In the dark hour before dawn, two boys were up to no good, in the beginnings of starting a rebellion.

"Can you explain to me how this will work again?" Ross inquired, raising an incredulous eyebrow. Carefully, he passed Mason another small leather pouch from the satchel slung on his broad shoulders. The other boy took it gently in his hands, cautious not to spill the smelly liquid inside.

The two were kneeling in a small pit in the ground, a sinkhole that had collapsed long ago. Lining the bottom of it were dozens of sacks filled with strong, putrid liquid. Next to each sack were small spheres of clay shells, the inside also filled with something unpleasant.

Mason placed the pouch down, shifting to position it correctly. "This seductive concoction is what female spiders give off when they want to attract a mate. Really powerful stuff so don't get it on you. Although, maybe you should put on a little. It might make Lex swoon for you faster."

The blonde choked indignantly. "Shut it! We aren't dating!" Yet he couldn't fight the blush that rose high on his cheeks.

Mason rolled his eyes. "Exactly, that's your problem. Seriously, it's so obvious you have a thing for her that I'm surprised she hasn't made the first move."

"Can we have this guy-to-guy thing another time?" Ross deflected, trying to hide how uncomfortable he was. "How did you get a hold of this much liquid pheromones anyway?"

Mason smirked at his obvious change of subject but answered anyway."Well, you know my folks are healers. Whenever there's a reported dead spider or snake, they try to get there first to collect the venom sacs to make anti-venom, before anyone tries to get rid of it. They also collect other stuff, like the glands that produce the pheromones. Apparently, it's a good cure for any man suffering from low sperm count. Sure you don't want some?"

"Thanks, I'm good," Ross replied snidely, too used to Mason's barbs to engage him in witty banter, something he didn't find enjoyment in because he was no good at it. Then he realized an implication as to what Mason said. "So to get the pheromones, you had to stop by your parents' house. Are they...?"

The dark-skinned boy's expression saddened. "Nobody's home. Which should be a good thing, there was no signs of a struggle and most of their belongings and medicine is gone. They got out of their in time and are hopefully hiding with the other Jinn, helping to heal them..."

"But you're still worried," Ross finished for him.

"Who wouldn't be? What about Mr. and Mrs. Podkins? Did you go to there place?"

Ross crossed his arms at the mention of his foster parents, which Mason interpreted as him trying to hide his anxiousness and appear outwardly calm. "Not yet, hadn't had the time. But I'm sure they're okay. The old man has been paranoid about a Boggan takeover ever since Mandrake nearly won a year ago. He never really told me but he's hinted at having a secret safe house somewhere."

Mason whistled. "Wow. And his astute wife doesn't know about it?"

Ross smirked. "Not a lot gets past her. It's only a secret to everyone else." He looked to the sky, noting that it was lighter now. "We better get started."

The two boys easily power jumped out of the hole, back on to ground level. They left a pair of quivers and bows on the side, and each grabbed a bow and nocked an arrow.

"Hey, Patamon!" Mason called. "We're about to start, are you ready?"

"I've been ready," came the airy reply. "It is you two that has been holding us up with your pep talks."

Ross aimed his arrow carefully, lining it as close as possible with his target. "I may not be as good as Lex but I can still shoot. On three?"

Mason nodded and also drew back his arrow. "Countdown please?"

"Three...two...one, go!"

In sync, they released the arrows. Both shafts pierced the tight leather of a pouch, bursting it open and spraying the clear, pungent liquid everywhere. Without pausing, Ross and Mason fired again, causing two more pouches of pheromones to explode. Shot after shot, they kept the onslaught of arrows on the pouches. Some missed or went wide in their hast, until Ross managed to hit the last one.

"Now Patamon!" he shouted.

A large gust of wind swept over the hole, carrying the overpowering stench in the direction of Moonhaven. Mason had explained that though the pheromones could be picked up by a spider's sensitive nose from far away, it quickly dissipated in the air. A female could keep the scent strong because her gland naturally gives it off but they didn't have that here. Thus, the wind bird needed to channel a current that would carry it to Moonhaven and lure the spiders to their trap before it completely evaporated.

"Time to climb," Mason quipped, running for the base of a young sapling and clearing the distance between him and the lowest branch in a single leap. Ross followed, stumbling a little as the pheromones made him a little dizzy. Spiders only had to give a little bit off to attract a mate; they just released enough to equal hundreds of arachnids.

Despite the pungent smell getting to him a little, Ross managed to join Mason in the safety of the tree. Just in time too...

Patamon must have been quicker than they thought. First, they heard the sound of a thousand legs clicking and scurrying. It made Ross's skin crawl. Then the black, eight-legged bodies were sweeping the forest floor, running over each other in a shiny dark wave. The blonde couldn't even see the ground anymore, covered as it was with venomous arachnids, making a beeline for the sink hole.

They dove in without hesitation, piling on top of one another, fighting each other to get to the source of the pheromones. There were so many, the hole was overflowing with them.

Mason gaped. "I...I didn't think it would attract that much!"

"Can you still make the shot?"

The shorter boy raised his bow, narrowing his left eye in concentration. "No, there's too many in the way. I can't even see the bottom."

"I'll clear a path," the wind bird declared. "Light the arrow."

Ross did as he was told, taking an oil soaked rag from his pocket they had prepared earlier. He wrapped it tightly around the arrow head then took out his flint and stone. A few tries later and there was a spark, the rag catching fire immediately. Mason raised his bow again, brought it to half-draw, and waited for Patamon to make his move.

The only warning was the roar of god-like winds. The sylph punched into the mass of spiders with a drill of high speed gales, dead in the center. The black creatures were flung away until a small clay shell was exposed at the bottom.

Without hesitation, knowing that his window was small, Mason aimed and fired. The spiders were already surging back into the gap as the flaming arrow sailed into the throng.

They waited in hush, tense silence until a bright orange explosion went off. They had placed small pottery bombs encasing explosive powder next to the pheromones sacks. All they needed was a small little flame and one bomb set off the rest.

The boys covered their heads as spider body parts went flying in all directions. As the boom faded back into silence they looked up to admire their handiwork. The pit was black from the intense scorching it endured. Littered in and all around it were what was left of the spiders. Some bodies were still intact and curled up in their death pose; most had been blown to bits. Random legs were strewn about the area, smoking.

Mason openly laughed in triumph, punching the air with his fists. "Yes! Gotta love the smell of fried spider flesh in the morning!"

Ross shook his head at his insane friend. "Time to go. Don't want to be here when the Boggans come to check this out."

"Right," Mason agreed. "Phase one, mission accomplished."

"Guys, I'm almost there!"

"You said that five days ago, Mub!"

"I'm serious this time! And at last I see the liiiighhttt-"

"Don't start with that again!"

Nim Galuu sighed and rubbed his temples, trying to soothe his headache. Did he need to remind his two slimy cell mates to be quiet every time they worked on their escape tunnel?

Yes, there was a gaping hole in the floor of their cell, the way out. It was just rubbing salt in his wounds; not only was he imprisoned within his own tree but he was forced to dig a hole through it.

However, this seemed to be the only way out. None of them were clever enough to think of an escape plan or trick the guard into letting them out. They noticed, after three days in the cell, that the door never opened. Food was shoved under a small flap and the evening guard was inattentive and usually fell asleep in the middle of the night. They had used this limited window to start digging the hole, a plan that Mub had come up with when he found a soft, weak spot in the floor. Another mistake that the Boggans made when they threw them in here without checking the integrity of the walls.

A week later of endless scraping and chipping, plus bickering between the slug and the snail, they had made a decently deep pit, angling down and outward. This was incredibly risky. They had no idea where they would end up. Nim knew that they were a couple of stories above the forest floor. For all they knew, they could be digging through the ceiling of a room full of Boggans.

Mub was in front, using his teeth to break away pieces of the soft, rotting wood. Grub was shuffling the pieces along, trying to keep the way clear. They were making the hole just big enough for the bulky glow worm to squeeze through. Nim watched the door, fearful that any second, a Boggan would open it ad discover their route before it was finished. He really hoped that this time, Mub wasn't exaggerating about the light at the end of the tunnel.

"Just a little bit more guys, and we're outta here!"

Grub sighed and Nim could practically hear his eye roll. "Honestly, Mub! Just keep digging instead of spouting nonsense-"

Stunning Nim straight in the eyes as he peered down the tunnel, a white light hit him in the face. The old glow worm hissed and backed away, rubbing his watering orbs. It had been more than a week since he's seen sunlight...hold a minute. Sunlight!

"What did I tell you!" Mub declared triumphantly, and rightly so. The tunnel led them right where they wanted; outside. "We made it!"

"We really did!" Grub joined in. "I can't believe this actually worked-"

"Quiet!" Nim snarled at the two. A horrifying revelation just hit him. "If there's light outside that means morning's come and the Boggans..." He trailed off, once again fixing his gaze on the door. The slugs were still, straining to hear anything above them. Shuffling outside the door, yawning as a snoozing sentry woke up. The changing of the guards was happening soon.

Nim put a finger to his lips and made a shooing motion to the slugs. They nodded in understanding and continued to expand the opening as quietly as possible. Nim could hear the Boggan guard adjusting his weapons and armor, probably trying to look presentable like he hadn't been sleeping at his post.

It felt like an eternity but Mub and Grub finally made the hole big enough for all of them to go through. Mub was out first, followed by Grub, both slithering silently to freedom. Just in time to; Nim could hear the steps of the next guard coming to relieve the evening Boggan. Quickly and as quietly as possible, Nim scooted head first into the pit. Any smaller and he wouldn't have been able to get through it. The sides scraped against his soft skin and he kept bumping his head into the ceiling, aware of how much noise he was making but it couldn't be helped.

The Keeper of the Scrolls squinted his small eyes against the painful, glaring rays of the rising sun but he had never had been happier to once again see the pink and orange morning sky. For a prisoner that had been kept in the dark, it was a gift from heaven.

The only issue now was that the hole led right out the sheer side of the oak tree. They were higher than he thought. Mub and Grub were using their sticky slim to grip the bark, waiting for the glow worm to get through.

"Are we missed?" Grub asked, still keeping his voice soft.

Nim turned his head back up the hole, his small ears trying to pick up any commotion. "Still as a mill pond." They sure got lucky; the Boggans hadn't heard anything to alert them.

"Now that we're out, where will we go?" Mub inquired, also thankfully, keeping his voice to a whisper.

Nim thought about it for a moment. "I think I know a place but we need to go now, and get there before nightfall."

"Then grab hold, party animal," Mub smirked slyly.

Cringing at what he had to do, Nim Galuu took a firm hold on Mub's body, trying hard to hide his disgust as slime coated his hands. Mub only chuckled, amused of his squeamishness. However, he lost his humor when he took Nim Galuu's full weight.

"Ack!" he grunted, already sliding down the bark. "Grub, help!"

The snail quickly came to his side and Nim grabbed his shell with his other pair of arms. Thank goodness Grub had a shell; if he had to touch anymore slimy skin, he was going to be sick. Together, the slug and snail slithered slowly down the tree to forest floor, carrying the weight of the Keeper in between them.

As they reached the ground, the sun broke through the trees, illuminating them with a golden ray. Nim Galuu soaked up the warmth happily. He could feel it, could feel the change about to happen. The scrolls may not tell the future but the Keeper's gut had never been wrong before.

"Yes," he murmured. "At last we see the light."

The rising sun gave hope to some of the forest dwellers elsewhere, but to Finn, it only meant another day of hard, intense labor. Another day of slavery.

They always woke with dawn. This wouldn't be a problem for the Leafmen and women, because before everything went to hell, this was what they always did anyway, as a part of their routine. So it shouldn't be hard. But when you have been working the entire day yesterday, with only short breaks, barely enough food, and whips cracking at your naked back...

It wasn't hard. It was hell.

The whole process was restarting again today, as it had been doing for the past week and a half. Day after day after day.

Finn didn't look forward to the rising sun anymore.

At the sound of the horn, the prisoners rose achingly from their bed rolls. They had been kept in the barracks, over fifty of them stuffed into rooms that were meant to hold twenty. Some slept on the floor and they took turns using the cots. There was one bucket in a corner and that was all. The room stank of refuse and sweat. It was a relief every morning to be let outside, since that at least was fresh air. As they marched out of the barracks in a line, flanked by two hulking Boggans, other rows of Leafmen and women were doing the same. In haphazard piles were their tools: shovels, picks, and buckets.

Bending over to pick up a shovel, trying to ignore his muscles screaming in agony, Finn glanced around the spring that had once been a beautiful haven. Every time he looked, his heart was crushed a little bit more.

It was completely and utterly dead and destroyed. The Boggans had let their Rot run free, killing all that had once lived. The flowers, grass, moss, and vines were all but gray husks of themselves. But that hadn't been enough for that bastard Boggan lord. He wanted all the dead plants removed. Dug up from their roots, cut away, and dragged into a giant pile. The water from the stream around Moonhaven was brown and muddy from the excess earth. The lord wanted the entire clearing stripped until it was just plain dirt.

The reason why didn't need to be explained. All the captives knew that as soon as the plants were gone, the leader would somehow destroy the soil. So nothing could grow here ever again.

It was also effective in breaking the Leafmens' spirits. It broke them of their resolve to rebel. Finn had of course tried to come up with a plan. With Ronin imprisoned and hopefully still alive, he was the next in line to give orders. Everyone was looking to him to come up with something, anything!

But the soldier had looked and looked again, and had scanned the situation until he gathered all he could. There were too many Boggans, always alert for any signs of conspiracy. Since they were broken into groups, they couldn't communicate in the evenings in the privacy of their bunks. The only time they were altogether was during the work day, and if even one of them stopped to catch their breath long enough, it was a whip to their back. The labor took what energy they had and they were undernourished. The only way a revolt could happen was if they got outside help.

Finn tried to clamp down on the despair rising in his chest as he began stabbing the earth repeatedly with his shovel. There was no way out. He was failing everybody, failing Ronin. How could he call himself a leader if he can't figure out a way to get as many people out alive as possible?

The sun was starting to rise, the rays slanting through the green canopy. At least the surrounding trees were still where they should be. Finn didn't know exactly why Batlash wouldn't allow the Boggans to kill the rest of the forest, but he assumed it had something to do with keeping the spring hidden from too curious Stompers. Yet he had allowed the Boggans to run amok on the outer fringes of their kingdom and that almost bordered the Stomper town. A weird combination to have in a leader; a mix of iron restraint and ruthless abandon.

Some had begun work like him, and many were still in line for their tools when they all heard the distant explosion go off. All present, including the Boggans, froze and turned towards the direction of the sound. Finn almost dropped his shovel in shock. Was is an accident? Or maybe it was something that was planned, something that meant resistance...

The Boggans were quick to react. The higher ranking ones grunted orders to the scouts, who scurried off, no doubt going to alert their leader. The Boggan overseers cracked their whips and shoved roughly at the frozen Leafmen and women. The captives continued as normal but there eyes kept straying to the forest.

Finn had to tear his gaze away as he tried to avoid the attention of an overseer. Pretending to not notice, he continued digging. Another stab into the earth and throwing the dirt to the side. Another ache in his back and shoulders, and another moan that tried to escape pass his teeth, which he tried to bite down. Yet he could hardly feel it this time. Today was different. The air felt charged, his instincts insisting that something was going to happen.

Something flashed into his line of vision and settled on his shovel. It broke him out of his dazed trance. A blue dragonfly...how odd was that. With a small scroll tied to its body...

God above, he thought, his eyes widening. It can't be...

Quickly, he knelt down and blocked the insect with his body, hoping that the Boggan overseers hadn't spotted it. He pretend to dig through the soil with his left hand like he was dislodging a rock, while his right fumbled to untie the message. Sterling stayed perfectly still, just like Thryn had trained him to.

He closed his fist tightly around the parchment, bringing it close to his stomach as he unrolled it and read quickly.

It's time to fight back. Alert as many Leafmen as possible as carefully as you can. We need the Boggans standing guard around the barracks distracted long enough to place a bomb. Do not fully engage in rebellion until the leader is drawn out.

PS: Queen Ariel says hi.

Look to the sky like you wish to fly away if you're with us. Then give the note back to Sterling.

With great regards, the Resistance.

Wow, that was such an original name. Probably Nod's brain child. And did they really need to ask? Craning his neck to peer longingly at the lightening blue sky, Finn bit his lip to keep from smiling widely; the Boggans would be suspicious if they saw him acting giddy in the midst of slave labor. Not wanting to be caught ceasing work, Finn bent down and retied the note to the dragonfly. The messenger hummed as he zipped away too quick for Finn's eyes to follow, unnoticed by the the Boggans.

Casually, he resumed digging, inching closer to the nearest prisoner to start spreading the message. To his luck, it was his friend Vesta, a Leafwoman in her mid twenties with pixie-cut black hair and cunning brown eyes. She had a reputation for being sly and too clever for her own good; Vesta the Vixen they called her around the barracks. Recently she had dyed the ends of her black locks a rusty orange color, to further her suit her nickname.

"It's time," he said simply and softly.

Her eyes flicked to him and she only paused in her work for a second before continuing like normal. She inclined her head slightly toward him, ready to catch his whispers, an expectant smile playing across her chapped lips.

"Tell as many as you can to make a distraction around the Boggans posted near the barracks. Friends from the outside are going to put a bomb there."

Vesta still didn't answer him but he caught her small, imperceptible nod. Casually, they shuffled away from each other, seemingly focused in their work. Finn didn't have any one else nearby to pass the message without catching the attention of the overseer. However, Vesta managed to tell the next digger, who passed it on to a soldier with a pick trying to pry a rock from the ground, who passed it on to a veteran doing bucket runs for the excess dirt. It was from that point that Finn lost track of the message; the men and women with bucket duty were mostly allowed to run around the area without getting whipped. From there, the rebellion would spread to all the captives.

One day more.

"Hold the lantern still, Jason!"

"I'm trying but I can't keep up. Can't you slow down a bit?"

Thryn rolled her eyes at the boy and once again shifted her map into the glow of the lantern. After a few minutes of studying she pointed to the left. "This way."

"Are you sure we're going the right way?" Nod asked as gently as possible. In return, he got a glare and silence; Thryn more or less saying, "If I hear that question one more time, I'm going to beat you unconscious."

Nod shrugged. "Yeah, I'd thought you say that."

"The scent of the outside is getting stronger," Lex added, sniffing the air. Since she was part grasshopper, her nose was the sharpest among the group. "We're on the right track."

"Thank you!" Thryn growled softly.

She continued leading with Jason holding the lantern above her shoulder, trying his best to provide light in the dark tunnel. All of their tempers were running a bit high since everyone was nervous. When Mason and Ross had come back claiming their mission was a success, they immediately wasted no time jumping into the next step. With the tunnels cleared of spiders for the most part, Nod, Lex, Thryn, and Jason were making good time.

Mason, Ross, and M.K. had stayed behind to carry out their part. Sterling had shown up out of the blue again (probably drawn in by Thryn last remaining wheat cake), and he had carried the message to the Leafmen. The three young rebels planned to infiltrate the Boggans guarding the captives, disguised as the bringers of decay. Back when he was explaining that part of the plan, the others gave him looks of disbelief. Really Nod? Disguises? No one would fall for that! He had to get M.K. to back him up, since it actually did work last time.

Thryn knew the map better than anyone so she led the way. Everyone was afraid of running into a spider or, even worse, a spider gypsy. It hadn't looked like any of the gypsies were drawn in by the pheromone trap, perhaps because they were smarter than their spider brethren. Nod was trying to keep a calm, collected mindset while also battling against the need to turn and run for the surface. This was the third time he found himself trapped underground in a month.

The tunnels were confusing and endless. They crisscrossed each other, doubled back and circled around. Sometimes they would come across a gap in the floor, a passage leading even deeper into the ground. Nod was quite glad they weren't taking those detours.

Thryn was guiding them down the old path; the original passage that led from Moonhaven to the forest. The spiders had dug a whole maze of next tunnels to lead them astray. With every step, Nod felt that he was going deeper into the dark instead of up. He knew if he got scared enough, he'd get nausea. Breathe. You're okay, just remember to keep breathing.

Thryn kept going. Another left, a right, and then to Nod's great relief, they tunnel began sloping upwards. They all quickened their steps, desperate to be out of the dangerous underground; they had been incredibly lucky to have made it this far without running into something that was trying to kill them.

Somewhere in the middle of jogging up the slope, the ground became more rocky, cold, and then carved into steps. This had to be it.

More flights and then the faint outline of a doorway was ahead of them. Nod would have moaned with relief had Thryn not put her fingers to her lips. Jason doused the lantern and the brown-haired girl slinked stealthily up the last few steps, pressing an ear to the wood grain.

"Guard," she reported in a whisper.

Lex sneaked just as quietly up until she was next to Thryn. She tilted her head to the floor, looking under the crack. The grasshopper girl gestured to her friends to go back down the steps. They all went quietly until they were a safe distance away, just behind the corner. Lex reached a slim arm behind her, quietly withdrawing an arrow from her quiver. With a quick jab, she poked the sharp arrowhead under the door crack at the Boggan's unprotected heel.

A surprised yelp of pain came from the other side of the door. Clearing the steps in one leap, Lex hid behind the corner with the others just as the door came crashing open to reveal an angry, startled Boggan brute. The guard huffed as he stared at the empty stairwell, snarling in rage. He lumbered down the steps, intent on catching the escaping prankster.

And promptly met a swinging, rusty lantern to his face as he rounded the corner.

The monster swayed dizzily on his feet before tilting over to crash to the ground. Jason let out the shocked breath he was holding, the others kicking the prone body with their feet to make sure he was out.

"Did I just do that?" Jason gasped, eyes wide and gaping.

"You sure did," Nod replied, whistling appreciatively. "Good arm!"

Jason was still a bit stunned to acknowledge Nod's compliment. He reacted without thinking, striking out instinctively when he saw that the Boggan was right in front of him, the lantern being the only thing in his hand.

"Congrats, you have graduated from the grasshopper stage, my pupil," Nod declared wisely, miming a ninja master.

"The real grasshopper here has a date with her bow, so let's get moving," Lex said, uncharacteristically serious. The carefree, friendly girl was only like this when they had a dangerous and potentially lethal objective to achieve.

They traveled though the corridors of Moonhaven more cautiously, aware that their chances of being caught were much higher here. They checked every corner before making a turn, all ears straining to pick up any noise. They had the advantage of knowing the halls and where Boggans were most likely patrolling. Twice they had to duck away as a pair of guards passed. Nod couldn't help but stare at all the doors that they passed, like his gaze could penetrate through them. Somewhere in the palace was Ronin and Nod wanted nothing more than to run down every hall to find him. The boy had a fair theory of where they were keeping the general.

It would be suicide to look alone. They had to secure the stronghold first. As much as he despised himself for it, Ronin would have to wait a little longer.

Creeping up the last set of stairs, they had finally made it to their destination. The steps opened up to a small balcony, set pretty high above ground. It was right over the main entrance and the most forward facing view of the once clear spring and living life that had covered Moonhaven. It was the perfect vantage point.

For an assassination.

Lex stepped out as far as she dared, crouching on her knees to lessen the chance of being spotted by any Boggans bothering to look up. She experimentally nocked an arrow to her string and pulled in to half-draw, testing the strength. Then she scanned the angles and noted the direction of the wind. Finally she turned back to them, her eyes unreadable and her short green hair framing her neutral expression.

"I'm ready," she said.

this had to be cut in half due to the length but dont worry, the next chapter will come soon. hopefully...

i start my first day of college in four day, so wish me luck and thanks for all the support so far. a special thanks should go to JstaGoose and Crimsondrop7. you guys are two of my best reviewers and your constructive criticism is always well-received and greatly appreciated. thanks so much for your advice and encouragement.

so please leave a review and have a lovely day...or night, wherever you are. ;)