Bees warm up by shivering. It would be the same as you jogging in place. They will do this at night when the hive is clustered to gather. They will also do it to get their body up to 85 degrees, in order to fly. If you ever see a bee looking like it's about to plant its stinger, it could be that it's preparing to take off. I like to think of them as tiny pilots getting ready to blast off.
* * *
A world of white, rested outside of the hive. The bees gathered inside all huddled together for warmth as the cold collected itself on the world outside. The queen who had been telling stories all day, had just finished the story of "Maybee and the Bear". A clamor arose amongst the other bees as they began to discuss the story. The queen nestled back and took pleasure in that her story had done its job. That was always the good sign of a storyteller. When the audience remained entertained long after the storyteller had stopped speaking. It wasn't long before a voice spoke up asking for another. This one small voice managed to create a wave of silence which quickly turned to more voices asking the same question. Another story. The queen sighed, she had hoped that she would have a little more time to relax before they had wanted another story.
"I don't know, I think I might be out of stories for now," she lied.
They all let out groans of disappointment and ah's of sorrow.
"Okay, okay," the queen relented. "What would you like to hear?"
"Tell us the one about the Keether," a voice said.
Others cried out, their voices in agreement.
"Are you sure," asked the queen. "You've already heard it so much."
"Yes," they all nodded in one form or another.
"Very well," the queen added beginning her story.
* * *
Maybee and the other bees were busy collecting pollen and nectar when a strong gust of wind blew an icy chill across their wings. It was the first time any of them had felt such a sensation and they each gave a shiver. It wasn't until the second time it happened any of them took notice.
"What was that," asked one of the bees.
"No idea," said Maybee.
It was the third blast, even colder yet and wet with rain that made them stop what they were doing. The rain wasn't anything new to them and they knew exactly what to do, go back to the hive. Even as they retreated, the wind grew colder and blew harder and with it carried more rain. By the time the last bee had returned to the hive the weather had become so ghastly that no bee dare go outside. Instead, they huddled together in order to battle the coldness. When Halah arrived they had first found out what cold was, but nothing like this and not while Juai was still in the sky.
While they were huddled together they wouldn't say anything, but they were all a little scared by this new coldness. It hadn't been that long since they had planted the seeds in the sky making it so they could no longer talk to Juai. Being on their own in this new unfriendly world had been a little overwhelming.
Soon Halah appeared in the sky. The bees in the hive were too busy trying to stay warm to notice as bees on the outer edge crawled overtop the other bees in order to find a warmer real estate. This caused the other bees to be pushed to the outside who would soon continue the cycle themselves. If they had bothered to look outside, they would've noticed something strange about Halah, part of her face was missing.
The next day Maybee was woken by a chill that blew across her back. She gave out a shiver, pumping her abdomen, in order to warm herself up.
"Dang it's cold," she shivered under her breath.
"You can say that again," said another bee who had barricaded herself under a bunch of the other bees to hide from the cold.
Maybee smiled at the other bee and gave out a stretch. She moved away from the others and toward the opening of the hive. A bright light poured through it as did the immense cold. With each step closer to the opening the cold grew sharper. She had to force herself on as it became more intense. As she came to the opening, she peered outside into the blinding light. As her eyes adjusted she was silenced at what was before her. White, it was everywhere, and it covered as far as the eye could see. She didn't know what to do or say. All she could do was stand there in amazement. It would be awhile before others joined her and their surprise turned to panic.
"It's the end," a bee cried out.
Others agreed with her.
"We need to do something," another bee yelled.
The queen tried to calm them, but it was taking work.Maybee made her way to the crowd gathering around the queen.
"Everybody please calm down," said the queen in a composed tone.
"What are you going to do?" demanded one of them.
"What would you like me to do?" asked the queen still composed but somehow commanding.
"We need to find out what is going on," said a bee in the back.
"And how would we do that?" asked the queen.
"We need to send someone to find out," answered yet another bee.
"Into that, the thing we know nothing about? No, it is far too cold and far to0 dangerous out there. We are safe here. we have food and we are not in any immediate danger. We will stay here for now," stated the queen.
"But," bickered a bee.
The queen interrupted, "If, and when our situation becomes worse, we will change our plan, but not until then." With that the queen turned and walked off, her attendants at her heel.
The other bees talked amongst themselves in ill-tempered tones, but they were soon to subside as there was nothing they could do. The queen had given her order. One by one they took their turns peering outside to see if anything had changed. When they had seen it hadn't, troubled talk would spark up once again, expressing their worries to anyone who was within listening distance.Maybee did not join in on these conversations. In fact she hadn't said much since she had first peered outside. She was more than happy to do nothing and hope that it would all pass away. The truth was, she was scared. She had never seen anything like what awaited them outside. None of them had. There was the cold as well. She knew no words to describe it other than it felt like death and she wanted nothing to do with it.
The day came and went without a change and at the gathering they all hoped that when they woke everything would be different but worry made for a restless nights sleep.The next day when Maybee awoke there was no need for her to go running to look outside, she could hear the others talking.
"It's worse than before," said a voice.
"What are we to do now?" asked another.
She looked around and saw that the few bees that were up all spoke in tempered tones.
She snuck past them with a quiet grace as she wasn't ready to talk to anyone quite yet. She only wanted to see what they were talking about. The brightness was not all consuming as it had been the previous day, more of a grey dullness. She poked her head outside. They were right, it was worse, a great deal worse. The whiteness had grown. It had grown taller than the grass itself. and the tree limbs hung heavy with their burden.
"Beeshadea," she said
"I think that sums up our situation quite nicely," said a voice.
Maybee turned to see the queen standing at her side. Her attendants hurriedly trying to cover as much of her as possible in order to keep her warm.
"What are we going to do?" asked Maybee.
"That seems to be the question everyone is asking, and one I have no answer for," the queen replied.
Maybee hung her head.
"I was able to convince everyone to do nothing and wait yesterday and perhaps I can do the same tomorrow, but if this keeps up I won't be able to stand back and do nothing for long. I'm not even sure we should, but I have no other plans, or even the faintest idea of what to do."
"If there's anything I can do, just let me know," asked Maybee.
"I need you to stand by me," replied the queen.
"What?" asked Maybee.
"The others look up to you, if you were to back me up on the decision to do nothing, it would strengthen their resolve in my decision. At least for a day or two."
"Oh, I have no problem in that. Have you looked out there? Sending anyone out in that would be a death sentence," Maybee shivered even at the thought of it.
"Good, I might need you to speak later if the hive gets restless. If not possibly tomorrow."
Maybee bowed before the queen fluttering her wings in the process.
The queen left, leaving Maybee to her own distress. She hoped things would get better. That she would not be needed. She wanted no part of this. For the rest of the day she spent her time on the outskirts of the colony hoping everyone would forget about everything including her, but she could tell it was not to be as she could hear the whispers of worry growing. When even she was ready to scream and tell everyone to shut up, the queen spoke up.
"Might I have your attention?" asked the queen in a firm tone that was more telling than demanding.
The bees quieted down with shushing of anyone who dared to speak.
"I know you have all been very patient, and I appreciate that. I only ask that you be patient a little longer."
Her audience groaned.
"Now, now, hold on. I'm just asking for a little time to solve this. By tomorrow we should know more." The groans grew louder.
Maybee spoke, she hadn't intended to.
"I'm with the queen," she called out.
The hive was silenced as they turned and looked at Maybee.
"She's right we can't just go out there and not have a plan."
The hive murmured amongst itself.
"You have my word that we are not going to stand by and do nothing," said the queen over the crowd
The hive became calm and the other bees seemed to lose interest in both Maybee and the queen. As the crowd dispersed, the queen spoke up one final time.
"I will let you know what we have come up with tomorrow."
Followed by her attendants, the queen came up to Maybee.
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"Well done," said the queen. "Not exactly how I had planned on bringing you in, but well done all the same."
Maybee said thank you by bowing.
"You should know that we are really going to come up with a plan. The hive won't wait much longer," stated the queen.
Maybee only nodded. She had known the same thing.
"Tomorrow we will talk," the queen turned and walked away.
Maybee snapped out of it at the queens departure to say only one word, "Okay."
* * *
Early the next morning the queen made good on her promise and Maybee was fetched by one of the queens attendants. The queen walked among the brood as Maybee was brought to her. The Queen's attendants gathered around her to keep other from hearing distance.
Maybee looked at the queen who kept a steady pace without having to stop.
"You're not laying any eggs." said Maybee, concerned.
"I haven't been able to since this started," replied the queen in a nonchalant tone.
That's when Maybee realized that this was even more serious than she had thought.
"Have you had time to think of a plan?" asked the queen.
Maybee hung her head. "No," she answered.
The queen let out a sigh.
"You?" asked Maybee.
"I have," said the queen. More of a contingency plan than anything else."
Maybee nodded ready to listen.
"The plan, as of right now, is to tell everyone that we're sending a bee to the earwig king to find out what's going on, but instead the bee just flies up into the tree finding a nice place to stay warm until just before Juai sets and then come back from their hiding with good news."
Maybee was quiet for a moment and then asked, "Why not just send them to the king?"
"With this weather it would be a surprise if they made it, and if they didn't return, it would do more to morale around here than not sending someone at all."
"Send a group of bees," said Maybee.
I don't expect good news even if we were able to get to the king. One bee can keep a secret, five cannot."
This time it was Maybee who sighed.
"Who is this bee that you are going to send."
"I have thought about this and I need a bee who the others look up to. Someone who cares about this hive as much as I do. Someone who I can trust and isn't afraid to do the right thing," rambled the queen.
"It's me isn't it?"
The queen nodded, "I'm afraid it is.
Maybee let out another sigh, "When do I do this?"
"Tomorrow morning," replied the queen. Today I'll let everyone know, and then we'll have a celebration in your honor. It will do everyone good to have a little party.
"Yay," said a depressed little Maybee who was not happy about her situation.
"Cheer up, you get to be a hero and all you have to do is hang out in a tree for a day."
"I guess," said Maybee.
Maybee's gloomy attitude might've been hers alone, but it was not the only negative attitude in the hive. This became apparent when the queen called her meeting just as Juai had climbed her highest. The bees that attended, grumbled and groused. Then she told them her plan. There was still the grumbling and the grousing, but there was a lot less of it. Most of it had been replaced with praise for Maybee. Then she told them that there would be a party in Maybee's honor. She hadn't even been able to finish her sentence before the cheers erupted. All anyone heard was party, and that's all it took. The queens plan had worked, morale was back up and the party hadn't even happened yet.
She concluded the meeting and everyone went about there, well, not so busy day. They hadn't been busy since the white had covered the land. As they passed Maybee, they thanked and commended her. She tried to smile in return, but it was hard. Even though she hadn't said anything she felt as if she was lying to her friends. She understood why it needed to be done she just wasn't sure if it was the best way to go about it. All day long her sisters came up to her and confessed their admiration and each time she felt a little more wounded.
That night at the party she didn't feel much like joining the others in their cheery mood or drinking honey. The fact that she wasn't participating in the celebration went unnoticed by most who had already drank so much that they had become slow and tipsy and ready for a nap. Although most hadn't noticed the queen had, who came up to Maybee.
"Hello Maybee. How are you enjoying your celebration?" asked the queen.
They walked along the outskirts of the hive.
"It's great, thanks so much," replied a drab Maybee.
"Are you all ready for tomorrow," asked the queen.
"I am. It's just," she paused. "Are you sure what we're doing is right?"
"It's the best for the hive. Right now they need hope above all else," replied the queen.
"But shouldn't we be trying to find out what's really going on?"
"We will, but only after they have their hope. Then I will sneak a few bees out to see if they can find anything. If they find out bad news or they don't return to the hive, it will be unknown to the hive and they will go on in high spirits."
"Shouldn't they know the truth?"
"Why?" asked the queen. "Even if they knew the truth, they would be unable to do anything about it. It would only upset them and cause chaos in the hive. Much like we had earlier. If Chaos is left unchecked, it can lead to the death of a hive."
For a moment they continued to walk in silence.
"No it is better that we alone carry the burden."
Maybee understood.
The next morning Maybee was greeted by eager bees excited to see her off. She had a little honey. Just enough to keep her full but not enough to slow her down. Bees continued to gather around her, watching as if everything she did was the most amazing thing they had ever seen. She finished eating and looked around. It was very uncomfortable.
A bee whispered in her ear, "Are you ready to go?"
She nodded.
The bee looked up at the queen and fluttered its wings.The queen raised herself above the crowd. It wasn't hard as she was much larger than any other bee in the hive.
The other bees took their gaze off Maybee and looked up at her.
"Today Maybee ventures out into the unknown, not for her own curiosity but for the good of the hive."
A few bees cheered in the background.
"It takes a courageous bee to put the needs of others above her own," continued the queen.
More bees joined in the cheers.
"For that our thanks will never be enough, just know that it comes with our admiration and our love."
The cheers grew even louder.
Two of the guards gathered at Maybee's side and started to clear the crowd.
Maybee looked around at her admiring supporters as the guards cleared a path leading to the entrance. She turned and looked at the white light of the opening. "I guess they're no time like the present," she said to herself.
"We wish you a safe trip and a quick return," declared the queen.
Maybee walked toward the entrance. The crowd erupted. As she drew closer she shivered, warming up her body and wings for what was about to be the coldest flight of her life. She looked out the opening, and the crowd went silent in anticipation.
The whiteness was falling from the sky. This was not going to be fun, but all she had to do was fly out and find a place to hide in the higher limbs. A place where all of this white couldn't touch her. She had never been so excited about the queen's plan than at that very moment. As long as she didn't have to fly out into it, she would be okay. She swallowed up her fears and left the hive.
No sooner had she escaped the warm and safe confinements of the hive than a rogue gust of wind grabbed her, yanked her out into the white and twisted her around. She tried to gain her bearings, but it was hard. The falling white created a barrier that distorted everything. She tried to fly in the direction of her hive but she couldn't be sure if she was heading the right way or not. She flew as hard and as fast as she could for the nearest tree, but it was difficult work dodging the falling white. As she did, she noticed the white made a very strange sound as it fell. A cross between the burning embers of a fire and the hissing of a snake. It was a sound she had never heard before.
"Look it's the defiant one," a voice sizzled in her ears.
"I see, I see," said another. A twin to the first with a crackle in its tone.
Maybee tried to look around but could see no other.
"Strange that we should see her here," sizzled the voice.
"Strange indeed," crackled the other.
The voices seemed to come from all around her.
"Who are you?" asked Maybee.
"We are the Keether," said the voice.
"We are the daughters of Halah. Her slaves, her minions."
"What are you doing here," asked Maybee as she readied herself to land on a nearby branch. A gust of wind grabbed her and threw her back into the open.
"We were freed when the stars were set into the sky," said the voice.
"You were the one who did that. You are the defiant one," said the other.
"You're welcome?" replied Maybee.
"We are not here to thank you," said the voice.
"Never thank you," said the other.
"We are here to take you back to Halah."
Maybee flew away toward the trees. The wind grabbed her and yanked her back into the open.
"We control the winds, and now you," said the voice.
"How can you control the winds? They belong to Veha," said Maybee.
"Winds are easily manipulated," said the voice."And never to be trusted," whispered the other.
The wind picked up and pushed her higher. She tried to fly in the opposite direction but the wind was too strong. She flew upward with the wind, then turned abruptly and tried to drill her way down through it. The wind meet her head on and forced her back up even higher. She tried dodging the gusts of wind, but with each pitch and yaw she was met with another gust of wind. For every bit of progress she made she was pushed back twice as much. The voices only laughed at her failed attempts. Then she did the unthinkable, she stops flying all together, and the exhausted Maybee gave up. Her flightless body tumbled and rolled as the wind carried her toward her final destination. Then the wind died off, and she fell. Another gust of wind came up and met her. Her body rolled off of it before it took hold and carried her some more.
It soon died off and once again she fell and again, she was met by another gust of wind and then another and another.
"We have won," said the voice.
"Yet we are losing," said the other.
This last part snapped Maybee to attention. They were losing? How? Then she hit the ground. Or more precise, the layer of Keether that covered the ground. She tried to get up, but she was too cold to move. She shivered to make herself warmer, but it was useless. She was too cold and too tired.
All around her the Keether spoke. Not just the two anymore but thousands. Each voice canceled out the other so that only their tempered tone was left behind. Then everything went dark.
"Are you okay," a voice called out above the others.
What a silly question. Did she look okay?
"Climb into my fur and hold on."
Fur? Who was talking? The Keether didn't have fur. She opened her eyes. A giant distorted face looked back at her, with great long teeth and pointed ears, and a nose that proceeded to move even when everything else was still.
"Come on, you have to do it."
It was a brown rabbit.
"Hey rabbit," said a tired Maybee.
"Climb," said the rabbit rubbing its nose up against Maybee.
She did as she was told. With all her strength she climbed up and into it'd fur. The rabbit took off. Maybee could feel the motion as the voices of the Keether cut through the fur.
"You will never be able to hide from us. We will search the land over and over until we find you," said the voice as the rabbit escaped into a hole descending so deep that not even the voice of the Keether could follow them. The rabbit stopped.
"Are you okay," the rabbit asked
That silly question again.
"Yea, I'm okay," said a shaky Maybee as she climbed out of the Rabbits fur.
"Please don't climb out of there. You are cold. Stay and warm up," said the rabbit.
The invitation was too tempting. She climbed back into the deep fur, but not before climbing a little closer to the rabbits ear.
"Thank you," she said faintly before collapsing into slumber. The rabbit made a few hops before it nestled itself into an alcove in the warren.
When Maybee awoke, it was with a jolt.
"I need to get back to my hive," she blurted out.
A startled rabbit replied a simple, "Huh?"
"I need to let my hive know what is going on," said Maybee.
"That is the last thing you need to do," said the rabbit letting out a gigantic yawn.
"What was that," asked Maybee. "Are you okay? Are you going to die?"
"What? No. I just let out a yawn."
"A yawn? It looked like your head was about to fold in half."
"You don't yawn," asked the rabbit.
"I do not, and I can't see why anyone would ever want to."
"It's not something you do because you want to, it's something... You know what, never mind."
"Can you get me back to my hive?"
"Wow, you are just all over the place. Look you don't want to go back to your hive. If you do those things will find out where you live, and then your hive will never be safe."
"What do I do then," asked Maybee.
"You'll have to lead them away. Let them chase you until they are so far away from your hive, they will never find their way back.
"I can't," said Maybee. "They're much too fast and strong for me. If I try, they'll just catch me again."
"No worries, I have a plan."
"That's great, but I'm not exactly sure how much I can trust a rabbit whose name I don't even know."
"It's Raerah one of the fastest and most assuredly the trickiest of any animal you have ever met," said another rabbit.
Maybee turned and looked at the rabbit surprised. She hadn't realized they weren't alone
"Thank you, my friend," said Raerah.
"So what's the plan," asked the other rabbit.Maybee turned back toward Raerah with a new found excitement, and in that alcove, deep in the warren, far from the prying ears of the Keether, Raerah told them the plan.
* * *
Up above the warren the Keether gathered, covering the opening to the tunnels with a thick coating so great that one would never have even known that the opening was there. Then the Keether stirred. Mounding up, as if it was growing into some sort of creature. The mound burst open like a bubble and a grey rabbit appeared. It stood there for a second looking around and sniffing the air.
"Where is Maybee?" demanded the Keether.
The rabbit bolted, and the Keether took chase. Another rabbit appeared in the opening. The Keether circled around as it took off in the opposite direction as the first. Then another rabbit bounded from the hole, then another and then another. All heading out in separate directions from one another. The Keether didn't know what to do. They stormed around following a brown rabbit, then changing directions to follow a white one before splitting off to follow more than one.
Maybee rode between the ears of the brown rabbit Raerah. The Keether whistled past them but never saw the little bee hiding in the fur. When they were far enough away that the Keether had abandoned their pursuit. The brown rabbit stopped and turned around to face the Keether.
"I have defeated your master, just as I have defeated you," said Maybee.
The whirlwind of Keether turned and screamed toward Maybee.
"You are no match for me. You never were, and you never will be," cried Maybee as Raerah turned and fled from the Keether. They ran across valleys and over mountains. The whole way Maybee spurring them on with her insults and the Keether following, determined to catcher her.
* * *
"Some say that they still run to this day, her and Raerah. Others, that Maybee lost the Keether, but had ran so far by then that she was never able to find her way back to her hive. What we do know for sure was that the Keether were never able to find her," said the queen.
"How is that?" asked a bee.
"Because if they had, they wouldn't be outside looking for her right now, would they," answered the queen.
A spark of realization crossed over the bees who hadn't already heard the story.
"If Maybee never found her way home, what happened to her," asked another bee.
"Some believe that she traveled from hive to hive looking for her own but never found it. You never know, she might be here right now," said the queen.
All the bees who were still awake looked around at each other and wondered if the bee next to them was Maybee.
"Now please, it's late. Try to go to sleep. There will be more stories tomorrow possibly even one of your own," saying that, the queen settled into the warm mass of bodies that were her children and went to sleep. The others followed shortly after.