A/N: Okay, here you guys go! Larch's beginnings in the rebellion!
Born On The Break Of Dawn – I can confirm some of the rebellion members do become mothers and fathers to Snack Pack members.
TAPDANCING GIRAF – Yeah, I think I catch your drift. :D
Feanwen – Yes, same Cloud Guy. And he's going to be featured later in this chapter.
Warning: suggestive content later in this chapter.
Chapter Four – Newbie
Once word spread around, Larch felt like he had been part of the rebellion for years. Everyone welcomed him without question. Hawk proclaimed he would be Larch's best friend and teach him the ropes. Larch got his own armor to wear over his vest and shirt: a breastplate and gauntlets. He also did some weapon testing with Crimson, who determined he would be best suited with a sword (even when Crimson stated Larch was utterly hopeless). When Larch put on the armor and strapped his sword to his hip, he took a look in the mirror and analyzed his reflection.
"I look awesome." Larch breathed.
"You look like a soldier. Time to start training like one." Stella said, standing at the door to Larch's new room. Hawk had insisted Larch stay with him and Eagle in their home. Larch now stayed in their spare room.
"I'm ready!" Larch said. "Just let me loose and I'll show you what I got."
"I certainly hope you're up for the challenge, Son of a Royal Guard." Stella said. "Oh, while we're on the subject, I think there's something you need to do before we start training."
"What's that?" Larch asked.
"Write a letter to your family back home." Stella instructed. "Explain to them why you'll be gone longer than expected."
Larch didn't think of that. "Uh, is that necessary?"
"I would think so." Stella said. "You should let your family know where you are, tell them of the great rebellion you have joined and the cause you now fight for. You're bringing your family honor. Besides, they ought to know where you are in case this takes a while."
Larch nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll get right on that."
"Do it now, before you forget." Stella said. "When you finish, pass the letter off to Cloud Guy for delivery and then meet me at the training arena." She left Larch, and he allowed his worries to fall on his shoulders. Amidst all this excitement about being part of a rebellion and being closer to Stella, he had temporarily forgotten about his family back in the Troll Tree. He was certain this war would end soon and leave him enough time to return home. Until then, could he really tell his mother and father what was happening? His mother may have a heart attack if she found out. His father would either be thrilled or demand that he come and help.
I can't let them know. There's too much at stake. They might get hurt. Larch decided, casually walking out of the little house. This war will end well before my deadline and I'll be home in no time.
"Hey there, Larch!" Eros greeted, coming up to walk next to the green troll.
"Hey, Eros." Larch nodded back. For an eighteen-year-old troll, Eros acted like a young child: full of energy and always smiling. "Off to training?"
"Yeah. I don't do a lot of fighting. I'm more talented for scouting. But I have to practice for when I do get into a fight, because it's going to happen." Eros explained.
"That's smart." Larch said. He and Eros approached the training area, where several other rebellion members practiced. Some of them worked on training dummies while other sparred. Stella and Crimson walked around the arena, watching the rebels train and giving pointers. Stella even stopped a spar, pointed out improvements for one of the warriors, and then engaged in a brief sword match to demonstrate. Larch stared in awe. The light seemed to catch Stella perfectly, making her freckles sparkle.
Eros noticed Larch's look and grinned. He elbowed Larch playfully. "Someone's got eyes for our leader, huh?"
Larch rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, Stella is….well…yeah….." He cleared his throat. "So, Eros, what do you think of Stella?"
Eros looked to Stella. "She's strong, brave, and very beautiful."
Larch's smile disappeared. "Oh. So, you got a thing for her, too?"
"Eh, not really." Eros waved a hand dismissively. "I admire Stella for various reasons beyond her beauty. She and I are good friends, but nothing romantic."
Larch bobbed his head, secretly relieved. He had no idea if Stella had any other boyfriends. Then again, with Crimson hanging around so much, Larch wondered if Crimson and Stella had any chemistry. After observing them for a moment, Larch realized the odds were better that those two shared a sibling-like bond as opposed to a romantic one. If he had any chance with Stella, it would start with showing her his skills.
Eros brought Larch into the training area, and the two of them began sparring. Larch took all of Eros's notes into account, and even Hawk came over to give him pointers. Every few minutes, Larch would glance to Stella and see if she watched him. She glanced his way now and then, and nodded in approval when she saw his moves. Larch grinned with pride. But that's when Hawk took his chance to sweep Larch's feet out from under him.
"Gotta focus, man." Hawk laughed, pulling Larch to his feet.
"Hard to see something coming when your eyes stay on a pretty lady." Eros laughed.
"Indeed."
Eros cringed, and the boys turned to see Stella just behind them. She had her arms crossed and her foot tapped. The raised eyebrow look she gave them showed she heard their words. Stella drew her sword and used it to guide Eros out of her way. She lunged for Larch, who held up his blade to parry her blow. In a few quick moves, Stella disarmed Larch and knocked him to the ground.
"You really ought to focus more." Stella said. "In fact, I know a way you can practice."
"Really? What is it?" Larch jumped to his feet and stood up straight and tall. "I'm ready!"
"Seems you are." Stella mused. "Eros, go find Iris and Cloud Guy. I want you guys to do some reconnaissance in the village. Take Junior here with you. Hawk, you tag along and keep him from being caught or killed. Larch, reconnaissance is more than just taking a look around and saying, 'All clear' or 'Danger!' You need to scan your surroundings, take in every detail. Keep an eye out for the little things. You will report directly to Cloud Guy. He's in charge of reconnaissance."
"Yes ma'am!" Larch saluted.
"Good." Stella nodded. "Hawk, help him armor up. Larch, you'll meet Cloud Guy, Eros, and Iris at the phoenix stables."
"Okay!" Larch hurried off with Hawk. Eros jogged away to find Iris and Cloud Guy.
"How well do you think he'll do with this? Sneaking around and hiding from Eclipse's guards?" Crimson asked Stella. "Let's not forget how quickly he was caught."
"I remember." Stella said. "He told me his story, and the brevity of time between his arrival in the kingdom and his capture did not go unnoticed. I am simply trying to assess his skills. He is physically strong and resilient. That's good. His weaponry skills are abhorrent. That's bad. I need to know what he can and cannot do in order to find him a place here."
"Well, I have a couple options for you: cannon fodder or sword-polisher." Crimson suggested.
"I will accept either one of those if he proves as worthless as I expect him to be." Stella said. "I'm also considering him for stable work."
"So he's not fit for battle. Glad we're on the same page." Crimson mused.
"Cloud Guy is also not one for battle, Crimson. Right now, I'm just trying to figure Larch out." Stella said.
"You don't buy his story."
"Oh please. 'I'm from the Troll Tree and I'm searching for a home so that, when everyone else escapes too, we'll all have a safe place to live.' That's either a load of crocodile poop or the king of the Troll Tree is crazier than the old residents remember."
"But he does have a family. He spoke fondly of them, and that level of love is hard to fake."
"One of the reasons I want to keep him from battle."
"What good is he to us if he can't fight or do simple scouting?"
Stella stared in the direction Larch left. "There is one thing I'm considering him for: the plan we discussed, Project Legacy."
"Oh, no." Crimson said in a firm tone. "No, no, no, no, a thousand times, no."
"He's a good candidate for it. I don't know him well enough, anyway." Stella said.
"Stella, we did discuss Project Legacy, and I already voiced my displeasure with the idea because I believe it is foolish and unnecessary." Crimson said. "That boy may be strong, but he's unfit for such an important project. Why is such a thing necessary anyway?"
"How long do you think this war will last?" Stella asked rhetorically. "What if I die tomorrow? What if I die a year from now? Project Legacy is a fallback option in case this war drags out."
"But why?" Crimson asked. "You have me. You have told me a number of times that you trust me to lead the rebellion if anything were to happen to you. Why would we need something like Project Legacy?"
Stella stared at Crimson for a long moment. "Crimson, you are my most trusted friend and brother. But there are things I cannot explain, details I cannot give you, for reasons that are not because of you but because of me. I ask so much out of you, and I apologize—"
"Stella, you saved my life and gave me a new reason to live." Crimson said. "If this is important, I will follow you. I just have so many questions."
"And they are not questions I can answer." Stella said. "Not now. I only ask that you trust me as you always have."
Crimson sighed through his nose. He finally smiled. "You're going to lead us to freedom, Stella. If that means doing something unorthodox, so be it." He chuckled. "But, I must admit, sometimes I just don't understand you."
Stella shrugged. "I'm an enigma wrapped in a mystery, I guess."
Crimson laughed heartily. "I think that's something other people say about you. You can't say that about yourself."
"Says who?" Stella laughed. Crimson continued to chortle, pulling his surrogate sister into a hug.
Larch was fitted with a shield and traded his sword for a knife. Hawk explained that scouting missions were about stealth. If one of them ran into trouble, the goal was to get away, not engage. Hawk led Larch back to the phoenix stables, where Circe looked ready to fly. The phoenix groomed her feathers, appearing bored with the apparent conflict. Eros and another troll pulled on the reins of another phoenix, who fought back defiantly and squawked indignantly. This phoenix was much different from the ones Larch saw before: white feathers, ocean blue eyes, and even the bird's talons and scaly legs and toes were snow-white. The bird was also much smaller than his brethren, despite having the plumage of a mature bird.
"Iris, stop!" Hawk snapped. "Lucky's not going to fly today. Just let it go."
The troll with Eros scoffed and released the reins. The white phoenix, Lucky, used his talons to pull the reins off his head. Symphony nipped at Lucky's head, herding him back towards the perches. Lucky dipped his head in submission. The troll with Eros had bright yellow skin and dark purple hair and eyes. She dressed in leggings, a mini skirt, and a crop top.
"Stupid bird." The troll scoffed.
"Iris, Lucky might still be recovering." Eros said soothingly.
"He's been 'recovering' for a month!" Iris snapped.
"Enough." Hawk said forcibly. "Circe can carry all of us. One phoenix is easier to hide, and Lucky can't exactly camouflage in this environment. Let's go."
Larch climbed onto Hawk's phoenix with the others. He helped Cloud Guy on too. "If you're a cloud, can't you fly?"
"I do a lot more floating than flying." Cloud Guy shrugged. "Okay, Hawk, let's go!"
Hawk spurred Circe into flight. The phoenix flew off, out of the rebellion's bunker and into the forest. Larch observed each of the rebels in turn. Hawk steered Circe, at Cloud Guy's direction. Eros sat on one side and Iris on the other, both of them scanning the forest floor down below. Larch joined Eros and also looked around, but Eros had to catch him before he fell off. Eros chuckled, patting Larch's shoulder reassuringly. Circe landed on a seemingly random tree, and she ducked into a hole in the tree. The trolls and Cloud Guy slid off her and climbed down to the ground. Cloud Guy led the way, bringing them to a ridge where they could look down towards the spiderweb wall surrounding Moonlight Kingdom.
"Call it, Cloud Guy." Hawk said.
"Okay, this is basic reconnaissance." Cloud Guy said. "Check on the villagers. See who needs extra help. We need to know if anyone is aware that Larch was here and whether or not Eclipse knows he's still alive. But our priority is the village."
"One of the villagers is pregnant." Larch piped up. "And her mother is starving so she has more to eat."
"We are aware of who is in the most need, thank you." Iris droned.
"No, that's helpful. Thank you, Larch." Eros said sincerely.
"Hawk, why don't you and Larch check in on this little family?" Cloud Guy suggested. "Eros and Iris, you two do a quick canvas of the rest of the village. I'll go see what our lovely Empress is up to. Ready? Break!"
The team split up, Larch staying close to Hawk's side. At first, he wondered how they would get past the gate. He was surprised when Hawk led him to a column that was thicker than the other sticks holding up the spiderwebs. There were small notches cut into the column. Following Hawk's example, Larch used his knife to pull himself up the column, using the notches like footholds. Though slow, it got Larch and Hawk over the wall without touching the spiderwebs and giving away their position.
"We only have a couple spots like this where we can sneak in." Hawk explained as he and Larch snuck through the back alleys of the village. "They change all the time. Eclipse is pretty good with security, it would seem."
Larch and Hawk pressed their backs to a wall as some guards passed the alley where they hid. "So, about Cloud Guy, he's not full-grown, is he?"
"Does he look like it?" Hawk snorted. "Kinda shrimp-y for an adult."
"Yeah, he's small, but I've never seen a creature like him." Larch said. "He could be in his early twenties, and I wouldn't know it."
"Nah, Cloud Guy's just a kid. He's ten." Hawk led Larch down another alley and behind the houses, where they were shadowed.
"Wait, ten? He's ten years old?" Larch repeated. "And he's in charge of scouting missions? He spies on Empress Eclipse herself?"
"He may not be a fighter, but he's sneaky and silent." Hawk explained. "He's good at what he does, so Stella made him in charge. Stella doesn't discriminate on age or gender or whatever. She just looks at your skills and places you where you fit."
Larch nodded in understanding. It was rather admirable to see someone so young in a leadership position. He had to wonder where Stella would place him based on his skills. "So what's the plan here?"
"Eros and Iris will take care of the eastern district while we take the western one." Hawk said. "I'm going to check on this family who's expecting a little one. You go visit those trolls who helped you, make sure they know you're okay. Once they're good, move on to the lookout spot over there." Hawk pointed to a house down the road, where what looked like a rickety old shack sat on the roof. "From there, you can watch the villagers and look for anyone in need. Keep your eyes open. Look for the villagers who need us, and keep an eye out for Eclipse's guards. Most of the village doesn't like Eclipse, but she does have plenty of supporters who won't hesitate to turn us in."
"I got it." Larch nodded. "Let's do it."
"Remember: stay in the shadows. Be sneaky. If you're caught or seen, you have to run. Break away. Do not engage." Hawk left when Larch nodded in understanding. Larch found his way to Amethyst's home, and he went around back to the window by the kitchen. He peered inside and saw Amethyst slowly washing dishes. Her eyes were red and her cheeks tearstained. When she glanced up, she gasped and dropped the plate she washed. She ran to the back door near the kitchen and threw it open. She latched onto Larch in a tight hug, sobbing.
"You're alive…" Amethyst sobbed. "I thought….you…."
"Gods above." Finn appeared in the doorway. "Get in here, son!" He and Amethyst yanked Larch into the house. Finn's brother looked up and was on his feet in an instant when he saw Larch.
"What are you doing here?" Finn's brother demanded.
"I wanted to apologize for Emma." Larch said. "What happened to her—"
"Was not your fault. I mean what are you doing here instead of being dead?" Finn's brother demanded. "And if you're not dead, why in heaven's name did you come back?"
"I joined the rebellion." Larch pointed to the Flame of Happiness symbol painted onto his gauntlets. "I'm going to help Stella free your kingdom."
"You met Stella?" Amethyst gasped. "Is she as amazing as everyone says?"
"You bet." Larch nodded.
"This isn't your fight, Larch." Finn said. "You should go home to your family."
"My family knows I'm safe." Larch said. "If Prince Peppy were here, he would do the same. He wouldn't stand for this. I just wish Emma had—"
"Emma was one of many brave Moonlight Kingdom trolls who stood up to Eclipse." Finn's brother said. "My wife will always be honored and remembered."
Larch smiled. "I hope to honor her memory by fighting for your kingdom. Once I return to the Troll Tree, I'll make sure Prince Peppy knows about you. He'll make sure your new leader and all of you are supported."
"Thank you, Larch." Amethyst hugged him again.
"You should leave soon. It's dangerous for a rebel to stay in one place for too long." Finn advised.
Larch nodded in agreement, and Amethyst led him to the back door. "I'm going to be okay. I'll check in on you whenever I'm on scouting missions."
"Just be safe." Amethyst requested.
Larch nodded, and he slipped away into the shadows. He ducked behind buildings and hid from guards as he made his way to the lookout shack. When Larch managed to get inside, he realized it wasn't even a shack. It was more like a pile of wood hollowed out with just enough space for Larch to stand or crouch. There were plenty of spaces where Larch could look out, but it didn't seem like much of a lookout.
"Guess no one will suspect a stack of wood on a house." Larch shrugged. He began peering out the spaces in the wood, watching the trolls in the village. The trolls, though grey, went about their lives as happily as they could: talking, playing, and trading goods in the market. When Eclipse's guards came by, the trolls quieted and looked away. The guards would harass the trolls, mostly verbally. It made Larch angry, and he wanted to lunge down and smash the guards' faces in. His breaking point was when Captain Titan shoved a child into the mud. Larch darted out of the shack and went down to the alleyway. He drew his knife, his eyes locked onto Titan.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Larch and pulled him back into the darkness. "I know what's going through your head." Hawk's voice said in Larch's ear. "Don't do it."
Larch jerked himself free and turned to his friend. "But he—"
"Titan is scum, and he's going to pay." Hawk assured. "But we can't engage in a fight. It's going to jeopardize our position. This is reconnaissance only, understand?"
Larch sighed heavily and stowed his knife. "Fine. I'm not happy about it, but I won't do anything without your orders."
Hawk patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, Larch. You'll get your chance to fight." He gestured for Larch to follow him. Larch turned to do so, but then paused. He looked up towards the castle. He saw a flash of yellow and purple, and he noticed Iris dart from one alleyway to another one across the road. Hawk called for Larch, and the two trolls slipped out of Moonlight Kingdom. Cloud Guy, Eros, and Iris met with them at the tree where Circe hid, and the phoenix transported them back to the bunker.
"Iris and Larch, you two are free to go." Cloud Guy said. "Good work. Eros, Hawk, and I will relay our findings to Stella and Crimson."
Iris nodded and Larch saluted to Cloud Guy. The cloud creature, Hawk, and Eros turned and headed off to find Stella and Crimson. Iris turned to walk away, but Larch jogged after her.
"Hey, did you see anything at the castle?" Larch asked.
Iris stopped and spun around to glare at him. "Excuse me?"
Larch recoiled, confused by Iris's hostility. "Well, I saw you coming from the castle. Did you and Cloud Guy find anything interesting?"
Iris grabbed Larch and shoved him against the wall. "I was not anywhere near that castle. You are mistaken. Understand?"
Shaken, Larch only nodded feverishly. Iris let him go, turned on her heel, and marched off. Larch straightened out his armor and shirt. "Larch? Are you okay?" two rebel trolls approached him, the female looking concerned while the male glared at Iris's back.
"I'm fine." Larch assured. "Uh…Ivy, right?"
"Yes." The female nodded. "And this is Clove." Ivy had red skin and green hair and eyes, wearing a dress. Clove had green skin and blue hair and eyes, wearing overalls. Clove's hair was in the most interesting style Larch ever saw: braided in dreadlocks with bone beads woven in. The blue locks were weighted down thanks to the numerous beads, and the dreadlocks swished around his shoulders.
"Don't let Iris get to you." Clove assured. "She's bitter and a little pompous. You know, a 'better than thou' kind of thing."
"I see." Larch mused.
"We do appreciate you being here, Larch." Ivy said. "Keep up the great work. You'll find your place here soon enough."
"Thanks." Larch said.
"Come on." Clove urged. "We're having archery practice before dinner." Larch nodded in agreement, jogging alongside the two trolls.
Stella and Crimson looked up from their map of the kingdom as Cloud Guy, Eros, and Hawk entered the room. "Welcome back. A successful mission, I assume?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Cloud Guy saluted. "Eclipse believes Larch is dead, apparently. She trusts her daughter to finish her executions. Now, with her daughter away on that diplomatic mission, Eclipse will be more active out in the village. We'll need to be vigilant."
"Also, we checked in with that soon-to-be mother." Hawk added. "But, if we could somehow sneak her some more food, that would be a lot of help. She's a little malnourished, and her family is starving in their attempts to keep her healthy."
Stella nodded in thought. "Eros, why don't you go talk to Sarabeth and Pan, see what they have that we can spare for this expanding family." Eros nodded and left. Stella scribbled in a book next to the map. "Hawk, what can you report about our newest recruit?"
"He's eager and enthusiastic. He desperately wants to help and has the potential." Hawk said.
"What do you think of his performance today?" Stella asked.
"Minor complications, but he did great." Hawk said.
"Minor complication?" Crimson repeated.
Hawk rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, he almost fell off Circe and nearly attacked Captain Titan—"
"He did what?" Stella demanded.
"His incompetence knows no bounds." Crimson scoffed.
"Hey, he was angered by Titan's actions and words." Hawk said. "I don't blame him."
"But I will blame him for getting himself killed." Stella said. "Cloud Guy, Hawk, the next time Larch joins you on reconnaissance, be explicit with the expectations of scouting missions."
"Yes, Stella." The boys said simultaneously.
"You are dismissed." Stella waved them away, and Cloud Guy and Hawk departed.
"I will say it only once more, Little Sister: that kid is useless." Crimson said.
Stella scribbled in her book. "In battle or reconnaissance, perhaps. But he may not be completely unusable."
Crimson simply nodded in acknowledgement and left the room. Stella tapped the point of her quill to her lip in thought.
That evening, Stella went to eat dinner with the rebels, as she always did. The rebellion always gathered together to have a community dinner, and the children especially loved to be with Stella. Afterwards, as the rebels settled down to sleep, Stella disappeared into her own chambers. She glanced to her bed, and then to her desk, and decided to sit at the latter. She looked through her notes for the day, in particular the ones she took about Larch. He wasn't showing as much fighter potential as she had hoped.
And yet there was something important he could do even if he couldn't fight.
Project Legacy was a relatively new idea for Stella. When she realized the fights became more violent, the war more complicated, Stella saw a higher risk of her dying in battle. Without her, the rebellion would go on, provided she could keep Crimson alive. But a part of her needed to continue on even if she died. Her people needed hope. For over a year, Stella searched for a proper subject for the project. Now, she may have just found one.
A knock at the door caused Stella's ear to twitch. She closed her book. "Come in."
Eros stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. "Good evening."
"Good evening, Eros." Stella greeted, looking over her books and papers on the desk.
Eros chuckled as he came up behind Stella. "You poor thing. You look so stressed."
"I want this war to end soon, Eros." Stella said. "If my plan doesn't work, we could be looking at ten more years."
"Ten more years I and everyone else will gladly spend by your side." Eros said. "Everyone here is ready to fight for this kingdom, just like you."
Stella smiled. "I know. Every day, I am moved by the loyalty of my rebellion. I never thought I would get so much support. It is wonderful to see such bravery."
Eros put his hands on Stella's shoulders and gently massaged them. "Anyone here would die for you, and they know you would do the same for them. You handle things so well. You are brave and strong and beautiful, and you aren't allowed to let anyone tell you otherwise."
Stella giggled softly, tilting her head back to grin at Eros. "What a way with words, and such a gentle touch. Sometimes, I forget what your name means."
Eros chuckled, leaning down to press his lips to Stella's. Their tender kiss became more passionate, and the two trolls had to readjust their position to deepen the kiss. "Your skin is so soft." Eros murmured, tracing a finger up her arm.
"You know, if you aren't busy tonight," Stella breathed. "I could use a little stress release."
"Your wish is my command." Eros said, pulling her into another kiss.
Larch wandered through the rebellion bunker, looking around at everything. The lanterns were half-out, dimming the glow that previously illuminated the area. A couple of the phoenix trainer trolls flew up on their birds to snuff the lanterns.
Larch scanned the area, watching as the lights of the homes began to blink out. The rebels would soon be off in their own dreams. Dreams of freedom and happiness, no doubt. Larch's dreams….for the past couple nights, they had been about Stella. He looked up towards the conference room, where Stella kept her maps and books and discussed strategies with Crimson. Just below that was Stella's small, two-story house, a bit distanced from the other rebels' houses.
I wonder….her light is still on….maybe I can talk to her. Larch dusted off his pants and readjusted his vest as he headed for Stella's home. This would be his first opportunity to talk to Stella on a non-professional basis. This was his time to get to know her and start edging his way to the relationship he wanted to have with her.
Stella's home was different from the other trolls. The rebels made their homes with sticks, bones, and leftover animal skins from making clothes. Their houses looked like a hodge-podge of different materials. Strange, but sturdy. The first level of Stella's house was more of an open-faced shack where she cooked her meals. The second level was similar to a pod house Larch saw at the Troll Tree. The pod was glued to the stone wall with strong tree sap, and a set of stairs led from the ground up to the door of the pod. Larch ascended the stairs, smoothing out his hair and readjusting his clothes again. He exhaled softly and raised his hand to knock.
Then, he paused. What did he hear in there? Larch listened, and he heard a weird shuffling sound like a blanket rubbing against a sheet. There also came a noise like soft kissing. Larch's fingers brushed against an edge, and he noticed a small hole in the door. Tiny, the size of his iris, but just wide enough for Larch to crouch down and peer inside. He saw Eros and Stella lying on her bed, him on top of her and the two of them locked in a passionate kiss. When Eros began kissing Stella's neck, Larch noticed Eros's hand creeping up under Stella's shirt.
Larch barely managed to quiet his gags as he jumped away from the door. Stella and Eros were fully clothed, but it wasn't exactly a charming sight for Larch to see. He tiptoed/ran down the stairs and speed-walked away. He slowed once he was far enough away, and he glanced back towards Stella's house. He huffed, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
"So much for that." Larch muttered.
"Hey there, Larch!" Cloud Guy said, popping up next to him.
"Hey, Cloud Guy." Larch forced a smile.
"Aw, what's the matter, Dumpy Diapers?" Cloud Guy cooed, as though talking to a toddler. "Come on, I see that look on your face. What's up?"
Larch rubbed the back of his head. "It's nothing, really."
"Homesick?" Cloud Guy guessed.
Larch paused, and Cloud Guy stepped in front of Larch to better face him. Larch stared at the ground. "I hadn't thought about it for a while. But, yeah, I'm kind of homesick. I miss my dad's stories and my mom's cooking. I miss my friends and my house. There have been a couple times…I mean, I'm happy to help you guys, but I also want to go home as soon as I can."
"I'm sure we can arrange that." Cloud Guy assured. "Stella can help."
Larch nodded slowly. "Speaking of Stella, and this is strictly between us, what do you know of her relationship status?"
Cloud Guy raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Ooh, is someone hoping to catch the affections of our lovely leader?"
"Come on, Cloud Guy." Larch pleaded. "Really, what can you tell me?"
"As far as I know, Stella has no romantic relationships." Cloud Guy said. "I do more spying on Eclipse than Stella."
Larch found Cloud Guy's claim a little confusing. If Stella had no romantic relationships, what was that he just saw with her and Eros? "Okay, Cloud Guy, you cannot breathe a word of this to anyone."
"No problem!" Cloud Guy saluted. "Come on, I'll walk you home."
"Thanks." Larch chuckled. They walked in silence for a moment, and then Larch spoke up again. "Cloud Guy, I have to ask: are you really ten years old?"
"Yeah! Just turned ten last month!" Cloud Guy said proudly.
"So how does a ten-year-old end up playing such a crucial role in a rebellion?" Larch asked.
"Stella saw I had a talent for sneaking around and blending in." Cloud Guy shrugged. "And I wasn't doing much except wandering the forest like I had been doing for five years, so I decided to stick around where I was wanted."
"Oh, okay." Larch mused. He blinked in surprise. "Whoa, wait a minute. What do you mean wandering around?"
"Before I met Stella, I had been on my own since I was five." Cloud Guy said.
"But what about your family? Aren't they looking for you? Did they abandon you?" Larch asked.
"I don't know if I would call it 'abandoning me.'" Cloud Guy shrugged. "I just woke up one day and they were gone."
Larch stared at him. "Cloud Guy, that's abandonment. Your family just left you all alone when you were only a little kid."
Cloud Guy shrugged again. "That's life for us camo-creatures."
"Camo-creatures?" Larch repeated.
"That's what I am. A camo-creature." Cloud Guy explained. "We're creatures who mimic the look of other objects like clouds or chunks of clay so well that we can blend in perfectly with our surroundings. And when we turn five, we're turned out into the world to find our place."
"Turned out into the world? Your parents didn't even say 'goodbye.' They just left you." Larch was appalled. "Cloud Guy, that's wrong. You were just a little kid. How could they expect you to be okay?"
Cloud Guy's smile looked sad now. "Larch, life for creatures like me isn't easy. The fact of the matter is we don't have families. My parents probably split up and found new partners immediately after leaving me. But I didn't give up. I knew I didn't want to be hard and cold like some other camo-creatures I've met. I decided to go with the flow and travel wherever the wind took me. Be it the wind or just fate, I was led right to Stella, and she gave me a purpose."
"So, you're not mad?" Larch asked. "You don't resent your parents for not loving you?"
"My parents never wanted me. That's normal for my species." Cloud Guy said. "You're born, you're left behind, you grow up, you find a babe to copulate with, and repeat the cycle."
"Doesn't sound like much of a life." Larch said.
"That's just because you're a troll. Different lifestyle." Cloud Guy chuckled. "Don't worry about me, Larch. I'm going to be different from my fellow camo-creatures. After the war is over and Stella doesn't need my help anymore, I'm leaving this dark forest. I'm going to travel and make friends and be whoever I want to be. And maybe you and I can hang out again. We are friends, right?"
Larch finally smiled. "Yeah, definitely." He pulled Cloud Guy into a hug as they arrived at Hawk's home.
"Keep your chin up, Larch." Cloud Guy said. "You're a great help."
"Thanks, Cloud Guy." Larch said.
"Anytime." Cloud Guy nodded.
A/N: Hope that wasn't too confusing. I have to put a lot into these next couple chapters.
