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That was awesome! I wonder what's next for Stranger and Charlotte though. I hope it's a spyider.
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Thanks, but I don't think i'll be including any more spyiders for some time. C:
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I don't see the confusingness 8D.... Hmm. I can just see it; this could be the baby chuggler, mad that its territory is being pinched, then mummeh will come to crack some skulls. And someone dai'd 8O. Yay interestingness.
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Hmm, maybe its just me then. That chapter sounded confusing to me for some reason.
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Charlotte had to admit that the grubbs were pretty good cooks. The pike they'd caught were cooked to perfection over a roaring fire, and she'd ended up eating four of them before she was satisfied. She sat with everyone else outside, licking her fingers and tossing a fishbone aside.
"What next?" She asked, sitting up. Ophelia sighed and daintily wiped her lips with a napkin.
"We have much to discuss in the temple," she said, "about the elder's predictions."
"Oh odd, those old geezers won't be there, will they?" Charlotte groaned. Ophelia looked as though she had been slapped.
"Of course they will! They predicted it in the firstplace. And since then they've had more predictions about you and Stranger's mission."
Charlotte's eyebrows contracted. "'Me and Stranger's?'"
Stranger had heard this. He double-taked, looking confused.
"What'r we doing?" He asked, the thought of having to do anything with Charlotte too much to bear.
"Oh, you know, a few errans..." Ophelia said, rolling her eyes. "...life-saving and such. Species-saving, in fact."
Stranger choked noticably. Charlotte jumped to her feet, her rifle in her hands.
"Your kidding!" She snarled, glaring at Stranger. "You can't... I'd never...!"
"...I don't mean it like
that!" Ophelia snapped, slapping her forehead.
"Thank odd."
"I mean saving other steef. Living steef, y'know."
"Uh, right." Stranger sighed, looking immensely relieved. Charlotte sat back down, her face red.
"Lets go!" said Ophelia happily, springing to her feet. Charlotte made a huge effort of standing up again. Stranger did the same.
Ophelia marched up to the temple and pushed open the door. The three stepped inside and looked around.
"We really need all these grubbs here?" Stranger asked, looking from wall to wall. The building was packed with grubbs, all chattering at once.
"They all want to see if there's a chance of bringing the steef back," Ophelia explained, violently shoving the grubbs in front of her out of the way. She pushed her way through the crowd closely followed by Stranger and Charlotte. Stranger was obviously pissed to have to listen to hundreds of grubbs all talking at once; Charlotte looked claustrophobic.
"Move!" Ophelia yelled, pushing one final grubb out of the way. They'd finally forced their way onto a tall, circular stage in the middle of the temple, where the five grubb elders sat side-by-side on leafy cushions. "Elders!" Ophelia cried, "I bring you our steef."
Charlotte and Stranger stood there, unsure of what to do. The crowd fell silent.
Reed, who considered himself the lead elder, shifted his weary gaze on the pair. He nodded.
"Good. We have news."
"Good news!" Cod cut in, giddy with exitment. Reed coughed loudly before continuing.
"So far," he began, "we believe that there are seven steef left, including you two. We have reason to believe that there are more, but we are unsure, so we'll focus on what we've got. The five steef we haven't discovered are, coincidentally, somewhere in the mongo reigon, and we have a good idea of where they are.
"One is somewhere in the Mongo marshes, living in most dangerous conditions, but is somehow managing.
One is near New Yolk city. You can't really go there, though; everyone knows Stranger's a steef out there.
One lives out in the badlands, where nobody dares to venture.
And," he said triumphantly, "two are said to be living in the legendary grubb village Nether, high atop an ancient canyon in the desert. But nobody is sure if the Nethergrubbs are even real."
"Wait," Stranger said, "you know where five steef live."
"Yup."
"...and they all live in hostile places?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
Stranger nodded slowly.
"So!" Reed spread his arms. "Where would you like to go first?"
"Can't we think about it first?" Charlotte asked weakly. All the grubbs in the room wilted in dissapointment.
"You aren't ready to look for more steef?" Ophelia wimpered.
"No! Its not that, its just..." Charlotte scratched her head, "is that all the information you can give us."
"I'm afraid so." The grubb seer Beetle said, shaking his head.
There was a long pause. Charlotte bit her tounge, deep in thought. Stranger fell silent and looked at the ground. Finally she turned to him.
"How about we look for those ones living in the Nethervillage?" She suggested. "If we find two steef in one, they can help us look for more steef."
"Sounds fine t'me." Stranger shrugged. Ophelia butted in.
"Wait!" She squeaked. "Before you go chasing a grubb village that might not even exist, maybe you should look for someone else? Just in case?"
"Okay, who?"
"The steef in New Yolk," Reed recommended, "its the closest one. And New Yolk isn't huge, you could find him or her easily."
"But Stranger can't go there," Brook said. "Try the steef in the marshes first, that should be easy."
"No way! We can't have them up to their waist in mud without some more help," Minnow growled. "Go to the badlands, its not as bad as it sounds..."
Stranger settled the matter. "We'll go to New Yolk first, its closest. Charlotte cn'look fer the steef there, they don't know who she is."
"Good idea!" Reed nodded. The other two seers shook their heads sadly. "You can set off tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Charlotte echoed. "Why so soon?"
Ophelia rounded on her. "If you want more steef, then you need to hustle and find 'em!"
"I'm not the one that wanted to do this!" Charlotte growled.
"But you do want to find more steef."
"True," Charlotte sighed.
"Well then!" Mola said, weaving his way through the crowd. "Its settled! Tomorrow it is! Can I come?"
"No." Ophelia growled. "You're the last person they'll need."
"Actually, thats not such a bad idea," Cod beamed. "He can be your pack mule."
"Wait!" Mola yelped.
"Too late, you're the pack mule. You said you wanted to come." Stranger said. Mola began to argue, but his voice trailed off.
"Okay." He sniffed. "I'll do it. But I won't like it."
"We didn't ask if you would like it." Stranger growled. Mola shriveled.
"I'll go away now." He wimpered, backing into the crowd.
"Tomorrow," Ophelia sighed as grubbs began to leave the temple, hurriedly talking. "I hope you two are ready."
She left with the rest of the grubbs, leaving Charlotte and Stranger alone in the wide temple.