don't worry bee happy

Sunder eyed the raccoon-cat skeptically but after casting a glance in the wolf's direction moved forward and got ready to work. The beehive had been built in the rotting wood of a fallen oak tree and the bees appeared to have been doing well for themselves for some time as the comb looked as though it were bursting from the tree's seams. It ballooned out of a crack in the tree trunk like the belly of a bloated carcass. Though the wax was a cheery yellow the sight struck Sunder as ominous. He hadn't forgotten his last encounter with bees. This would be worth it in the end, though. He'd heard if you could catch the queen and put her somewhere you want a hive to "grow" the other bees would follow. He wanted to put that theory to the test. Bees were useful and he thought he could market them to a pack that placed a lot of value on growing their own medicinal plants. Of course, he didn't know of any packs like that, but they had to be out there. He couldn't imagine the kind woman who took care of him when he washed ashore living in any other kind of place.

Using his claws Sunder gripped the thinner side of the split in the tree and began to heave downwards. He wasn't putting all of his weight into it. The goal was to crack the tree open, not bust the thin side off. All he wanted to be able to do was widen the hole enough to reach inside and dig around. At his paws was a little glass jar. There wasn't a lid to it, just a piece of tough leather he was going to twist around the top, but that was going t obe where he put the queen once he found her. From there he'd take her to the box he had waiting. Maybe transfer a few of her bees and some chunks of comb so the rest would know where to find her. That was the plan, anyway.

WC: 346