Botanica ( A true quest )

Chapter One. Hedera fights ' a stick '.

Chapter 1

Thunk!!!

 Hedera jumped at least three feet up in the air and managed to include a sideways motion at the same time landing in a ball, quivering. This was an impressive manoeuvre considering Dwinips were only around 2' 10'' tall.

 Slowly he opened his eyes, it was completely dark, " aaargh ! I must be dead," he thought , but as rational thought returned he realised he still had his hands tightly clasped over his eyes. Slowly one by one Hedera released his fingers from their lock, each tiny movement allowing him to gradually assimilate the scene around him. It seemed just the same as when he was stood there a few seconds ago gathering Lupins for his true love. The ground was red with thickets of green turning brown at the edges, the little stream was still gurgling and spattering as it ran along the gulley making it's way toward Botanica's main River. The great purple Lilac trees were swaying and rustling in the breeze  His friend Salix was still gyrating himself in the dust bath he had created to rid himself of those infernal Ickity Jickity bugs So what the heck was that noise?

 Ickity Jickity bugs are about the size of a pin head. They live in groups of 60, no more, no less, the reason is not known why. They are highly social all caring for each other living and moving in a harmonic cluster. They live in hair or fur and secrete a thick saliva when they feel threatened, which, if left for more than two minutes will set rock hard. The saliva also causes a mild irritation to their host's skin; red dust appears to calm the irritation. To remove the bugs a trail of sap from the lilac tree is layered in the hair and dribbled to the ground, they will march along this slurping the sap as they go. Scientists have theorised that their saliva may have been the inspiration for modern rock steady, permanent hold , hair gel.

Slowly and carefully Hedera stood himself up checking each part of his body as he rose, hair, nose, eyes, mouth, two arms, body, legs, obviously all intact, fine, as handsome as before , well that was his opinion anyway. How Gloxinia didn't know he existed was beyond him, such an exemplary figure of a person, muscular, intelligent, rugged looks, witty, brave considerate.... Hedera slowly walked backwards as he considered his attributes, engrossed in his own wonder,

 Whump!!!

 Something hit him on the back of his head. Within a split second he had scooped up his discarded Lupins whilst simultaneously spinning round to face his adversary. Eyes closed he swished and thrusted the blooms using them as a mighty sword lunging forward to push back his foe, they didn't appear to be putting up much resistance, maybe he had caught his adversary by surprise. He decided to seize the moment and with one last mighty leap flew forward to down his enemy, CRACK!!!? Oooh that was a dirty blow..... he sank to his knees in agony, what sort of warrior would hit a man there? After a few seconds of piercing pain he bowed his head to await the final blow, he waited and waited for what seemed like an eternity but nothing came, he opened his eyes and steeled himself.

 " If I have to go I'll look them in the eyes, like a real warrior " he said under his breath

 But there was nobody there - nothing - he took a deep breath, rose to his knees, readjusted himself and once the adrenalin had stopped pumping, sheer panic subsided into logic, he realised he had been having a duel with a stick, a very long stick with a spike on the end ' aha! A spear in fact!!' He had obviously walked backwards into it whilst in his self admiration society mode, he'd then fought a damned fine battle with it but that final thrust must have landed him on top of it - and - well you can guess the rest.

 The spear stood about 4 foot high, a big one to a Dwinip. The shaft was made of the finest red mahogany, in the centre a gold handle with the most exquisite engraving he had ever seen , tied on the end was a long piece of red material which gently flapped in the breeze