Ok I was going to make this chapter longer, but I think you been waiting long enough for the next chapter :) I have been pretty busy with college and band so I haven't had much time to work on this story. Don't worry though! I will try to post the next chapter as soon as I can!

The sound of laughter could be heard from a distance away. Greg and Mabel were in the middle of a tickle war. Using the fuzzy ends of the tall grass they were walking through as weapons. Connie smiled at this, but she didn't participate. She was cutting a path for them as they play.

"So Connie do you even know how to use that sword?" asked Mabel between laughing.

"Yeah, one of Stevens guardians taught me how," answered Connie. "Though, I haven't really had much practice fighting monsters. I fought Pearl many times, but I haven't had a chance to go on a mission with them."

"Well this can be a mission!" said Greg.

"Yeah! You're first mission is to protect us and find a way out of here!" said Mabel.

"Well, I have a feeling that protecting you guys will be the easy part of this mission," said Connie as she stopped and sighed. Wiping the sweat off her forehead and looking around. They were completely lost in these woods, even if they found their friends she wasn't sure they could all find a way out. Of course she was being a bit negative, of course these woods couldn't go on forever. They find something eventually… right? It was silent for a bit then Connie then suddenly burst into laughter as Greg then broke her thoughts and started tickling her with the fuzzy tall grass. "Hey stop that!" laughed Connie.

Mabel smiled and joined in on tickling Connie. Connie smiled as she then used her other hand and picked one of the tall grass and fought back. "Take that!" said Connie as they all laughed. Slowly moving forwards in their own weird path jumping on random logs and rocks in their way trying to get the advantage in the small war. Eventually they found their way out of the tall grass and were back into another wooded area.

Connie kept laughing as she backed into a tree. "Ouch," she said, as she didn't notice the tree until she backed into it and turned around to see large claw marks on the tree.

"Whoa! That monster must be really tall!" said Greg as he noticed the claw marks went up pretty high up the tree.

"It's probably just a bear," said Connie.

"Well, that must be one big bear," said Mabel.

"Grizzly bears can grow pretty big," said Connie as she grasped Rose's sword tighter. Playtime was now over, Connie had to be on guard again looking out for the creature that made these marks. "We should keep moving." Connie gently nudged the other two to continue walking.

"May be it's a gorilla," said Greg.

"Gorilla's don't live in the forest, Greg. They live in tropical climates," said Connie.

"I saw a gorilla once, but… it turned out to be a man in a suit," said Greg.

"See, like I said they live in tropical climates," responded Connie.

"But I saw a gem monster! May be this time it is a real gorilla this time!" said Greg.

"Ugh," said Connie as she rolled her eyes. Man the imagination on this kid. "Hey what are you doing?" asked Connie as she felt him trying to reach her backpack.

"Well, I just thought if it is a gorilla or gem monster I might need the hatchet!" said Greg.

"Greg there are no gorilla's here, we be more likely to see a bear, but… you may have a point," said Connie as she stopped to get the hatchet out, but she gave it to Mabel. "Here Mabel."

"Hey how come Mabel gets the hatchet?!" pouted Greg.

"Well… You are a bit young to have a weapon," said Mabel siding Connie.

"But both of you are young!" said Greg.

"I had proper training and Mabel…" said Connie trying to find a justifiable reason why she should have it other than she is oldest besides her.

"I had experience in fighting monsters before, I even fought a demon!" said Mabel helping her out.

"A demon!" said Greg.

"Yeah, Bill Cypher and he still gives us trouble sometimes," said Mabel.

"Wow!" said Greg. "I want to learn how to fight too!"

"Well… May be it won't hurt if I give you a beginners lesson in sword fighting later," said Connie.

"Why not now?" asked Greg looking up at Connie with a wide smile.

"Because there is a bear here," answered Connie.

"But if we stay here, there is a less likely chance to find it!" replied Greg.

"Greg, I-" said Connie, but was interrupted by Mabel.

"Oh, come on it won't hurt to stay here a little longer, besides we been walking all day," said Mabel. "I don't have a little sword lesson break will hurt."

Connie wasn't sure at first. She rather be somewhere safer, but again, Mabel did have a point. They have been walking for a long time… "Well, ok we will take a break for a bit, but after a quick lesson we should get moving again."

"Yay!" said Greg.

Connie smiled liking his enthusiasm then turned to Mabel. "Why don't you join us Mabel? I think this could be a good skill for you to learn too."

"Alright! This will be fun!" said Mabel as she rushed over to stand beside Greg.

"Alright, it all begins with your stance," begun Connie.

"UGH!" said Mabel as she fell to the ground in frustration. Unlike what Connie wanted they been practicing for hours, this was probably cause of Greg who was learning quickly. Unfortunally that wasn't the case for Mabel, she was trying her best, but just couldn't get this down.

"Come on Mabel, that was better than last time," encouraged Greg as he just won their last spar. Which would be like the… 20th time he won?

"I just can't get this! I thought it would come easily, but it actually really hard," said Mabel as she threw the stick she been using for a sword away from her.

"Well, nothing comes easily Mabel," said Connie as she went over to her and sat down next to her, laying Roses sword next to her. "I had to train really hard to learn everything I know." Connie wasn't a fool, though, she could tell that this was much more difficult for Mabel to learn. May be sword fighting wasn't for her.

"May be a sword isn't a good weapon for me," said Mabel almost reading Connie's thoughts.

"I'm starting to think that you may be right," said Connie agreeing with her, but didn't make the situation any better as she tried to hide in her sweater. "But it's ok!" didn't meaning to make her feel worse. "The sword isn't for everyone, Steven's guardians have weapons unique to them and their abilities. The sword was right for me, but that doesn't mean it is right for you. You could be good at some other weapon, like a blaster, a whip or even an axe. So don't feel bad."

Mabel sighed as she popped her head back out. "Ok…" she said, but Connie didn't entirely believe her.

"Come on lets get out of here," said Greg as he changed the subject and started to walk off. "Don't want to be eaten by that Gorilla!"

"There is no Gorilla and come back here!" said Connie getting up and grabbing Rose's sword before walking briskly after him.

Mabel gave a little laugh and smile as she stood up. Grabbing Connie's backpack before following them.