Meet The Fleeps

By Andy Garcia

December 6, 2023

Darkness blanketed the forest, as Arthur crept along, the crunching of the dried leaves and twigs beneath his muddied boots filling his ears. He had taken a wrong turn several miles back, and in effort to return to the path, had only gotten himself all the more lost. Stopping a moment to adjust his pack, he strained his grey eyes to see about in the low light.

At 18 years of age, Arthur was taller than most. Thick black hair that grew to about mid-neck had bits of twigs in it, while his thin-featured face carried several stretches from the unseen branches he had run into in the dark.

Cursing himself that he had lost his lantern in a tumble, Arthur forced himself to go on. Too prideful to admit defeat and hunker down for the night, he determined to keep going until he found the path, or road marker that might help him.

He tried to hum a tune to keep up his spirits but surrounded by the oppressive dark and the creeping fear of unseen eyes, his voice faltered and went silent.

Strange creatures lurked the wilds of Yarm, he had heard. He thought of home, his mother and sister. Alice. He sighed.

At age 13 he had become man of the house after Father’s passing, the burden of putting food on the table falling to him. He had taken on work as a merchant’s assistant, traveling from villages to cities, hauling spices, wool and trinkets back and forth.

Alice was a few years older than he, and had been his closest friend, always good for a laugh and conversation after his travels. But that had been before her sickness.

His employer, had given Arthur a journey to make on his own one winter. Alice, weak and frail, had begged him not to go. It had broken his heart, but Arthur had promised to be back soon, and purposed to find medicine at the markets. He had spent his entire wage for that journey on several cures. But upon his return he had found that Alice had already passed on.

Arthur tripped over a stump and went sprawling, getting his teeth from the pain. Beneath his leggings he could feel the warm flow of blood down his knee. He cried out, angry at the world, angry at himself. Alice. How could he have left her? Hot tears sprang to his eyes, which he did not bother to wipe away.

“Won’t someone help me?” He called aloud, to whom he didn’t know or care. Doubtless, there was no one nearby. He laid his head between his knees, sighing with defeat.

“Are you lost?” Came a thin voice.

Arthur looked up sharply, his heart racing.“Who’s there?” Ahead to his left, and coming slowly towards him, was a dim light.

Arthur stood up with a wince, expecting to see his rescuer carrying a lantern. But as it drew nearer, his blood ran cold. The light was low to the ground, and blazed blue, not the warm yellow he expected.

“Who are you?” He demanded, grasping for a stick. His stubborn streak held him there, refusing to flee. “I said who are you!” Arthur called again, raising the stick as though he carried a sword. “I won’t ask again!”

“A friend!” the voice called out. Within a moment the light was close enough that Arthur could finally see the speaker.

A small fuzzy creature scurried towards him. Long-necked, It carried itself forward on two tiny limbs, keeping its body upright, as its long snake-like tail slithered behind. The creature was white, reminding him of a ferret. Atop its head, like thin branches, were horns. Between those were two orbs, attached to tendrils, waving lazily about, almost searchingly, as though they were alive.

“Hello, stranger,” the little creature called cheerily, keeping his distance from Arthur “Do you need help?”

“What are you?” Was all Arthur could croak. He stiffened as the thing shook itself. It looked up at him and seemed to be smiling.

“I’m a Fleep!” It said cheerily. “Haven’t you heard of my kind?”

Arthur shook his head, still welding the stick like a sword. “No, I haven’t.”

The fleep scratched himself with a hind leg, and Arthur noticed a large translucent bulge below its chin. Were those glowing bugs inside?
“Well, you have now. My name is Cheer-Paw.”

“Arthur.” Was all the boy could answer. “Listen, if you’re going to eat me, just get on with it.”

Both tendrils recoiled as if in disgust. “Eat you? Yuck! I only eat Twinklebugs.”

Arthur nodded wearily. “Cheer-Paw, I’m lost. Are you able to show me the way back to the path?”

The little creature furrowed his brow and cocked his head questioningly. “The path? What’s a path?”

Arthur’s frame drooped.

Cheer-Paw’s tendrils lifted in brightness as he looked up at the boy “Warm-Fuzz might be of help!” the little fleep ran about in a little circle excitedly.

Arthur couldn’t help but smile at his antics. “Warm-Fuzz?”

The white little creature raised up onto his tail, his pink eyes sparkling. “You’re just in time, they should be gathering soon. Follow me!”

“Wait!” Arthur stumbled after the little creature. “Who are gathering?”

“The other fleeps!” Cheer-Paw replied and began his way through the night. Following at a slow limp, Arthur did his best to keep the two glowing orbs of Cheer-Paw within sight.

Now and again he would loose sight of them, and be left alone in the dark. But soon the little fleep would return, tendrils waving in sheepish apology and would trot happily beside Arthur, lighting the way with the combined light of his tendril orbs and the glowing bulge at his chin.

“What is that?” Arthur asked as they went.

“What? What what is?”

“The thing under your chin. I can see you have twinklebugs in it.”

Cheer-Paw arched his long furry neck, causing the bulge to puff out. “Oh, this is my Jar.” He explained. “That’s where I keep the twinklebugs. See?” He paused and in the light Arthur watched a twinklebug buzz past him and towards Cheer-Paw. The fleep’s tendrils began waving about mesmerizingly, the twinklebug following as if under some spell. The tendrils slowly made their over Cheer-Paw’s head, then there was a snapping of jaws and the bug was gone. A moment later the little bug was inside Cheer-Paw’s jar.

“That’s how you eat them?”

“Oh I won’t eat them yet,” Cheer-Paw replied, continuing on his way. “I’ll eat them later before Resting Time. I keep them in the jar until then.”

Arthur shook his head in wonderment. He hadn’t heard of any creature like this before. He had grown up watching twinklebugs, he and Alice running through the grass at night, causing them to scatter into a whirling dance about the night. Alice would cup her hands and catch them, bringing them close for Arthur to see in her palms.

Finally, the trees began to thin, and ahead he saw a faint glow, which grew stronger as they drew nearer. Twinklebugs too seemed to grow in number, making their way towards the light.

Cheer-Paw stopped and turned to Arthur. “Better stay here,” he cautioned “I’ll let them know you’re coming.”

Before the boy could reply the furry little creature scampered off, leaving Arthur alone. He stood there waiting awhile, hearing the low voices of what must be other fleeps. Twinklebugs drifted lazily about him, which he watched for some time.

Cheer-Paw finally reappeared, his tendrils beckoning him forward. “Come on, let’s find Warm-Fuzz.”

Arthur followed and found himself stepping into a small open meadow. He was struck by the fact that he was able to see clearly. Soft warm light lit the meadow comfortably, given off by the large number of fleeps gathered there. All bore glowing orbed tendrils and twinklebug-filled ‘jars’. He followed as Cheer-Paw made his way through them, greeting each one happily. All fleeps turned and stared at Arthur, the sound of their hushed whispers and wonderment filling his ears.

Presently they made their way to a fleep of blue-tinted fur, her branch-like horns taller than Cheer-Paw’s. She looked up, sapphire eyes glowing warmly. Several smaller fleeps, her offspring, Arthur guessed, climbed about her, swatting playfully at her tendrils. Arthur marveled to see that her orbs resembled more flowers than anything else, and thought of Alice. She loved flowers.

She greeted Cheer-Paw, sending little fleeplits tumbling and squealing with laughter as she drew near and nuzzled him. “Brother, Evening’s Greetings!”

Cheer-Paw responded likewise. “Evening’s Greetings, Warm-Fuzz.” He nuzzled each little Fleeplit in turn as they came bounding over to him, who soon were climbing atop him. Cheer-Paw gestured with one free tendril to Arthur. “This human is lost, so I brought him to you. Maybe you can help him?”

Arthur found himself lowering to a kneeling position as the fleep approached and held out his hand as if meeting a cat.

One of the Fleep’s tendrils slowly passed over his open palm, her eyes always on his. She drew back and dipped her head politely. “Evening’s Greetings, Arthur. Few humans ever pass into our meadow.” She ignored a passing twinklebug, leaving Cheer-Paw and the little ones to snap at it. “My brother says you are lost?”

“Yes,” Arthur nodded. “I lost the path some miles back, and like a fool I kept going.”

Warm-Fuzz nodded, smiling good-naturedly. “You are a long way from the path Arthur. But you are wounded also, I can see.”

Arthur looked down at his knee. The cloth of his trousers was wet with blood. “I don’t suppose you have some healing power in those orbs, do you?”

Warm-Fuzz laughed, a squeaky sound that caused him to smile. “No, no, we don’t use them for healing,” Warm-Fuzz said at last.

The boy sat down, groaning as he stretched his leg. “So how do I get back to the path?”

For some time Warm-Fuzz spoke to him of the path. “It’s a northwest rout you’ll take, But you’ll need to ford a small river.”

“Is there a bridge?” Arthur asked.

Warm-Fuzz shook her small head. “Once you ford it, keeping northwest .” She gestured with her tendrils to his legs. “I estimate an hour’s walk with your ‘human stride’ “

Arthur couldn’t help but ask. “Warm-Fuzz, how do you know about the path?”

Warm-Fuzz’s flowerlike orbs seemed to dim. “You’re not the first human I have met, Arthur, though you are the kindest.” She met his gaze, and something resembling sorrow seemed to fill her eyes.

Arthur opened his mouth to ask more but thought better of it. Inwardly he felt the pain of his own losses, and knew that if he had been asked, he wouldn’t have been able to talk about Alice. Instead, he only nodded understandingly to Warm-Fuzz. “I hope I’m not the last.”

Presently other fleeps came, and offered an “Evening’s Greetings.”

“What’s this loose skin you have?” An old fleep questioned, sniffing at Arthur’s tunic.

“This isn’t skin,” the boy corrected. “It's my clothing. I wear it to keep warm.” Pulling back the sleeve of his tunic he offered his bare arm for the elder fleep to inspect, who shook his head in bewilderment. “Strange thing, no fur!” It mused.

“Where’s your jar?” One of Warm-Fuzz’s fleeplits scurried up his chest, searching under his chin, tickling Arthur.

“And here are his tendrils?” Asked another, scamping up onto his head, soon entangling itself in his black hair as it searched.

“Haven’t got any,” Arthur squirmed, trying not to laugh. “Humans don't - Oh! Heehee! Please, that tickles!”

This set the other fleeps to chuckling, and soon all were laughing as Arthur tried to free himself from the ever-growing pile of fleeplits climbing about him.

At last, he managed to free himself, and with Warm-Fuzz’s aid free the fleeplit form his hair, and sat back, sighing from laughter. “Any more questions for me?”

“If you don’t have a jar, where do you keep your twinklebugs?” Cheer-Paw asked.

This set the other fleeps to murmuring with speculation. “It must be behind his ears!”

“Under all the fur on his head?”

“Nay, I think it's hidden under all the extra skin!”

“Never mind a jar, where is his tail?”

the boy shook his head as he smiled. “I don't need a jar because I don’t eat twinklebugs,”

“Poor thing.” A fleep shook her head. “Doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“Someone catch him a twinklebug to try!”

“Then what do you eat?” One fleep asked.

“Whatever he eats, it must make him grow so tall!” Said another.

Arthur laughed, and for hours they talked, while the fleeps continued capturing twinklebugs in their jars. Several times he had to refuse a twinklebug from a kind-hearted fleep who insisted he try. At long last, not wanting to be rude, the boy took a twinklebug and popped the glowing insect into his mouth. He squinted as he bit down, a loud crunching filling his ears. This set the whole gathering of fleeps to laughter as he choked it down, the little ones rolling in the grass, shaking with mirth. “Another!” They squealed, “Give him another!”

Warm-Fuzz came to Arthur’s rescue, snatching all the twinklebugs her little ones tried to give to Arthur.

At long last, a pink glow steadily grew brighter, and Arthur realized the sun was dawning. The fleeps too noticed, and slowly they began to bid Arthur farewell and make their way into the forest.

Warm-Fuzz, With a few little squeak-like barks, gathered her little ones and in a single file, bid farewell, and were soon lost to sight. Arthur was sad to see her go and felt strangely as if he was bidding farewell to someone dear to him. He wiped a tear away.

At last, Arthur and Cheer-Paw were left.

Cheer-Paw yawned, and Arthur too realized he was tired. “I suppose I should make my way back,” Arthur yawned. He stood and stretched, his leg feeling stiff and soar.

Cheer-Paw blinked sleepily, stretching like a cat. “I’ll come with you.”

“Oh no, you don’t have to.” Arthur protested.

Cheer-Paw darted up Arthur’s leg, crawling up onto his shoulder. Arthur realized how light the little fleep was. Three delicate claws clung to his shirt, while his tail swished about happily.

“Come on, human, I want to see the path!”

Grinning, Arthur began his way towards the forest. He glanced one last time about the meadow, and marveled that a few hours ago it had been teeming with fleeps. “No one at home will believe me,” he whispered.

The End
***
A commission for  BaronJoshua
Other than a detailed description of their fictional creature the Fleep and a basic plot idea, I wasn't given a lot to work with for this story, just a lot of creative freedom. Thankfully,  BaronJoshua loved it immensely, and asked for me to extend the scene of the Fleeps questioning Arthur as they wanted to read more ^^ Always a great feeling for a writer to be asked for more!