36. Hunters

Disclaimer: I don't own Amphibia. I try to get chapters out as I can. Thanks to RewriteTheWorld for beta reading this.

Thanks to all the all follower and favorite so far. And thanks to Jss2141, redflare5000, Smoking Wrecker, drake wind, Alquimistaarcano77, Kaiju, Nopeknight, TALOS X, Stryker, Mr. Hardcor3, Gojirafan1954, Tearnon, Jason, brentdyedragon, gregorian12, PizzaGuest, Morticon, jjafo2014, schweenieboy, snake screamer, Rodimus973, Pushistaya ten, Shadowcat1083, Liko, Killerbull55858, QuackityFiction, Hamza9236, MarMarFaAnne, Notthenightslayer, Valenthyne, DragonEmperor999, RandomWriter197, AutoHunterJ49, GerardiHistory, wacky620, OtaconandhisJapneseAnimes, asmodeus666, Kryten, Eibegraf, Julie Wells Thomas. Gloyd R. Orangeboar, dshero, ghostanimation, Crimson commando, emmmanuelosunde68 Guests for the comment.

The group had made their way into a forest, where they'd decided to set up camp. Anne was putting a tablecloth on a tree stump, Felicia was making tea, Hop Pop was cooking supper, and Marcy was drawing her surroundings in her notebook, at least until she got distracted by glowing bugs. Sprig was setting up a tent, using his tongue as a hammer, Polly was sitting on a log, relaxing by the fire, Maddie was searching around for potion ingredients, and Ivy was helping Sasha with her black eye.

"How are you feeling?" Ivy asked, as she pressed a cold rag on her face. Marcy quickly glanced over and turned away just as fast, feeling guilty.

"Better, now." Sasha hissed, and Ivy froze, worried she might have hurt her. "No, I'm alright. Looks worse then it is."

"Okay..." Ivy gave an uncertain smile.

"That's nothing." Maddie waved her hand, and pulled her hair back away from eye, showing a cut on her forehead.

"Whoa, cool!" Ivy smiled, "Can I touch it?"

"Ivy, you do no such thing," Felicia scolded.

"What happened?" she asked instead.

"I was exploring this cave and tripped. Cut myself pretty bad."

"Okay, kids, dinner's ready!" Hop Pop called out, interrupting their conversation. Everyone gathered around the tree stump ready to dine on whatever Hop Pop and Felicia made.

"Whoo-hoo!" Anne smiled.

"About time!" Sasha replied, rather rudely.

"Nice." Marcy closed her book.

"Thank Frog, I'm starving!" Sprig smiled, rubbing his belly.

Felicia went around, giving everyone some tea to drink.

"Now hold onto your butts." Hop Pop then lifted the lid to reveal... a stick, and one dung beetle scone. "Bam! Stick and Scones Surprise!" Everyone wretched or groaned at that. "But I didn't tell you what the surprise is." Everyone but Sasha looked up with excitement.

"There's no surprise, is there?" Sasha deadpanned.

"Yeah, there's no surprise." Everyone just groaned in annoyance. "Sorry kids. This journey is taking a lot longer than anticipated, plus we have three extra people with us, and we're out of food."

"And I sold almost all of my Dung Beetles scones in Bittyburg."

"No food, huh?" Polly then took a biscuit out of her bow and took a bite out of it. "That's what you dweebs think." She then put the biscuit back without anyone noticing.

"Ugh! This is my fault. I'm the one who dragged you guys out here to find a way to get us home, and now, we're all going to starve to death." Anne felt a weight on her shoulders, feeling selfish.

The frogs glanced at each other and began laughing. "We're not going to starve."

"Yeah, we can always try to forage for food or hunt," Sprig suggested.

"Hunters, eh?" Anne rubbed her chin in thought.

Anne was running through the forest, wearing a black uniform, with a bow in her hand. She stops, only to see a giant cooked chicken running. She leapt into the air, pulled out an arrow, and fired at it. Anne brought a giant chicken leg back to camp for everyone to eat. "I have provided!" she exclaimed. "Now feast!" She laughed victoriously.

Sasha was holding a bear-like creature in a choke hold, as the bears slowly loses its strength. She then took the carcass back to the others.

"You're the best hunter ever," Ivy complimented.

"I know."

Marcy was riding Bessie and pulled out the intercom. "Come, I'll make nine bowls of chicken on rye." The group behind her cheered.

The girls shook off the daydream and got back to reality. "Guys, leaving the hunting to us." Everyone was confused about that sudden statement from Anne as she stood up. "You guys do so much for us. Let us do something for you for a change."

"Well... I don't know." Hop Pop scratched his head.

"Plus, you're out here because of us." Marcy looked down, as the guilt of the journey was beginning to weigh on her.

"If you kids are sure." Felicia said, uncertain.

"Just leave everything to us." Sasha smirked and pointed her thumb to herself.

Sprig perked up. "Ooh! I can teach them to hunt the Plantar way Hop Pop, just like you taught me." Hop Pop thought for a moment and decided to let him teach them.

"Hmm, okay, but you all need to be careful. We're not in the Valley anymore," Hop Pop warned. "Who knows what dangerous predators could be lurking around the corner? They could be poisonous, or psychic. They could be poisonous and psychic. You don't know!"

Marcy was starting to feel more guilt. "Whoa, whoa, Hop Pop, it's fine. All right, guys, ready to hunt?"

"I'm so pumped!" Sprig smiled.

"Can I come?" Ivy leap onto Sasha's shoulder, giving her a high-five. In the past, Felicia would have concern about letting Ivy go off alone with Sasha, but those worries were gone.

"Sure."

"If you get in danger, call out or ran back to camp." Felicia smiled.

"Since you're looking around anyway," Maddie walked over to Marcy, "I might as well come along. Might find some potion ingredients."

"Alright, let's split up, " Sasha suggested, "We can cover more ground. Plus, lets make it interesting. Whoever finds the most food wins, and doesn't get first shift of night driving." She wrapped arm around Ivy and took off. "Team Sashvy!"

"Umm... Macy? Mady? Mare? Maddy with a Y? Marie? Hmm... I think of a cool name later," Marcy cried, and she took off down a different path.

"Spranne against the word!" Anne exclaimed and ran down a different path as well. "This is going to be awesome!"

"GRRRH! I hate this!" Anne groaned, while Sprig ate some mud, leaving Anne disgusted and disappointed. "Ugh! I thought hunting would be cool. Conquering nature and stuff. Not eating mud," she admitted as Sprig spat out some mud to reply.

"Conquering nature? Oh, no, no. Hunting is about becoming one with nature."

"Can I at least use this stick?" Anne then picked up a stick.

"Weapons are for BARBARIANS!" He slapped the weapon out of Anne's hand. "Now, then, hunting the Plantar way involves three mains steps. First, tracking." Sprig scooped up a ball of soil in his hands. "The soil is a buffet of clues." He put the ball of soil in his hands. "Oh, oh! I'm getting something. This way!"

Anne followed Sprig as he stopped at a bush. "Step two, use your surroundings." Sprig demonstrated by digging a hole, grabbing a large piece of bark, and place it on the bush and hole to make it a slide. "Perfect. And now it's time for the final and most important step: the dance."

"Dance? What do you mean da..." Anne stopped talking as Sprig started shaking his butt in the air. "Okay, that's enough. I'm pretty sure we'll be able to hunt just fine without some silly little dance," she assured.

"There's nothing silly about the sacred Plantar hunting dance, Anne. Besides, I thought you loved dancing."

"Yeah, when there's music and a dance floor. Like, this isn't really necessary," Anne walked over to the Bush and picked up a Grubble. "These guys are don't seem that hard to catch."

"Not all prey will be as easy to catch like Grubbles. But that's not the point. Hunting is about connecting to the harmony of nature. Can you hear it, Anne?"

"No. Anyway, I going to just grab these things out of the bush and meet you back at camp."

"All right. Just be carefully, ok? We still don't know what's out there." As Sprig headed back to camp, a strange mysterious creature looked from and watched as Sprig headed back to camp.

Meanwhile, Marcy was searching different part of the forest for food, along with Maddie. The little witch frog was gathering ingredients for potions and putting them in a brown sack while Marcy carried any food they found in a different bag. Maddie was very exciting about the ingredients she found she could barely find these types of mushrooms, roots, and berries around Wartwood.

Marcy, however, was having a harder time looking for food. Not only because there were limited choices when it came to food that was safe for her, but because of the guilt that was weighing on her.

She had been so excited about the possibility of exploring more of this wonderful world, she hadn't thought of the risk and the threats along the way. They almost destroyed the Plantars' home, Hop Pop and Felicia almost died in the Ruins, Sasha got seriously injured by the Hassleback gang, and NOW they were out of food. She thought of all the times her friends from this world and her own almost died. They were risking everything just to get them home. A risk that they wouldn't even needed to make if she hadn't convinced her friends to steal that music box. If anyone got hurt or... even worse... Marcy didn't want to think of that. But if anything happened, she would have to live with that for the rest of her life.

But at the same time... She watched her friends grow. She watched Anne grow from a scared little girl, a self-absorbed person that always ran away from trouble and responsibility, to someone who would not only step up and protect people who couldn't do it themselves, but also grew the courage to step up for herself as well. She saw Sasha grow from a person that just wanted control and power over someone in any situation to a person that has grew to care about others, letting go of control to just spend time with friends, and who was slowly but surely returning back to same girl that defended Anne and Marcy all those years ago.

As for herself... she didn't think she'd changed that much. While being in Wartwood did help her with skills of communication, and she was learning to watch her feet more, she wanted to prove to her friends that she could be useful. But all her thoughts attacked her, telling her that she wasn't strong, that's she wasn't some great leader, that she wasn't brave, that she wasn't useful. She was slowly hating herself a little everyday, and she hoped this adventure would drown out those noises. After all, both Anne and Sasha were blooming into their best selves.

"Marcy... Marcy! MARCY!" Maddie tugged on her arm, to show her a purple three-stem root with red tips. "These beauties will allow us to breath underwater." She smiled, as she turn to look at her student. "Marcy? What's wrong? If you're worried about food I'm sure the others found more then else."

Marcy just hugged herself as she slowly walked by the cliff side to sit. "I'm just sorry, you're out here because of me."

"Actually, I came here because I wanted to."

"But you'll only came because of me."

"I wanted to see the world with my friend." Maddie sat beside her. "I knew the trip would have its downsides."

"But..." Marcy was crying a little. "But... If you or anyone gets hurt, we should just go back. This journey isn't worth getting anyone hurt."

She felt someone grab her shoulder, and she turned and saw Maddie. "If this journey means you getting back home, it's worth it. Plus, the way I see it, I wouldn't go to the ends of the world for someone who wouldn't go down the street for me. I know if things were different you'll help me in a heartbeat. Like when you went out of your way to get the rare root for me."

Marcy was crying more, this little frog had this much trust in her... but she would run away if she knew the truth. Just look at Sasha, she still hates Hop Pop for hiding the box. "But it would my fault if you get hurt. Because I'm reason anyone's even here!"

"Marcy... I know you're worried about it, but don't be. I'm here because I chose to be here, so if I get hurt that's on me," Maddie said. "Besides, how is it your fault?"

"Because... because..." Marcy sniffled, "it's my fault!" She buried her face in her hands. "I knew about the box before we even arrived here. It's my fault anyone's here. It's my fault that we're stuck here. And if anyone gets hurt... or dies, it's my fault!" She just let it out. This hurt more then when she told Hop Pop. Then, she was just trying to get advice on what to do.

But here she confessed to one of the closest people to her that she'd met here. Marcy didn't see or hear Maddie do or say anything. She cried more, believing her friend was justifying the thought that she was a monster. Until she felt a pair of arms wrapped around her. She lowered her hands away from her face to see the blue frog hugging her.

"You are not your mistakes Marcy; they are what you did, but not who you are." She looked up, "I got to met you... I'll say some good came out of this." Marcy wiped away the tears, and hugged her friend tightly. Until a thought passed Maddie's mind. "Do Anne and Sasha know?"

"Just Hop Pop." She looked away. "And you know Sasha still hates Hop Pop. If she found out... what I did... she... might..."

"Things will just get worse the longer you hold it off," Maddie pointed out. "I like Anne, and Sasha... well, she's cool, I guess. But I don't like keeping secrets. They deserve to know and they deserve it coming from you. And wouldn't keeping an shattering secret from them that could destroy your friendship upset them?"

"I know, I have to tell them."

"I won't tell them anything. I'll just tell you this: never throw away the chance to tell the people you care about the truth, because tomorrow is never a promise. I held back telling my mother I was learning to be a witch. I was going to surprise on her birthday, but her birthday was just a few days after Hiberday the year she was taken. I was going to give up my magic, throw it all away. My dad found it, and he told me to continue with my lessons," Maddie confessed. "I know it's not the same thing. But if you don't tell them, and if anything happens, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

"They'll hate me," Marcy said.

"Maybe they will, maybe they won't. I don't know them as well as you. So I can't say."

"I will tell them, I don't know when, but I will. Will you be there for me?"

"Just ask."

Anne was alone and has collected more Grubbles (which was completely effortless), and they all laid in a large pile on top of one another. Anne was still laughing at what Sprig told her earlier. "The dance, HA! You know what's better than a ridiculous dance? A stick. Time for some Grubble satay." As Anne rose her stick high, she and the others heard screaming back at the camp.

"Oh. That's not good." Anne ran back to camp to see that it was completely empty. Nobody was around but Bessie, who was hiding in her shell. "Hey, hey, hey, girl. Shh. Bessie. Where's everyone gone?" She then looked up to see a large creature with claws and a scorpion tail. It had Felicia and the Plantars in its grasp.

"It came out of nowhere!"

"Get your dirty tail off of me!"

"Careful, Anne. It still might be psychic."

"I'm too cute to die!"

The creature then ran into the forest. Polly lost her biscuit as the creature shook its tail around. "My biscuit!" It fell to Anne's feet as she picked up.

"Dang it, Polly. Food hoarder."

Anne looked to see that the creature had left a trail, and she sprinted into the forest, following the path.

In a separate part of the forest, Sasha was catching fruit in a bag that Ivy was picking off a tree. Once a tree had been picked clean, she would jump or use her tongue to swing to the next tree to clear it of fruit. "Heads up!" Ivy smiled as she tossed down some apples. Sasha grabbed one and took a bite.

"Ewww!" she complained, her face twisting at the bitter taste. "They're sour!" She grimaced and took another bite, only due to her starvation.

"Hehehe." Ivy was hanging from the tree like a monkey. "You humans sure are picky." She swung to the next tree. "Still can't get over the idea your kind doesn't eat bugs!" She grinned as a beetle flew by, and she stuck out her tongue to eat it.

"I can't over that you bathe in the swamp!" Sasha teased back, as she continuing catching the fruit. "I hope the others found something. I can't live off this."

"Maybe if we find enough, Mom can make a pie," Ivy smiled, licking her lips. "Mom's pies are the best!" She smiled, and a bug flew past. She gasped and pulled out her bag. "Is it? It is! It's Hyidinalian ninitarin! Oh, I have to catch it!" Ivy pulled out her net, but it dodged out of the way. Ivy groaned and continued to try to catch it but she just barely missed it. Eventually, though, she grabbed it and put it in a jar. "Yes!" She did a little victory dance. "Sprig's going to be SO jealous!"

"What so special about that bug?" Sasha asked. In her old days she'd probably call the little tomboy frog out for how gross bug collecting was, but she'd learn to keep comments to herself sometimes. Plus, there was barely anything to do in this world for fun, anyway.

Ivy sent the jar down and opened her book. "Well, for starters, they're not native to Wartwood. And they're in the top 15 list for the entomologists!" She smiled and put a check mark on the page. "MAN! I'm so happy I came on this trip! Exploring ancient ruins! Fighting of gang of bandits! This is most happy I've been in my life!"

Sasha smirked, and she had to admit that this trip and this place wasn't all bad. If someone told her a few months back that she'd befriend talking frog girl that collects bugs, she'd've thought they were crazy. "Despite almost dying, this has been pretty fun." She felt her forehead.

"Still hurt?"

"No, just a little headache, Mama must have hit pretty hard."

"Yeah, it was cool how you took her on, although I had nightmares over the Bitties." She shivered, and they heard a noise and bushes shaking, alerting the two. As they brought out their weapons, a blue mantis jumped out. It turned its sights on the two and raised it sword-like arms, and it was able to lift a rock and fling it. Without touching said rock.

Ivy leaped and threw Sasha out of away to avoid getting hit as it continuing to lift and throw things with its mind. "Mr. Plantar was right!" The creature slowly lifted the two explorers off the ground, and let them dangle in the helplessly in the air.

"Damn it, let us go!" Sasha was struggling as she dangling in the air, and that was when Ivy noticed something: that the bug's eyes were glowing green. Not thinking, and hoping it was their only choice, she sadly kissed the jar that had held the bug and threw it at its face. Glass shattered into the giant bugs eyes as the little once-captured bug flew away.

It worked, and soon the two were dropped to the ground. They quickly picked themselves up. "Over here!" Ivy threw a mud ball directly into its eyes, blinding its vision, and she continuing throwing mud balls, keeping some distance from it, while Sasha went for the legs, taking it out. It fell to the ground and, Sasha performed the finishing blow.

Anne found the creature's lair. There, she also found the remains of former people who entered this area. The creature appeared and went towards the captured frogs, holding them with it paws.

She soon got to work on digging a hole that would be used against the monster.

"I'm too young to die!"

"I should've eaten more biscuits!"

"Felicia, at the last town dance, I maybe had too much and kissed your mother," Hop Pop admitted.

"That's fine. I once did the same to Sally a few years ago."

"The relationships between our families is weird," Sprig commented.

"Hey, fur-ball!" Anne yelled. She then did what Sprig did. She slid her feet, tightened her fists, and got down on all fours. She heard the water droplets falling on mushrooms. A beetle drumming. It sounded like a rhythmic beat. She hummed along to it, and she soon started to wave her arms around. The creature looked at her, and it was soon entranced by the dance and it couldn't look away.

"I am the leaves. I am the morning tune. I am the hunter!" She continued the dance as she started to flop around like a fish. The creature dropped the frogs and charged straight at her. She ducked and the scorpalino fell in the hole, landing on sharp bones, which killed it.

"Wow, Anne, that was amazing!" Sprig leapt into her arms. "Best hunter dance I've seen."

"Thanks," Anne smiled, holding Sprig tightly as Polly jumped into her arms as well. "I listened to the sounds of nature, like you said. I'm just glad you're safe."

"You showed the filthy creature what for!" Polly smiled.

"Well..." Hop Pop look down the hole. "Looks like we found some dinner."

It was now nighttime. The moon was red, stars shined down from the sky. Sounds of bugs and the crackling of a fire could be heard. Anne was feeding Bessie, given her head a rub, before returning back to the fire. Maddie was laughing and smiling as she sat next to Ivy, and the frog girl was telling her what had happened.

"What's going on?" Polly asked as she hopped over to Marcy.

"Nothing really." Marcy smiled, as she saw Polly's book. "You want me to read to you?" Polly jumped onto her lap, Marcy laughed and rubbed her head.

"Mrs. Sundew, need help with handing out tea?" Sprig asked.

"Sure, how sweet of you, Sprig." Felicia smiled sweetly.

As the family sat around to eat, Hop Pop took a seat next to Sasha. Before he could speak, she picked herself up, saying she was going to bed. And, picking up on his grandfather's discomfort, Sprig took out his fiddle and began to play.