A few elves were here and there, seeming to check on the overall health of the hive. One could be seen carefully removing something that looked like the start of a disease. A lot like beekeepers. As they walked deeper in, the hive looked less natural and began to have hand made wooden frames designed to be removed. 

Before ze could say a thing, En’mat stopped and looked at one section, nodding a bit. “This frame. It's very high quality and every cell is full. You get one frame so we need it to count.”

Enoki looked it over. The frame was almost double hir size in height. If ze had to guess, it was at least twelve pounds of material. Assuming three pounds was wax and ze remembered hir conversions right. 

“That’s only three gallons of melomel. Think that’ll be enough for the gods?”

En’mat smiled sadly. “It’ll have to be. I’m sure they will understand we cannot risk taking too much of the food for the wildlife here.”

“That’s true. Well. I’ll get the frame down if you get the special jars.” Enoki hoped ze could use the wax for something later. Maybe a nice meat glaze. Or wax coating for a cheese? That would be really nice. Not to mention maybe using it to help season new cast iron pans.

Before ze could touch the frame, hir hand was lightly slapped by another elf. They then silently handed over a knife and pointed to hir left. Further down was an elf who was using the exact same type of knife to cut the honey free from the frame. Enoki watched, taking care to observe how the other elf cut everything, allowing each unit to be kept perfectly sealed inside the wax casing. Ze flipped the knife in hir hand a bit and quickly and carefully stabbed into the honeycomb. How much easier it would be if beekeepers back home could do this. While the walls were still somewhat thin, there was plenty of room for hir.

The elf nodded, impressed, and waited as Enoki cut each one and set it down next to hir. By the time that En’mat came back with the provided jars, ze was already halfway done. Enoki looked to the jars and paused. They were twin jars with simple handles on the sides. And each easily hold at about four pounds of honey, Ze sighed. “Lemme guess you can’t help me carry them out?”

“No, I’m sorry. But you can carry them out any way you like yourself.” She glanced at the curtain in the basket, giving a small smile. “I’m sure it won’t be a problem.”

“Good. Oh and the wax. I want it. Can I keep it?” Ze looked to the other elf who seemed surprised at the question. After a moment of consideration they nodded before wandering off to take care of another task. 

En’mat carefully sat down and watched as Enoki quickly cut open a few cells over the jars and rested them so they could drain as ze cut more cells out. When ze took a moment to look back at the progress, ze nearly stopped working completely. As the honey poured out, its beautiful purplish color could be seen, with flecks of silver and gold swirling around like stars in the night sky. Given how their own magic looked when singing, it was a small wonder they believed the gods gave this tree to them and only them. 

An almost musical ping of the last drop falling out of a cell shook Enoki out of hir trance and ze returned to work. There was no time to waste, as long as it took to make a normal melomel. It took what felt like an hour to finish the process of cutting the cells and draining the honey, but it felt so worth it when ze was done. All the honey had been carefully drained and the empty husks of wax cells sat to the side. Both jars gently shimmered and twinkled in their confines. There had barely been enough room as well, with the night sky inside threatening to spill over the edge. Noticing there were no lids, ze took one of the cells and carefully wrapped it around the top of the jar. A gentle warming of the hands and the wax melted, creating a temporary seal.

Just as Enoki finished hanging the curtain, Ul’ta made her way down the hallway. “I see you have finished. You may only take what you can carry using what you have with you I fear. So if we need smaller jars, please let me know.”

Fuck you, old hag. You have been setting me up. Enoki knew better than to speak aloud and happily piped up. “Well, don’t worry about that. I have what I need and I was told I could even keep the wax.” Ze picked up a jar and carried it inside the storage room carefully.

Ul’ta watched, amused for a moment before catching a glimpse of the inside. Enoki was glad ze had put the real elven items away from the ‘doorway’ of the space. But now ze had to hope that bitch was too nervous to walk inside. There were probably stories from the prisoners that would keep her out for now. 

That bet was paying off for the moment. “What is that space?”

“This is where I put the bandits earlier. I have to store the food here. The Gods said so.” Ze quickly got the wax inside and popped it on a shelf. Organization would have to come after, when there wasn’t a nosey elf around. Ze nearly stopped as it was when ze realized there was one cell that still had honey in it. 

Ok. Future Enoki problem. 

The problem right now was to get the fruit and get out. Ze came out and quickly yanked down the curtain just before Ul’ta came up to look inside. “So, I have the allowed amount of honey. I’d really like to have the fruit I was promised.”

Ul’ta was struggling to get her words out through the gritted smile. The glamor was even starting to crack a bit around the corners of her mouth. “Of course. Follow me. We have some branches with fruit you may take if you can get it.” 

With a quick turn they started down another path in the hive. En’mat mouthing to Enoki this is going great.

Enoki wasn’t quite sure. After all, this woman was not happy with hir and suspected some sinister stuff. En’mat was obviously unaware of the dead bodies in the other tunnel. The real test was probably supposed to be how she handled Enoki’s death and quest after finding out the truth. Well, there wasn’t a good way to talk to her about this. All these elves could hear very well. And sadly, Enoki was not gifted telepathy.

Probably for the best. Ze’d just use it to beam annoying songs into people’s heads. 

When they finally came out, Enoki felt like ze was in an oven. In front of them were many of the same fiery fruits that were in the various images. It was so hot some of the wood looked like it was starting to smoke ever so slightly. 

En’mat nervously spoke up. “I don’t wish to doubt your wisdom, Great Lady Inferno, but this might be a bit much for hir.”

“If this is a quest for the gods, then Enoki will be fine traveling along the branches of these trees without burning.” She gave a slight smirk to the little shapeshifter. 

There was less guilt about setting the tunnel on fire with a possibly eternally burning magic flame now.

“Anything I should know about cutting these things down?” Enoki shifted the basket and stepped closer to the lower fruits. 

En’mat quickly came forward. “You cut as close to the fruit as possible. The blue flames are the ones that are done.”

“What happens if I cut further away?”

“Oh they will quickly dry out and become like the fruit the centaurs trade with us. The further back you cut, the faster it will dehydrate. You won’t get the flavor you need like you would with a proper mash.”

Enoki looked at the fruits for a moment, thinking as sweat gently started to bead on hir face. “And are any of these branches due for pruning?”

“The ones with red cloth but Enoki, it’s very dan—”

“Hold on.” Ze interrupted. “You guys have cold spells? Like to make ice?”

“Well yes, but that doesn’t help with making our spirits. Just getting them to the correct temperature.” She sighed. “I take it you want me to cast that spell beforehand?”

“No, after. That’s ok, Great Lady Inferno Ul’ta?” Enoki’s eyes met the old woman’s own.

“That is certainly not against any rules. But she cannot help with picking. You can only take what your basket will hold before you load it into that cloth of yours.” She smirked a bit. “Good luck.”

Enoki nodded, taking out McStabby. The ones ze’d been given were probably dull. But McStabby would see things through. Ze walked back and forth a moment before finding one very heavy branch that almost looked ready to break.The amount of fruit was easily 3 times more than the basket could hold, and this close together, it was like walking up to a bonfire. 

“Me without my marshmallows.”

Hopefully, ze wouldn’t regret what ze was about to do. Instead of walking to the fruit itself, Enoki walked towards the base of the branch. It was about eight feet long and would most assuredly be a bad place to cut. If Enoki wanted to keep it nice and juicy. En’mat could be heard behind her trying to shout some sort of warning as Ul’ta stood by silently watching. Enoki ignored it all as ze took a deep breath, preparing hirself to cut off the entire branch.