The butterflies’ journey

Day ten of Inktober. Today’s prompt is nomadic.

After a challenging night of stormy weather and no sleep, Baby Bear rolled awake and rubbed his eyes. He wondered if the events of the previous night had actually been real or if it had all been a bad dream. He looked in the direction of the sun, but not at the sun, and it didn’t seem to have a face. The sky was now a pale shade of blue. Baby Bear looked down and saw puddles and mud, but it was okay. The terror of the night was lifted away from him and had been replaced by vague memories.

Baby Bear looked around and saw butterflies everywhere. They were congregated on trees and shrubs. Baby Bear was astonished, as he had never seen so many butterflies in one place.

One of the butterflies landed on Baby Bear’s shoulder.

“Hi,” said Baby Bear. He had never spoken to a butterfly, and he wasn’t sure what to say..

“Hi,” said the butterfly.

“Are you going somewhere?” asked Baby Bear. “Can I come with you?”

“We are migrating south, to where it’s warm,” said the butterfly.

“Why don’t you hibernate, like we do? Wouldn’t that be easier?” asked Baby Bear.

“No,” said the butterfly. “We must travel because we need to. ‘We must go where our ancestors go.”

“May I go with you?” asked Baby Bear.

“But you don’t know how to fly,” said the butterfly.

“Oh,” said Baby Bear. “I shall try.”

Baby Bear climbed a tree and tried flapping his wings. But he didn’t have any wings. He jumped off the tree and, once again, flapped his arms. He landed on his feet but felt very silly.

“I guess I can’t fly after all.” Baby Bear said sadly.

“You will fly, in your own way,” the butterfly told him. “As soon as you figure out what that is.”

“I suppose,” said Baby Bear.

“Your wings are there, where you least expect them,” said the butterfly. “And now, it’s time for us to take off.”

And with that, all of the butterflies flew away, heading to the warmth in the south.