Beware Of Chicken v7c61: Yellow Tide

Paobu understood that the Solstice marked a turning point.

It occurred on the longest night, a time when the air vibrated with sound. Blaze Bears, those who could manage the journey, had convened at what humans referred to as the Ash Forest – their Home. Rhythmic thuds echoed as paws struck hollow tree trunks, creating a boisterous symphony. Immense bonfires blazed, their fuel being the very Qi coursing through the bears. They performed a slow, shuffling dance, rising onto their hind legs and swaying. One arm arced forward and upward, the other swung back and pointed to the earth, their bodies shimmying and shaking as their arms mimicked the motion of an expanding flame.

Some of Paobu’s kin, however, found the movements more akin to a growing tree than a consuming fire. Trees, they reasoned, were vital. Every Blaze Bear recognized the harsh reality of dwelling in a desolate, ashen wasteland. Trees were essential for scratching itchy backs, provided shelter for sleep, offered sustenance in the form of fruits and nuts, and were a general necessity for their lives. The appeal of nuts, in particular, was universally acknowledged.

Paobu conceded that this perspective held some merit… yet, given their dance occurred only on the darkest night, the fire symbolism seemed more fitting.

Meat, berries, and seeds were tossed into the inferno, charring into ash as offerings to Home – and to the primordial fire that, according to the ancient tales and pronouncements of the enigmatic beings, had been their genesis. They had emerged from the flames, fashioning their Home from the resulting ashes.

For Paobu, the Darkest Night was always a welcome occasion. With such a large gathering of their kind, the presence of any menacing humans – or terrifying chickens – was highly unlikely to venture into the forest. Their sheer numbers afforded Paobu the luxury of relaxation, allowing him to savor his delicious honey in peace, a time of general enjoyment. He readily shared his bounty, and no one consequently labeled him ‘Cowardly Paobu,’ because he was consistently the one who remembered to hoard these delightful treats.

Although, he did long for the days when it was solely the honey he craved. For a considerable period, the honey found within Home and its environs had been unparalleled in flavor globally – but that changed mere years prior. Honey had become scarce, and its taste had diminished significantly.

The others contended that the large bees compensated by producing more delectable larvae, but Paobu maintained that honey was irreplaceable, possessing a unique and unmatched quality.

This particular Solstice proved exceptionally pleasant, as Paobu had encountered neither sight nor sign of the monstrous creatures that typically roamed beyond the forest's borders throughout the entire year.

Having depleted his honey supply, he joined the dance as the night sank deeper into darkness. Igniting his back and arms, he swayed in unison, becoming a blazing beacon intended to draw out the sun from its slumber.

It was then, amidst the fervor, that he began to perceive a distinct rhythm.

.

Initially, he surmised that those striking the hollow logs had merely found an exceptional cadence. The sensation was… pleasing. It felt correct, akin to the resonance of thunder. The entire assembly escalated their dancing, their movements guided by the spectral image of the growing forest.

He halted his motion, re-evaluating his own thought process. It was the blazing, intensifying fire, not the burgeoning forest, that dictated their dance.

Precisely at that moment, the first shockwave reverberated. A surge of Qi washed over them with the force of a thousand Wreckerballs in collision, a rumbling, shaking, bouncing phenomenon… and it was then that every dancing bear witnessed it. The world warped, acquiring a dreamlike quality.

Larger than the massive shell of the Wreckerballs that humans had appropriated. Her claws dwarfed those wielded by the Reaper Wolves in their skirmishes. When she rose to her full height, she surpassed the stature of the trees they had cultivated.

A colossal bear.

The instant he laid eyes on her, Paobu knew with absolute certainty that she was his mother. She was Mother. The Great Mother.

She represented a missing element in his existence, a void he hadn't realized existed. He observed her performing the very same dance they all performed. He watched numerous other bears engaging in the dance, their laughter mingling with energetic bounds around the immense stone pillar.

She turned her head, and her gaze met his, revealing a profound warmth within her eyes.

The stone pillar around which they danced fractured and then exploded. The vast forest erupted into flames. Her cubs were consumed by the fire.

.

She made a valiant effort to rescue them. She strived to halt the unfolding catastrophe. Roaring defiantly, she battled the inferno that threatened to engulf everything. The very earth trembled as fiery fissures emerged from below, attempting to merge with the conflagration raging in the heavens. They could perceive the trajectory of this terrestrial firestorm – heading southwest, poised to spill into the immense canyon that connected to the sea.

Yet, she prevented it.

She confronted the fire, . The Great Mother, in her stand against the blazing, seemingly unstoppable star, emerged victorious.

The flames vanished. An profound silence descended. Silence, and the somber remnants of charred bones. The final vestiges of her lifeblood dripped onto the hissing earth. Her ultimate desire… her deepest wish was for her cubs. She yearned for their survival.

Her blood seeped into the ground. Her bones disintegrated into dust.

And from the large droplets of her blood, mingled with the ash, new bears came into being. They were not the familiar green and brown, but hues of red and grey.

The vision dissipated as abruptly as it had manifested, causing all the dancers to collapse, overwhelmed by the profound experience.

====================

In the ensuing days, numerous discussions and considerable disputes arose regarding the visions they had collectively experienced. Nevertheless, every bear understood the truth of what they had witnessed.

They understood that they resided in the former abode of the Great Mother, whose very essence had birthed them. This explained their profound sense of sanctity towards Home.

Yet, this monumental revelation brought about little tangible change for Paobu. While a part of him felt a sense of peace, knowing the truth, the harsh reality was that great discoveries did not fill hungry bellies.

Life, for a period, continued in its familiar rhythm.

===================================

As the months elapsed, the Qi within the forest began to intensify. It was an unusual, though not unwelcome, phenomenon. A remarkable spring emerged at the heart of Home's glade, bubbling with a golden liquid that exuded potent Qi.

Some of the elder members, their fur now a tapestry of grey, interpreted this as a divine blessing from the Great Mother, a sign that they would be granted strength. They proclaimed it a physical manifestation of her blood, a sacred entity that must be fiercely protected.

Much discussion ensued among the kin, with many asserting that the Great Mother had finally deemed them worthy of her affection.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Paobu found this line of reasoning absurd. Why would the Great Mother, having appeared in a vision, imply they hadn't been loved before? Her love was a constant, undeniable force. No, this surge of Qi signified something far different.

...But Paobu possessed little inclination to unravel this deeper mystery. He envisioned a more courageous, a stronger soul who would unearth the truth, and he would eagerly absorb that epic saga, perhaps over a cup of sweet honey.

Yes, that prospect delighted him.

===========================

Three months into this period, as the snow began its slow retreat, whispers of unsettling events started to circulate.

Paobu recalled the very first rumour: a bear, consumed by worry for a friend who had failed to return. Initially, little concern was given. Such wanderings were not uncommon among the Blaze Bears, who roamed freely.

However, this casual dismissal did not satisfy Shihao, who resolved to seek out his missing companion. Shihao, too, disappeared, leading everyone to assume he had simply found his friend and that their joint absence was the reason.

========================

The rumours persisted, trickling in sporadically: peculiar disappearances without a single trace. Still, the prevailing thought was that these incidents were minor, inconsequential. What could possibly be responsible? No humans had been sighted, and no remains were discovered. There were some scorch marks, yes, but they were easily dismissed as mere remnants of a cooking fire.

Then, a female bear appeared, frantic and distraught, searching for her mate. He had supposedly gone out to gather larvae for their young.

This plea galvanized the elder bears, who decreed that decisive action must be taken. The valiant Blaze Bears of the forest would embark on a quest to confront and vanquish this unknown malevolence.

Paobu decided to join them. He was growing weary of the subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, implications that he was a coward. He was not! He simply understood his own limitations, and the beasts lurking beyond the forest's familiar borders were far beyond his capacity to handle!

This expedition, he reasoned, presented an excellent opportunity to reclaim his tarnished reputation. Furthermore, it might serve to impress Fa Guang. She was exceptionally appealing, and while she clearly enjoyed his offerings of honey, he needed to demonstrate his worthiness as a prospective mate!

Thus, a trio of Blaze Bears ventured into the dense woods.

For days, they meticulously scoured the forest, their search extending far and wide, but initially, they uncovered nothing.

It was only after You Ge, driven by hunger from another fruitless day of searching, aggressively tore into a sizable bee nest that the situation took a dramatic turn.

He . Yelped out in agony.

The inhabitants of the nest were indeed large bees. While they occasionally contained traces of Qi, they were, fundamentally, just oversized insects. You Ge had found a nest of bees devoid of honey.

Utterly useless, in Paobu's humble opinion. However, the others found the larvae palatable, so Paobu refrained from voicing further judgment.

But these colossal bees seemed to have singled out You Ge. They relentlessly assaulted him with their stingers and attacked with their tiny mandibles. You Ge erupted in flames, yet instead of instantly annihilating the onslaught of bees, they valiantly persisted. Their wings smoldered, their bodies popped and hissed with the heat. Even as they succumbed to the inferno, their stingers continued to find their mark. It wasn't until the rest of the group joined forces, adding their own fiery attacks to You Ge's blaze, that the formidable bee swarm finally began to fall.

In the initial moments, the spectacle was undeniably amusing.

Pihuo let out a gleeful chuckle, and Paobu readily joined in the mirthful sounds.

You Ge bristled at their mockery, deeply mortified by the barrage of stings from the large bees. This incident would later earn him the unflattering moniker "thin hide" among his companions.

Their search consequently resumed. However, as they journeyed onward, You Ge's strength visibly waned. Paobu was the first to perceive the distressing change. You Ge's breathing grew increasingly labored, and large welts began to distend across his body.

He then faltered, his gasps turning ragged and strained.

The levity of the situation vanished abruptly. The oppressive drone of enormous bee wings filled the air. Another horde emerged from the depths of the forest, their dark eyes fixated on You Ge, their lethal stingers poised for attack.

Paobu thrust himself forward, unleashing a torrent of fire that sent many of the attackers spiraling downwards. Yet, those that survived the initial blast continued their assault, even engulfed in flames, they relentlessly pounced on You Ge, stinging him anew.

They saturated You Ge in fire, dispatching the others. Then, a new sound reached their ears – the myriad beating of wings.

Paobu declared.

Pihuo snarled. ‘

Paobu responded. Pihuo growled once more, his gaze flickering towards You Ge, who was beginning to cough and choke, his eyes unfocused.

Pihuo finally relented.

Paobu hoisted the other bear, a considerable weight, onto his back. He was grateful for his status as a Spirit Beast; carrying You Ge any distance would have been impossible otherwise.

And so, Paobu fled. Behind them, the crackling of flames and the incessant buzzing of wings pursued them. Pihuo roared, spewing gouts of fire at every new wave of attackers. However, the infernos dwindled as they ran, until Pihuo himself began to yelp and snarl as individual, larger bees managed to break through, biting and stinging him.

Some of these bees landed on You Ge, requiring Paobu to incinerate them regularly. One even managed to bite Paobu!

It felt like a fiery lance crawling up his leg. It truly did.

The large bees had never inflicted pain before!

Thus, they continued running, running until the sound of wings and droning faded entirely from their pursuit.

============================

You Ge was brought to the elders, whose knowledge of healing was profound. It was an incredibly close call. One elder pressed firmly on You Ge’s chest, as if breaking through ice to retrieve a fish, while another administered chewed herbs. Despite their efforts, You Ge did not awaken that day.

The others were stunned into silence. Then, upon hearing the full extent of what had transpired, they erupted into laughter.

’ they remarked with dismissive tones.

Pihuo, enraged by their callousness, reared onto his hind legs. His mane ignited, followed by his arms, as he let out a furious roar.

he demanded, his body covered in welts and one eye swollen shut. All eyes shifted to the forest floor. Pihuo huffed but remained standing. ‘’

Paobu concurred. They had encountered demon bees.

one of the elders proclaimed. Paobu nodded in agreement. Excellent! Someone else could handle this. He would simply hear the details later. That had been far too much excitement for one year—

Paobu’s fur paled.

’ Pihao growled.

Paobu startled.

asked the visually appealing Fa Guang.

Paobu replied.

=======================

On the following occasion, they numbered twelve. This time of year, Home was unusually quiet, with most venturing out to find new foraging grounds, allowing Home to recuperate.

They rallied and advanced. The initial phase went smoothly. They infiltrated the demon bees’ territory, incinerating every nest and every bee. It was remarkably simple. They feasted on the roasted larvae and celebrated their advance, driving the enemy before them.

The offensive was going so well that their concentrated ball of fire began to disperse.

They fought relentlessly, and then, darkness began to fall.

Yet, the buzzing persisted.

They arrived relentlessly, a ceaseless stream. They did not falter. Just demon bees, and more demon bees, then an endless torrent of them, until weariness set in and their flames started to wane.

Soon, the bears began to suffer stings. One sting, then two, then three. Throughout the day and into the night, the ferocious, unyielding creatures continued their assault in unfathomable numbers.

Eventually, the cumulative effect of the numerous stings became unbearable.

They ceased finding nests altogether. Every structure in their path was abandoned, violently ripped from the trees where they had been built.

And still, the droning buzz continued.

They pressed forward with all their might, and the enemy numbers surged.

A retreat was necessary.

=======================

From actively engaging and burning the demon bees, their focus shifted to containment. They identified the borders of the demon bee territory and maintained their distance, at least until a larger force of bears could be assembled to eradicate the infestation permanently.

For a period, this strategy proved effective. As long as one remained outside that specific region of Home, no incidents occurred.

Until one day, as spring transitioned into summer… everything changed.

The demon bees, seemingly content within their established borders, suddenly erupted outwards. They surged northward, directly into the heart of the Blaze Bear territory.

=========================

Naturally, they fought back. All of them did. More and more bears joined the fray.

The air filled with fire, and their claws shredded thousands. But soon, the stream of enemies transformed into a relentless flood.

All the cubs were evacuated. Everyone capable of running was sent away. Yet, Paobu found himself still engaged in the desperate battle, continuing to roast demon bees by the hundreds, by the thousands.

The flood escalated into an unending deluge.The heavens darkened ominously, and the air filled with a deafening drone of wings. Their fires vanished into the swirling multitude, leaving the sky choked with Demon Bees, far denser than the air itself. The elders invoked the blessings of their ancestors and the ancient rites, summoning a colossal pyre that blazed fiercely, yet like the Great Mother before it, the flames ultimately faltered. A colossal torrent of air extinguished the grand inferno, and then Paobu saw it. It was immense, dwarfing a Blaze Bear, held aloft by six furiously beating wings. Its abdomen was disturbingly swollen. The small arms, expected of an insect, were anything but; they resembled monstrous parodies of Blaze Bear paws, vast and equipped with grasping claws. With these, it seized one of the elders, tearing his throat out with its insectoid mandibles. Discarding the elder, it lumbered towards the glistening golden pool of the Great Mother's blood. Paobu fled the moment he saw it lower its head to drink. ████████████████████████████████████████████████ He ran relentlessly, the maddening buzz pursuing him the entire way. He ran, a coward's flight. He ran until the buzzing ceased, finding himself before a fence, upon which a rooster was perched.