With darkness all around us, Rumble and I continued to go deeper into the tall grass. With only a dark starless night above me, the sounds of rain on its way, and my familiar leading me to some unknown destination.

It had only been a short time since we entered the grass, but with the clouds having moved in quick, the visibility had worsened to a worrying degree. But luckily, or not, it seemed that we were closing in on our destination as my companion started to pat my leg telling me to stop. As I felt him leave me briefly, worry spread throughout my mind at an abnormally quick speed. But the worry was for not, as smiling faces played across my vision and some soft squishy bits started to be pressed into my hands.

Wondering what they were, but knowing that no answer was going to come my way until I saw them, I quickly pocketed everything. After having my pants crammed full of something unknown, my hand was taken by a familiar root in order to lead me in another direction. As we made our way over rough uneven ground, I felt my foot catch more than a few rocks along with more than one hole. But in the end it took us only another 2 or 3 minutes in order to stop once more, this time with a faint light greeting me.

In front of me stood a short tulip like flower, a flower that was glowing. With it giving a faint ghostly blue light, it was a gorgeous and a stark relief compared to the dark background. As I reached down for it I was stopped by Rumble.

Stopping at his insistence, I quietly watched as my familiar extended his arms deep into the soil and slowly started to undulate underground. After a few minutes teh soil was completely loosened with the flower uprooted from the dirt. With the utmost delicacy he lifted it from the ground and continued to hold it in one hand while grabbing mine with the other.

Now once more being led, but now with a source of light, we quickly made our way out of the grass and onto the main road roughly a quarter mile down the road from my home. Now out of the tall grass, the glow from our nightly fire was a beacon towards home.

With a sleepy emoji from Rumble and a few light drops of rain hitting me, it was time to hurry home. Step by step, the rain was crashing upon the ground harder and harder every footfall. With Rumble now completely covering the flower with his bulk, he was lagging behind but still chugging along. Not one to leave a friend, I tried picking him up but found him much too heavy for what I considered toned arms. “Sorry bud, I can’t carry you. Don’t worry though, I won't leave you out here alo…:”

And then the world turned white before returning to an oppressive darkness, only cracked by our home’s fire.

CRACK!

And then Mia screamed.

With Rumble flashing scared faces and pushing me towards home, I didn’t need to be told twice. I shot off as quickly as my feet could take me. Arriving faster than I had ever ran before, I threw open the door and found Mia hiding behind the blanket that was hung up to dry. With a few steps forward, I felt Mia slam into my chest as she bolted forward lost in fear.

“It’s okay Mia, you are safe. I’ve got you and won’t let you be alone until the storm is gone.” I promised as we slowly slid to a kneeling position in the cold mud.

With her body tense, all I got was a quick and curt nod as she barely relaxed in response.

The night continued to be tense for a few minutes more in a slowly dimming home as the rain drenched the fire once more. That is until Rumble entered with his prize, the glorious glowing flower. With it came a faint soothing light that he brought and showed Mia while stroking her leg showing his worry for her. With her eyes still pinched close, she was not able to see the glow but softly touched my familiar’s arm in acknowledgment.

Having confirmed her to be okay, Rumble set off towards a corner of the room that often got light at twilight but was currently one of the few unflooded areas. Crouching down at his destination, he reversed his method of getting the flower and instead slowly worked its roots deep into the soil.

As the plant took root, its glow brightened ever so slightly, so little in fact that I had probably missed it dimming when we first acquired it. With it being the only light around, a small comfort spread throughout the shack, one that only comes with light.

Lifting Mia and coaxing her to stand back up, I slowly led her over to the corner with the flowers glowing light. As she got near, she slipped in the mud and we both plopped in face first with the flower a foot away. Now scrambling to get up, Mia opened her eyes in order to come to terms with her situation and for the first time noticed the beautiful object.

“What is that?” She asked meekly.

“I am not sure, but Rumble seems to take great care of it. He wouldn’t even let me pick it, he had to save the roots and all. And with how he planted it, I don’t think it is something that we should sell.” I said, happy that she was opening up even a little.

Still hunched, worried about when the next bolt might come, Mia worked her way past the flower and into the very corner of the shack. With her back to it and holding her knees, she gestured to me to come sit with her. As I approached, she commented. “The flower must do something, I have a calming buff on my status and I don’t feel as anxious now that I am staring at it.”

Sitting down next to her and immediately standing back up as I felt her shiver, I fought away her grasping hand as I walked away towards the blanket. “Mia you are shivering, I need to get us a blanket to keep warm as the night gets cooler.”

With a brief nod and a gesture to hurry, Mia acquiesced to my short absence.

Getting back and sharing the blanket in the corner, we fought through the night of storms. Thunder and lightning rippled the air throughout the night, but sheltered in the calm light of the flower Mia was able to slowly fall to sleep.