Around the Fire: A Wolf and Bees

JP: Alexis, Gonyaul, Islana and Boyce.

Wolf sat and thought about how he was going to ask the questions he had to Alexis. The point about the duke was true. Wolf was glad to see he was not the only one thinking that the duke wanted war. Every moment Wolf spent with them he liked the group moor. they were honest and pretty straightforward. They did not try to deceive one other there was no competition between them. Wolf wanted to say with them and felt comfortable so far. Wolf was thinking on how to address his question do it to all of them or just Alexis.

"Gonyaul, I understand your position and your need to respect your people. I also will respect your decision. Just know I am here when and if you are ever ready to teach me." Wolf said.

Wolf turned to Alexis "I have a request well to all of you. would you abject If I move my wall tent next to the house? I would be free to help all of you more. I really do spend time with all of you." Wolf said hoping that he was not too forward.

It felt like a weight was lifted to ask that question to them. Wolf gave a friendly smile no matter what they said Wolf was glad to have done it.

Islana looked at Gonyaul with a soft smile. She wasn't old enough to be as wise as her counterparts, it at least felt that way.

"I will support your decision, what ever that may be. Because I know you will make the one that is right for you.". Islana stated. "But I will miss you, if you go."

The young woman knowing by now Gonyaul would want her to just tell him, her feelings on it and not hold them back.

When the question arose about Boyce moving his wall tent closer. Islana thought about it briefly, it surprisingly didn't take long to reach her own thoughts on that matter, but, obviously, Alexis needed to be the one to respond, first.

Alexis looked up at Boyce’s request and gave it a thought. The house was not yet in a state that they could live in it so they were all sleeping in tents themselves.
She chanced a glance at Islana, who, with her recent discoveries, might not feel too comfortable with another person in close proximity, but saw no immediate refusal.

“You want to join our happy camping grounds? I’m fine with it if they are.“

She answered truthfully. Blackwolf made for good company, and with how often the man ended up visiting it really wouldn’t make that much of a difference anyway.

Islana had gotten more used to Boyce being around, the more often he showed up.

It was true that most people moving in near them would have been difficult for her but the young woman also was certain Alexis would never let anyone move close to them that would be an issue.

Islana glanced back at Alexis, she didn't refuse and knew she could have.

"I am fine with it," Islana responded, just to confirm her thoughts.

Gonyaul agreed instantly. Boyce was a high caliber individual from what he had discerned. In addition, Alexis and Islana approved and that was enough right there for him.

“Our hive has more bees.” He smiled. Bees had been on his mind lately. He wanted to start a beekeeping colony having come across a wild hive one day when he was traveling between his secret camp to here.

“Remind me on bees. I find a hive in tree. bring here to help plants. Like to help tomorrow?” Gonyaul looked to the three of them, knowing they were all busy with their own tasks but never hurt to ask.

Bees? Honey was always a good thing to have. Islana assumed Gonyaul wouldn't be planning such a feat if he did not know what he was doing.

"I can help you tomorrow. " She didn't have to hunt tomorrow so it was a good time to learn something new.

She wasn't going to attempt her power on bees and especially not with Gonyaul there. He needed to be always able to say, he didn't know.

Gonyaul nodded with a victorious fist pump. He had help. Many hands make light work. “Thank you”.

Bees?

Alexis looked a tad bit sceptical at that one.

“I take it you know how to handle bees, then? I’d prefer you give us some introduction to that, lest we get on their bad side.”

“I see done many times” he nodded confidently. They tended bees back home in the jungle; however, it was not part of his responsibilities. So of course, he did not say he had ever done it.

“We build new bee home out there.” He pointed to the direction of the farming taking place on the land.

“Then I climb up tree and get hive. Use fire smoke. Make bees sleep and kind.”

The mercenary cocked an eyebrow.

“You have ‘seen’ it, yeah?”

She chuckled. Well, that would have given him a good enough idea. Hopefully. But seeing didn’t equal doing.

“Did that seeing include how to deal with stings? Cause I can’t help but feel there are some coming up.”

He grinned. She figured out this was going to be his first attempt at doing it himself. All the parts made sense to him it was just a matter of pulling it off.

“We cover all body with mud and cover skin help. Much smoke going help. Use long branches. And some stings happen yes.” By we he meant himself and whoever also wanted to be up front and personal with the beehive.

Not everyone needed to be present. Two would suffice, three would be perfect. Others could stay back and construct and place the fabricated bee hives.

Alexis laughed. She was going to regret this, wasn’t she? Luckily, Garrah was no stranger to bees. She knew a few home remedies of her own.

“Fine, fine. What do you need?”

After Alexis started asking questions, Islana realized maybe she shouldn't have assumed Gonyaul knew what he was doing, but hindsight and all of that.

The conversation made Islana wonder if she should have agreed to do it but she would still help.

Islana was half surprised when Alexis said she'd help but then there was three. Well, this should be an interesting endeavor.

Gonyaul was an imaginative innovator with an entrepreneur spirit. If only they knew how many times he tried things and failed, they may have been more cautious. Then again, sometimes he succeeded too; and always learned from it.

Gonyaul had stood and started explaining and signing at the same time what he needed and the plan. It turned into quite a humorous game of pantomime. It was a good thing Boyce was there, because his comments helped things move along.

The design of the constructed beehives and their location was relayed. In addition, the plan of attack was to have Gonyaul covered head to tow with mud and then wrap up as many exposed body parts as possible. They would go to the wild hive, build a controlled fire below and force it to billow up smoke towards the hive.

Gonyaul would then climb the tree with a branch on fire to continue to produce smoke when he neared. He would the. Saw, or dislodge, the hive after piercing it with another sharpened branch. Then carry it down as fast as possible.

Once at the bottom two others would have long branches to hold and transport the hive. While a third would keep a flaming branch emitting smoke at the end near enough to try and placate the bees.

Once arriving back to the new beehives on the property, they would really add more smoke with a new fire while Gonyaul would open up the hive, find the queen bee and relocate her, remove any remaining bees from the wild hive and then discard it off the property.

Fool proof right?

He looked to the others optimistically to see what they thought or if they had a better suggestion.

Alexis gave this some thought. It seemed like that smoke was quite integral to avoid damage to both themselves and the bees. But…

“I am a bit apprehensive about running through the forest with a torch, especially considering that with enough stings, that torch might fall.”

She had retrieved her book and tried her best to sketch down a construction as Gonyaul had described.

“Do you think there is a ‘safer’ way to transport them than with sticks?”

Gonyaul pondered her question. “Perhaps our fire in a pot? Wheelbarrow?”

He was brainstorming hoping it would lead to a better option.

"If we had a way to make one, maybe a hand-held chamber of sorts, with a low temperature fire done with wood chips. It could have the smoke coming out of it but contain the fire. ". Islana just throwing an idea out.

“Like… an improvised incense burner of sorts?”

"Yes,"

Gonyaul, Alexis, Islana and Boyce continued onwards into the night brainstorming and hashing out their ideas. Each one bringing their own personality, sensibility and expertise to the discourse. In the end they had a well negotiated plan. It was the perfect bee heist.

That night Gonyaul went to sleep with two more blessings in his life. Another friend and dreams filled with the perfect execution of acquiring bees, crops growing as tall as trees and golden rivers of honey.

Tomorrow would be their first mission together, as a new team of four, into the unknown.