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Elderbug was stood in the same spot he always was, overlooking the forgotten hamlet he resided in. The cold wind of Dirtmouth shook him to his core, but he still stood there. He always kept lookout for any possible travellers that may wander into Dirtmouth, so as to provide a greeting for them. He wished that they would stay in Dirtmouth, but no, all wanderers that came by went down into the well, into the kingdom of Hallownest. It had gotten even more dangerous down there, as according to Iselda, the Forgotten Crossroads had become choked with great amounts of infection ever since quite recently. Whatever caused it, it had made the Crossroads completely inhospitable, even more so than usual.
He couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread at this new development, an unease that snaked its way through his mind and ate at every one of his nerves. But when he was feeling stressed about what could happen, all it took was one look at the flower that mysterious bug had given him to put him at ease again. That bug was quite the odd one, as they didn’t show any surface-level signs of emotion, and were absolutely silent. But Elderbug knew better, after all, why would they have given him this wonderful flower if they had not possessed emotion and empathy? Much like most of the other wanderers that came through Dirtmouth, they too went down into the ruins of Hallownest, but unlike the others, they came back. Multiple times, in fact. Most of the time it was simply to purchase something from Sly or Iselda, but other times they would simply sit at the bench, as if appreciating the small town. They even indulged Elderbug in his silly ramblings, something he never took for granted.
Whenever that bug left the town, he always found himself worrying for them, something he never really felt for any of the travellers that came through. But in spite of his worries, that bug came back every time. It was one such time when they presented him with that gorgeous bloom, a gift he would never forget. He really should’ve asked that bug what their name was by now. Oh well, he’d have another chance soon enough.
The crippling winds had slowed down and Elderbug found the atmosphere to be much more disconcerting than usual, as if something terrible was about to happen. He didn’t know why, but something felt off. His musings were broken when a piercing screech echoed throughout his mind, causing him to kneel in anguish. The scream didn’t last very long, but it felt as if it lasted an age, and for the first time in years, he felt truly terrified. Sly and Iselda both poked their heads out of their respective shops, the smaller merchant simply bothered by the noise while Iselda seemed to be just as unnerved as Elderbug was. Standing up, he looked at the well, the source of the scream. That orange haze still emanated from inside, but something made him anxious simply looking at it, as if something monstrous were to exit it at any moment. His anxiety was reaching dangerous levels, and he felt like he could pass out.
However, the shine of the white flower pinned to his cloak brought him out of his worries. The way the petals shook from the light wind, the way the colour glistened in the night, the thought of the kind soul who had gifted it to him. At that moment, he found himself lost in his thoughts staring at the flower. He was calming down now, and took another glance at the well. That bug had clearly survived through thick and thin down in Hallownest, and if they could survive, he could survive too. Lightly touching the petals of the flower, he thought to himself. Whatever made that scream, as long as that bug was around, Elderbug didn’t have to be scared.