The Spring Scourge

The Spring Scourge

Sass Guardian began sneezing.

“It’s too early for me to have running eyes and sneezing!”

She looked out her window to see the road running past her home coated in green dust.

“Oh no! The pollen from the Kinka-jewel trees is scattering! They’ll be ready to form fruit too soon!” she said between sneezes.

She tried to stop her reaction to no avail. But the worst was yet to come! If such important plants were not pollinated, they would not thrive.

“And if they do not, neither will we!”

The Kinka-jewel tree was their single source of wealth. The sparkling gems the trees produced were traded for many things. But the trees were not prized just for their fruit. The leaves were used for poultices, elixirs, tinctures and powders that would cure most ailments.

“But these uses are for my people. The trees are the secret to our longevity, good health and strength. This early season could spell disaster! I must find out what ails them,” Sass decided.

With a particle mask over her mouth and nose, the head botanist and guardian of the precious forest, slipped outside to start gathering samples of pollen, flowers, leaves and branches to study. She also found some stunted gem buds.

Sass set to work. Day and night, she toiled. Finally, she found the answer.

“No bees! We have never had that problem before! Our beekeepers have always been able to provide more than enough! But now?” she muttered as she recalled comments from the Bee Guild about swarms of giant bees that did nothing but eat the bees in their hives!

“They must be stopped!” she mumbled determinedly.

Before the growing season ended, the giant bees had been eliminated by a spray made from the sap from the Kinka-jewels themselves!