Gummi Venture
Part 2: Into the Desert

Sir Thornberry tipped his long snout in the air as he took a deep whiff of the warm summer breeze. He could smell gummiberry bushes, fragrant wildflowers, all the animals within miles, as well as the faint but unmistakable scent of ogre. He was an accomplished tracker, having spent long years of life on his own, feeding himself, scouting, and trapping or evading potential adversaries.
“Do you know which way to go?” Tummi asked, after Thornberry hadn’t given them a direction in a handful of minutes.
“Give the fellow a moment to get his bearings.” Gritty told Tummi, and then grunted.
Sir Thornberry looked around at the sprawling forest canopy high above before replying. “Not easy when that durned ogre keeps jumping like this. He’s a lot faster than us, and it would help to know where he’s headin’!”
“So we’ve lost him?” Tummi asked.
“Did I say all that, lad? No, the scent is faint in the air, but I can still smell it. They’re heading off this way, maybe towards the Sandibas Desert.” Thornberry said and scratched thoughtfully at his chin.
“Oh Great Gummis, a desert, in the summer? Let’s make sure we have plenty of water before we head out there, if that is indeed where we need to go.” Said Gritty.
Sir Thornberry steadied a serious look at his one-eyed companion. “If we end up following them into the Sandibas at this time of year, that won’t be a concern.” The older bear said. “But there is a plant I’d like to find first.”

***

The sudden light overhead when the bag’s mouth opened was nearly blinding to Cubbi and Zummi. A moment later, both bears were in the grips of the Ogrelord as he pulled them free from the magical cloth pouch and dropped them onto the soft grass next to him.
Zummi quickly took stock of his surroundings. It took a few moments, but the shift in the winds brought a strange heat that was familiar, and he recognized the trees growing around them. It seemed that just beyond the treeline nearby the forest and shrubs fell away, as if at the top of some great cliff.
“This is the far western edge of our forest!” He exclaimed, then stood and rubbed his sore backside from where he had been dropped.
“Wow, we came pretty far already.” Said Cubbi, hopping to his feet.
“I’ve been wind-leaping for about an hour.” Said the monster.
“Wind… leaping?” Asked Cubbi.
“When I use this amulet, that’s what I call it.” The ogre said, pointing to the bluish stone over his chest which seemed to keep his cloak fastened. “It can create a strong wind under me that helps me travel more swiftly.”
“That’s really neat! Can I see?” Asked the small pink gummi bear.
“No.” Replied the ogre.
Cubbi crossed his arms and kicked at a round grey rock in the grass.
“Not that we don’t appreciate being out of that bag of yours,” Zummi began. “But why did you bring us out? Are you, letting us go by chance?”
The ogre placed his hand over the open bag of holding and spoke: “Book of Gummi.” There was a brief and quiet sound, akin to wood popping in a fire, and then the book appeared in the beast’s enormous hand.
“You just ask for a thing and the bag produces it?” Zummi asked.
“It only works for the owner of the bag, me.” Said the Ogrelord pointing to his chest with his thumb. “Now, open it and find me a spell of transfiguration. Be quick about it.”
“Alright, alright.” Said the magician as the Great Book of Gummi was pressed into his arms.
He staggered back and dropped it, as it was much too large for one gummi to carry. He glared up at the ogre, who didn’t really seem to notice.
Zummi used the medallion around his neck to unlock the book. The huge green brute watched him with interest.
“No tricks.” Said the beast.
Zummi flipped through many pages, knowing full-well the section dedicated to transformative magics, but looking for one in particular.
“I said to hurry up.” The Ogrelord reminded him.
“Oh I’ve just about found what I’m fooking lor, ah, looking for!” Said Zummi. “And here we are!”
The ogre moved closer. “Well? What sorts of spells are there?”
“Better if I just show you!” Called Zummi and quickly recited the spell he had been reading. “Fomorm of ramabbit!” He shouted.
There was a loud crackle and flash of purple light from the old bear’s paws as he cast the familiar spell from the book. The ogre watched him, a surprisingly calm expression across his grim face. There was a pathetic fizzling, and then nothing more happened.
“What was that supposed to do?” Asked the ogre.
“Er, uh, well…” Zummi sputtered.
“Cast it again, Zummi! Maybe you said it wrong!” Cubbi encouraged.
“You could.” Said the monster, and shrugged. “Or you could realize that any magic cast directly on me is nullified by this.” He held up his right arm, displaying the strange dark stone armband. Etched across and within its face were deep, fire-orange lines that flickered in the light.
“Wh-what is that?” Asked Zummi. Thinking back, he understood now why his entangling vines spell had been so easily rendered useless when he used them on this behemoth.
“A golem-blood bangle, magic immunity if you will.” The ogre said. “And now the kid goes back in the bag until you provide me what I asked for.”
The Ogrelord reached down towards Cubbi who moved to run, but Zummi stepped between them.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. I shouldn’t have done that, but you can’t just expect us to go along with this. You’ve bearnapped us from our home, taking us, who knows where, and we’re just supposed to be okay with it?!” Zummi said, flustered, but trying to remain composed.
“You’re not in any danger from me.” The ogre said.
“How can you say that? You’re about to stuff my friend here into that bag of yours!” Zummi countered.
“Yeah!” Cubbi chimed in.
“It’s safe in there.” The monster countered.
“It’s a cage!” Shouted Zummi.
The ogre was silent.
“Maybe just, let us stay outside. Then we might be more inclined to help you with, whatever it is you need help with.” The magician said.
“I can’t, you’ll just slow me down, or try to run away.”
Zummi sighed. “We can’t trust you, if you can’t trust us.”
“Trust is earned.” Growled the giant.
“You’re right, and so far you’ve done nothing to garner any from us, so how’s this? Tell me why you need our book?” Zummi asked.
“It’s possible that, I might not need it at all.” Said the beast.
“Oh?”
“I’m looking for a spell of permanent transformation.”
Zummi was thoughtful. “As a general rule, transfigurative magics and magical forms are temporary.”
“I know.”
“But perhaps, with some extra help, like a place of very strong magical energies, such a thing could be possible.”
“Like the Tower of Ruin?” Asked the ogre.
Zummi tapped the end of his dark red nose as he thought about the suggestion. “Well, that’s certainly, a, er, dangerous example but yes. The tower is said to be built atop an ancient font of pagical mower. Magical power!” Zummi corrected himself, his cheeks reddening. “It could provide the needed boost to make a spell permanent, if it is indeed as steeped in magical energies as I’ve read.”
“Good, because that’s where we’re going.” The Ogrelord said.
The purple gummi’s mouth dropped open in protest. “But it’s not safe! And we’d have to cross the Sandibas Desert to get there!”
“Sounds like an adventure!” Cubbi said and held up his wooden sword. The boy was eager to see a bright side in their current predicament.
“The kid’s got the right idea.” Said the beast.
“We should not be crossing the desert at this time of year.” Zummi said, sounding authoritative. “And Cubbi, you would be wise to remember our current situation.”
“Not much choice.” Said the ogre. “I’ll keep you both safe, as long as you stay in the bag, you can’t be harmed.”
“How long will it take you to get there?” Asked Cubbi.
“Should be no more than three days.”
Zummi crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t like the idea of going back into that bag of yours, though I concede it might be safer for the two of us. Unless something happens to you of course, then we’re stuck!”
“I’ll be fine.” The ogre said.
“Let’s make a deal then. When you stop to take a break, and when it’s nighttime, you let us out. It’s not right to just keep us cooped up in there!” Zummi said.
The monster nodded in agreement. “Very well, you have my word.”

***

Hours passed in the real world while Zummi and Cubbi remained in the bagworld.
“How long do you think it’s been?” Cubbi asked, not for the first time.
“I’ve told you, Cubbi, there’s no way of knowing until we’re back outside. But if you’re hungry, have some of the food we saw earlier.”
“I’m not hungry, not really, or tired. Don’t you think that’s strange? I don’t really… feel normal stuff in here.”
Zummi adjusted his glasses as he poured over the great book. He had found a crate and chair and was seated there, reading through all of the transformation spells using the box as a makeshift table.
“It is strange, I’ve noticed the same thing actually.” The purple bear said. “My best guess is that, time doesn’t pass normally in here, if at all. Some of these fruits should have already begun to rot, but they’re perfectly fresh, or at least, probably look the same as when he put them in.”
“But time must pass a little bit, right? Cuz we can talk and breathe and stuff.” Said Cubbi.
“That’s a very pood goint, a good point!” Said Zummi. “Unfortunately, the Great Book of Gummi doesn’t say anything about magical bags. My best guess is it’s some sort of enchantment. Whatever it is, it’s beyond me.” He sighed.
Cubbi had found a shield under one of the armor piles and was turning it over in his paws. On its front was the crest of some unknown kingdom. It looked a little familiar, like from a storybook. Many of the things in here looked new and yet, reminded the boy of old stories.
“Hey Zummi?”
“Mmm, yes?”
“Why do you think he needs a permanent transforming spell?”
Zummi mulled it over as he looked at his young friend. “I have no idea.” He said finally.
“You think he wants to turn into something even more powerful?”
“You think he wants to cast it on himself? That’s very reckless.” Zummi said.
Cubbi shrugged as he poked about further through one of the piles of gear. “He really wants to change something.” The boy said.

***

The sky was a deep, quiet blue hidden by dark, menacing clouds when the gummi bears next saw the outside world. The Ogrelord had released them onto some flat rocks amid towering boulders that seemed to provide decent shelter. Around them, falling away, an entire ocean of dark grey sand stretched out as far as the eye could see in all directions. The surprising part, at least to anyone who wasn’t familiar with this desert, was the warm rain that poured down from overhead.
“Isn’t this the desert? Why is it raining?” Cubbi asked as he moved to the edge of the sheltering rocks and held out his paw, to catch one of the heavy droplets.
“For nine or ten days, there is pouring rain in the Sandibas, Cubbi.” Zummi explained. “It comes from the ocean, a storm that travels inland at this time every year, quite amazing. The desert won’t see any other rainfall the entire rest of the year.”
“You’re well-informed.” Commented the ogre.
“Er, um, thank you.” Zummi replied.
“Well, it’s dusk, and I’ve let you both out, as I said I would.”
“And we appreciate that.” Said Zummi.

The brute kept mostly to himself for the next hour or so, leaving the gummis to quietly chat with one another. He eventually took some bread and grapes out of his magical pouch and handed it to them, not saying much as he did.
It was getting late, and Cubbi was already yawning. Apparently once out of the pouch, his brain still knew when to get sleepy. Zummi felt the weariness in his own body.
The gummis found an area tucked up near the back of the small rock cave that was completely dry and out of the wind. It wouldn’t be terribly comfortable, but they could sleep there until morning when the ogre would no doubt put them back into his bag and continue onward.
“Close your eyes, Cubbi, looks like this is camp tonight.” Zummi said in a soothing voice.
“Okay.” Said the small bear, and then, with his voice just above a whisper added: “Are we going to try to escape tonight?”
Zummi considered his young friend’s question. In all honesty, he had no idea where they were, having spent the majority of the day in the bagworld, and the desert itself was dangerous and unpredictable. It didn’t seem worth the risk without a solid plan in place.
“No, Cubbi.” Zummi told him. “For now, I don’t think we’re in any immediate danger. If that changes, I’ll let you know.”
Cubbi nodded and placed his paws under his cheek like a pillow.
“I don’t like you two whispering over there!” Called the ogre from where he sat, a short distance away.
“Just saying good night.” Zummi said.
“Oh.” Replied the Ogrelord.
Zummi, who wasn’t quite as tired as Cubbi yet, got to his feet and went to stand beside the seated ogre. The beast looked down at him.
“You have a strange hat.” He said, quite surprising the old magician.
“It’s not strange! It’s, well it’s quite old now, as gummi fashion goes. I’m not really sure I was even that fashionable as a younger bear.” Zummi said and rubbed the back of his neck.
“Did you need something?” The ogre asked.
Zummi paused before answering. Something had been rolling around his mind since their first encounter with the brute. “Would you really have destroyed our home?” The gummi said.
“Why would you even ask that?” The creature growled.
“Because I noticed that you could have really hurt my friends, but you didn’t.”
“Bah, they were soundly beaten.” Said the Ogrelord.
Zummi nodded. “True, you won the fight, but you must have held yourself back to avoid crushing Sir Thornberry under your hand, and it seemed to me you purposefully angled your wind spell to send Gruffi and Gritty into the nearby lake.”
“I didn’t even know there was a lake.” The ogre said and huffed.
“It’s pretty hard to miss.” Said Zummi. “And what about those guards at the castle?”
“They’re fine, I just tossed them around a little until one of them mentioned hearing about Gummis living in the woods nearby.”
“That’s when you saw Tummi and Cubbi?”
“Ha!” The ogre laughed. “I actually didn’t notice them at all until I entered the forest to search for your home. Guess I flushed them out of hiding. Then I followed them. But even if I hadn’t, I would have stumbled onto your little glen sooner or later, and then this bangle would have alerted me to the magic from your book.”
“More than just cancels magic out then, it also senses it?”
The ogre nodded, while Zummi thought about everything the beast had told him.
“You know, for an ogre, you seem oddly concerned about harming others.” Zummi mused.
The Ogrelord rolled his eyes and then tightly crossed his arms. “So I don’t like hurting people. It doesn’t change anything. You still have to do what I say.”
“Fair enough.” Said Zummi.
They were quiet, watching the rain falling in sheets, just beyond the safety of their cave.
“You should get some sleep too.” Said the ogre. “And don’t try to run. I’m a lot less dangerous than the Sandibas on a night like this.”
“Was that a hint of concern?” Zummi asked.
“I need you to cast that spell for me. What good would it do to have you drown in sand before then?” The monster said and sneered.

***

The following morning, predictably, found the two gummi bears being ushered back into the ogre’s bag so he could continue his trek across the dreary desert. He released them for a break during the day and again at dusk after the second leg of their journey. As night fell, he found an area where tall boulders offered some protection from the elements, but this time there was no ledge above and the the gummi bears began to get wet very quickly.
“Wish it wasn’t always raining…” Grumbled Cubbi under his breath.
“At least it’s not too too cold, well, yet anyway.” Said Zummi, hoping to brighten the young bear’s spirits a bit.
“These boulders were the only thing around that resembled shelter. Too bad they mostly just go up. At least it’ll help if there’s any wind.” Said the beast.
“We’re gonna get soaked like this!” Cubbi complained, already unhappy as his soft pink fur continued to dampen under the relentless downpour.
“You can just go back in the bag.” Said the ogre.
“No!” Said Zummi defiantly. “It’s just water, we’ll manage.”
The mage began to search about the small rock island, looking for some sort of overhang or anything they could use to keep dry. In the end he found a short stick and little else. Cubbi had sat himself down on one of the large flat rocks, looking out over the darkening desert. Zummi sat next to him and tried to pull some of his red cloak over the cub to lessen the rain and encroaching cold. He was just beginning to think that maybe they should go back into the bagworld when a sudden rustle of cloth caused him to look up. The Ogrelord had tugged his own cloak out, holding one end in his fist, creating a sort of canopy over the two bears.
Zummi looked up at him, but the ogre just stared out over the muddying sand sea.
“Won’t your arm get tired like that?” Zummi asked.
“No. I’m strong, this is nothing.” Replied the ogre.
“Aren’t you cold?” Cubbi wondered.
“Not especially.”
“In that case, maybe I can give us a little more room.” Said Zummi as he picked up the stick he had found earlier, shoving it into a crevice behind the rock they sat on and tilting it backward to give them more room under the ogre’s dark cloak. There was now enough room to sit, maybe even lie down and stay out of the downpour, at least until the creature eventually dropped his arm.
They sat in silence for a time, with nothing but the unending sound of rain rhythm all about them.
Zummi finally cleared his throat. “Thank you, uh, Mr. Ogrelord for the shelter.” He said.
“Don’t call me that.” Said the monster.
“Oh, I’m sorry. What should we call you, then?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not very helpful.” Said Cubbi.
“Ogrelord is just what frightened people chose to call me, it’s not my name.” He explained.
Zummi looked up at the large fellow. “And you… don’t remember your name?”
“No.” Said the ogre.
“Well, you should have a name.” Said Cubbi. “What about Greeny?”
“I don’t care.” Said the ogre.
“Hm.” Said Cubbi. “Maybe just Greeny for now until we find something better.”
Time passed and the gummi bears had finally become dry under the cloak tent.
Greeny looked down at them. “I’m hungry, um, are you two?”
“Yes!” Cubbi said enthusiastically.
Zummi only nodded.
“Well, the food I have you’ve already seen I’m sure, when you were in there.” Said the ogre, indicating the bag at his belt.
“Those Skyskin apples looked really good.” Said Cubbi, suddenly aware of how hungry he really was.
“For you too, old bear?”
“Please call me Zummi, and this is Cubbi.”
“Oh, sure. Apple for you, Zummi?” Asked the giant.
“Yes please.” Replied Zummi. “I didn’t see any gummi berries in there, so apples would be great.”
Greeny summoned a few of the light blue apples from his magical bag and handed them to the gummi bears. For himself he called out some loaves of bread and sausages. The trio ate mostly in silence as the sandy dunes began to shift with the water, turning from rivulets into streams before their eyes.
“It’s nearly a flash flood.” Zummi commented.
“We’re safe up here. These rocks we’re on go deep, perhaps they even form the top of a sand-covered mountain.” The ogre said.
“You seem to know this desert very well.”
“It is familiar.” Agreed Greeny.
“Can I ask you something?” Zummi said.
“Sure.”
“Earlier, when you asked me to find the spell you wanted in the Great Book of Gummi, what if I had simply told you we didn’t have any? Would you have believed me? Let us go?” Zummi asked.
“I can usually tell when someone is lying to me.” The ogre said. “But I knew you wouldn’t. Your kind is too honest, so I wasn’t worried about you trying to lie, by that point. Obviously the fake book was pretty deceitful, but I expected it.”
“You did?”
“Believe it or not, I know what the Great Book of Gummi means to your people. I knew you couldn’t just hand it over. I’ve read about it, searched for it a long time. Though I don’t know all of the spells it contains, I was quite certain it would have strong transformation spells within. Apparently your gummi ancestors were the ones who first began to perfect such powers. I only need one of those spells, and when I’m done, I’ll return the book to you.”
Zummi and Cubbi both looked up from their apples at the ogre in surprise.
The ogre in turn arched his large, scarred brow. “What?”
“You’re going to just give us the book back?” Cubbi asked.
“I’m not a thief. Well, not exactly a thief.” Said Greeny.
“You don’t really act like an ogre.” Cubbi said.
“Thanks, I guess.” Said the ogre, a funny look on his bearded face.
“Or sound like one.”
“Because I can speak in complete sentences?”
“Yeah, like, exactly that reason.” Cubbi said.

A sudden explosion above caused the three to jump. A lightning bolt had been drawn to the towering rocks and crashed into the stone, causing a reverberation through the entire rock column, even shaking the grey stones where the adventurers sat. Cubbi practically threw his second apple from his paws, watching as it bounced once on the dry rock in front of them and then out from under Greeny’s cloak into the wet, humid night air. Cubbi instinctively dived after it.
“Cubbi, wait, let it go!” Zummi warned, reaching for his friend.
Too late, Cubbi had bounded out after his apple, grabbing it midair, but landing in the soft, seeping earth beyond the island of stones. He struggled to turn around but the flowing mud sucked at his legs, keeping him locked up and dragging him down the hillside.
“Help!” He cried. “I can’t hop out!”
“Cubbi! I’ll, find a spell!” Zummi shouted frantically.
“There’s no time for that!” Said Greeny as he stood and unclasped his cloak.
Down below them, the pink bear was fast nearing the base of the sandy dunes, where a dark muddy river coalesced from each of the nearby dunes. There was no telling how deep it might be, but the current must be terrible.
“Wh-what can we do? We reed nope, ugh, need rope!” Zummi cried out as he moved back and forth on the edge of the rocks.
Greeny turned to the old bear. “Don’t move from this spot, Zummi!”
A moment later, the immense green figure had leapt, using his wind amulet to propel himself through the rainy air toward Cubbi. A second after, his huge frame crashed into the shifting mud and sand some meters away from the struggling cub. The ogre began to swim with the flow of the muck river closer to the whirling pool at the bottom, now almost within distance of grabbing the frightened bear.
High above, Zummi could barely make out what was happening below. He paced back and forth, craning his neck to see. He felt so useless. What would he do if something happened to Cubbi? He forced such thoughts from his mind as he watched the tiny pink bear slip out of sight under the water. He gasped.
Greeny saw Cubbi take a breath before he went under, and a moment later his face bobbed back into view. He needed to act now. If the gummi bear disappeared from sight again in this flood, he was doubtful that he would be able to find him. The ogre surged forward, stretching out his hand as far as he could, just barely making contact with the boy’s flailing hand. Cubbi went under again, and Greeny followed quickly after him, taking a deep breath before diving into the frothy flow of water and sediment. He kept his eyes shut tightly but he reached forward, kicking with his powerful legs until he felt something. It was small and soft, and he had to be careful not to crush it in his massive hand, for it was Cubbi. He pulled the child to his chest and then pressed his feet down. It was very deep here, but he managed to feel the bottom. He let the air out of his lungs in order to sink, and once he could bend his legs, he did so, before kicking them out again like a frog, using the momentum to leap free of the sandy flood waters. He took in a lungful of air and then called on his amulet.
“Breath of wind!” He shouted, activating the swirling stone, giving his jump some direction as he made his way back to Zummi.
After a few awkward leaps, Greeny reached the rocky outcropping where the elder bear was wringing his hands.
“Where is he, did you find him?” Zummi asked anxiously.
The ogre reached his hand down, carefully laying Cubbi on his back across the flat stone floor. The boy sputtered, coughing up water, and pounded his own chest in an effort to get it all out.
“Oh Cubbi, oh I’m so glad you’re alright! Hoo hoo!” Zummi whooped.
“Y-yeah, I’m okay.” Cubbi said and let out another cough.
When he had recovered enough, he sat up and looked around. “Guess I lost my hat.” the pink bear said and frowned.
“We’ll have Grammi knit you another one when we get back to Gummi Glen.” Said Zummi before giving the cub a big hug.
“Um, thanks Greeny.” Said Cubbi, looking up at the tall ogre, kneeling over them.
“You’re welcome. Don’t step off the rocks again.” He said gruffly, but Zummi could tell the big fellow was relieved at having Cubbi back too.
The rain lessened and eventually stopped over the next half hour. The shifting sands relaxed and became almost still. It was temporary, but put everyone at ease, for the time being.
With all of the earlier excitement, and being dry again, Cubbi fell asleep, his head on Zummi’s leg. Zummi patted the boy’s shoulder.
He spoke to the ogre in a low voice, so as not to disturb the young bear. “Greeny, why didn’t you just ask for our help in the first place?”
The ogre stifled a short laugh. “Ogres are the natural enemies of gummi bears. Are you saying you would have helped me had I just shown up and asked you?”
Zummi contemplated his response. “I like to think we would have, if you had just explained yourself. In all honesty I’m not sure.”
“Your brothers and sisters in Ursalia gave me no such regard.”
“They said you attacked first.” Zummi countered.
“It was mutual. I didn’t mean to fight them, until there was no choice.”
“Self-defense?”
“Something like that.”
Zummi shifted slightly as the leg Cubbi was lying on had gone to sleep.
“What if I asked you now?” The ogre asked.
“Asked me what?”
“If you, and Cubbi, will help me.”
“Well, help you do what exactly?” Zummi inquired.
“Break a curse, find something that’s been lost a long time?” The ogre said.
“That’s more than a little vague.” Zummi responded. “Can you give me something a bit spore mecific? Oh, geez, more specific?”
The ogre chuckled. “I really like the way you talk.”
Zummi blushed to his ears. He was extremely self-conscious about his mixed-up way of speaking.
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” Said Greeny.
“It’s okay, I don’t think you meant to.”
“I didn’t, I just meant, it’s funny, not in a bad way, nevermind.” The ogre mumbled.
“It’s fine.” Zummi insisted, and then, changing the subject added: “So this curse, anything we should know about before reaching the tower?”
Greeny stretched and laid back on the smooth rock. “Not tonight at least. We should reach the Tower of Ruin by end of day tomorrow, or maybe the following morning. But I’m getting pretty sleepy.” He said.
“It is late.” Zummi agreed.
“Here.” The ogre said, sitting back up to unfasten his cloak and hand it to the magician. “Use it as a blanket if you want. It’s plenty big for both of you. It’s already cooler tonight than last.”
“Thank you.”
“Just be careful with the amulet on the clasp.” The ogre added.
“Of course.”
“And actually, now that I think about it…” Said Greeny. He opened up his magical pouch and said “bed” aloud, causing the small bed from the bagworld to appear in his hand a moment later. Well, in fact it was a fairly normal-sized bed, but when it fit into the grasp of one hand, it seemed much smaller. He set the wooden frame on the edge of the rocks carefully.
“Use this. I almost forgot it was in there, no easy way to see everything in the bag after all. If it starts to rain I’ll put it away.” Greeny told Zummi.
“That bag is certainly a wonder.” Said the old mage. “However did you come by it?”
“Another borrowed item I think, but, I can’t remember from whom anymore.” The ogre said with a mighty sigh.
Zummi carefully stood, lifting Cubbi in his arms and laid him gently on the bed before climbing up on the other side. He pulled the ogre cloak over them, using it as a blanket since the bed seemed to be missing covers.
“What do you remember, Greeny?” Zummi asked presently.
“About what?”
“Yourself, or, anything really.”
The ogre gave just the hint of a smile under his deep green beard and unconsciously scratched at the deep scar next to his right eye. “Guess you noticed, huh?”
“I don’t mean to pry, but it seems more than just mere forgetfulness, which at my age, I’m all too aware of.” Zummi said.
Greeny bent his large arms behind his head and stared up at the stars. The heavy, dark rain clouds were further south for now, and looked like they would be for at least a few hours.
“I really am quite tired, Zummi. Long day of travel again tomorrow, so I think I’ll try to catch some shuteye before the rain starts up again. If you really want to, perhaps we can speak more tomorrow.”
“Alright. We’ll see you in the morning then.”
Zummi rolled onto his side and checked on Cubbi who was snoring softly.

Only another day or so and they would reach the Tower of Ruin, a supposed center of powerful magic. The ogre perhaps, much more than what he seemed, even though he did keep his secrets closely-guarded. Zummi knew his friends from Gummi Glen must have launched a search party by now, though he wondered how the treacherous desert would treat them. He considered waking Cubbi and stealing away, as the boy had suggested the night before but for the same reasons it still didn’t feel right. On top of those, he’d be leaving the Great Book of Gummi behind unless he could carefully steal the ogre’s bag and figure out a way to become its new owner. In opposition to his thoughts of escape though, was the simple truth that Greeny had saved Cubbi’s life. Perhaps the best course of action was to accompany the giant on his quest.
Zummi sighed to himself as he shifted onto his back to gaze at the night sky. Sleep didn’t come easily as the bear’s brain was a mix of questions with no certain answers.