Really Big Tree

Dewey

You begin proceeding up the stairs. Katie flies a bit ahead of everyone, still clearly not in a great mood, and Fox makes sure to stay close to her. After what feels like years, you realize you're barely even halfway up... But it does give you plenty of time to talk to Tia in relative privacy.

When you ask if something's wrong, she immediately stops walking. "NO! I dunno. Maybe. Probably. Yes." She goes back to walking slowly, then continues in a quieter voice. "Did I... did I do bad when I helped kill Dragon? I just wanted to protect my friends..."

Dewey

Tia thinks quietly to herself.  "We didn't give Mercia what she wanted, though.  Laura still has Dragon's - the Fire Soul.  But she let Laura go anyway?  I don't understand."  She goes back to thinking.  "But I like Laura more than Dragon.  He was a bad guardian.  And a bad dad.  And I remember Mother used to say the same sorta stuff about him.  So I'd rather Laura be safe and alive than him be alive."  She nods fervently, like she just solved some big conundrum.

As you reach the top of the stairs, you find a wide, wooden platform, as large as a small building, and completely empty.  Suspiciously so.  Another staircase starts on the other side of the room, winding up to the next level.  A few small openings on the sides serve as windows, and Katie is currently trying to jam her head through one.  "Hey, I can see the portal from here!" she calls out.  "It looks like it's on the next floor?  And then the bees.  I don't like the bees..."

Dewey

Tia seems rather satisfied with your answer and falls in with a smile on her face.

Katie scowls - as much as a bird can scowl - thinking about the bees.  "They were such assholes!  So stingy.  Every time we killed one, another 2 would take its place, then 3 and 4!  Hmph.  It was like there was no end to them..."

As you look around the room, you notice large plants dotting the floor.  The vines are twitching slightly, reaching out in all directions like spiderwebs.  Getting across the room might not be so easy after all.

This is floor 2.
Portal's on 3.
Bees are on the 3->4 staircase.

Dewey

Dewey opens his book and begins analyzing one of the plants.

Wrathlesia
Element: Plant
Weapon: Vine
Skills: Arm Wrap, Leg Wrap, Flail, Ingest, Sweet Scent
Weakness: Fire, Metal, Wind
Resistance: Plant, Water, Earth, Lightning, Dark
Drops: ?
Description: A species of huge carnivorous plant which lies in wait, feeling for nearby prey with a network of vines. Though it prefers ambush, it is more than able to capture stubborn prey.

“These plants use their vines to detect and ensnare prey. Katie, would you be able to carry us one at a time to the stairs on the other side?”

"Ummmmmmaybe?" Katie says. "Fox, sure. But you and Tia are kinda big... I think I can?"

“Hmm...” Dewey holds his arms out for her. “If you aren’t sure then we should probably test how long you can hold one of us in the air before attempting to make the trip. If you can’t hold us for long enough it may be better to pick them off from a safe distance.”

Katie nods, then drops down and grabs Dewey. Again. She flies him up for a bit, and around in a small circle. "This isn't so bad..." she says. "Yeah, I think I can do it."

“Good, then let’s go.”

"OK, but i'm not really good at this puzzle..." Katie admits.

"Huh?" Fox asks.

"The fox can't be with the snake, and the big bird has to be with the farmer, and... um..." Katie mutters to herself.

Dewey smirks. “I don’t think you need to worry about Fox and Tia killing each other.”

"OK! Who's first?" Katie asks.

Fox and Tia look at each other.

Dewey ponders for a moment, then comes to a decision he refuses to admit has anything to do with leaving Fox and Tia on their own wondering about the joke. “I’m the heaviest, so it would be best to carry me first. Tia can be carried after that, and by saving Fox for last we ensure you can make the trip even if you’re beginning to get tired.”

"Oh, that's a good idea!" Katie says.

She picks you up again and begins the flight over the field of vines. About halfway across her grip slips and for a moment you think you're about to fall, but she makes a quick adjustment, gets a grip on your collar, and proceeds to fly you the rest of the way safely, if uncomfortably close to the ground. When you reach the other side she lands for a moment to catch her breath and flap her wings a few times. "Did I grab your neck too hard?"

“No, I’m fine. I’d rather have a sore neck then be eaten by plants.”

"Me too! OK, I'm going to go back for Tia next, right?"

Even from here you can see the two aren't fighting.

“Yes.”

Katie bobs her head - probably supposed to be a nod, though it comes across more like a bird pecking for food - then takes to the air. She doesn't have any trouble flying back. Tia holds her spear up like a perch, and Katie makes a quick turn before diving down to scoop her up without breaking pace. It seems to take her way less time to fly Tia over than it took for her to bring you, but that's probably because you aren't floating over a bunch of hungry plants.
She drops Tia off, pausing to land and catch her breath again, then making one last trip back. Tia stares at you while she's gone, a look of curiosity on her face.

“...What?”

"Mm. I dunno. We just don't really talk much. So a lot of things?"

“You’re right, I guess we don’t. So, how have your classes been?”

"They're hard! I know a lotta stuff about things people talk about at the mall 'cause I can eavesdrop on people and used to do it a lot before stuff happened, but people don't talk about things like trigonomials, Julie and Caesar, or duck anatomy..."

“Duck anatomy? Is that what they’re teaching you in your biology class?”

Tia nods. "I'm not stupid, I just... don't know a lot of stuff."

“I know, that just seems like an oddly specific animal for them to focus on.”

“Speaking of biology, that reminds me we’re going to be dissecting frogs in my class soon. Somehow I’m dreading that even more than any of the fights we’ve had here.”

"Oh, just think of it like making dinner," Tia says without hesitation.

“I... guess? I’ll try to keep that in mind. In any case if you need some tutoring in any of your classes I’d be happy to help.”

Tia nods. "Anyway we're learning about a lotta stuff in biology but I thought of ducks because we were talking about reproductive competition. Did you know birds and snakes are kinda related? We have some similar anatomy and everything!"

Dewey nods. “Both share a common ancestor in dinosaurs, yes.”

"So when do you wanna tutor-"

While the two of you chat, you notice Katie's almost back. And flying way lower than you'd like. One of the vines reaches up just a hair and brushes against Fox's ankle. In a flash, the rest of the vines spring to life. Katie starts flapping as hard as she can, and crashes into the stairs right next to you in a heap with Fox. One of the plants starts reaching its vines towards you.

Dewey casts Mystic Gale on the plant reaching towards them at an angle, trying to both harm it and misdirect it towards reaching in the direction of the wind instead of at them. He then tries to quickly help Katie and Fox to their feet. “Up the stairs, quickly!”

Dewey fires off a burst of wind, and the vines halt their advance for a moment. He runs over and starts disentangling Fox and Katie. Tia starts running up the stairs, then realizes she's the only one and comes back. She grabs the Fox-and-Katie ball and pulls Katie free, carrying her as she runs up the stairs. It's enough for you to get Fox up, and the two of you follow close behind. You can hear the sound of whipping and slamming the ground following at your heels until you manage to get up a few dozen stairs, then the vines seem to run out of reach.

"I'm tired..." Katie complains from Tia's arms.

"Oh, OK," Tia says. She tosses the bird-creature over her shoulder and continues casually climbing the stairs.

“You said the portal is on this next floor, right?” Dewey asks.

"Um, kinda? It's out a hole in the wall..." Katie says, her voice shaking in time with Tia's steps.

“Then let’s hope there’s nothing guarding it, with any luck we’ll be able to walk right to it and go home," Dewey says.

As you move up to the next floor, you find it similar to the last one. Huge, empty room, a staircase on the far side. A hole in the side of the tree, large enough for Tia to pass through in her snake form, leads out to a branch the size of a street. From somewhere up above you can hear a loud, persistent buzzing noise.

Tia looks back and forth across the room, tongue flicking in and out. "Something's here," she states definitively.

Fox stops walking, and Katie dislodges herself from Tia's shoulder. Together you scan the room, but you don't see anything besides open space.

"I don't see anything," Katie says.

"But it's here, though!" Tia insists. She looks around as if she's not entirely sure herself.

Dewey

Dewey looks to the ceiling, half expecting a giant spider to drop down.  Instead he finds... more nothing.  Tia and the others follow his gaze, and are similarly disappointed.

"Should we just run for it?" Fox asks.  "If the portal's just outside, it should be fine, right?"

Dewey

Dewey looks out of the hole as best he can, but doesn't see anything. Deciding the coast is clear, he starts moving. The others follow suit. He makes it halfway to the hole when he hears a loud 'thud' behind him. Fox takes off running while Katie flies ahead. Dewey spares a glance over his shoulder, but still can't see anything. Tia sprints past, grabbing Dewey's arm and dragging him along. Another thud, then another, then the group makes it to the hole and out onto the branch. The thuds continue from inside as the party runs down the branch. Dewey has little time to observe the wall of leaves and other branches. This is still one of the lower ones... Tia doesn't break pace until she drags Dewey through the waiting portal.

Move to Park.