ways." Lapblood looked at Luxa with a mix of sympathy and amusement.
"Four species living so close together? Each group trying to simultaneously outshine and ignore the others. I do not see that working. It would fail even if we had a stronger peace, and with the way things are now…" Lapblood trailed off.
"What do you mean? The way things are now?" Gregor asked.
"Many humans not happy, the gnawers are not," Kik explained.
"Explain yourself, Lapblood," Luxa demanded. Lapblood looked tired, and continued in a bored voice.
"You think everything is just fine because a war was ended a couple years ago? Oh no, Your Highness. Though many gnawers are quite happy in the stability of peace, many want nothing to do with humans. They would rather be at war. And if what I hear is true, you have a few humans who feel the same way about us." Luxa exchanged a concerned look with her cousin. So she did know there were Regalians who were not happy. Perhaps her council members even.
"If you think gnawers and humans are just going to fight about the land, then why bother looking for it?" Wynnora asked. "Why not just ignore it?"
"That prophecy has some room for peace. 'Bring together those apart.' Some of us hope we can find a way to make this work."
"We should agree on a plan now, so we are prepared upon our return to Regalia," Howard said. Lapblood laughed, startling Whiptail who laid beside her.
"We haven't found anything yet. Don't get ahead of yourself."
"It would be good to be on the same page at least," Wynnora said. "Why doesn't everyone put out their idea for how this should be handled?" Luxa remained adamant about dividing everything equally, and Aurora agreed. Lapblood and Whiptail stayed with the idea it would end in war. Howard and Nike said let representatives of each race discuss the matter. Wynnora looked a Gregor with a twinkle in her eye.
"Or you could try something really crazy," she said. Gregor felt he could read her mind, and he liked her idea.
"This could be the first multi-species city," he said. Everyone looked at them as if they suggested the company form a circus.
"Might work, it might," Kik said.
"Works with prophecy. Crawlers easy to live with, they are," Kot added. There was some debate back and forth. No one agreed with Gregor and Wynnora's idea, but they did not throw it away just yet. Gregor thought it might have a chance.
"Why don't you guys hang on to that idea," Wynnora said. "Then, if we find this cave, you can consider it for a strategy." Everyone agreed to think it over. Gregor was pretty happy with that.
The next day the party continued on its journey. They switched up partners, and Gregor got to ride with Luxa and Aurora. Wynnora went with Howard and Nike, because she much preferred riding and talking with Nike. Wynnora had Howard show her how to tie complicated knots to distract her from remembering she was underground. Being a sailor of sorts, Howard could tie a dozen different knots perfectly. Wynnora was terrible at it. She kept trying, though, just to keep busy.
Gregor decided to talk to Luxa to keep busy. She updated him on Mareth, who was officially in charge of Regalia's army. He was also expecting a baby. Howard did not mention it, but he was promoted to a captain in the army. Gregor guessed that they promoted young in the Underland due to a higher death rate. Luxa explained he was not very happy about the promotion as it was nepotism and he would rather just be known as a doctor. Nerissa, though still unstable and weak, was actually becoming stronger, and was talking to a man recently.
"It has caused a sort of commotion," Luxa explained with a smile. "A member of the royal family talking to someone of the opposite sex. Unheard of." They both laughed.
Everyone, except maybe the humans, need a break by midday, and they land for lunch. All along the main tunnel, there have been openings for tunnels that lead elsewhere. They landed next to one, and heat seemed to come out of it. Luxa said there may be a land path back to Regalia through them, but that will be determined later.
Lapblood and Whiptail along with crawlers finally catch up, and Howard begins handing out lunch. Just as they begin to eat, the fliers' ears perk up, and they shift uncomfortably.
"Something is coming closer from in the tunnel," Hipp says. Gregor notices Hector taking a protective stance closer to her.
"It sounds…" Aurora pauses like she does not believe it. "Like twisters."
"What are twisters?" Wynnora whispers to Gregor.
"Snakes. But they can only live in the jungle."
"That cannot be," Luxa says, but she draws her sword. Greogor and Howard follow suit, and Wynnora grabs her bow. Lapblood crouches low, preparing to attack, and Whiptail tries to do the same but looks anything but intimidating.
They stand at the ready until they can all hear them. Then Gregor can see their shadowy forms slither forward in the shiners' lights. There are not like the vine like twisters from the jungle. They are more like huge pythons. Thick, with shiny black scales. They are difficult to see even with the shiners' light. Gregor waited for them to attack, but they stopped. One slithered forward and raised its head level with Luxa.