Riza, Joni, and Gabe followed behind my four wives and me. The women were each walking at a corner of me and holding one of my hands.

I felt like the center peg to a tent, but I had to Bee thankful that I only had for arms and four wives. The girls all seemed happy, so I had no reason to complain, and it was nice to have Miku and Xani close with me.

The thing was that what I had with the girls wasn't the same as Messia, but then she wasn't the same as Miasma, with who I had the strongest connection. Even though they all had titles as wives, not all of them fit into my life the same way.

I had to shelf those thoughts for now, but it was something that I would need to think about in the future. It was true that I could have marriages of convenience to connect places, and the girls connect me to the Ferrets.

"I see that you have returned, and my little Niece is looking a lot different than the last time I saw you two. You have also brought more friends and some kind of flying drop of honey. You all sure have been busy," Malodor said to me as he walked up with a smile.

"A lot has happened in a concise amount of time, but I am here to help solve the problem that your people have been facing with your waste," I explained to the Chief of the Skunks.

"Oh?! I'm listening," Malodor said, leaning forward, but we were in the middle of the village.

"Come first; it will be easier to just show you. I don't think you could believe me if I told you that was going to happen," I said with a smile.

"Oh, you're just killing me! Sure, fine, let's go, COME ON!" Malodor shouted to his people and then led the way back from where we had just come.

We had left the ship between the village and Miasma's old house, and now the Skunk Folk were all talking about it in excited whispers and murmurs. I was happy to hear it, and from Malodor's reaction at first, this should go over smoothly like planned.

Once we got into a big open area, I asked that everyone move around me in a big circle, and I got Miasma to come to stand in the center with me. She seemed nervous at first, but now she stood beside me tall and proud, but still a bit shorter than me.

"Can everyone please turn around," I asked everyone, and they all looked at me strangely, but they did as I asked?

Miasma gave me a thankful smile and then bent over to start spraying the ground, leaving the air filled with the heady smell of roses. Most of these people acted like being naked all the time didn't bother them, but they also didn't mind having a bit of privacy.

That would be something to consider in the future, even if it was just a little bit of coverage. Not every race was like us Bees with built it in coconut and hoo-ha covers.

"You can all turn around," I told the gathered skunks who were all sniffing the air.

I could imagine they heard the signature spraying noise that they were all probably used to by now and had assumed they would smell the same thing. Now, everyone just looked confused, but that was about when the grass that Miasma had sprayed started to move.

Then as people called out and let out gasps, everyone's eyes, including my own, were drawn to it. The grass was moving like it had a mind of its own, but I heard now sounds come from them, and I was thankful for that.

I cringed to think about what it would be like hearing my first tree getting chopped down within my radius. I would have to Bee-come Mother Earth Bee or some shit; save the forest, so I don't die of a broken heart from all the plant tears.

"Ashia?" Miasma said from beside me, pulling me out of my dumb thoughts.

"Sorry, I was thinking about trees," I said to her, but then looked around, seeing everyone that was looking at me and waiting expectantly as the grass grew between us.

"So this is what you meant inside the village? You think that you can do this for all of us?" Malodor asked as he stepped forward.

"Yes! I would like you to join my Hive as my Subjects. I know this might Bee," I start to say to defend my forwardness, but I was cut off by Malodor.

"Sure, that is perfect," He said, and everyone burst with light around me, reeling backward. Some people fell over from the shock of the instant ring of sunlight.

I would need to figure out a better way to do this in the future, but I was more than pleased with how quickly Malodor made his choice. It made me have a bit more faith in him, and I did understand that he had to make a lot of hard choices and only did what was best for his people.

After the light cleared, I pulled up the Subjects menu and expanded the charts to quickly look at all the different classes. I had noticed a man and a woman who had not lit up, which would mean that I would need to talk to them after.

Royal Skunks: 30

Food-5

2

2

1

0

Service-8

2

5

1

Production-12

9

2

1

Guard-2

0

2

0

0

0

Other-1

1

0

0

0

Unknown-2

Wow, that was a lot of farmer class, but it was good to see more Production and Service classes than Guards and Food Classes. This would help balance out the Hive some more, and it looked like Malodor must have received the same position as Thiamon.

"Ashia! Get behind us!" Riza ordered me from out of nowhere, and I didn't think; I just did.

Once I was behind her, I could see that Gabe had an arrow drawn back and aimed towards a far line of trees. Then I saw what had everyone so worked up, and I got chills down my back.

There were three figures in white closed hood cloaks with swirling red tribal markings like Miasma had described.

Predators.