The creatures moved smoothly. They moved with a sort of pulsating, fluid motion. They used their entire tube shaped bodies to move. Arnie felt safe and comfortable despite the growing darkness closing in on all sides. The deeper they went, the darker it got. He looked over at Flimgog and Isabelle. Flimgog looked at ease - nothing unusual there, he always seemed at ease. Isabelle looked more comfortable than she had when they first got on.

The creatures said nothing, nor made any noise at all. They simply carried their passengers quickly and efficiently to wherever it was they were to be carried.

He looked up and then ahead. The forest looked the same but it was thicker. The colourful trees and leaves were pressing in and blocking the light and sky. Up ahead looked the same. He wondered how long they would be travelling for. He stopped paying attention to what was around and got lost amidst his own thoughts and wonders. They rode on in silence.

Arnie lost track of time. He had no idea how long they had been moving for when he pulled himself from his thoughts and looked ahead again. Something was changing in the forest scene, it seemed to be getting lighter up ahead and the trees were thinning. The light seemed to be changing to a silvery glow. He squinted his eyes but couldn't make out anything else. He called to the others. "Can you see that up ahead?"

"See what?" Isabelle asked, looking straight ahead.

"The forest seems to be thinning up ahead." he called back. Flimgog spoke, "Yes, it looks like there is more light ahead."

Arnie jumped and almost fell off his creature when a voice spoke that wasn't Isabelle or Flimgog. It took him a few moments to realise that it was in fact the creature carrying him who had spoken.

"We are almost there Arnold and then you shall meet our mother."

The voice sounded odd. It was friendly enough, high-pitched and gentle all at once. It was almost muttering at the same time. Pulsating like the movement of the body itself.

Once he got over the immediate shock, Arnie mustered up an answer. "I presume your mother is the Queen?" he asked, interested.

"Yes." Was the simple answer he got back in reply. He could feel from the creature that it did not wish to discuss it further and so he said nothing more.

Sure enough, as he had thought, there was definitely more space ahead and the trees were thinning. The further forward they went, the more spacious it became. And then, he saw the end, he saw where they were heading (at least where he thought they were going.) There was a clearing up ahead in the trees, it seemed to stretch on for some distance. The Orange sunlight and blue sky they had earlier seen had given way to a sort of deep blue night sky scattered with stars and a large silvery orb that was the moon. Trees were cleared out and there were other shapes. Many differents kinds and sizes. Some looked like buildings of a sort and others looked like they could be living creatures.

As the clearing drew closer, Arnie realised that it was full, at the point nearest the trees, with the creatures they were riding. Hundreds upon hundreds of them, languishing under the silvery moon and the night sky. He heard Isabelle gasp but she said nothing. He looked on in astonishment.

They reached the clearing and exited the trees. All around the creatures sat (or lay), fluid and pulsing even in their stillness. All of them almost identical. Arnie called to the others and voiced what he had suspected since first seeing these creatures.

"I think they are caterpillars." Arnie said. The others were silent and didn't answer, too amazed by the incredible and unusual sight.

Their carriers showed no signs of stopping or slowing and continued moving into the clearing. Arnie looked ahead, over the ocean of pulsing bodies. There were no visible trees ahead but there was something there – some kind of structure towering over them all. Arnie wondered what it was. It was a brown, oak-like colour and it towered over everyone and everything – including him.

They continued to approach it, riding on the back of their caterpillar carriers. Arnie wondered curiously what would happen if they tried to dismount and go their own way. He decided against trying it. He had the feeling that it wouldn't be considered acceptable.

"What do you think that is up ahead?" Isabelle called over to him. "We seem to be going towards it, whatever it is."

Arnie looked at it harder, trying to make out what he thought it was.

"It's a throne I think." Flimgog said, his ususal matter-of-fact voice carrying without difficulty through the clearing.

"The throne of the Queen!" Isabelle half squeaked, a tremulousness in her excited voice.

"The very one." Flimgog said and they all fell silent again. Their creatures carried them almost silently, forward towards what they had decided was the throne. In fact, as they approached it, Arnie noticed and it did look more and more like the back of a chair towering up above them.

Arnie saw the creature up ahead, carrying Flimgog, stop. It stopped suddenly and Flimgog was thrown off of it's back. Flimgog skillfully landed into a roll and stood upright. When Arnie and Isabelle's creatures met the same point, they too stopped suddenly and Arnie felt himself flying forwards. He landed hard upon the ground, but amazingly it didn't hurt very much. Isabelle landed beside him.

They looked at the large oak coloured chair back. One of the eerie voices of the caterpillar creatures spoke. "Behold the Queen!"

The throne began to move. It turned towards them. Slowly, creakily- like an ancient floorboard pressed by gentle feet. Time slowed down for Arnie and it seemed to take an age for the giant throne to turn.

It felt like all the living creatures of the clearing had paused and were waiting with baited breath (did they even breath, these creatures?).

Arnie's attention was enraptured by the moving chair. It towered above him about three times his height. It was wider than a human chair by about the same amount. She must be a large queen he thought. He said nothing, they all stayed silent . In fact, the air became thick with suspense, anticipation and silence.

Before they could see the Queen, before the chair was fully tured around a new voice rang through the clearing. It was loud, clear, commanding and female.

"Welcome to my home Arnold, Isabelle and Flimgog. You have travelled far."

And the chair turned fully to face them.

Arnie gasped, Isabelle let out a quiet sort of half-scream and Flimgog remained silent, although his attention was absorbed.

They were looking at the Queen.

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