Hello everyone!

As you can tell from the thumbnail [hopefully it will be up and loaded by the time you read this], the commission of Ethan Day is finally here! Big thanks to CLo-Zone18 for commissioning the artwork from artist Kevin Trentin! This has been the first time someone's wanted to commission something based on one of my stories, and I hope that it will not be the last!

The artwork shows Ethan before he came to Amphibia, showcasing his SJMS uniform and cheerful attitude! I could not have asked for a better commission myself, and I can't believe how accurately Ethan looks compared to what I thought up in my mind. I'm glad you can all see what he looks like now, and get a better picture of him in your head!

And now, without further ado, here is chapter fourteen! Enjoy!

An Unusual Rescue

Grime POV:

Grime was sitting on his usual seat, watching Suspicion Island with a Bog Grog within reach.

Ever since the Toad Army had deserted him and had him branded as a traitor, the toad had done some self-searching. Years of hard work and ordering people around had been for nothing, and he wanted something to change. Dealing and stressing over everything that had happened to him was something the old Grime would have done. Now, he found it easier to just sit back and do nothing, and let everyone else deal with life's problems.

He liked being New Grime. New Grime got to sleep in as much as he wanted, and stay up as late as he wanted to. There were no more drills or meetings or paperwork to deal with, and he was glad that he had more free time to do what he wanted. And Ethan's magic box offered plenty of entertainment to help occupy his time, like games and movies and the greatest TV show of all time. No wonder his life had been rough for so long; it had not had the excitement and drama that Reality TV did.

New Grime also had a cool beard, since the toad had realized that going to the bathroom to shave was too much time and effort. Besides, it looked cool, and he liked to absentmindedly run his claws through it while he watched Suspicion Island [partly because it itched a little], and he sometimes stashed a spare Bog Grog inside it. Sure, he middle was also getting a bit rounder, but he was not planning on fighting anytime soon, so he had no reason to keep himself in shape.

"You know what," Owen said in the magic box, turning towards Monica with a frown on his face. "I think that you're suspicious!"

"No he did not," Grime gasped, grabbing his drink and finishing it off in a few gulps. Bog Grogs had very little alcohol content, but he liked the taste of them.

"Oh yeah," the female human replied, glaring right back at him. "I think that you're suspicious!"

"NOOOO," her fellow contestant screamed, the screen going to black as the credits started to roll.

"What a twist," the former toad captain muttered, quickly hitting the button to play the next episode. "Perry? Perry!"

"It's Percy, sir," the other toad said, looking up at him from the kitchen table where he was polishing his club with a rag.

"Another Bog Grog," Grime ordered, letting loose a loud belch as he crumpled up the empty can in his hand.

"Sir, you've nearly gone through the pack," Percy said, a worried expression on his face. "The last pack."

"I don't care," the lazy toad said, scratching his beard as the show's opening credits started to play. "Get me another one!" The other toad sighed, getting up from his seat and going over to the cooler.

Suddenly there was a loud commotion from outside, and a few seconds later, Braddock burst through the door.

"They took Ethan," she yelled, running straight for Percy and hugging him tightly. "They ambushed us and they took Ethan! They said that they're gonna eat him!"

"Braddock, slow down," Percy said, hugging her tightly before holding her back at a shoulder's length. "Who ambushed you? Who took Ethan?"

"Bog," she replied. "Bog and the others! They're bandits or something now; they came out of the woods and attacked us! Rocky and I barely got away-"

"Rocky," the other toad soldier asked, a slight frown on his face. "Who's Rocky?"

"Our new rhino beetle, but we don't have time to talk about it!" She walked over to where Grime was sitting. "Captain Grime, sir! Permission to rescue Ethan from certain death!"

"Yeah, whatever," Grime said, shooting out his tongue out and catching a small fly out of midair. "Can you get some more Bog Grogs while you're out; Peter says we're running low."

"Percy," the toad in question muttered to himself.

"Aren't you gonna come with us," Braddock asked, frowning at him. "You're still our Captain, and Ethan's still your second-in-command-"

"No he isn't," the lazy toad said, still focused on his show. "And I'm not your Captain; I don't have an army, remember? Can't be a captain without an army."

"We're your army," Braddock reminded him. "Sure, we're small and maybe a little underqualified, but we're still an army!"

"Then go rescue him," Captain Grime said dismissively. "I won't stop you."

"Well, we could use your help, sir," she said. "You have a lot more experience with this kind of stuff-"

"You can handle it on your own, Brady," the toad captain interrupted, stifling another burp as the opening theme ended. "I've got better things to do."

Suddenly, the phone was ripped from his hands, and Grime shrieked, falling forward to try to grab it and landing flat on his face. Looking up, he saw Braddock catch the phone, her tongue flying back into her mouth.

"Hey," he snapped. "Give that back; that's an order!"

"Oh, now you're our Captain again," she asked, glaring at him with a furious expression. "I thought you said we weren't an army?"

"I… said no such thing," Captain Grime said, pushing himself to his feet [which took some effort]. "And if you don't give that magic box back to me, then I'll take it back by force!"

Braddock laughed at that, and Percy stood nearby, looking between the two of them with a worried expression.

"Have you looked at yourself recently," she asked. "You haven't trained in weeks, and you look as round as a Grubhog! Ethan's been helping us train, and we're not the screwups you used to see us as!"

"Enough of this," the lazy toad spat, striding forward and reaching for the phone. Braddock easily stepped aside when he was about to reach her, tripping him and sending him sprawling to the floor. He got back to his feet, growling a little as he now leaped towards her. He landed about a foot short of her, and she easily grabbed his arm and pulled him off balance, sending him to the floor again.

"Hey… stop that," Grime gasped, feeling out of breath and he slowly got to his feet again. "Give me… the damn phone…"

"No," Braddock said sternly. "And I'm sick of you acting like this! We all know you're upset because of what happened at Toad Tower, but that doesn't give you an excuse to leave the rest of us hanging out to dry!"

"It does to," the toad captain argued back. "I've spent my whole life in the military, and I deserve a long break to focus on me!"

"So you're just giving up on us," the female soldier asked. "Giving up on Ethan? You saved his life that day-"

"Don't bring that up," Captain Grime said angrily, shooting his tongue at the phone in her hand. His reflexes were not as fast, so she was easily able to step out of the way as his tongue hit nothing but air.

"You cared enough to save him that day," Braddock continued.

"I said shut up!"

"And you're gonna let him die now?"

"Yes!"

"After everything he's done for you? For this army?!"

"YES!"

"But he's your sec-"

"HE IS NOT MY SON," the toad captain roared, finally silencing the toad soldier. His eyes were glowing with rage and he was breathing heavily, and his hands were clenched into fists. Braddock actually looked frightened [she was going to say that Ethan was his second-in-command], and Percy instinctively stepped forward to protect her.

"I don't care what that… that monster thinks," Grime continued, trembling with anger. "I am NOT his father, and I feel NO emotional connection to him whatsoever! If he dies, it'll be one less person to nag me all the time!"

A ringing silence seemed to fill the cottage, and Percy and Braddock looked at their former captain with shocked expressions. He simply glared back at them, as if daring them to say something to him. A few seconds later, Braddock dared.

"Fine," she spat, walking forward and shoving the phone into his hands. "Watch your stupid suspicion show and sit on your ass like you've been doing for a month! Percy and I will rescue Ethan ourselves! You'd probably just slow us down anyway." She started towards the door. "I'll unload all the supplies off of Rocky, including your stupid Bog Grog, and then we'll leave; they're heading west of here."

Once the door shut behind her, Percy and Grime continued to stand where they were, not looking one another in the eye. Captain Grime held the phone in his hands, looking at his reflection in the dark screen. He was no longer enraged, but he now felt like he had eaten some bad bugs, since his stomach seemed to be turning. He did not like it.

"He didn't mean it."

Grime looked up at Percy, wondering what the idiotic goofball was trying to say.

"He only called you 'dad' because you've been the first person he actually looked up to," the toad soldier continued, an uncharacteristically sober expression on his face. "He's lived his whole life with no father figure to learn from, and you should be honored that he wants to be like you." A frown came onto his face. "Though right now, I understand why he doesn't bother talking to you anymore." He turned away from the toad captain, heading outside to presumably help Braddock with the supplies.

Captain Grime looked down at the phone in his hands, his furrowed brow showing that he was deep in thought. Braddock's and Percy's words and chastisements were replaying in his head, and the sick feeling in his stomach was only getting worse. For the first time in a while, New Grime was starting to think about someone other than himself, and that person was Ethan.

The human had been nothing but a tool from the beginning; first, as a way of setting an example to his soldiers, and then, after he became his second-in-command, a way to spread fear and intimidation through the Valley. But now… he did not see the boy as a tool, but more as a… what? Protege? Student?

… Son?

"No," he muttered to himself, shaking his head a little. He had spent most of his life learning to control his emotions so they did not get the better of him. Now, he was starting to feel some sort of paternal attachment to a monster from another world?

You're gonna let him die now, Braddock's voice echoed in Grime's head. His thumb was hovering over the power button to the phone, millimeters away from turning it back on. All he had to do was turn the phone back on, sit back on the haystack, and watch the next episode. He would not have to worry about disrespectful toad soldiers, or bandits or monsters from other worlds…

"Frog it all," the toad captain muttered, tossing the phone onto the haystack and striding over to a wall hook to grab his cloak and sword. When he walked outside, he saw a pile of supplies sitting near the door, as well as a large rhino beetle. Percy and Braddock paused in their job, looking at him with unsmiling faces.

"What're you staring at," Captain Grime snapped, frowning at each of them as he strapped his sword to his belt and put on his cloak. "Hurry up so we can rescue your second-in-command!"

[][][]

Ethan POV:

Ethan had woken up half an hour earlier [with a horrible headache] to find himself tied to the trunk of a tree, unable to move. Looking around, he appeared to be in another part of the forest, and he could see the beginnings of a clearing some twenty yards away. He could also see makeshift tents through the trees, and figured that was where the bandits lived. There were two guards stationed nearby, ready to stop him in case he escaped. Had he not been tied up so tightly, he could have gone for one of his many hidden knives and used it to free himself.

The teen had a feeling of deja vu as he sat there, remembering his time in the Toad Tower prison cell months ago. It felt like such a long time ago… he had been away from his mom and family for so long. They probably missed him, and he felt a pang of sadness as he imagined how his mom and aunt must be feeling, not knowing where he was or if he was even alive.

I'll get back to you, the human thought as he heard someone approaching through the trees. I don't plan on dying today.

"Only one more hour until sunset," Bog said, walking up to Ethan with a cruel smile on his face, causing the two toads guarding him to immediately straighten up. The red toad looked the same as he had back at Toad Tower, minus the toad emblem on his lapel, and the fact that his clothes were dirty and rugged. "And then we're gonna have us some monster stew!"

"A stew," the teen asked sarcastically. "You're not gonna roast me on a spit?"

"We'll do that first, and then cut you into tiny pieces to add to the stew," the toad bandit said, laughing a little as the human's face paled. "What's the matter? Upset that Grimey ain't here to protect ya?"

"I don't need him," Ethan said as bravely as he could. "He's building up another army, and it's gonna be better than you and the other ever were!"

"Oh really?" The toad's eyes narrowed. "I doubt many toads would wanna align themselves with a wanted criminal. Especially one as cruel as Grime." He started to slowly pace back and forth in front of the human. "Besides, we would've heard news of this by now; we hear every bit of news that travels through this forest!"

"And how is living in a forest," the teen asked. "You smell a lot worse than you did back when you were a soldier!"

"Ha ha," Bog said sarcastically. He suddenly stepped forward, backhanding his prisoner across the face. Ethan grit his teeth, a red mark now across his face.

"At least I'm faring far better than you," the toad said. "You're about to be eaten by the toads ya used to boss around, and no one's comin' to save ya! Where's your buddy Grime now?"

"I don't need Grime's help," Ethan said, trying to push away the fear bubbling up in his chest. "I'll get out of this alive; believe me!"

Bog chuckled a little. "Good luck!" He started to walk away, but paused and turned back towards the teen. "I wonder if I can find someone to stuff and mount your head… My tent could use some decoration!" Laughing evilly, he walked back through the bushes and tress, back towards the bandit camp.

If only I could reach one of my knives, Ethan thought as the two guards went back to their conversation, their weapons held limply in their hands. I could easily take those two down and escape from here!

He was not sure what to do. He had no idea if Braddock had gotten away or was being held somewhere else, and even if she had gotten away, how could she find him? The trees here were so thick and close together, it was almost like a maze [which probably explained why the toad bandits chose to live here]. And Grime… Grime was probably watching season three of Suspicion Island, and could care less about helping him.

I need to get out of here, the human thought. He tried again to wriggle free of his rope bonds, but they were still tied too tightly. He could only move his head and feet freely, meaning that someone else had to free him.

Ethan looked over at the two guards that stood nearby. He vaguely recognized them from his time at Toad Tower, and they were currently talking about a cricket match or something [he doubted their version of Cricket was like the human version; it probably involved real crickets]. Now he just needed one of them to free him…

"Uh-oh," the teen said loudly, putting a pained expression on his face. The two toad bandits looked up at him, frowns crossing their faces.

"Hey! Pipe down," one of them yelled.

"Yeah," his friend added. "We're tryin' to talk here!"

"Ow Ow OW," the human cried, bending forward as far as he could. "Oh no, I'm gonna be sick!"

The two toads gasped, looking momentarily shocked, but then the frowns returned to their faces.

"Yeah, right," the first toad said, walking over to him. "We're not that stupid, monster! That's one of the oldest tricks in the book!"

"My cousin did it once," the second guard agreed. "It worked like a charm."

"Y-You don't understand," Ethan gasped, his face pale as a few beads of sweat appeared on his head. He was once in his school's production of Peter Pan [he had played Captain Hook], and was quite a good actor. "When humans g-get sick, we really get sick!" He swallowed. "Like, imagine v-vomit everywhere!"

"Eww," the toad said, his face wrinkling with disgust. "Everywhere?"

"Everywhere," the human agreed.

"You're lying," the first toad said, frowning at him. "We don't recall you ever getting sick back at the Tower!"

"Because human-" The teen made a fake gagging sound, and the two toads flinched. "We… W-We only get sick once a y-year… like you guys f-freezing solid once a year."

"Hiber Day," the second guard said in a loud whisper. "But for bein' sick! That's awful!"

"Yeah… I still don't believe you," the first toad bandit said, but he had an uneasy look on his face. "So you're saying that we oughta stand back?"

"Of course, b-but first…" Ethan hesitated, giving a convincing moan of agony. "Y-You need to lead me to a bush or s-something away from here. It's gonna sh-show up any second!"

"I knew it!" The first toad grinned triumphantly. "You just want us to let you go!"

"F-Fine," the human said, pretending to wince with pain. "But when B-Bog asks why a wave of vomit is c-coming towards the camp, d-d-don't say I didn't w-warn you!"

"A w-wave of vomit," the second toad guard asked, looking like he was about to be sick. He reached for the sword on his belt to cut the human free, but his friend stopped him.

"No, you idiot," the other toad snapped, glaring at him. "It's a trick! Remember, Captain Bog said he's smart and'll probably do anything to escape!"

"I… I-I-I-" Ethan's cheeks bulged, and a small spray of vomit flew out of his mouth and hit the first toad in the face.

It was one of the teen's hidden talents, but not one he had done in years. He could make his gag reflex react, causing his stomach's contents to come up at a moment's notice. He had forgotten all about it until he found himself tied to the tree, and he was secretly relieved that he was able to pull the trick off. And it worked like a charm.

"NO," the second toad bandit cried, jumping back as his friend stood there with a shell-shocked expression as bits of beetle oatmeal ran down his face. After a few moments, his eyes narrowed.

"You're DEAD," he yelled, drawing his knife and swinging it at the human.

Ethan tilted his head out of the way, and the knife buried itself into the bark of the tree, nicking his shoulder as it did so. It also cut at the topmost part of the rope that bound him to the tree, causing it to slacken a little.

Taking the opportunity, the teen slammed his head forward, headbutting the toad guard in the face. The rope snapped as he leaned forward, causing the length of rope to slacken enough for him to move his arms. As the soldier staggered back, holding his face, the human quickly pulled the ropes off of him, kicking the toad away from him. His friend gasped, fumbling for his sword.

This wasn't what I had my mind, Ethan thought. But it'll do. He had wanted the toads to untie him and lead him away from the bandit camp, but he decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The human ran forward, kicking the second toad and quickly disarming him. Yelping, the toad fell to the ground, trying to scramble away from him. However, the teen quickly punched him in the face, knocking him unconscious. Sensing something behind him, he turned and brought his sword up in time as the first guard attacked with his dagger, the two blades clanging against one another.

"I knew it was a trick," the bandit said.

"Congrats," Ethan replied. "Here's your reward!"

He knocked the toad's knife aside, elbowing him in the face. This aggravated his already sore face, and the guard fell onto the ground, screaming into his hands. Running up to him, the teen grabbed him in a chokehold, cutting off the toad's airway as the amphibian struggled to free himself. After a few seconds, as the bandit's struggling started to lessen, the human released him, allowing him to get a few breaths in before hitting him with the butt of his sword. The toad fell to the forest floor, still alive, but unconscious.

Panting a little, Ethan quickly got back up, grabbing the fallen guard's sword and running away from the camp. No doubt that someone might have heard him fighting the guards, so he needed to get as far away as he could before they came after him.

Or, he thought, stopping and looking up at the nearest tree. They'll expect me to keep running, so if I hide out somewhere not far from the camp…

The sound of a war horn being played echoed through the forest, and the human quickly scaled the tree, vanishing into the branches above. And not a moment too soon; a minute later, several bandits came running by, weapons drawn as they ran in the direction he had originally been running. The human grinned.

Just gotta wait a little bit, he thought. In case any stray bandits pass by.

A few toads did pass by, all of them running away from the camp. Ethan stayed in his hiding spot for about ten minutes before deeming it safe to climb down. Now all he had to do was make his way back to a road while avoiding being seen, and then make his way back to the hidden cottage. Nothing too difficult; especially since he now had a sword.

"Stop right there, creature."

The teen immediately whirled around, drawing his sword as Bog slowly approached him, his war hammer in hand. There was a rustling noise, and the human realized too late that Mire and Fens were now behind him, weapons drawn as well. He was surrounded.

"You're clever, I'll give ya that," Bog said, casually swinging his hammer back and forth. "If Mire hadn't sniffed ya out, we would've joined the others, combin' the forest for ya."

"I'm sorry to leave without saying goodbye," Ethan said, not lowering his sword as his eyes darted around, making sure that he knew where all three toads were at all times. "But seeing that you knocked me out and tied me to a tree, I think we're even when it comes to being rude to one another."

"But you're gonna miss dinner," Fens said, an evil grin on her face as she twirled the spiked club in her hand. "It'd be a shame to see ya leave so soon!"

"Mmm-hehehe," Mire said, the armored toad looking sinister in the early evening light.

"I know, but I'd rather stay alive than be eaten," the human said. "I'm sure my mom would be upset if I allowed myself to be killed."

Bog chuckled.

"Well, I guess she's gonna be disappointed, then," he said, raising his hammer and running forward to attack.

[][][]

Percy POV:

"So you helped Ethan take down a giant beetle and then taught him to ride it," Percy asked as Braddock held the reigns, steering Rocky the rhino beetle up the road. "How often do I tell you that you're amazing?"

"Probably not as much as you should," she replied coyly, smiling a little.

"Seriously, how'd I end up with a girl like you," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. She put one of her hands on top of his, the two of them smiling for a moment.

"HEY," Captain Grime snapped from the back of the beetle. "Can you two love doves stop mooning over each other and focus on the road?!" The two toad soldiers broke apart, their cheeks flushing a little.

Percy and Braddock had declared their fondness for one another shortly after the Heron attack, and had been dating since then. Of course, back at Toad Tower, they were restricted with how much they could see one another, since they had training and guard duty. The only real time they could be together and talk was during meals, and it was during this time that they got to know one another. However, since they were now on the run from the law, they were able to spend more time together, sometimes strolling through the nearby swamps and forests, going to get supplies together. Once they even went to a diner in a nearby town for a date [though Ethan and Grime had no idea that they were going on a date]. Some nights, they simply sat outside and looked at the stars, holding one another's hands.

"So what's our plan," Percy asked. "Storm the camp?"

"That's a quick way to get killed," Captain Grime said from his seat. "We could offer them a trade."

"What would we give them," Braddock asked.

"Well, if you claim that they plan on eating Ethan, then let's give them something else to eat."

The two soldiers exchanged quick looks.

"Sir, we're not gonna…" Percy said. "I… I love Braddock, and-"

"And I love Percy," Braddock agreed.

Percy turned to her, his eyes wide, and she returned his look with one of her own; this was the first time they had admitted that they loved one another. Grime rolled his eyes.

"I was talking about the beetle, you idiots," the toad captain said. "He should be big enough to feed their bandit group; Ethan would only feed about ten of them, tops."

"We're not giving Rocky to them," Braddock said, patting the rhino beetle on the head as it made a low chattering sound with its pincers. "Rocky's the only reason I got away to tell you about Bog and the others, and he's our way out after we rescue Ethan."

"Besides, I don't think Bog would want to trade Ethan for a beetle," Percy added. "They weren't exactly friends back at Toad Tower. This could be revenge for him."

"Of course it's revenge," Captain Grime said. "Ethan's fallen right into his hands, and he won't let him go so easily."

"Then what should we do, sir," Braddock asked. "Do you have a plan?"

"Besides the trading the beetle for Ethan…" The fat toad shrugged. "I suppose we could use the beetle to storm the camp, seeing that rhino beetles are hard to take down and demolish just about everything in their path."

"That could work," the female soldier agreed, looking down at Rocky as she steered the reins down a forest path. "Rhino beetles can travel up to 35 snail power, and if we're quick enough, we should be able to run in, grab Ethan, and get out."

"But how would we know where Ethan is," Percy asked. "We don't even know if they've-"

A tense silence came over the group, and the three toads tried not to think about Ethan already being dead. Percy and Braddock shuddered as they thought of their human friend, roasted and cut into pieces-

"He's fine," Braddock said firmly, reaching behind her and taking Percy's hand. She squeezed it, making him feel a little better. "We're gonna rescue him."

"Yeah," he agreed, smiling a little. "We will." He sighed. "If only we could think of someway to get in and out of the camp without getting captured or killed."

"Yes," Grime said sarcastically. "Too bad it's not one of your stupid one-man-band performances or plays or… whatever it is you do in your free time." He pointed at the toad soldier's head. "You're still wearing that stupid jester's hat, too!"

Percy cowed a little at the captain's comment, and he was about to take the hat off when he froze, inspiration hitting him like a lightning bolt.

"A play," he thought, quickly looking around him at the moss-covered trees, the vines that hung overhead, and the mud that Rocky trudged through. "I've got an idea!"

"Really," Captain Grime asked dubiously.

"What is it, Percy," Braddock asked.

"Have you both heard that story of the Mean Ol' Toad Gobbler?"

"A children's tale," the captain said, scratching at his beard.

"Yeah, but it used to scare me as a kid," Braddock said. "I don't think there's a toad alive that hasn't heard of it before. I would cower under my covers, scared that a giant, mossy monster would show up and gobble me whole!"

"And how does this help us," Grime questioned. "Are we gonna bore them to death with children's tales?"

"Well…" Percy stood up on Rocky's back, reaching up and pulling a stray vine down. "What if it showed up for dinner at the bandit camp?"

Braddock's confused expression turned into a wide grin. Even Captain Grime straightened up a little, the gears turning in his head.

"There should be enough moss around here to cover Rocky," Percy continued. "All it takes is a believable story to spread fear…"

[][][]

Ethan POV:

When Ethan came to again, he found himself once again tied to a stake, but this one was suspended above the ground. Wearily looking around, he realized he was hanging on a horizontal branch, suspended over a large pile of sticks. It took him a few seconds to realize that it was an unlit bonfire, and he quickly gasped, trying not to move so much so he did not fall onto the sharp, pointy ends of the sticks.

Looking around, the teen saw that he was in the middle of the bandit camp now. All around him were former toad soldiers, their clothes dirty and ragged from their time living in the woods. He recognized some of them specifically, but did not find a friendly face among the crowd. Glancing as far as he could, he saw that the sun had just about set beneath the horizon, turning the sky into a blood-red hue.

"Glad ya finally decided to join us," a voice said, and the human turned around to find Bog standing nearby, Mire and Fens behind him with lit torches in their hands.

"The menu tonight is simple, yet delicious," the leader of the bandits continued. "Un-poisonous berries from the wood, some bread we stole from a baker's cart, and monster stew!" A roar of cheers came up from the crowd around them, striking fear into the teen's heart. Laughing along with them, Bog walked over to Ethan, bending over to look him in the eye. "Still think Grime and the others are gonna come for ya? They don't care about ya; who would care about some freak of nature?"

"You haven't killed me yet," Ethan reminded him.

"But I think it's safe to assume that you're toast," the evil toad said. "Literally!" The teen spat in his face, causing Bog to stumble back as a loud gasp came from the crowd. Bog turned to him, eyes glowing red with rage as he growled, taking the lit torch from Fens.

"I don't think I'll have your head stuffed," he said. "It'll be much more fun to watch it burn!"

Bog stuck the lit end of the torch into the pile of sticks beneath him, the fire quickly spreading to the kindling. Straightening back up, the toad bandit looked at him with a steely expression, stepping back as more of the sticks started to burn. Ethan gasped, watching as the fire slowly started to grow, smoke floating up into his face. He coughed a few times, the stake he was tied to shaking a little.

I will not fear, he thought, trying to remain calm. I will let my fear pass over me, and... SCREW THIS, I'M ABOUT TO BE BURNED ALIVE AND COOKED IN A STEW! A few tears leaked from his eyes, wondering where his friends were.

"HELP!"

There was a disturbance in the back of the crowd, and suddenly, Percy broke through the ranks, looking out of breath and covered in mud.

"Pansy Percy," someone asked, earning a few laughs from the crowd of the crowd of bandits.

"Percy," Ethan whispered, coughing a little as the smoke and fire grew beneath him. "You… came for me."

"Please help me," Percy begged, running over to Bog and falling at his feet. "It's after me! It already got Braddock and Captain Grime! PLEASE-"

"What are ya babbling about," the evil toad asked, kicking him back away from him. "How'd you find this camp?"
"Please… It's after me," the frightened toad begged. "It's gonna eat me; it's gonna eat all of us!"

"Who," Fens demanded as worried whispers started to ripple through the crowd.

"The… T-T-The…" Percy could barely speak, he was trembling so badly as tears leaked from his eyes. "The MEAN OLD TOAD GOBBLER!"

A few bandits gasped, some were silent, and others simply roared with laughter, slapping their knees. Ethan had no idea what a Toad Gobbler was, but he started to realize that Percy was not there to rescue him.

And did he say that it got Braddock and Captain Grime already, the teen thought, a sinking feeling filling his stomach.

"What kinda joke is this," Bog asked, pulling Percy to his feet, holding him by his tunic's collar. "That's just a kid's tale; it ain't real!"

"Yeah," Fens agreed, laughing a little. "I mean, a giant, terrifying monster that eats toads in the woods?" A few toads laughed with her, but some looked uneasy.

"It is," Percy assured him. "P-P-Please! I t-think it may have f-f-followed me!"

"Bullfrog," Bog said. "Our scouts would've given us the signal if-"

Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the forest, bringing all conversation to a standstill. Slowly, everyone turned towards the direction of the trees, waiting with bated breath. Seconds later, loud screams reached their ears, and a few toad bandits ran into the clearing, clearly scared.

"RUN," one of them screamed. "IT'S REAL! THE GOBBLER'S-"

Her warning was cut off as another roar, this one closer, echoed through the trees, followed by thundering footsteps. Moments later, a large blur ran into the clearing, knocking over a few tents before skidding to a halt to face the toad crowd.

It was big, like a giant bug, but covered in moss, leaves, mud, and other nasty, foul-smelling items. Weapons of fallen soldiers dotted its back, and a large horn, not unlike that of a rhino beetle's, pointed towards the sky. It opened its mouth and roared again, sending a shockwave through the camp.

Immediately, all the bandits screamed, running in all directions except that of the monster. Most of them bolted into the trees, fleeing from the terrifying monster. Mire ran into the woods, but Fens and Bog turned towards the creature, drawing their weapons. Roaring again, the creature slowly started to trudge towards them, mud and moss dripping off its hide.

"STAND AND FIGHT, COWARDS," Bog screamed, but none of the former soldiers obeyed him, more focused on getting away than fighting the viscous-looking creature. Meanwhile, Ethan was coughing as more smoke flew up into his face, the fire starting to burn more brightly. The heat was starting to become unbearable, and he tried to wriggle away without falling into it.

"Any ideas," Fens asked.

"W-W-Wait for death," Percy mumbled, laying on the ground near the fire, still shaking like a leaf.

"I'm not gonna take this layin' down," Bog snapped, stepping over the cowering toad and brandishing his hammer. He faced down the monster, which was starting to pick up speed as it galloped towards them. "COME ON! SHOW ME WHAT YA GOT!"

Another loud roar from the Toad Gobbler, and it started to run towards the bandit leader, the last of the bandits fled into the woods. Fens stepped up to join Bog, holding her spiked club with a determined expression on her face. Ethan wanted to watch what was happening, but his coughing was getting worse, making him woozy and tired.

Suddenly, something rammed into his side and knocked him away from the bonfire. He was still tied to the stick, and painfully rolled across the ground for a short bit. Looking up, he was surprised to find Percy standing over him, holding one of the heavy sticks from the bonfire with a serious expression on his face.

"Percy," Ethan asked, coughing a little.

The usually jovial toad swung the club around, hitting Fens in the chest. She cried out in pain, dropping her weapon and falling to her knees. Bogs turned around at his comrade's cry, his eyes narrowing as he realized that he had been tricked. In that split second, the monster finally reached him, stopping just a few feet short of hitting him. Then, as if this was not crazy enough, the top of the monster's head split open, and Braddock jumped out.

"What the-" Bog's gasp was cut off as the toad tackled him to the ground, pointing a dagger to his throat. Fens was quickly brought down by Percy, who took a dagger from his belt and pressed it to her throat.

"Stay down," Braddock growled. "If you know what's good for you."

"How," the bandit leader spat, glaring at her. "A trick… This… can't be possible… I'm better than this!"

"Not tonight," Percy said, he and Braddock slamming the hilts of the knives into their victim's heads, knocking them unconscious.

For a few moments, the two toads breathed heavily, the Toad Gobbler standing nearby like a smelly statue. However, a loud cough from Ethan brought them out of their thoughts, and they raced over to his side.

"Ethan," Braddock said, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug before more of his coughing made her quickly let go. "Are you okay?! You're bleeding!"

"I'm f-fine," the teen gasped, coughing and wheezing some more. "You… Came j-just in time."

"It was all Percy's idea," Braddock gushed. "He remembered this old story our moms used to tell us, and we found enough moss to disguise Rocky-"

"Braddock, you did a great job with that fake roar," Percy said, helping the human to his feet as he coughed some more.

"Actually, that was me," a new voice said, and Ethan looked up to see Grime crawl out from the underbelly of the rhino beetle, getting to his feet. "Turns out a bigger stomach means a bigger roar."

"You… helped them rescue me," Ethan asked, gaping at the toad captain. "But-"

"None of that," Grime said, walking over and helping Percy by grabbing Ethan's other arm. "Don't get any ideas about me caring for you; they insisted that I come, and took your phone from me. So let's hurry up and get back so I can finish the season."

The teen sighed, gagging a little as the two toads led him back to a disguised Rocky, who was shaking the excess mud and moss off of his back. Braddock used some vine to quickly tie up Bog and Fens, and joined them as they lay the human across the flatter part of the beetle's back. A minute later, Rocky was scampering through the swampy woods with his four passengers, the early evening air refreshing and the moon bright above them.

Why did he come, Ethan wondered, glancing up at Grime, who sat on another part of the beetle's back, facing away from him. Why did he bother rescuing me? He didn't have to; he had nothing to gain from keeping me alive.

However, these and other questions soon faded from the teen's mind as he drifted off to sleep.

Next chapter will follow the 'Toadcatcher' episode!

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Have a great day, everyone!

-aggiefrogger