Chapter 126

I did it.

I asked elder if I could take over the terrain

And surprisingly I’m still alive.

After my whole minor meltdown about how I wasn’t being fair in the trade with the lichen colonies, I realized I was looking at the situation with human sensibilities. And I shouldn’t have.

Things were different. I was different.

I was a mushroom. I was apart of the forest.

This forest.

There was a give and take here the hub proved as much as long as I was giving and receiving something in return it was all in balance, no?

Yes “my kind” were dangerous but if elder really has been stalkin— I mean keeping an eye out on my activities, then I more than proved myself as an honest individual.

I took care of that fire from causing too much destruction after all. Which yes I did more out of an act of self preservation seeing as how I knew if the surroundings were damaged it would spell disaster for me eventually but… well elder didn’t know that.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

After the sun dipped and daylight hours were over, I had to shift to my primitive bank for nutrients. I was mostly trying to create more of my sensory network. I just wanted to “see” if Jade was still in the area.

Of course I was also restoring the vitality into the burnt territory.

Though I realized halfway through that expanding the sensory network was a no go.

If I actually wanted to spread myself into the vacant and burnt area the pain mushroom was in, then I really shouldn’t even be spreading out into the area.

If I was going to be an “elder” in the sense that I was taking care of an area then growing into someone else’s territory was a big no no.

Then I thought about it some more and… well shit I was born here. I was already familiar with the area. Hell even Buttons was still here. I could never abandon my little plant pet.

I put a stop into increasing the size of the sensory network just in case though and I focused on the recovery project until daylight where I finally talked to Elder.

I was jittery at first but I sent a pulse of nutrients to the tree I connected to last time and eventually got a response.

“Guardian, hello.”

“Morning elder. I was pondering something and I wanted to get your opinion if that’s alight.” I wanted to get it over with fast I was gunna die I wasn’t going to waffle about.

“What a curious greeting. But yes of course Guardian.”

What? Do these people not greet each other like that? Before I could get sidetracked I asked it, “I wanted to know if it’s okay if I expanded into an area most affected by the fire.”

I quickly added this too, “I noticed that most of the various plant life there was largely decimated and I wanted to see if could help. If i was there more physically I feel I could help more efficiently.” It sounded nice and it made for a compelling argument.

It was quiet for an alarmingly long time but eventually it responded.

“Help how?”

Fucking hallelujah. A positive response. No automatic death. I was alive.

It almost made me believe there was a benevolent god somewhere.

Almost.