CHAPTER 8:
Daisy yawned, hearing the sound of birds from outside the den. As her vision adjusted, she realized that she never actually went to bed. She had fallen asleep on Fang in his recliner. The spider was snoring away, holding the butterfly gently in his arms.
This had become somewhat of a normal occurrence now. Fang even teased her about it the night before. "Guess I'm a cozy kind of fella, huh?" he chuckled. Daisy was too tired to tell him to shut up. And she didn't really want to admit it, but the spider did have a rather soft, fuzzy body. The other part she didn't want to admit...was she was starting to feel safe around him.
Fang's eyes slowly opened and blinked a few times. He looked toward the entrance of his den. "Guess it's time to get up," he murmured. After stretching a little, he smiled at Daisy. "Want some flying lessons yet?" The butterfly nodded, excited.
Once outside, the spider held Daisy's hands. "Alright, let's see if you can get yourself just a little bit off the ground..." he said. "Try flapping a bit without wearing yourself out." Daisy seemed nervous. She meekly asked, "W-what if I fall?"
Fang stared her in the eyes. "Then I'll catch you," he softly assured her. Daisy searched him...and realized he was telling the truth. Blushing, she managed to smile. "Ok, Fang. I'll give it a shot."
The spider held the butterfly's hand as she fluttered a few times. At first nothing happened. Then she started to lift a bit. "It's working!" she giggled. But before long she'd lose altitude and come back down. "It's alright, keep trying!" Fang encouraged her. At one point, Daisy did make it farther off the ground. "You're doing it!" Fang laughed. "Keep flapping!" He wasn't holding her hands anymore because she had made it a little ways above the prairie grass by now.
Daisy tried to sustain herself, but she started descending again. "Fang, help!" The butterfly fell. Fang, true to his word, caught her in his arms. The momentum sent him sprawling on his back. Daisy looked down at him in concern. "Oh my gosh, are you ok?" she asked.
Fang only laughed. "I'm fine, Daisy! I'm just happy the wing works!" The butterfly started laughing too. "I made it higher that time!" she exclaimed. "Did you see me?"
"Yeah! What did I tell you? Practice makes perfect!" the spider replied.
After catching their breath, they both got up and dusted themselves off. "Want to try again?" Fang asked, grinning a genuine grin. Daisy nodded, happy to finally be able to get into the air again.
They spend a few minutes testing the wing some more. Daisy sometimes couldn't get very high up, but other times she could nearly make it over the top of the prairie grass. Thankfully, she didn't fall again. The butterfly would glide back down to earth whenever she couldn't stay in midair. Fang still took her by the hands each time in case she stumbled.
Daisy got tired pretty quickly. "Maybe that's enough for now," she panted. Fang nodded. "Alright. What do you want to do in the meantime?" he asked.
The butterfly said, "Well, I was hoping to go see Dot today. We were gonna get more water for you."
"Sounds good to me," Fang replied. "Just be careful, alright? Not to sound like a broken record or anything. I just..." he trailed off.
"You're just worried about me," Daisy finished for him. "I know. I'll be back as soon as I can!" With that, she walked away. Fang watched her go. Sighing softly, he went back into his den. Though try as he might, he couldn't really stop thinking about Daisy. Not necessarily because he was worried about her.
Fang couldn't get her out of his mind. The thought of her made him smile. A real smile, too. Not a big monstrous grin like when he had too much flies' blood. He couldn't even remember the last time he ACTUALLY smiled. Sitting down in his recliner, Fang got a piece of paper and a pencil. He sketched a picture of Daisy's face, still kind of smiling as he did so.
Meanwhile, Daisy had met up with Dot. The ladybug was down by the stream with a few other ladybugs, drinking some of the water. "Daisy!" Dot said, hugging her friend. "Good to see you again!"
The butterfly jumped up and down. "Guess what, Dot? Fang's helping me learn to fly! I can make it a bit off of the ground now."
Dot smiled. "Oh, that's wonderful dear! Pretty soon, you'll be flying high in no time!"
Sage hopped up. "Hey, hey! I heard someone's new wing is working!"
Daisy hugged Sage, chuckling. "Well, almost. I still kind of need practice."
The grasshopper patted her on the shoulder. "Almost is good enough for me. Anyways, I got you a gift! Close your eyes."
Daisy laughed, doing so. "What is this, Sage?" She felt something small placed in her hands. "Alright, now open them!" Sage said. When the butterfly opened her eyes, she saw a small turquoise stone fastened on a silver chain. "Oh, a necklace!" she cried. "Thank you so much, Sage!"
Sage beamed. "Just something for you to remember us by when you go south for the winter." Daisy's smile faltered a little. "Oh, right. I...forgot about that," she said.
Dot noticed her change in behavior. "What's wrong, dear? Was it something we said?"
Daisy looked down, unsure what to tell them. "It's just...I've gotten so attached to you guys in the short amount of time I've been here. I don't know if I want to leave."
Sage hugged her. "Hey it's ok, Daisy. When it gets cold over there, just come back here! We'll be around, right Dot?" Dot didn't say anything at first. Then she said, "Maybe."
The grasshopper stared at her. "What do you mean?" he asked. Daisy seemed confused, too. The ladybug's countenance was downcast. Finally, Dot responded.
"I'm a rather old ladybug, you know. I've had many children over the years, and now they're all grown up with kids of their own. But lately, I've noticed, I'm getting quite tired. I don't have the same energy as I used to, and it won't be long before my strength fails me, as well. In short, my dear friends, I'm not sure just how much time I have left."
Sage went over to Dot, heartbroken. "D-Dot," he whispered. "You're not dying, are you?"
Dot gave her friends a sad smile. "I didn't say I was. I just don't think it's realistic to assume that I'll be here by next spring. I've still got some fight in me, though." She tried to laugh, but it didn't do much to cheer anyone up. She kissed Daisy on the cheek. "And until that day comes, I'll be here for you, my dear. No matter how long I must wait."
Daisy wiped a few tears away. "I don't want that day to come, Dot. You're my best friend," she whimpered. "I don't want to lose you or Sage." She drew the grasshopper close and kissed him on the cheek as well.
"You're so sweet, Daisy..." Sage sniffled. "I wish everyone was like you and Dot."
Taking a deep breath, Daisy asked, "Can you guys help me get some water? Please?" Sage nodded and bowed. "Of course, my lady. I'll be right back."
After he left, Daisy and Dot sat beside one another by the stream in silence. They watched as the mosquitoe larvae below chased one another, sending little ripples through the water. "Don't be sad, Daisy. I didn't mean to make you feel worse," Dot spoke up. "It's just the cycle of life. We are born, we live a little, and then we die. Whether anyone believes it or not, I truly think we were put here for a higher purpose than what has been credited to us. Maybe we'll never understand that purpose, or maybe we will. Some day. Either way, I had a well-lived life. Not many bugs can say that about themselves. And...it only got better when you came along."
Daisy looked up at Dot. She looked back, a placid expression on her face. The butterfly didn't want to believe that her friend was dying, but if she was, she certainly didn't seem very afraid of death. If anything...it was like she was ready for it.
Without warning something snatched Daisy up, and before she had any idea of what was happening, the ground beneath her feet got smaller and smaller. An all too familiar buzz hammered into her ears. A wasp grabbed her! "Dot!" she screamed, terrified but knowing there was nothing the ladybug could do to save her. "Help me! Someone! Sage! Dot! Fang!!!"
She cried and screamed until she couldn't anymore. Exhausted from struggling, the little butterfly passed out.
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Fang's eyes shot open. He didn't hear Daisy's screams, but he just knew something was wrong. Sensed it, in fact.
The spider had fallen asleep by the fireplace after drawing a picture of Daisy. A thin layer of drool coated one edge of the paper as he got up.
He walked outside and looked around. "Daisy?" he called. No answer. Fang called her name as he walked down the paths Daisy usually went, but there was still no sign of her. The spider grimaced when he went to the stream. A bowl-shaped leaf stood alone in the clearing. No sign of Daisy's friends, either.
"No," Fang whispered. "No, Daisy. Please..." Scared for the first time in his life, the spider ran up a nearby dandelion (which almost broke under his weight) and scanned the fields frantically. He often got to higher ground like this whenever he went hunting, to single out individual insects.
He managed to catch sight of a troop of wasps flying overhead towards the old oak tree. Snarling, Fang crept down the dandelion and swiftly stalked after them.
A little ways ahead of him, Dot and Sage were chasing after the wasps. After yelling at the wasps to put Daisy down (and that didn't work), the two friends decided to pursue them. What to do after catching up with them, they didn't know. All they knew was that they needed to save their butterfly.
Awfully brave of them. They had no idea what lay ahead.
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Daisy was flown through the tree and set down in front of Mist. "She's here now, sir..." the lead wasp said. "Intact and ready for the Wind Machine."
The mantis smiled as he stared down at the butterfly, who was still passed out. "Finally," he growled. "Willow, collar her." The katydid clamped the metal collar around her neck and gently lifted her. Mist said, "Now take her away." Daisy was carried off into the depths of the oak tree.