Bearing the Scars is the second episode of season 20 of Dimension 20, Burrow's End.
As the stoats seek safety, a grotesque and terrifying new threat arrives.
Recap[]
"Recap time. So, after meeting our family of stoats within their ancestral home of the Red Warren and the outlying camp of the Lukura, the safety and peace was suddenly shattered as a freak dust storm, carrying with it strange, but not entirely unfamiliar, scents and death, swept through. You all managed to escape, and you currently have with you (sighs) not really anyone from your home, but we do have Olliver and Teedles, the beacons of a cult, so you're doing pretty good, TBH. I think it's fine. It's not really the numbers I thought you were gonna have coming into this, but I think we're doing great. So, why don't we go ahead and, like, get in and begin."
Synopsis[]
The episode begins with the stoat family in the woods, discussing their next move after escaping the dust storm. Thorn Vale attempts to reassure the group about their ability to fight the mysterious Blue force, while Tula focuses on finding immediate shelter and safety. As they move through the forest, Viola uses her healing abilities, causing a flash of blue that alarms Lila and raises questions about the nature of their powers.
As the family continues to debate their next steps, Jaysohn hears a thumping sound. Thorn notices fresh bear tracks along with smaller creature tracks nearby, which is unusual. The family decides to climb trees for safety, but Viola struggles and is caught by Lila, leaving them exposed.
Suddenly, a massive bear lumbers into the clearing. A blood-soaked chipmunk emerges from the bear and grabs Ava, pulling her inside. The rest of the family follows, finding themselves in a gruesome battle inside the bear's body against parasitic chipmunks. The interior of the bear is revealed to be a complex battleground with various organs and parasitic nests.
During the fight, several family members experience strange connections to the Blue. Jaysohn takes a bite of the bear's heart and feels a surge of power, leveling up. Lila demonstrates unexpected combat prowess, viciously attacking the chipmunks and collecting their tongues and faces as trophies. Ava attempts to control the bear's lower body by yanking on its spinal cord.
Tula uses her paladin abilities to attempt to cure the bear of its parasite infestation, causing a surge of blue energy throughout its body. This action results in the death of the chipmunks but also leads to the bear's demise. Thorn and Viola, who had reached the bear's brain, lose consciousness after coming into contact with a concentrated source of Blue energy.
As the battle ends, the family regroups and begins to process what happened. Lila demands answers about the Blue, and Tula reveals that the adults are often just as uncertain about the nature of the Blue and the dangers they face as the children are. Tula explains that the Blue is connected to their powers and the strange occurrences in the forest, but much remains a mystery.
Ava suggests using the bear's carcass as a new burrow, but the idea is quickly dismissed. The family tends to their wounds, with Viola casting Sanctuary on Lila for protection. Thorn pays respects to the fallen bear, reciting "brighter than the sun, swifter than the wind."
The family takes shelter beneath the dead bear's body for the night. They've leveled up from their harrowing experience but are left with more questions than answers about the Blue and its role in their world.
Locations[]
Bear. In a bear