Chapter 24: Majestic Bee-asts!

"Hehe, Alrighto then my Queeny Queen, but this isn't pleasant. Oddly enough, the Skunk Folk use their… spray to blast the bad luck away," Tag explained, and I reeled back in revulsion, and Sig picked up where Tag left off.

"Their spray has the most excellent dispelling effect that can even cure petrification, but all prefer the nectar from the ant for that. Though, in a bind, it is an excellent substitution!" Sig said, and then he and Tag high-fived, classic.

I looked at Riza, and her face was screwed up, trying to hold back a smile, but it was hard to blame her. I was getting mental images of getting visibly farted on by a full-grown person, and I gave a shiver, making Talli look up at me.

"Sorry, are you ready to go?" I asked her with a warm smile.

I still felt terrible about Bee-fore, I couldn't have them pollen the other girls and me around. They would need to learn how to beehive, or it would only get worse like my puns.

"Yes, I am sorry for how I was acting before, we always got yelled at, and you don't, or didn't. It's not your fault that you yelled, we pushed too far, and I will try to help with Pixie. We just never had any real jobs other than staying out of the way," Talli said to me as we slowly rose off the ground.

Everyone followed us, and soon we were about five meters off the ground. The boys started to lead us in the air, and I pushed down the sadness that was trying to breakthrough.

I could only move forward and do more than the ones Bee-fore me. If I was going to Bee-come great, it would Bee the type of greatness that people smiled about.

The excitement of flying was something that filled me with joy, but I was glad to be holding Talli's hand. I was still getting used to the use of my wings, and while it felt natural, it still took some getting used to.

The landscape was almost all hilly grass plains with mountains to the north and plains of rolling grass south as far as the eye could see. Ahead of us, more west than north was a large and very tall forest, and it was also very dark.

"Queeniest of Queens! Nightmare Falls is just up ahead, but if you want to talk to them, we should just fly in," Tag called out as we neared the trees.

"Yeah, they don't like when you walk through, but if we fly, they should be fine with us. Plus, you are our excellent Queen that wants to grace them with your most excellent presence," Sig said, with a big smile.

I wasn't sure if it was the double excellent he pulled off or if he actually believed in me. Regardless, I smiled back; we were about to enter the extremely tall forest.

The trees looked healthy, and they were over thirty meters tall like the great redwood forest down in the States, but the forest was dark and gloomy. The trees were spaced apart decently, and they were easy to fly around, but there was nothing else in sight.

"Is it always this quiet around here?" I asked in a normal voice; we had slowed down and now flew in a closed group.

"Not even the animals like coming here Bee-cause of the curse that the Nightmares can give. They weren't always like that, but races like the Coyotes and the Weasels like to torment them. Some of the other races have done the same. Now they don't want to have anything to do with anyone," Talli told me.

I looked at her with surprise, but she just shrugged. I forgot they lived near here as well and that I could ask them about things.

We were coming up to the sounds of rushing water, and I could see the clearing with the large pool at the bottom of a gentle waterfall. The place was Bee-autiful, and the way the sun hit the water, and surrounding grass made the place look almost magical with the light mist.

"Where are the Nightmares?" I asked as we entered the clearing, looking around.

I had expected them to be on us the second we got close, but I couldn't see anyone but us.

"They are already here; they are just acting creepy, hold on," Tag said, cupping his hands over his mouth. "Shalgoth! The most jerkiest of all the Nightmares, we have brought our Queeniest of Queens, Ashia of the Bee, to come to see thee! Ha, Sig, I'm a Poet!"

Eye roll game was heavy for that one, but a huge black stallion stepped out from behind a massive looking tree. I didn't have a lot of experience, but I would have to say this one did not look impressed, but it did look slightly amused.

The tall and powerful horse with a sparkling and twisted black horn protruding from its head stepped into the clearing and looked only at me. I could feel the eyes and the question it was asking with its look.

"I am Ashia, a newly born Queen, but also in my second life. I am unfamiliar with your kind, and I wished to come to meet such a majestic Bee-ast," I said, trying to sound respectful, but failed.

"Why am I a Bee-ast? And why are you and these two idiots talking like that? You have come and seen, now leave. This is not a petting zoo!" Shalgoth snorted.

"Sorry, the Bee puns just happen, and I have given up on trying to stop them. Do we have to go?" I asked.

I had just got here, and I wanted to try scanning something, Shalgoth particularly.

Shalgoth looked at me with surprise but then squinted at me.

"What do you want, little Bee Queen? My brothers nor I want anything to do with the outside world. They are idiots that think they are so funny to defile our drinking water!" Shalgoth snorted and then reared up, almost reaching up to four meters, this thing was legendary, and I wanted one.

Time to turn on the honey all the way up!

[Okay i'll stop now]