"'Berry still wants me to quit soldiering," Dash Harvestwatcher told Cricket as the two soldiers left Victory hall, taking the broad passage that led down to the hospital.
"Even after your promotion?" Cricket shook his head in disbelief. "You'd figure she'd lighten up after a promotion." Cricket's real name was Brook Twigcarver, but he thought 'Brook' too effeminate and wanted his friends to call him 'Creek'. It always came out 'Crick' when he said it, so people naturally called him 'Cricket'. Dash had never known his friend by any other name.
"Well, there was the fight and all" Dash told him. "I guess it scared her. I know she means well, but it bothers me when she talks like that. I mean, I got a commitment to the army and everything now."
"At least you got someone who cares," Cricket griped. Cricket was always quick to point out his status as a single ant, but Dash didn't mind. He was the same way until he met Wildberry. "What would you do if you quit?"
"She wants me to take up tunneling like her father." Dash said, disgusted with the whole idea. "Can you imagine me as a tunneler? I'd go nuts working that job. Every minute I'd be looking up, thinking some new dig's gonna cave-in and trap me."
"Eh. Soldiering, tunneling, what's the difference?" said Cricket. "The way I figure it, you can get yourself kilt soldiering or kilt tunneling. Somebody screws-up in a tunnel and you're just as squished as you'd be if a Westie got a hold of you. And if you're the bug that screwed-up, old Grassweaver will do the squishing," he added, slapping his hands together brutally to emphasize his point. The chief engineer was not known for his forgiving nature.
Dash nodded as they passed other ants along the passage. "Right, that's what I told her. But she said I was just soldiering because my brother's a soldier. She said I'm only trying to prove I'm as good as he is or something."
Cricket snorted. "Typical."
"I don't know. Maybe there used to be some truth to that, but not anymore. My brother's a supply sergeant-- he's never even seen a Westie. His job would bore me to death." For a moment the two ants walked on in silence until Dash thought of something. "Why'd you sign on, Cricket? You never told me."
"My grandmother," Cricket said, kicking a small stone ahead of them. "I've never been much good at anything. Anyways, that's what my dad likes to say. Grandma told me it was the same with Grandpa, people always called him a good-for-nothing, til he signed up for the army and got himself respectable. So I told her that's what I was gonna do, and she said 'Good for you,' and went with me to the recruiter's chamber. I figured I might as well get yelled at by some drill sergeant as my dad, same difference either way. Maybe I could do some good, you never know."
"I heard you did pretty good in the fight yesterday. Course, I didn't see, I was busy on the other end of the line."
"Crackin' Westie skulls with your horn. Hah! Wish'd I'd seen that."
Dash shrugged. "Not much to see. I turned around, this guy was there about to stick the captain with this huge knife, and all I had was my horn so I whacked him with it. I thought sure the guy was gonna just shake it off and turn around and kill me, but down he went. Darndest thing I ever saw."
"We didn't have it so bad on Cilantro's side," Cricket said. "Though there was this one Westie I thought was gonna put a hole in me sure as rain, but he slipped coming up over the rock and I clobbered him. Just his bad luck really, good for me though."
"Yeah. The whole thing might have gone the other way. I had the shakes bad and my mouth was so dry I couldn't even sound my horn. But you shoulda seen the captain, he was calm all the time. You'd swear he knew exactly how it was all gonna play-out, like he'd already seen it all in a magic water-puddle or something."
Cricket nodded as he walked along. "Lt. Cilantro's like that, nothing seems to put a scare in him, but then again he's always that way," Cricket said. "But Cap'n Timothy now, well, he's different in the field, kinda quiet and all serious-like."
"Yeah, he gets pretty serious." As they passed a glowing mushroom Dash laughed, remembering something. "You know, on the way back home, the captain he said to me, 'Dash, I hope you brought pieces of your horn back with you, because we're going to bury it with full military honors.' I said, why sir? and he said 'Because no other horn ever delivered such a mighty blow to the enemy.' Then he told me he was recommending me to old Watershome for a promotion.
"Lucky you. I thought captains could promote somebody to corporal whenver they wanted."
"Yeah, but I guess the captain likes to get the colonel's advice on stuff like-- Hey! Here's the hospital."
The colony's hospital was more dimly lit than Dash expected. There were plenty mushrooms, but these shed a more subdued glow. Many leaf-cots lined the walls of the long chamber, most of them occupied by soldiers. Cricket noticed Doctor Ragweed standing not far away, giving orders to an assistant. "Hey Doc! Where's Cap'n Tim-- I mean Captain Flintspur?"
The doctor pointed with a polished wooden stylus to a cot about midway down the chamber. "Keep your voices down, there are people trying to rest here."
"Gotcha, Doc," Cricket said. He and Dash headed toward the indicated cot. Dash recognized several ants in his unit along the way and paused to greet them.
"Harvestwatcher!" said one short fellow with a heavily bandaged arm. "Been to the armory yet for a new horn?"
Cricket snickered. Dash managed a grin, though he'd heard every possible horn-joke imaginable since the fight. "Not yet, Woodsie. How're you doing?"
"Me? I'm great. Doc says my arm'll be fine in a week or two. Come to see the captain? He's right over there," Woodsie said, pointing.
Dash and Cricket found Captain Flintspur sitting up in his cot, talking in an animated voice to an ant in the next bed over. "...so I said, 'Take two, they're small!'" The other ant smiled weakly, apparently he was among the more seriously wounded of the raiders. The captain himself had a moss-bandage wrapped around his head but otherwise seemed fine. He looked up as the two soldiers approached. "Well look! It's Corporal Harvestwatcher and Private Twigcarver, come to relieve me I hope!"
"Hello sir," Dash said. "I just wanted to see how you were doing and thank you for the promotion."
Timothy patted the injured ant on the arm, telling him to get some sleep. Turning to Dash and Cricket, he said, "If it wasn't for you, I'd be doing considerably less. Maybe a little gardening. You know, pushing up the daisies."
Cricket started snickering again while Dash just stood there, wanting to laugh but feeling embarrassed at the same time. "I don't know about that, sir."
"Well I do. Thanks again, Mr. Harvestwatcher."
"Sir," Dash began, "I was wondering, how bad is your head? There's a party tonight, and a bunch of people are wondering if you'll be there. The Shellblowers set it up to celebrate what we did and old Mallow's return. Supposed to be a big deal, lots of dancing and games and things."
"Really?" Timothy said. "I'm fine. Never felt better. I'm just keeping this bandage on to satisfy some over-protective doctoring instinct. I'll be there dancing with the best of them, you can depend on that."
"That will be my decision, Mr. Flintspur," said Doctor Ragweed, appearing behind Cricket while making marks on a pad of leaf-notes with his stylus. "You've suffererd a mild concussion. I assure you you'll be doing no dancing tonight."
Timothy feigned a crushed expression. "You can't be serious. A Flintspur miss a party? Unheard of. People would talk about it for years. The Flintspur reputation is at stake here!"
"Mmm-hm." Unmoved by Timothy's protests, the doctor bent forward and examined Timothy's head and bandage. "You should spend less time talking and more time resting. Lie back down."
"If I'm a good fellow and rest the remainder of the day, will you release me for the celebration? You know they're going to ask for me anyway."
"Yes, I've already received an inquiry or two. I'll consider it," Ragweed said. "But no dancing. Your brain's been bounced around enough." The doctor moved on to check the next patient.
"Right. No dancing." Timothy winked at Cricket as he said it.
Dash was about to suggest that his captain might want to do what the doctor ordered when a commotion broke out at the hospital entrance. Cot-bound ants were all sitting up, greeting someone who had just entered. Cricket prodded him in the side. "Hey Dash, look. It's Princess May-Blossom."
Timothy had also noticed the new arrival. He watched as she spoke briefly with Doctor Ragweed, then began visiting with the injured soldiers, one by one. Neither he nor Dash or Cricket said much, but each listened to the talk of the happy soldiers as the princess visited with them.
"That's darn nice of her," Dash said.
"Yes," said Timothy. Cricket nodded, entranced.
Dash and Cricket chatted for a while with their captain. Both were continually stealing glances in the princess' direction. The tall princess moved about the soldier's cots, greeting each one in turn, smiling down at them and asking about their wounds or their families or their duties. Every soldier's story seemed to interest her, and she took her time making the rounds. Dash thought she had an odd way of walking, moving slowly and carefully. It was said that Princess May-Blossom was clumsy and awkward, but after watching her for a while Dash couldn't understand that-- he thought her movements possessed a kind of grace. By the time she greeted the wounded ant next to his captain, it was all Dash could do to take his eyes off her.
Finally the princess arrived at Timothy's cot. Dash and Cricket came to attention.
"Oh no," May-Blossom said to them. "Please don't. I just...I just came to thank you...to thank you all for all your hard work." The princess looked down at the captain, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. "Tim-- Captain Flintspur, I'm so happy to see you home and safe. You were very brave. I...." Her voice trailed off as she seemed not to know what to say. "Thank you. Thank you all."
"We were just doing what we were sent to do," Timothy said. "Thank you for coming to see my ants."
"Oh, I'm happy to. I'm so proud of everyone."
"How is your sister?"
"Oh, she's very well, thank you. She would be here too, but there's a Council meeting and Mesquite-- I mean HeadCouncil Hightunnel asked her to be there."
"I'm glad she's well," Timothy said, carefully avoiding the subject of the queen's health.
A short but uncomfortable silence followed. Timothy was simply looking at the princess, while Dash and Cricket just stood there, not knowing what to say or do. May-Blossom made motions like she was about to move off when Timothy quickly spoke up again. "Princess? It was nice of you to see us off on the mission so early in the morning the other day. I know a lot of my ants appreciated that."
May-Blossom blushed, adding a touch of lavender to her complexion. "Oh! I didn't think anyone noticed. I...it...it was nothing," she stammered. "I tried to stay out of the way. I just thought...it was the least...I mean it was all I knew how to do." Dash thought she seemed pleased to have something to talk about, even if it did embarrass her. He sensed the princess did not really want to move on just yet.
"It was a very nice thing to do," Timothy said. "Hey! If you have a moment, I'd like to introduce you to two of the ants in my unit. Would you mind?"
"Oh, please do, I'd be honored," May-Blossom said. Dash threw a glance at Cricket as the tall princess smiled warmly at them. Cricket looked as if he might melt at any moment.
Timothy indicated Cricket. "This is Private Twigcarver, also known as Cricket but don't hold that against him. And this gentleant here is our famous horn-breaker, the former Private Harvestwatcher, now, by grace of the Queen and Colonel Watershome, Corporal Harvestwatcher."
Dash struggled to think of what he should do. Finally he bowed quickly, saying "Dash Harv-- er, Corporal Dash Harvestwatcher, at your service, Highness." To his astonishment, the princess curtsied back, smiling brightly as she did so.
"Thank you so much for saving Ti-- for saving Captain Flintspur, Corporal Harvestwatcher," the princess said. "You must be very brave."
Dash shook his head, knowing how terrified he was at the time. "I'm sorry Highness, I'm not. I was scared all the time. I just reacted without thinking I guess."
"I don't understand," May-Blossom began, tilting her head in puzzlement, "You were afraid, but you didn't run away, isn't that being brave?"
"Er." Dash just stood there, momentarily confused. In stories, the brave ants were always self-assured and in control. He remembered feeling nothing like that. He recalled badly wanting to run as the West River ants assaulted their make-shift wall. For some reason he had stayed at the wall, like everybody else. He couldn't just run and leave everybody else there at the wall. Was that bravery?
Before Dash could answer the princess, a new voice called out from nearby. "Oh yes, very brave. So this is what heroes look like." Everyone turned to find Colonel Broadleaf leaning absently against the hospital wall, looking at Timothy with his arms crossed as if bored. "I've always been curious about the nature of heroes."
Upon seeing the trim and athletic colonel, both Dash and Cricket immediately snapped to attention. "Relax boys," Broadleaf said as he walked up to Timothy's cot. "I'm not here in any official capacity. Just a visit to a friend."
May-Blossom opened her mouth to speak but a cool glance from Broadleaf discouraged her. "You wished to say something, Highness?"
The princess' bright smile vanished. She looked at her feet submissively, unable to meet the colonel's eyes. "I'll go now," she said in a small voice.
Dash heard the colonel's patronizing tone and couldn't believe anyone would be so unkind to Princess May-Blossom. What had she done to deserve this? How could a soldier speak to royalty like that? He thought his captain might say something in her defense, but Timothy did nothing of the kind. He seemed to be ignoring Colonel Broadleaf altogether, his attention fixed on the princess.
"Please stay," Timothy said. "It's very nice of you to come."
"Yes, do stay, your Highness," Broadleaf said. His voice was pleasant, but his eyes bore unrelentingly into her. "We'd so miss your grace and wit."
May-Blossom might have withered under the colonel's gaze, but Timothy's attention gave her a refuge. "I-- I really should go, the children will be waiting for me to draw pictures with them if I don't go soon."
"And we all know how important that is," Colonel Broadleaf said. "Musn't disappoint the little ones."
Ignoring the colonel, Timothy nodded. "All right. I wish I could join you but the doctor wants me to stay here for a while yet. Would you give me a dance at the celebration tonight?"
The light returned to May-Blossom's face. "Oh! But will you be well? I wouldn't want you--"
"I'm just fine," Timothy reassured her. "Tell the children I said hello, would you?"
"Oh yes, I will!" May-Blossom smiled at Cricket and Dash. "It was so nice to meet you. I hope you will both come to the party."
"We will, your Highness," Dash said. Cricket still was unable to speak, looking at the tall princess.
Avoiding the colonel's eyes, May-Blossom curtsied to him and left the group, heading toward the few remaining soldiers she had yet to visit.
After the princess had moved away, Timothy addressed Broadleaf in a quiet voice. "You're more charming than usual today, Sunny," he said. "What put you in such a good mood? Murder a cousin or two lately? Feast on some little ant's aphid?"
The colonel laughed heartily, covering a flash of anger at the use of his first name. "Nothing so dramatic, Tim. It may surprise you to learn that I'm pleased to see you well. I'd heard you'd been more severely injured."
"The captain's just fine, sir!" Dash volunteered.
Timothy nodded. "I'm all right."
"I can see that. For your first independent mission, I'd say you did surprisingly well," Broadleaf said. "Remarkably well in fact."
"I had good lieutenants and good ants."
"That may be, but don't be modest. I know your capabilities." Colonel Broadleaf turned to Dash and Cricket. "Did you know your captain and I go way back? We grew up together, went to school together, played on the same teams together. We were quite a pair, weren't we Tim? I imagine Tim would be a colonel now as well, had he entered the service when I did."
"My mother was sick, Sunny. I couldn't go through training and take care of her at the same time."
"And no one expected that you should," Broadleaf said. "Still, it is a shame. You could make colonel one day, should a position open up. I might even be able to help you there."
"Not every one is so anxious to climb the vine as you, Sunny."
"Ambition is a catalyst for excellence. I prefer working with ambitious ants. You're ambitious, Tim. You're simply less ostentatious with your ambitions than most."
Timothy suddenly looked tired. "What do you want, Sunny?"
"Only to see for myself that you're not seriously injured. Can't have you layed-up and unable to play in the tournament. The game would be much less entertaining without you taking the field. Particularly this year."
"This is just a little bump on the head. I'll be playing. But the season hasn't even started yet. There are a lot of matches to get through before the tournament."
"Always best to plan ahead, Tim. I should think you of all people would appreciate that." Colonel Broadleaf idly watched the princess speak to a few soldiers on her way out of the hospital. "I was thinking the crown tourney might come a little earlier in the season than usual this year," he added casually, still watching May-Blossom. "Much earlier, perhaps."
Timothy followed Broadleaf's gaze to the princess. Dash and Cricket exchanged a confused look. Neither knew any reason why the tourney would be played early this year.
"The key players on my team are already planning our strategy," Broadleaf said, still looking at May-Blossom. "I've heard that your players are in disarray."
Following the colonel's gaze, Timothy said nothing.
Broadleaf turned back to Timothy. "It's not too late to play for a different team. We played well together once. We could play well together again. We'd be a very strong combination."
"I like the team I'm on."
"Really? I hear a key player on your team may not be physically fit to play this year, or in future years. What a pity. I suspect the potential replacements may not be nearly as capable."
"I've heard that too," Timothy said. "But if we do lose a player, you can bet any replacement will be well-coached and supported by the rest of the team."
"I wouldn't expect otherwise. But it would be unfortunate if the tourney was played earlier, before all that fine coaching could have much effect." The colonel allowed his eyes to wander back to the princess. "Inexperience players have a way of getting injured. Often seriously." Broadleaf said.
Dash saw the colonel's words affected the captain, for Timothy's face snapped up to the colonel and his look was sharp. Dash knew the tourney was taken very seriously by the players, but he didn't realize just how seriously until now.
"There are rules. Rules of conduct," Timothy said after a moment. "We all play by the rules. Otherwise the game falls apart."
The princess left the hospital after a last glance at their group. Broadleaf watched her depart. "I agree. Injuries are completely avoidable. Perhaps if you played on my team, it might prove unnecessary to play so aggressively."
"I told you, I like the team I'm on," Timothy said firmly.
"So you did. But in the end, we're both playing for the same goal. What matters the team? Think it over, Captain. I'm always available for you." Broadleaf nodded once to Timothy and walked away, ignoring the other two soldiers. For reasons he could not express, Dash felt a chill run down his back.
Watching the colonel go, Cricket said, "That guy gives me the creeps."
"Sir, what was that all about?" Dash asked. "Is somebody on your team sick? I was planning to make a little wager this year. I think you've got a pretty strong line-up."
Timothy appeared distracted as he watched the colonel depart, but Dash's question brought him back. "We do, Dash. We do. A very strong team, don't you worry."
"All the same sir, I hope you guys kick Mr. Scum's team all the way across the field."
"Corporal Harvestwatcher," Timothy said, his tone reprimanding. "You should know that disrespect for an officer is a punishable offense. I'll not have anyone in my command being disrespectful to an officer in the Queen's service."
Dash stood up straight, cursing himself for his stupid lapse. "Yes sir. I'm sorry sir."
"Good. Always refer to an officer correctly," instructed Timothy. "In this case, the title should be 'Colonel Pond Scum'. Is that clear?"
"Yes sir," Dash said, relieved and grinning. "Very clear sir." He heard Cricket at his side, suppressing a snicker.
"Now, if you two model soldiers don't mind, I think I'd better pretend to get some rest if I'm going to persuade the good doctor to let me escape tonight."
"Yes sir!" they said in unison.
"Oh, and thanks for coming to see me," Timothy added with a wink.
Dash and Cricket were well on their way up the wide passage toward Victory Hall when Cricket suddenly burst out laughing.
"What's with you?"
"'A blow to the enemy'! Ha hah! I get it!"
Dash rolled his eyes toward the ceiling. But in his mind he was still thinking on the colonel and the captain and their strange conversation.