The Rock Squirrels

Chakik was dragged across the forest floor by four squirrels. Lead by the mottled orange and black squirrel, he was carried for what felt like hours, passing by new and unfamiliar sections of the forest. At one point they even crossed the Black Dragon’s back, thankfully it was silent and far away when they did. Finally they came upon a great pile of dark gray rocks, surrounded by low pointed bushes. A massive, but nearly dead, oak tree rose from the center of the rock pile, it’s aged and knurled roots grasping and twisting around and through the rocks.

Chakik readied his claws for the expected climb, but instead of going up the tree, the squirrels took him down a hidden passage in the rocks and under the great tree. He blinked his eyes blindly in the dark as he was moved quickly through the passage. As his eyes adjusted he noticed a strange and flickering glow that slowly illuminated the dark tunnel. At first Chakik thought it was his eyes and aching head playing tricks on him, it had been quite a strange day after all, but as they moved deeper the pulsing light grew brighter and steadier.

Turning his head upwards as far as he could manage while being restrained by four large and strong squirrels, Chakik discovered the source of the light: lightning bugs! A single row of them clung to the rock ceiling above the squirrels, alternating their flashes so that if one was dim, the two on either side of it were glowing, this created an almost steady light in the tunnel. As they approached a large chamber in front of them, the lightning bugs increased from a single row into two, then three and four, spreading out and blinking on the rocks in an incredible pattern.

Chakik was so amazed by the bugs and their pulsing glows that he almost failed to realize a second amazing thing; these squirrels were living in a rock cave, underground!

The chamber they had emerged into was at least 10 times the size of any tree dwelling the little squirrel had ever seen. It seemed to be organized in a circular pattern, centered around a large flat stone, perched upon a pile of stones that created a strange looking staircase. Surrounding this in ever expanding circles were smaller piles of stones with round openings in them. Chakik assumed these lead to dwellings as a few curious heads poked out from some as they passed by. At the far edges of the cave were more openings to tunnels like the one Chakik had just been carried through.

As Chakik was dragged through the chamber more and more heads popped up from the small stone hills. Some had as many as 6 or 7 peeking out, most of them young squirrels. The little squirrel felt only curiosity in their gazes, not the malice the mottled squirrel had shown. From some he even sensed pity, as if they had seen this before.

The overall sense of calm that pervaded the place freaked Chakik out.

For the first time since his capture he struggled against the four squirrels holding him. As he expected, it was to no avail, the squirrels holding his legs barely flexed to keep him tightly in their strong grasp.

He had lost sight of the mottled squirrel but could feel his presence in the chamber as the curious heads disappeared from view in a sequence leading to the center. The squirrels popped up again as he and his forced entourage approached. “sorry…don’t fight…it is quick” they peeped at him as he was dragged away. The four squirrels transporting him paid no mind to the words of the curious, they continued to drag him around the circle of homes to the stairs and flat stone at it’s core.

Strangely Chakik now felt very much at peace, he knew he could not escape the grasp of his forced companions. He said nothing to those that dared to watch as they passed. He thought back to his foolish wish that the Black Dragon had granted him, an infinite mouth to carry infinite food. He knew this was why the rock squirrels had brought him here. Before today he had known that other tribes of squirrels existed, but was taught and had seen that they rarely interacted. Squirrels had learned to live in harmony with their trees and each other. Stories were told of squirrels crossing into other’s territories, but they usually involved princesses and happy endings. As Chakik was carried over the well worn stones, illuminated by hundreds of lightning bugs, he knew this was no such story.

The group progressed to the center of the chamber and the lightning bugs that illuminated the cavern slowly changed their pattern. Fireflies near the outer walls made their way to the center. The entire ceiling of glowing light made brilliant concentric patterns above him. The consistent light they had made by alternating their patterns began to strobe, as all the lightning bugs fluoresced at the same time. The cavern took on an even stranger feel when the mottled squirrel emerged upon the top of the flat rock. He was wearing a pulsing cape of lightning bugs on his back, each bug had it’s feet clasped to the one next to it, wings spread to fill in the cape entirely. The light made the mottled squirrel appear even more ominous than before, his features exaggerated by the yellow glow of his living cape. The way the lightning bugs readjusted every time he moved made it even creepier.

Chakik had given in to the thought that this was probably his end, and simply let himself be carried toward whatever was in store for him. He regretted asking the Black Dragon for his cheeks. Around and upward he was carried. Families continued to poke their heads out at him as they passed but he no longer met their gazes.

Chakik was scared, but he also felt very quiet. This was it.