Chapter One
The Queen looked around the pond with the snail and the slug. Nod wandered around the edges, patrolling while Ronin sat in a tree, making sure the Queen was safe. MK's dad rambled on and on about how advanced the society was. Nod glanced up at MK and blushed. It was hard to focus on work when she was there. MK noticed Nod and gave a small wave. He blushed more and waved back, then hurriedly went back to work. MK smiled to herself before turning back to watch the queen. Ronin saw the whole exchange. Nod could feel Ronin's eyes on him and grumbled under his breath.
Bored of her dad's ramblings and the scene MK scanned the field for Nod. He was under a fern not far off, glancing up at the sky, which was forming thunderclouds. MK also spotted the thunderclouds as she felt a drop of rain fall on her noise. She began to worry as the drops seemed to be as large as the leaf men that were patrolling the field. Nod scampered under a leaf as Ronin moved to hold a leaf over the Queen to keep the rain off. The wind was picking up as well, and causing small waves. MK began to look more earnestly for Nod helping some other leaf man find some cover as she canvased the area.
He'd been attacked, and was single-handedly dealing with the boggins, who had pushed him out of sight, and the rain drowned out his cries for help. When MK couldn't find Nod she went over to Ronin to ask if he had seen him. Ronin shook his head and shrugged making some joke about him going off on an adventure again. Meanwhile Nod was running for his life. MK pursed her lips and started off around the area checking all the bushes and other foliage. He was climbing a tree, covered in scratched and bruises. MK found some signs of a struggle and became more worried frantically looking around to find Nod, however in her haste she forgot to look upwards to the trees. He gasped as she bumped into him and he lost his grip on the branch. "MK!" he shouted at her, praying she would hear. MK heard a voice and looked up only to see Nod falling towards the ground. She threw out her hands trying to catch him. He only opened his eyes when he felt himself land in something soft.
"MK...?"
"Nod!" She called out opening her hands to make sure he was alright
He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "H-hey..."
"Are you okay" she questioned lowering him to the ground.
He nodded and smiled. "Yes, thanks to you..."
"What happened" she asked walking him back to the field where everyone else was.
"Boggins..." he mumbled.
"We should tell Ronin" She replied as they came into the clearing, only to run into the man himself.
He sighed and shook his head. "I'm pretty sure the danger is over now.
Ronin looked Nod over and asked "What trouble?"
"Nothing..." he mumbled.
"Those bruises don't look like no trouble." Ronin replied poking on of the bruises as he spoke.
He winced. "Ow! Geez...I fell off a branch ok...?"
Ronin gave him a hard stare before turning to go back to the queen.
MK looked down at Nod in worry. She was about to say something when Mub came over. Nod groaned at the presence of the slug. He hated when he flirted with MK.
"Hey MK how have you been." Mub asked deliberately pushing his way in front of Nob.
Nod growled and poked at the slug. "Excuse me! We were talking..."
Mub turned his eyes to look at Nob. "Well you spent the entirety of the morning staring at MK so I don't see why I can have a nice conversation with her, without you." he put emphasis on the without you and push Nob away. Nod blushed bright red. "I...I was NOT staring!"
"Were too." Mub replied poking Nod with one of his eyes. MK just sighed as the scene unfolded. Nod winced and glared daggers at the slug. "I was...!" his rant was lost when he felt MK move slightly as the wind tugged at her. MK shivered as the wind brushed past her. Nod fell on his face as it pulled her up and tugged on her, and suddenly she was shrinking. "AAAAAAH!" Nod screamed. The sensation that had happened to her the last time this ceremony had taken place was back and she screamed as she was thrown about in some weird wind.