With a clean hit, the hive was knocked from the tree branch, and from it, emerged dozens of angry insects.  Van felt victory swell in her chest, but it was short lived, as she watched the bees grow in size and number.  They were abnormally large and were not the type she encountered in her family backyard.  

They swarmed one of the monsters, and it fled back to the river, but the other came closer, opening its mouth to release another powerful jet of water.  It’s belly grew in size as it inhaled deeply, and Van went cold; she could not move, and could hear the rumble of water arise from the trenches creature’s stomach and shoot out directly at her.

She turned her head and shut her eyes, waiting for impact.  A few seconds had passed and she peeked open an eye; a small bear stood in front of her, honey pooling around its feet.  Van opened her mouth in disbelief as the bear spoke in an almost cutesy manner.  She shook her head and silently rushed to the tree, pulling at Malcolm’s pant leg.  

“Get down! I’ll catch you,” she whispered.  The two strange creatures seemed to be at a deadlock, and if there was a time to escape, it was now.