The Spider and the Butterfly

Chapter Four

"General Mist, I present to you, the Wind Machine!" Willow announced. Mist smiled. The two of them were standing in front of the katydid's invention: an enormous chamber with a windmill contraption on the top of it. Next to the chamber's entrance was a panel with many buttons and switches.

"So, how does it work?" Mist asked.

Willow said, "Once we put the butterfly inside the chamber, we'll use the fluttering power from her wings to fuel the windmill. Which in turn creates a big current outside our tree. This current will be blowing in the direction of the village, and if all goes well, a tornado will spawn. Your 'Butterfly Effect' will come true."

The mantis laughed. "Excellent work! Seems to me like you've got it all sorted out! Except...what if our little butterfly doesn't want to fly?"

"Oh, don't worry about that, sir..." Willow replied. He pulled out a metal collar with red dials around its circumference. "She'll fly...even if we have to use...drastic measures."

Mist pat Willow on the back. "Good, very good. Try and go easy on her, ok? At least at first."

The katydid beamed, full of pride. Then his countenance fell a little. Mist noticed and asked, "What is it, Willow?"

Willow meekly looked up. "I was wondering, sir...why do we need a rare butterfly for this to work? I mean, why not use any of the other butterflies out in the field?"

The mantis explained, "Because the 'Butterfly Effect' isn't an everyday occurrence, or so I theorize. Just because all those little butterflies out there go about flapping their wings, doesn't mean bad weather will happen here. A cloudburst might as well be happening on the other side of the earth.

"And even if I gathered all of them and put them into this Wind Machine, it still wouldn't be enough for my plans to work. No, that little emerald swallowtail is my wildcard. She herself doesn't even realize the full potential of her power, and I can use that for myself. We just need to find a way to unlock it. Even if it takes the rest of her pitiful little life."

At this moment, a red wasp flew in. "Excuse me? General Mist?"

Mist looked displeased with the interruption. "What is it now?" he snapped. "Cant any of you do anything around here without crying to me about it?"

The wasp shifted from one foot to the other. "Well, you see sir...we have an idea where the butterfly might be. She fell close to the Ridpath Plains, where a large community of insects live. She'll stick out like a sore thumb if we chose to search for her there."

After a moment's silence, Mist replied, "You wasted all that time telling me she's there, and currently you're not out LOOKING for her? By the Lord! Get back out there and BRING HER TO ME!!!" The wasp nearly fell over while taking off.

"I swear, Willow. It's like you're the only one around here who doesn't give me this much grief," Mist grumbled. "Well, at least we're close. Be ready."

Willow nodded, proud to be in his boss' spotlight. "Of course, sir."

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Daisy didn't exactly know if it was daylight or not when she awoke. The spider's den didn't exactly have any windows for her to peer out of, so she had to rely on her internal clock and instincts for help discerning the time.