Sixteen

After he’d left Blossom Valley well behind, Gaspar sat in the shade of a tree and went over what had just taken place. He was chuffed that his lies had shaken the old spider. This was what he’d done his whole life. Posing as a powerful and respectable leader, he’d deceived, caused misery and ruined creatures’ lives. But he was now tired of being on the run, hunted by those he’d wronged. This wood fly - Blossom Valley scheme of his, could be the biggest and most successful one yet and he’d be a fool to let it slip through his fingers. He could live in the luxury he’d dreamed about his whole miserable life. Thousands of hard working ants would provide the best grain in the region. He’d bring in families of grasshoppers from neighbouring and faraway places and gather a strong army of them. He’d make a family of his own, have sons, like any normal creature, and he would build the biggest and most powerful grasshopper dynasty to rule across Blossom Valley in the years to come. The wood flies would be his neighbours and trusted allies, and with their huge swarms, and his powerful army of grasshoppers no bird or other predator would attempt to threaten them.

With these tempting thoughts in his head and a huge smile across his face, Gaspar hopped towards Penny Reeds to meet his men.

It was Dafty who came out of the reeds to greet him. He was the youngest in the gang, nicknamed Dafty, because he was very naive. “How was Blossom Valley, boss?” he asked.

“It was good, Dafty,” Gaspar replied flatly.

“I say, boss, did you mean what you said to the ladybird about helping her? What’s in it for us, boss?” Dafty persisted.

“Ants, Dafty,” Gaspar replied peevishly. “There’re lots of ants in Blossom Valley, and what do ants, do? From dawn to dusk they collect all sorts of food, mainly grain, and stow it in their underground chambers. Well, they won’t be doing much stowing away cause they’ll be handing it over to us.”

“But, boss...”

“I’m going to boss you good and proper if you don’t stop firing stupid questions at me like that. You’re doing my head in.”

“Hold it there, boss,” an old member of the gang interrupted. “The lad only wants to know, we all want to know. All along we’ve followed you through thick and thin and, with respect boss, you’ve led us into big trouble most of the time. You promised us we’d get something good out of each scheme of yours but it always went wrong and we ended up in nasty situations, fights and stuff. I lost one eye. Others lost limbs and some their lives. We’ve had enough, boss. We’re tired of this life, I’m telling you.”

Gaspar sat on the grass and motioned to the gang to do the same. He drew breath and began. “You’re right to feel this way, fellas. I feel the same. We’ve had a hard life, I admit, but all this is about to change. I’ve been looking for a permanent and secure place for us all to settle down to a peaceful life and I believe Blossom Valley will do us nicely. That’s why I went there to survey the place and I’m telling you, you’re going to love it there. Besides, we won’t have to worry about food. The ants will provide us with as much grain as we want. I have something big up my sleeve that will change our lives for good. Cheer up, fellas, a bright future awaits us. All that remains now is to get myself down to Penny Clearing and talk to the wood flies.”

“The wood flies? Why, boss?” one of his men asked.

“To, offer them the opportunity to move into Blossom Valley with us. It’s good to share the land with creatures that you know, and who better than the trustworthy wood flies whom we’ve known for donkeys’ years?”

“Boss,” Dug, the one eyed grasshopper, said, “are we going to be involved in fighting? If not, how are we going to get in Blossom Valley?”

“The wood flies, will do the fighting. Their swarms are huge and well trained to scare the life out of birds of any size. I’ll contribute the plans that take brains to lay out. I have a very important task to deal with, fellas, and must leave you now. I will bring you news tomorrow.”

He walked out of the reeds, heading for Penny Hollow, a secluded safe place where in peace and quiet he would go over the scheme he would put across to the wood flies, the next morning.