Parphins and Blumenwurms

Faces In The Forest- By the Author

The Parphins were furious. Or, more correctly the Parphins would have been furious if the were capable of fury. Unlike the greedy Blumenwurms that took anything that was available, the Parphins had evolved slowly. "Those Blumenwurms" they muttered shaking their feathers loose and preening. "Must be some form of regenerated Dinosaurs to behave this way. Don't they realise that they are destroying their own hope of survival

Domesticated Blumenwurms dined off the roots of plants, trees and even lichen. Worse than locusts they ate everything in their path. Before domestication they had operated in small groups. Afterwards they were trained to clear tracts of land for shopping malls, factory farms that wanted land completely cleared of all native grass and trees, and of course suburban contractors.

Echeered that the hard work of removing roots was done for them. The only remaining problem was to harvest and timber and burn the scrub bush that lay dieing cut off from the earth that had nourished it.

After the Blumenwurms fell into the hands of foresters, farmers and scientist their enormous capacity to help the human race was exploited to the full. Even the Blumenwurms that remained in the wild were acquiring the same aggressive instincts as those fed, housed and used by contractors, realtors, forestry clear cutters and farmers who rooted out forests to create more and more land for human comfort and pleasure. Blumenwurms no longer questioned the world around them. They had a niche.

In other times they would have been shot on sight and stored for winter feats. Now they were protected as a domestic species. Of course the wild ones were still hunted in season. Stories of those that got away vied with fishermen’s and Mouse hunters’ tall tales This hunters’ tales grew more and more outrageous as Moose and Polar Bear fell into decline. Their young barely survived as their habitat continued to shrink at the ruthless hands of human plunderers

The wild Blumenwurms had become at one with those legendary fire breathing dragons. Hunters were persuaded to buy fire resistant clothing and tents for their hunting expeditions. No one admitted that the sulphur clouds in the sky were causing wildfires. Instead it was attributed to the flame throwing Blumenwurms who were carefully differentiated from the domesticated ones.

The domesticated Blumenwurms were hardly seen. An occasional young one was paraded at Country Fairs, but there ability to burrow and chew roots made them a risk to anything buried. There was also the risk of completely loosing the famous wurm to a burrow and allowing the world at large to discover that the only difference between the wild and the domestic Blumenwurms was that some had been socialised to human company and others had not.

This risked the possibility or ruining a whole industry. Breeders would no longer be able to charge high prices for their stock. Hunters would no longer believe in the hyped danger from their quarry. Too much was at risk. Consequently marketing the domestic wurm was targeted at selected buyers. Some came from areas where hunting had almost been depopulated or the Blumenwurms.

Shrugging the Parphins moved on. They were part Parrot, part Dolphin. Parphins were one of those very shy evolutionary forms that were sometimes misthought to be mermaids when they rested in the water. Other times they were seen as Angelic forms, or faery, but neither was true. So legendary were the Parphins that no biologist sought them for study. The Blumenwurms of course were a quite other matter. Scientific papers about them abounded. Most were written on the basis of received opinion that continued to hype the value of the wurms.

Keeping apart allowed the Parphins to move ahead of the wurms. Their young were a favourite food of the Parphins. Until the Blumenwurms became domesticated the Parphins had kept them in check. That task was growing daily more difficult. The Parphins were gathered to study another collapsed hillside with homes scattered on the beach and seabed below. “Without those wild wurms eating all the roots this would never have happened” clicked Mooor an older male Parphin. He trained the younger ones in search and rescue. Screeems who lead Parphin training in hunt and kill was horrified. “We work hard to control them, but we need others to join with us.

Aphhhar, who nursed the young Parphins while their parents tried to cope with the ever-growing Blumenwurm menace, was taking a rare tip out with Mooor and Screeems to survey the damage. “There must be a council of animals she decreed. The whales will want to join, so that will mean deep water near land. Whether the Polar Bears are fit to send a representative I do not know, but the Bowhead whales might represent their concerns. The seals really do not like the Polar Bears. .

“Agreed” said the other two Parphins. C’nui is waiting behind the rocks. He will carry the message to all the other hoofed animals through the horse messengers. His human representative, Satara is on his back. She will speak to the United Nations on his behalf. “We cannot wait for the United nations,” replied Aphhhar. “Our young are growing militant and the Moose and Polar Bear young are barely surviving. The food our young take them is not enough.”

“True answered,” answered Screeems, “Think of Satara as back-up. She will be able to explain the destructiveness of the Blumenwurm.” Mooors dipped his long sharp beak in reply. “We do need back-up, but my team are ready to prevent some of the damage. We have persuaded sea snakes and others to join with us and turn rocks and other debris into sea breaks. Possibly windbreaks can also be built ashore. For the moment my team is focusing on the coastal areas that are most at risk.”

Three long beaks nodded in unison. A scream longer and louder than any flock of parrots could know rent the sky. C’nui’s white mane tossed and his hooves flashed, pounding the ground in response. He and his fellows and the whole human race were at risk. An animal council would be summoned and he would lead the hoofed animals in the forum.

Fun, Farming and Business

Charles had initiated a carrot and turnip race which had become a popular international agricultural attraction Extra fields of the vegetables were grown to create sufficient produce for the race. Wines were being created from the vegetables as well as health drinks. Farmers’ wives found extra income from the huge influx of visitors, who put the hospitality industry on weekend overload. In a Province whose agricultural products were more expensive than those of their international agricultural competitors Charles had created a fresh market for the farmers. This was especially true as green vegetables became more fashionable ousting the carrot and turnip farmers from the supermarkets.

All competitors were required to purchase a cartload full of the vegetables and the difference between the weight on the cart at the beginning and end of the race contributed to determining the winner. Other cities joined sponsors their own competitors. It increased tourism and many settlements sought the victor’s crown as well as individual locals and visitors. This year a famous Olympic rider was appearing in all the advertising and Public Relations for the competition. The Hawkes family were starting the race and retired General Ranulf Hawke was helping to judge the competitors. For once the Angarams family were in the background. For weeks before wheelwrights, blacksmiths and cart builders had been in heavy demand preparing for the race. Extra stabling was readied for the donkeys and horses that pulled the carts. The comical race had become a growth industry. Extra feed supply for the animals and extra veterinarians were on hand. Food successfully arriving at the finish line was donated to food banks.

A beer tent was erected at both ends of the race and crafts were touted by foot peddlers and stall holders throughout the community. After the race, parties, dances and some fistfights were the norm. Tents sprouted in fields and the smell of fresh carrots, turnips and horse droppings were everywhere. The mess on the roads was slippery and caused a few traffic accidents as well as attracting wildlife. Casual employees had to be hired to clan up the mess. The clean crushed and bruised vegetables went to Crown lands where the wild life could feast in protected zones. The balance went to mulch and it was said that the Riverend carrots produced some of the best eyesight in the nation for humans and animals alike. The hunters’ claimed that their abilities were stretched to the limit in the lands around Riverend. This caused growth in a hunting industry. A demand grew up for lodges and new camps from overseas hunters who heard legends of the great Riverend chase.

Although the smell lingered for months, many said it was better than the farmers muck spreading, or the hash that had previously lingered. Charles Cooper had a winner from his investment in this business. Local farmers, large and small encouraged him. Charles’ was a local hero.

Volcanic Earthquake brings Hope

Leo’s daughters tended to have the fragrant and summery attitude of all the island women. Briony, Imelda and Jasmine were a clear combination of their parents, but little Maryllis showed his stronger inclination to individuation and originality. Like him, she was a natural animist. She was collecting a zoo of her own animals and had made it clear that the wildlife of the Island was her personal Province. At only five years of age, she had marched up to the Governor and advised him, that the rock pools could not be damaged by work needed to extend the Islanders storm cave protection. Her particular concern was a terrace of rock pools. She feared that the pools would be affected by the plan to cut further entrances and rock caves. Her particular objection was the planned concrete external atrium that would create a door and added a sheltered deck to the rock face.

Listening very carefully, the Governor had requested that she consider how arrangements could be made to protect the rock pools. “Do it like people, Uncle Gov.,” she answered. “We scoop everything out and give them other homes till the work is done and then we put them back where they were. “Course we should get Aunt ‘Madre to bless them first. She knows these creatures best, and Dad could help.” “Is this very important?” asked Uncle Gov. “I’ve never heard of anything like it before?” “Uncle Gov., you’re teasing me. You moved all the donkeys so they wouldn’t be upset. You know how to do this.” Uncle Governor admitted that he had quite forgotten how to do it and suggested that Maryllis organize a school party to plan things. “Of course we will,” instructed the imperious child, “but we will need help from your staff. Why don’t you send the fish students to help us? Oh, and Daddy said we should have a lazy person too.”

“A lazy person?’ queried the Governor “Who are they and which one do you want?” he enjoyed his back porch where the Island children dropped by. “They like to keep an eye on proper Government,” was his explanation to some of the more self-important visitors to the Island. In fact the Governor, governed by accident. Like Moses, he had brought his people home and from innocence created a modern wealthy nation. To those who objected to his fugitive refugees, he explained, “What can you do with them? Stick them in a luxury prison somewhere, or in a dungeon behind all kinds of bars, or even kill them. This way they get time to do good, reflect on their lives and protect part of the Caribbean from criminal turf wars. They may even repent past misdeeds and save their families from repeating their errors,” He always finished with a meaningful look around his interrogators before saying. “How can we know who will need our protection in the future. This suggestion always distracted his guests, who anxiously looked over their shoulders for fear of some threat.

At the moment Maryllis was tugging at his hand “A lazy man is someone who takes messages between Daddy and you, or Aunt ‘Madre and you. Then you might remember the donkeys and the rock pools mightn’t you? The lazy man talks to us and then to you to make sure you know what is what, and where things are. If the rock pools are not back where they belong before the bad weather comes, they might not get their annual winter bath visit with the Sea. That keeps them in touch with their families and everything else they need. Anyway, the seabirds need rock pools too. They go there to drink and eat.” Child and Governor decided that the final plan should be effected with the supervision of the biologist, ichthyologist and any other workers needed to prepare temporary rock pools until the microscopic life forms could be returned to their natural homes. Meanwhile the child had to show her team the location of the affected rock pools.

With her brother Piers, Maryllis lead the biologist, Marcus Juliano, and the ichthyologist Elspeth Watson, to a funnel in a steep westerly rock face. For years, the children had played at sliding down the tunnel to a small plateau where a multitude of rock pools created a semicircular terrace on the outcropping finger of lava. Marcus was horrified that the children played there and risked a dangerous fall. Aunt Madre laughed. “Before the volcano erupted, we had steps here and the plateau was a village. That will be why so much of the lava stopped here. Also, we had steps down to the lagoon below where some of us fished. The children cannot be hurt when they slide down the funnel, but some of us are getting too large to travel by that route.” It was definitely a child’s playground and the portly could only look and wonder. Meanwhile Maryllis had found a different kind of insect. It resembled a ladybird, but it was larger and the colours were reversed.

The biologist was only just getting to know the Islanders and was amazed that the most important people on the island turning out on a child’s whim. Marcus, who had recently fled from New York, explained that it was only an aberrant ladybird. Leo was busy explaining to the fugitive biologist that, “some of Maryllis concerns and outspoken behaviour is her extraordinary eyesight. She does not need a microscope to see the tiny creatures and is fascinated by their behaviour. She places tiny insects were carefully on the appropriate leaf or blade of grass if she finds them out of their natural habitat.” Marcus listened intently. He had held an important position in New York, but the pecking order would not have placed him in the field with the Governor, an imperious child, the world’s most famous computer hacker and a ‘Voodoo’ lady.

He could not ask questions, but Amadriolar saw the questions in him. “Here we are a small, but educated and physically healthy nation. We have time for each other and time to live as the children do, with curiosity and love.” Marcus nodded. “I’ll be doing some teaching in your school,” he said. “I could help Maryllis start an index of her discoveries but our ichthyologist might be more help. “I already started one,” shouted the child up the funnel, enjoying the echo. “But you can share if you want to. Elspeth will be busy with Gorge and his fish farm, for a long time so it will be easier if you help.” She had begun her index of the insect life on the Island and had a small storeroom full of her treasures. Her mother and Aunt ‘Madre were pleased to encourage the child’s island life. Uncle Gov. nodded. “Please see if there is anything here at risk and the child and her friends will share their interest with you.” The Governor knew that the study of useful insects and tiny microbes was an ongoing need for humanity. Honey Bees were at risk globally and Island hives were carefully tended and protected. Without then the whole food chain could collapse. Marcus, grateful for his Island employment, jumped to attention. The Islanders were beginning to fascinate him. The error that had cost him employment in New York had made him useful to the Island University and life. Already he had a girlfriend there and hoped to marry and settle.

In the South Western distance the sea was turbulent. Slowly a patch began to bubble, then settle like yeast fermenting. “What is that?” called Leo. “The Goddess is calling,” replied Amadriolar. “Let us watch and see what her will is.” She made an odd sound, long and expelled like a yodel crossed with a conch shell and then paused while the Islanders watched silently. The sound was repeated twice more and slowly replies flew across the Island. “We must pray.” She instructed those around her. “The Goddess may be offering a new gift to us. We must pray that we know how to accept it and use it well.” Leo loved the way the High Priestess instructed everyone in her religion. There was never any question that the Goddess was angry with them. She brought her bounty. It was for those who followed her, both human and animal, to interpret and determine how to enjoy the bounty heaped upon them. No one ever feared the Sea Goddess or prayed for forgiveness. The world was as it was and only miscomprehension or crime could disturb it.

Leo was fascinated by the turbulence. Their own volcano had been emitting intermittent small streams of smoke while huge ones streamed out from the distant abandoned island, in front of which tiny atolls had been growing, with a much larger one near his Island home. He pulled out his laptop and began to research volcanic activity. The volcanic activity in the south-western area of his home did not conform to expected projections of activity on the sea bottom. He shrugged his shoulders. Nothing science predicted had prepared him for this event. “For safety we should bring the children back from the terrace, I will go and call them,” smiled Maris. “Then we must arrange observers to discover what the Goddess is offering us now.” Aunt Madre nodded in complete agreement.

Caveat also writes at http://www.piecelibrary.com where she is also a Moderator

Serafina and Friends invite You to a Different World

This is a world you have hardly noticed. No matter how many times you have scubad or peered through a glass bottomed boat, you have never known this before. This world seems so small and humble compared to the whales, sharks and octopus or even the schools of fish that gave you a magical thrill as they swam around, over and under you.

This is the world of small creatures that cling to rocks and depend on coral reefs for habitat. One day Serafina was watching them and saw a greater hurrying and scurrying than ever before. Seahorses and jelly fish arranged themselves in tiers in front of their rocky and seaweed home. Sea porcupines and cohogs roled along the seafloor stirrning up sand and almost blocking rocks and the lower levels of coral.

Between the branching arms of coral, sea anenomes retracted their petals like sad children pulling faces and trying not to cry. Above them massed the sea horses and jelly fish. Starfish clung to rocks and crabs scuttled to fill gaps in the wall of living sea creaturs around the rocks and between the coral growths.

"What is happening?" asked the startled Serafina. "This isn't like you. Why aren't you feeding and playing and resting. I can hardly see the coral there's so many of you here."

Claws and petals waved "Go home Serafina. It is dangerous here..Hide quickly. Something is coming to destroy our reef and our homes. You must hide somewhere."

Serafina swam over the reef as the jelly fish and seahorses made way for her. Some of the smaller anenomes plaited themselves into her hair. "We'll come with you they said. Some of us are too small to really help and the young seahorses are towing the baby starfish and crabs."

"I'll help" said Serafina. "Some of them can ride on my oxygnen cylinder, or hold onto my hair, with the anenomes. No one will know. Which way is home?"

The tiniest creatures fled with their friend. Some hid on her camera, others pretended to be decorations in her hair. Some just clung to her diving equipment. Serafina was swimming for the boat bobbing in the water ahead of her as fast as she could.

Suddenly a huge surf wave drove her downwards to the seabed and she could see the boat bobbing helplessly as the weight of the water pushed her down. Luckily the sea was shallower here, but when she pulled herself up to the surface, her boat was upside down in the water.

"Over there." whispered her sea creature friends. A spit of sand was to her left. The wave was still racing towards it as her boat continued to tumble in the surf. Swimming together she made it with her friends. "I have to find you a salt water pool." she whispered in the sibilant surf sounds she shared with her saltwater friends. "What is best for you. This sandy beach isn't the right place."

As she spoke a beach buggy rushed over. "Thank God you are safe. Saw your boat capsized. There was an unexpectged earthquake. Never thought you would make it. We have to leave here before more tremors happen."

Grabbing a towel to disguise her friends, Serafina climbed into the buggy. "Is there an Oceanarium close by? I have some specimens to protect. I need them alive. Already the starfish and anenomes were burrowing deeper into her seasalt wet braid for protection.

"Take you to clean up and you can keep them in the pail there, till we reach safety. There's a lid and we can pick up more salt water from the puddles here." Quickly her driver half filled the pail and handed it to her. As unobtrusively as possible Serfina encouraged her tiny friends to slip into the pail. Some of the babies had fallen asleep from the excitement, but a good number of seahorses, crabs and baby jellyfish were organising themselve to make the pail reasonably comfortable for the rest of the journey.

The sand buggy driver switched to hover as they crossed the saltmarshes heading towards a gap in the hills. Only as the sped between the gap did the driver stop to replace the batteries in his air compressed vehicle. Serafina turned to look and cried out in horror. Her boat now rested on a sand dune and the sea was slowly drowning the salt marshes and reaching higher up the hillsides they had left behind.

"Quick." said her driver, a marine biologist. "We have to get out of here.Don't know how far the sea will advance this time.Hold on." The vehicle surged forward again heading across a lake towards higher ground. We don't want to get caught without fuel."

They rushed inland past Serfina's usual base towards their central marine biology centre. Wriggling slightly Serafine realised that a piece of living coral had attached itself to her equipment. Into the pail it went with several tiny marine creature still clinging to it. Unrthinking she turned to see the sea surging inland and beyond the reef huge tails slapped the water and blowspouts sent salt water higher that the spuming surf that crashed on the coral reef and rocks reclaiming the beach as though land and sea had never seperated.

'Bye whales and reef. Thank you for saving me.' Her unspoken thought message was reciprocated by more flashing tails and blowspouts before her vehicle took another turn, heading over foothills and deeper inland. Sadly Serafina realised that many of the small sea creatures she had left behind might not have survived the roaring eathquake tide. 'I'll look after your babies until they can return to the sea.' she promised. 'I wish I could have done more.'

When th buggy finally stopped, batteries exhausted, they had arrived at the centre for Marine Biology studies. Gratefull that she was still wearing her swim gear, Serafina asked for an empty tank of salt water. There was a deep one reserved for sick and injured dolphins. Pail and equipment in hand she climbed in, and began to carefully to help her tiny friends re-locate in their new home.

Rocks were carefully rolled in place and bio-technology used to help keep the coral alive and growing. Seaweed wrapped around her oxygen tank and breathing apparatus seemed to plant itself and start waving in the waves she made as she settled the tiny sea life forms in their new home. Her suit itself had a coating of sea algae that she knew would help the creatures creat a microcosmic home.

The Director watched her quietly. Serafina knew her work better than many. They said she had an instinctual understanding of the life of the seas and oceans. Only Serafina knew that her past included a gene that related her to the mammals of the sea. Privacy prevented that genetic disclosure and it was one she feared in case she too became an object of study. Others like her existed, but the land was now their home and their shoreside presence had been planned to help protect the wild of sea and shore.

Exhausted, she finally climbed out of the tank, leaving her diving gear over a rock in the tank to make sure that every one of the tiny creaturs had the opportunity to settle into their new emergency home. She unbraided her hair and the little anenomes and sea horses emptied into their natural habitat. 'Safe for now.' was her thought message to them as she imaged the plan to settle in the sandy bottom of the tank. 'When this is over and you are grown I will take you home again.'

The tank was carefully labelled 'Serafina's Study' and 'Keep Out' signs posted. The Director nodded quietly and left when the work was completed saying only "I would like a full report tomorrow." He prefered the official approach with Serafina. He believed that she naturally knew more any course of study could teach her, but preferred to leave those thoughts unspoken. Her skills had made her an asset to his Institute and he knew better than to raise unnecessary questions outside of her duties and resume.

"We do what we can." he muttered as he left, feeling that the day's adventure would now justify his demand for more hover buggies.