As the villagers prepared to leave for the forest, gathering their tools and supplies, a few noticed a familiar tiny figure by the well. Blue waved his pincers, trying to catch their attention. Some of the villagers, pressed for time, brushed it off, but others couldn't ignore the sight of the little scorpion determinedly waving at them.
Mira's father, leading the group, chuckled softly. "Looks like my daughter's friend has something important to show us." He gestured to Blue, and a few villagers gathered around to see what he was up to.
.
The villagers entered the forest, following a path that seemed almost too clear to be real. It wasn't a path they remembered seeing before, but it was unmistakably marked, almost as if it had been laid out for them. The villagers whispered among themselves, some marveling at the idea that such a path could even exist.
One man glanced over to Mira's father, curiosity clear on his face. "How do we know this path will get us there?"
Mira's father smirked, looking down at the ground. "Let's just say we're following the lead of a small friend." He nodded toward the tiny scorpion scuttling ahead, guiding them through the trees. The villagers shared looks of surprise, some grinning at the unusual sight, but they followed, trusting the path.
When they reached the massive tree lying across the dry lakebed, the villagers' eyes widened. It was enormous, its branches sprawling across the ground, its thick trunk like a wall.
"Now that's a tree," one of the men muttered, shaking his head. "No wonder the water's been so low."
The other men gave their own observations, estimating its weight, size, and length. Each man had an idea on how they could move it, but every suggestion had a flaw. One thought of using fire magic, but the risk of starting a forest fire was too high. Another suggested ice magic, but they worried it would freeze the water supply. Someone proposed using earth magic to create mud to help slide the tree, but with the wind and rain approaching, they feared it would only make things worse.
As the villagers debated, a small wobble caught their attention. Wobbles had appeared, wiggling their way over to the center of the fallen tree, where they poked at it repeatedly, trying to convey… something.
Blue joined in, scuttling over to the same spot, and began scratching his pincers against the middle of the tree's bark. He wasn't cutting deeply—just enough to flake off a small bit of bark. Mira's father watched, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he pieced together the message.
"Cut it down the middle," he murmured aloud, realizing their plan. "If we split it in half, we'll open a path for the water. It won't solve the whole problem, but it'll let the water flow through for now."
The other villagers exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. It was a clever idea—if they couldn't go over or around the tree, they'd break right through it.
"Then let's get to it," one of the men urged, glancing up as the wind picked up strength, and rain began to sprinkle down in subtle drops. They didn't have much time before the weather worsened.
As they prepared their tools, Mira's father felt a gentle tug at his side. He turned to see blue down by his foot, looking at him with a curious expression. Blue waved his pincers, and Mira's father took a moment to watch, understanding that Blue was leading him somewhere.
"Keep working here," he told the others. "I'll be back soon." He rose, following Blue into a different part of the forest.
Blue led him through the trees, stopping at a patch of ground where he began tapping his pincers against the mud. Mina's father squatted down, his eyes widening as he noticed the distinct shape of a large footprint in the ground. It was massive, far larger than any human foot, and had deep, clawed impressions.
Mira's father cursed under his breath, realization dawning on him. "This… this must belong to some sort of magic beast," he muttered, dread creeping into his voice. If a creature this size had been nearby, it could have easily pushed the tree over. But if it was still lurking close by…
He looked down at Blue, who was scanning the area around them, his tiny pincers clicking in focus. Mina's father offered a grateful smile. "Thank you for showing me this, little guy. It's a big help." Blue, noticing the appreciation, simply gave a little wave with his pincers, his own small way of saying "you're welcome."
.
Blue was amazed at how well Mina's father understood his actions. He'd been trying so hard to communicate, and now it felt like the villagers were truly listening. Mina's father and the village elder had shown faith in him, trusting his intentions even though he was just a small scorpion.
As he was lost in thought, Wobbles appeared, wobbling eagerly. "Blue! I wobbled all over, but didn't see any big creatures around," they said, their voice full of pride.
Blue felt a surge of relief. "Thanks, Wobbles. I just wanted to be sure we were safe." He felt lucky to have such a helpful friend by his side.
Wobbles, wobbling with excitement, happily added, "Wobbles helped a lot!" Their voice was full of pride, referring to themselves in the third person.
Blue chuckled, amused by his friend's enthusiasm. "Hey, Wobbles… are you, uh, a boy or a girl?"
Wobbles tilted to the side, clearly pondering the question. After a moment, they replied, "Wobbles is just Wobbles!"
Blue found this answer both funny and oddly fitting. "Fair enough," he replied, deciding to save the topic for later.
With their spirits lifted, Blue and Wobbles returned to the villagers, who were working on cutting through the thick trunk of the tree. As the men focused on their task, Blue and Wobbles stayed nearby, both ready to help in whatever small ways they could.
.
Unbeknownst to Blue and Wobbles, something was watching them from the shadows, hidden in the depths of the forest. Only its silhouette was visible, massive and looming, its long, sharp teeth glistening faintly as it eyed the group by the tree. A low, menacing growl escaped its mouth, muffled by the thick forest, but its presence lingered—a quiet threat, waiting in the darkness.