A huge swarm was on hand to say farewell to our band of travelers. Many were attracted, to be sure, by the presence of humans at Hive Home. Since their re-settlement in the North and South Enclaves, their visible presence has diminished, and is now quite a novelty. Departure
Mayor Reg arrived wearing a stunning yellow and black robe, pretending to royalty no doubt in an effort to goad the bees to anger. On the contrary, it made him look a fool. As he bowed deeply before the mother hive, Mayor Reg was sweating so profusely in the heat of the day, that the ants beneath his feet had to scurry away to keep from drowning in the droplets that fell from his brow.
As you can scent, his stench was quite overwhelming, as well.
The arrival of the humans was, as we have come to expect from them, not without controversy. The Queen's invitation had been for fifty(50) stout men, for bearing burdens, and the Queen's Sister Hives had promised to provide honey for them on the way. Three humans, however, brought along their mates, and at least six(6) children in total, from ages two on up to twelve years old.
This was not part of the agreement, and Queen zzzzz'Drom refused to let them go along until this writer counseled her that humans can feed each other from food stores on the chests of the females. This proposal pleased the Queen, and she allowed the extras to go along provided that only one extra female feed from the honey stores of the Royal Sisters, and that the children and other two females feed from her chest. This writer promised to make the Queen's counsel known at the first hive stop, at the end of the day.
Lou'ulf and the wolf contingent arrived at Hive Home without incident, though again, there was occasion for controversy from recalcitrant humans. A moderately sized herd of swine had accompanied the wolves. This was a surprise to everyone, including Queen zzzzz'Drom, who had informed Mayor Reg that the humans would be carrying provisions of salted pork for the wolves, and to which he had agreed.
Mayor Reg refused to have his people carry live swine upon their backs, citing religious provisions of some sort. Most bees were amused, as the 'unclean' pigs bear much resemblance to humans, especially in skin color and texture. A compromise was reached between Mayor Reg and Queen zzzzz'Drom, in which the humans were required only to herd the animals along, rather than carry them. Many bees were stunned by her compromise, and pledged their lives for the pleasure of plunging a stinger into various parts of Mayor Reg's body.
zzzzz'Drom, of course, refused this service, but Mayor Reg appeared to have trouble sitting at the end of the day, so some bees may have done the Queen this service without her permission.
As soon as this controversy was settled, the 4000 odd bees of the buzzer contingent were toasted from fresh nectars brought especially for the occasion by the Queen's nectarers. In this writer's opinion, the nectars were unmatched by any in memory, no doubt made abundant by the same warm days that have melted the Buttersnow Mountains' snow fields.
And at last, our bellies full of nectar, and eyes full of tears at parting from the Queen, we headed west for the Buttersnows, making a jolly fellowship of the Queen's bees, skimming the flower tops, followed by the dainty prancing feet of eight wolves. A raucous herd of swine and humans brought up the rear, crushing or eating everything in its path, and trampling the fruited flower fields with the scar of our passing.
Scented into wax by me, zzzzz'ZOE, the Royal First Cousin, on this day, Twenty Roklee, in the year 15910.
Expedition Report -- 20 Roklee, 15910 -- 3 April
The Journal of BubbleLand Studies
© Copyright 1993, Local Author Stories
