A reek of sweaty, earthy pus filled my nostrils. Stronger than before. A smell that trailed down my nostrils and left a foul taste on my tongue.

Tykka grabbed his nostrils. “Disgusting …”

Panchu and Madgy smirked. Their eyes as big as moons. “Beautiful,” Madgy said.

Panchu nodded, lips rising. “And smells lovely. Let’s eat—”

“We’re not here to eat!” Tykka crossed his arms. “And you’ve all already had your fair share. Can you focus … or you might get us killed.”

I tightened my grip on my spear, “there’s something moving.”

In the center of the nest, a large, white, body jiggled. It elongated upward. Each segment the size of a boulder. At the front of the body, a giant, round, red-headed creature with four mandibles. It looked around the cavern. Rounded, blood red eyes, the size of watermelons, scanning the tunnels.

The creature's mandibles rattled. It looked at it’s eggs then snapped, delightfully.

“There it is … the queen.” Tykka said, face twisted with intrigue. He pointed his badger-head totem staff. “Let’s attack!”

“Hold up,” Badger raised a paw, “or do you want what happened last time to happen again?”

He rubbed his chin. “What do you have in mind?”

“Right now she’s alone,” Badger said. “We have the element of surprise. If we time this right, we can attack all at once. Catch her of guard before she warns the rest of her grubs.”

Panchu growled, “we need a distraction …”

“What kind of distraction?”

The old bear looked at Tykka. “We could use somebody as bait …”

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. The badger shook his head. “She’ll never fall for that.” He said, the aura of flames dancing over his back. “We need something to frighten her.” He scratched under his chin. Suddenly he noticed our eyes upon him and the sinister grins upon our face.s “What? Oh, no. I’m not going out there.”

“You have to!” Tykka said, eyebrows furrowed. “If you catch those eggs on fire you’ll anger her … but if you make it out like you’re going to, she’ll listen to reason.”

“And what reason is that?” Madgy asked. “That we’re here to kill her?”

“Make up something,” Tykka replied. “But while she’s distracted we’ll attack from the rear.”

Panchu nodded. “Sounds like a good plan to me.”

Madgy glanced at me. I shrugged. “You did say you were able to bring fear to Panchu … why don’t you give us a demonstration.”

Panchu chuckled. “Yes. Show us.”

The old badger glared at each one of us, swearing beneath his breath. He pointed his snout at the creature and curled his lips. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. “I’ll show you all how it’s done.”

In a blur, Madgy bolted down the tunnel into the cavern, his body waving of flames. A loud, hissing growl came from deep in his stomach. Eyes black and deadly. He ran around the outer edge of the group of eggs. The queen’s head panned, watching. Eyes red as fire.

Madgy dug his paws into the dirt. Dust rising behind him. He slid ten feet and came to a halt. Then looked up at the queen, her mandibles rattling.

“You’re one ugly grub …”

The creature turned her head and snapped her mandibles. “I didn’t know we were having guests for dinner.”

Madgy winced and laughed. “No guest. You’re what’s on the menu.”

“Let’s go,” Panchu said, taking a step forward.

I held out a hand. “Wait.”

Tykla pointed his totem staff. “What are we waiting for … let’s attack!”

“No.” I shook my head. Inside my body ached a warning that made my head spin. “This doesn’t feel right …”

“It’s just a big grub,” Panchu said confidently. “Madgy and I have faced worse. Now come on.”

The creature rattled her mandibles. “Do you know whose lair you’ve invaded?”

Madgy looked at the eggs and many of the cavern tunnels, then back to the Queen. “Seems like any other nest to me.”

“Fool!” The Queen quivered. Her head raised towards the ceiling. Higher and higher. Rising into the shadows at the top. Her white, segmented body expanded. “I am the Queen of soil … the grower of trees … and the guardian of the massive forest.”

Panchu’s eyes grew, “oh, no …”

“What?" I asked.

The Queen snapped her mandible, “I am Queen Nakuba! The Great Earth Spirit. A demigod!”

“A demigod?”

Madgy’s teeth rattled. “The Queen of the forest?” I could hear the worry in his tone. “My apologies. Wrong lair.”

Tykka raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong? Let’s attack!”

“You don’t understand,” Panchu shook his head. “A threat to a demigod spirit is a threat to The Great Spirit. And there can be many consequences …”

“Why?” I asked. “What makes them so important?”

“Well.” Panchu said, gazing upon the creature. “Because the demigod was hand picked by The Great Spirit himself.”

“Oh!” Boy and I said together.

“What would happen if we were to attack her?” I asked, looking upon the creature more intrigued than ever. “We could take her.”

“No. We can’t.” Panchu said grimly. “Her powers are much stronger than our own.”

“I’m not scared.” Boy stomped out towards the queen. “Hey … you … demigod!” He waved his staff wildly. “I’ve got some words for you.”

The creature whipped her head at the boy. “Two for dinner,” her mandibles rattled. “Even better.”

Behind us came a rattle that echoed down the tunnel. Panchu and I looked over our shoulders. Eyes widening. Deep in the tunnel stood several large grubs, each snapping, and scooting forward.

“Stand behind me,” Panchu growled, wrinkling his snout. He snapped. The mandibles snapped back. “Keep your distance or I’ll tear all of you into pieces.”

Further and further back we walked until we stepped up to Tykla. From every tunnel, mandibles appeared from the shadows. Snapping. The pale segmented bodies extending and pulling, scooting towards us.

“My children are hungry,” She snapped. “The wendigo and his spiders have left little for us to eat. You’ll all make a fine meal for my babies.”

“This is not good,” Panchu whispered.

Tykka glanced at Madgy. The flames dancing on his body. There was only minutes until the enchantment would burn away. They had to take advantage of it while there was still time.

Boy raised his hand, “Madgy! Fire ring—”

“No!” I yelled. My mind stuck on the words of the creature. “You mustn’t.”

Panchu looked around at the grubs swarming from the cavern tunnels. Some crawling towards us while others crawled on top the wall. Their mandibles drawing near, snapping, drooling.

I turned towards the Queen and waved my spear until her giant red eyes fell upon me. “Stop!”

“And who are you, tribling, to demand from a demigod?”

“I am Kai of the forest tribe Tocagee.” I said, my forehead wrinkled. “And I am not demanding you … I am asking you.”

Panchu whispered, “what are you doing?”

“Quiet,” I grumbled.

“You all are the one who invaded my lair.” The Queen grub hissed, rattling her mandibles. She stretched out her body and lowered head, coming only feet away. “Why have you come? To attack and kill me?”

“One of our friends have fallen into cursed tar … we need your saliva to rid away before it hardens and kills him.”

The creature hissed. “And why would I help you? You’ve come here to kill me and take my saliva …”

“That did cross our minds,” I nodded, “But that was before we found out you were a demigod.”

She snapped her mandibles and bobbed her head, “So instead you would’ve killed one of my Queen cousins, if not me?” One of the grubs hissed and rattled his mandibles. The Queen glanced at him and responded with a rattle of her own then turned back towards me. “Is it true? Did you slain my patrol grubs?”

I felt my body grow cold. Skin crawling. Hands trembling. I pressed out my chest and said, “we had, yes. But that was before we knew which side you were on.”

“KIll them!” The Queen hissed. “And then we’ll feast on their corpses.”

At once, the grubs extended their bodies, raising their mandibles. They snapped and rattled then began to inch forward.

“Well, now you’ve done it,” Panchu shook his head. “We’re dead.”

Madgy said, “The flame is burning out … I think this is a good time to use it.”

Tykka opened his mouth and I waved my hand for him to keep silent. I then furrowed my eyebrows and yelled at the demigod. “You can kill us, Great Earth Spirit, but then you’d still have to deal with the wendigo and the spiders.”

She stared at me for a moment. Her red rounded eyes burnt a hole in my spirit. “What do you know? Are you one of his minions?”

The loud snaps of mandibles drawing near made me shudder.

“No.” I shook my head. “We were on the hunt to kill the wendigo.”

“Halt!” The Queen snapped. her grubs stayed frozen in place. Breathing foul, hot breath. “Kill the Wendigo?” She raised her mandibles and let out a high, gurgling, hissy heckle. My skin crawled from my neck to my tailbone. “You’re no match for that monster.”

“No match?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm. “I am the perfect match … that is why the wendigo wanted to attach his spirit to mine.”

She hissed and I raised a hand. “But I didn’t allow him to … I fought back … and this Guardian saved my life.”

She turned her enormous head towards Panchu. “And who might this one be?”

He shook his head, “Nobody. Just an old spirit.”

“Panchu.” I said, pointing my spear at him. I raised it over my head. “My guardian.”

“Panchu?” Her mandibles rattled. She drew her head down towards him, and just her head alone dwarfed him. “I know of whom you are … I have heard your name carry over the wind … You are the great spirit that protects the forest on the western side of the mountain.” She looked at me then to Panchu. “And you’ve bound yourself to a boy?” She hissed and heckled. “Does he even know what you truly are? Does he know your true power?”

Panchu’s quills raised like hackles. “Keep your mandible shut, Queen … if you’ve heard my name then you know what I am capable of.”

Oddly, the demigod pulled away from the bear. Her eyes found light. “I know of your strength, yes, but you don’t fully know mine.” She hissed then looked at me. “Tribling, you agreed to bind your spirit with his, knowing the sacrifice you’d taken?”

I corked my head, “what do you mean? What sacrifice?” I glanced over at the old bear, and he turned his head, keeping his eyes off of me. “What is she talking about?”

The Queen hissed and heckled. “Yes, Panchu. Whatever do I mean?”

Panchu’s lips curled and he positioned himself low, attacking position. “Stay out of my affairs!”

“Tell me! I have the right to know what binding my spirit to yours includes.”

When the old bear stayed quiet, the Queen rattled her mandibles. “You’re not bound to a guardian, tribling. You’re bound to the chief of forest — as I am queen of soil — Panchu is a demigod.” She hissed and heckled.

Tykka, Madgy, and I turned towards him. I couldn’t find my breath. A demigod? But how? How can this be?

Madgy lowered his snout, “my Chief?” He shook his head. “I had no idea … now I feel foolish for ever attacking you all those years ago.”

“Don’t go changing who you are on my account,” Panchu snapped. “Last thing I need is you to be acting strange around me.”

“A demigod?” I grabbed my knees and took another breath. “But that means you're even more powerful than a guardian.” I grinned at him. “This is great! You’re even stronger than I thought.”

“You know nothing of Demi-Gods, do you, tribling,” She hissed. “He is not bound to your spirit … you’re bound to his.”

I shifted at her words. “Meaning what?”

“You’re to do his will,” she hissed, “not for he to do the will of yours. Has he ever listened to you? Guardian's must listen to their shaman … but shaman must listen to their Demigods. That is why many spirit shaman loathe us … they lose all control … That's why I’m surprised you agreed to bind with him. And survived to tell about it.”

“I am bound to you?”

Panchu snapped, “I told you that I didn’t want to, tribling … for you to go away … but when you were dying, the only way I could save you is to get you to agree to bind spirits.” He sighed. “You may not remember, but I asked you to bind our spirits together. And I told you by doing so, you’d be mine forever. You agreed.”

I shook my head, my skin on fire, nostrils flaring. “How … how could you do this to me?”

“It was only trying to save your life—”

“Being a slave to you is no less different then being a slave to that grim!” I clenched my teeth. “Why didn’t our elders tell us? Why did they keep what you are a secret?” I looked at him and glared. “Is that why they think you corrupted Kawah? Because you took him on the path you wanted?”

“Your people don’t want any other demigods in their tribe besides the three-eyed eagle.” Panchu replied coldly. “They think of us as a threat … a threat to the chief … and so they hate anybody whom has bound to a demigod. Your people sent Kawah away, not I."

I shook. Too angry to understand his words. “You should’ve just let me die …”

The grub nodded her head. “That can still be arranged. My children are very hungry.” She heckled and snapped. “But if you want to live I am willing to make an alliance.” Several of the grubs snapped in defiance. The queen looked around the cavern and hissed. They grew silent. She then turned towards us and said, “my apologies for their behavior. Like I said, they’re hungry. The spiders and wendigo have eaten everything.”

“Except you. Why?”

“To help their cause,” The Queen said. “The Wendigo is trying to take over these forests. And he seeks the help of the other demigods. Right now he has Akrachs, the great spider demigod of the shadow forest.” She shook her head and every segment of her body followed. “And he and his spiderlings have destroyed my forest. We must convert to their ways or die with the rest.” She looked to Panchu. “I called upon you for assistance? Did you not hear my call?”

“Had better things to do.”

“You’ve always been that way, or so I heard. A demigod who has no respect for The Great Spirit.” She tilted her head. “Why?”

“That does not concern you. Only her and I.”

Madgy shook his head. “You’ve had all this power. You could’ve called upon the armies of the forest at any time yet you never have. Why?” His snout wrinkled. “I recall conversations between us … you and I spoke about how the forest Chief was a coward. You agreed. And you said nothing.”

Panchu turned towards the badger whose flame had diminished. “I asked to be a Demigod, nor the protector of the forest, so I gave the role up.”

“But you must,” The Queen hissed. “Going against the will of The Great Spirit will only leave her angry and you turning into an ancient. And then you are truly a slave.”

Tykka frowned, “we are wasting time here. We need to help Juk, find Meeka, and kill the wendigo!”

The Queen rattled her mandible. “The boy's right. With two demigods against two demigods, we could stand a chance.”

I rubbed my chin, “what do you mean, two demigods? Whom else does the wendigo have?” The queen heckled and hissed, and I knew what that meant. “So the wendigo is a demigod too?” I glared at Panchu. “Anything else I should know about?” He looked at me with those large black eyes, and I knew they held more secrets.

“Don’t be too hard on him,” The Queen hissed. “Most of us Demi’s don’t like to tell others of whom we are. We all have our secrets and tend to keep them, including me.” The way she hissed made me shiver.

“So we align with you and kill the Wendigo.” I said, “and you help us save our friends.”

“Done!” The Queen hissed, glancing at Tykka. “Come here, tribling.” He pointed at himself and she nodded. “That’s it. You can trust me.” He walked over slowly, halting just below her mandibles. “Now hold out your hands.” Boy put them together and raised them. The Queen made a low, hacking sound then plopped a whitish, goopy ball in his hands. Tykka frowned. “That should be enough to take the tar off of him.”

I looked at Madgy and then to Tykka. “You two go and help Juk. Panchu and I will help the Queen to defeat the spiders and the wendigo.”

“But,” Tykka shook his head, “we need to stick together.”

Madgy nodded. “We don’t know what other traps could be ahead.”

“We’re losing time,” Panchu said in a deep, chiefly tone. “You can join the fight later. Besides, you both are low on spirit energy. You wouldn’t be much use to us right now.”

Boy shook angirly, the goop in his hands jiggling. “But I have to be there. I need to be the one who kills that creature for what he did to my brother.”

“And you will,” I promised, uncertain if I could keep it. “Now go … and hurry.”

Boy and Madgy nodded then were escorted out of the tunnel by a group of grubs.

Panchu sighed and shook his head. “Well, Kai, I don’t think you’re ready for fighting demigods, and though I am in control, I am not one to stop you—”

“Keep quiet,” I snapped. “Just because I am yours, doesn’t mean that I am.” I raised my spear towards the Queen. “Show us the way, Queen of soil, we are ready."