This kid is strong, thought Falcon. He's got that crazy tree strength. Thank goodness because I'm completely useless. Not a single weapon.

Sam Wilson dipped into a dive and clipped a thing that he could only call "monster" with his wing to knock it down. The brute barely tripped before racing towards Groot. Groot flung his arms, thin but strong, and smashed it into the dirt. It didn't get up. The other 2 monsters were already incapacitated.

"I am Groot!" Groot roared with pride. Sam simply nodded. He had no clue what was said but knew what he meant at that moment.

The pair had been walking in terribly rocky terrain for hours without any change. Up ahead Sam saw shaped that might be more monsters or maybe something friendly?

"I am Groot," Groot pointed towards the same shaped.

"I see. I hope we won't have to fight. We could use good news," Sam muttered as he landed. They slowly walked towards the potential threat. Soon they could see what it was.

Three humans lay curled together. They were clearly dead. 2 adults and a young teenager. Perhaps the monsters Sam and Groot had just fought had killed them.

Sam bent down to the bodies as Groot stood behind him. Sam couldn't help be reminded that he was bringing a teenager into an active war zone; no matter where it was located. Groot shifted nervously as Sam covered their faces. Sam couldn't bury them there even if he wanted.

To the right the terrain changed to gravel. Sam tired of walking in the sharp rock area and began walking that way. Groot followed. A basin opened up below them. And there were figures at the bottom. They appeared to be walking.

"I am Groot," Groot said shocked.

"Can you see who it is?"

"I am Groot, " he confirmed.

"Good or bad?"

"I am Groot," he nodded passionately. Groot began running down the hill. Sam attempted to run with him but was quickly left behind.

"Crazy tree power. Be careful," he called towards Groot as he jogged down towards to group. Groot ran to a figure and hugged it tightly. Sam released tension he didn't know he had. The guilt of letting a teenager protect him didn't leave.

"Sam?" Came a familiar voice. Sam quickened his pace. He recognized some from the group including Wanda who had called him. The group of seven contained some friends from earth.

He embraced Wanda and looked around. "Of course, your ass would be one of the few earth people I would see in space. Can't leave me alone for a second," he joked before giving Bucky a hand shake/hug. T'challa nodded to Sam in acknowledgement. Behind him Groot was being inspected by the others. "Is this the kid Stark brought to the airport back when?" Sam said looking around.

"It is. Apparently he fought Thanos in space. He's only told us 12 times," Bucky said. Peter heard his name and saw Sam's suit. That tore him away from the amazing tree teenager named Groot.

"I'm Spider-Man," Peter said confidently.

"I'm Falcon but everyone calls me Sam."

"Oh, call me Peter then. Mr. Stark didn't bring me to space. I kinda went even after he told me not to," Peter admitted with red ears and picking at his hands. "He's going to be mad when I get back."

"I doubt it. He'll probably be very relieved. Remember we died to them," Sam said.

Peter paled. "Aunt May."

"So what's the plan now?" Starlord said coming up to Bucky. Sam looked on in confusion.

"You are in charge?" He asked incredulously.

"Not comfortably. I'm basically just pretending to be Steve."

"Why do you follow him," Sam asked T'challa. He was a king for goodness sake.

"He seemed to know more about this place. I advise." T'challa simply shrugged.

"I see some grass or something over there. Maybe we should go that way?" Wanda mentioned nervously. Bucky nodded and the group walked towards the possible grass.

Short scrubby grass grew at the edge of the basin and up a slight hill. The group cautiously climbed the hill with Starlord and Wanda in front. They were the only ones with any distance to their attack.

Reaching to top, they found a rather steep descent that was quickly vegetal. A roping path cut through the dense vegatation. Scrub trees with cactus and thorny bushes sat between the group and the bottom.

For reasons unknown, the group seemed to know this was the way but also felt a strong sense that this was dangerous. You couldn't see more than a few feet from the path in any direction and enemies could be hiding anywhere. And walking single file down a narrow path was always a concern.

Starlord led with his gun out and Bucky followed in the rear; his great assassin senses hopefully catching anything behind him. The eerie silence that filled the air reminded them that they were not on earth. Animals would have been everywhere otherwise.