Eritopia

Berries and Bugs

'Oh, for years and years. Since before the time of Reed.'

'That's a long time.'

'Hah,' said Bear. 'You have been paying attention to my lessons after all.'

'I know what the Occasions are,' Not-Bear said. 'I don't know what they're for.'

'I've told you all you need to know.'

'So, who invented them?'

'No one invented the Occasions. They existed long before anything else.'

'But how do you know they existed?'

'The Elders of course, know they existed.'

'But how do the Elders—?'

'Shush!' Bear hissed, a little too firmly. Some nearby animals looked across at them.

'All these questions will get you into trouble,' Bear whispered.

Before Not Bear could reply they emerged from the path into a wide avenue. Not only was it wide, there were hundreds of animals packing it. A bobbing swell of chattering, intent creatures moving across in front of them.

'At last, Holkelm Avenue,' Bear said, as the tide of animals swept by. 'What a stirring sight.'

Broken clouds scattered sunlight across the avenue as the animals jostled along. Horses, oxen and goats moved along in the middle, while families of deer trotted by on either side. Beavers, otters, stoats, prairie dogs and jackrabbits found what space they could. Boars, rats, and dogs darted about.

The air was full of raucous noise, a crescendo of talking and squawking. There were swarms of birds in the trees, flitting from canopy to canopy. Buzzards and ravens cruised high above the vegetation. Flocks of finches fluttered from bush to bush. All the animals of the Inside were converging onto the path now. All on one road and with one aim. To get to the Occasion.

Bear and Not-Bear were soon in among the crowd. Bear was hurrying along on the side of the avenue. Not-Bear loped alongside him. Animals jostled for position: 'Look where you're going.' 'Mind out!' 'Hold on there!'

Then a goat stepped on Not Bear's foot.

'Ow!'

'Sorry, didn't see you there,' the goat said as it moved off into the crowd. Not-Bear stopped to lick his paw, and a black boar bumped into him.

'Hey!'

The boar backed off when he looked up and saw what he had bumped into. He didn't say anything but instead stared at Not-Bear.

'What's going on here?' A horse had stopped too. Then it saw Not-Bear. 'Are you with us?' it asked.

Not-Bear stared at him.

'He bumped into me,' the boar squealed.

'I didn't. You bumped into me. A goat trod on my paw, I was licking it and–'

'What part are you from?' The horse demanded.

'What part of what?'

'The Inside,' the horse said.

'None of your business.'

'Don't be cheeky, it is my business, I am charged with ensuring a smooth passage to the Occasion. Again, what part of the Inside are you from?'

'Well, if you want the truth, I don't think I'm from the Inside at all.'

The boar gasped. 'Not from the Inside, then you must be–'

'An Outsider,' said the horse.

'An Outsider!' croaked the boar.

'No, I'm not an Outsider, I simply said—'

'I'm here, I'm here,' said a familiar voice and Bear bustled into view.

'Do you know him?' The horse turned his attention to Bear.

'I'm his tutor. He's with me. He got lost, that's all.'

'He said he wasn't from the Inside.'

'Really! Just having a joke with you. A bad joke it's true. We're from King's Oak. Going to the Occasion like everyone else,' Bear chattered. He reached down and pulled Not-Bear by the ear. The horse and the boar stood aside and watched them leave.

'Stop pulling my ear,' Not-Bear said when they were some way ahead.

'Try not to draw attention to yourself,' Bear said.

'A goat trod on me. The boar knocked me over. I was explaining that to the horse.'

'Well don't explain anything. Answer yes or no if anyone says anything to you. We don't want to attract unnecessary attention. Is that clear?'

'Yes.'

'And don't ever say you're not from the Inside. You will get us into trouble. Clear?'

'Silence.'

'Clear?'

'Yes, Bear,' Not-Bear conceded.