This short story takes place on the same night, directly at the end of: Episode 50 – Full Circle
The Valleys: The Last Fire Circle Gathering of Summer
The fire had burned lower now.
The great stacks of wood laid earlier in the evening had settled into a deep bed of glowing coals. Smaller flames licked quietly between the larger logs.
The heat was now soft, steady, and even. Marshmallows had begun to appear on the ends of sharpened sticks and sweet campfire tea from an ancient blackened cauldron had been ladled into mugs.
A few of the youngest kits had already fallen asleep where they lay, curled against parents or older siblings.
The musicians had drifted to one side, and talk had quietened into a gentle hum.
Closer to the fire, a smaller circle had formed.
The older kits sat a little forward and the adults lingered just behind them.
And, not far off to one side—
the three sat together, a little apart from the rest.
Chewie sidled over to where they sat.
Chewie: Will you tell us what really happened?
Another voice, followed:
Ounce: Yeah… we saw the light… but… what was it really?
A few heads turned, but not to the fire.
They turned to the three.
Tag shifted slightly.
Jaak opened his mouth—
Jaak: Uh… well— I guess, it all started when we went camping…
Grandpa Snow quietly interrupted.
Grandpa Snow: Now, let’s just steady on there for a bit young ones.
Jaak closed his mouth.
Dieter gave a small snuffle that might have been a laugh.
Grandpa Snow didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to.
We’re not having it told like that.
A pause.
He adjusted his faded red scarf, poked the fire once with a stick, and let a small burst of sparks spiral up into the night.
Grandpa Snow: Come. Gather yourselves around.
If a story is gonna be told — we’ll have it told proper.
The only sound came from a log settling in the fire.
Chewie then spoke quietly.
Chewie: Is it all true Grandpa Snow?
Grandpa Snow didn’t look up straight away.
Grandpa Snow: What’s true?
Chewie: About the three stones — did they really all join up together — up there in space — to fight the bug queen?
Grandpa Snow gave the fire another poke.
Grandpa Snow: Well now, that all depends on what you’ve heard. And there has been much to hear.
But.
Aye — they did.
Grandpa looked up — not at Chewie, who had been hanging on his every word — but out across the fire circle and up towards the dark outlines of the mountains.
Grandpa Snow: It began with — the three.
Another pause, and a silence long enough that when a spark crackled in the fire, a couple of the kits jumped.
Grandpa Snow motioned vaguely towards where Jaak, Tag, and Dieter sat listening just as intently as all the others.
Yes, there were three, just boys — like some of you.
They were not soldiers. Nor were they pilots.
They were not the ones in charge making the decisions.
But.
They were leaders.
A quiet ripple murmured through the circle.
Off to one side, one of the three shifted slightly — but said nothing.
Grandpa Snow: One of them — thought too much.
One — felt too much.
And one… didn’t think nearly enough at all. Some might even have said he had boogers for brains.
A few chuckles again ran around the circle.
One of the three had their ribs nudged by the other two.
But that was then!
Grandpa had raised his voice just a notch, but then he softened.
He made up for it.
He watched.
He listened.
He learned.
No, not his head—
He tapped his chest.
Here.
Chewie frowned as he internalised a growing set of complicated facts in his head.
Chewie: Did they really go into space?
Ounce cuffed the back of Chewie’s head, as if to make it reboot.
Grandpa Snow: Aye — they did.
And they came back again too — which is the more impressive part, if you ask me.
Grandpa again gave a wave of his paw in the direction of the three.
He suddenly raised his voice again.
And not like that damn careless fool up there on TET-4 who didn’t listen!
A few of the adults nodded slowly.
Some of them had family and friends who had been part of the crew on TET-4.
Grandpa Snow grew more animated now…
Those damn bugs had been here before and stripped us bare!
The planet woke up!
—And — it — remembered!
He lowered his voice.
Those three TETs lit the sky,
with great beams of blue light — we all saw it.
And three—
Right down to the core of this very planet!
His voice became quiet.
He tapped the ground firmly with the stick three times.
Right — down — there.
He paused and took a sip of his tea.
You’ve all been up to the crater—
you’ve all seen it.
I know you have.
Chewie’s eyes widened — along with some of the others.
Chewie: Were they scared?
Grandpa Snow gave a small chuff.
Grandpa Snow: Of course they were.
One—
He glanced in Tag’s direction.
was packing darkies in his under-jocks!
A few chuckles rippled back and forth.
Only fools aren’t scared.
Another pause.
They were bloody brave though — honest truth be told.
He leaned back slightly, looking into the fire.
You don’t wait until you’re not scared.
You go anyway.
The circle settled into silence again.
The fire crackled.
Somewhere behind them, one of the sleeping cubs murmured and turned over.
Chewie: What happened to the bugs?
Grandpa Snow’s whiskers twitched.
Grandpa Snow: Oh they got toasted.
Just a little.
And as for the three…
Another vague gesture around the circle…
One still thinks too much.
One still feels too much.
And one—
Grandpa paused for effect, and gave a slight smirk.
still eats too much.
A muffled sound was heard from the side—
Somewhere between a giggle and a laugh.
Then came—
a burp.
Laughter rang out around the circle, and broke the tension.
Grandpa Snow let it run its course.
Then, his voice almost a whisper:
Grandpa Snow: But every now and then…
when the fire’s just right…
—the planet remembers.
He glanced toward the centre of the fire.
You can still see it.
Chewie leaned in.
Chewie: See what?
Grandpa Snow looked back at the fire, sat back, and took a long slug of his tea from his old battered mug.
He said no more.
The wind shifted and for just a moment—
the flames flickered…
Blue.
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