'Well, me and Flik just wanted to thank you bugs ever so much for saving us from that bird.'

'Oh, you're too kind.' Replied the gypsy moth, flattered. The others nodded in agreement.

'It was very brave,' added Flik.

'Yes, even Hopper's afraid of birds.' I said. Flik's expression changed.

'He is?' he asked curiously.

'Yes,' I answered, 'and he almost got eaten by one before, didn't you hear that grasshopper say so . . .'

'Oh, yes, of course I did. I . . . I was just . . . surprised' I gave a small nod to him. A sudden thought occurred to me. No, it wasn't possible? Was it? After all I had seen him do. I would never have considered it at the time but now . . . Now things were different. I saw Flik in a new light.

The warrior bugs left the infirmary leaving me alone with Flik. He would be out of the infirmary tomorrow, and was feeling much better than before. I waited a moment, not sure how to ask.

'Um, Flik,' I began timidly.

'Yes, Princess?'

'Um, that day. When the grasshoppers came, did you? Did you do anything?' He looked queasy. I felt embarrassed. I had probably reminded him of knocking over the grain harvest. 'I mean, when the grasshoppers were in here, and Hopper was yelling at us,' He still looked awkward.

'I, I . . .' he murmured and looked at the ground. I was obviously making it worse for him so I decided to cut to the chase.

'Did, did you say anything to Hopper?' He looked up at me for a second then replied,

'Yes.' I knew it!

'It was you! You were the one who stood up for me and Petal!' I cried. He smiled vaguely. 'What's the matter?' I asked anxiously. He hesitated,

'I . . . I was a complete coward and hid away afterwards though, and then I didn't own up, and then, because of me, the amount of food was doubled, I screwed up again.' He finished, downcast.

'Anyone would hide! And if you had owned up, you probably would have been beaten up by Thumper!' I would hate to witness any ant facing such a fate. Particularly if they were doing something as courageous as that. I couldn't bear to think about Flik being doomed to such a fate. And then something else came to me. 'Earlier that day,' Flik looked up, 'when you made the telescope,' I paused. 'Were you? Were you, complimenting me? I asked, my nerves on end. He looked kinda embarrassed.

'Well, yeah . . .' he answered not looking up at me.

'You're so sweet, I like you a lot.' I told him.

'Really?' he asked nervously looking over to me. I smiled and nodded. He grinned.

'I . . . I like you a lot too.' He replied. I felt like I could fly even if I didn't have wings. He liked me a lot! Yes! It was like floating on air. I couldn't think of a time I had felt any better.

I was flying through golden fields. The wind was pleasantly cool and the plants bore many types of grain and fruit. There was a shape ahead. Flik! I sped up. He ran towards me. We stopped in front of each other. He took my hands in his. I could feel warmth flooding through me. We were getting closer to each other, and closer, and closer and . . .

'Atta?' Huh? 'Atta wake up! I'm sorry but it's time to get up now!' Everything went blurry and then a different setting, my Mother was above me. I felt incredibly disappointed. It had only been a dream! I sighed heavily. If only it could have been real! 'Look, I'm sorry to interrupt your pleasant dreams about Flik but-'

'How'd you know?' I spluttered sitting up sharply.

'You've been talking in your sleep. That wasn't your first dream about him while you've been asleep, dear.' I felt embarrassed. What had I been saying? Had anyone else heard me? The type of things I would have been saying I would never want anyone else to hear! Oh please say no one else heard me! 'By the way, Atta, when the sun is directly above you, we have a meeting with the warrior bugs in the Council Chamber. I think they've come up with a plan to get rid of the grasshoppers. Oh, and while we're on the subject of Flik, he came out of the infirmary not long ago . . .'

'Oh, good!' I said without thinking, standing up as quickly as I could. My Mother laughed. I felt slightly embarrassed and smiled awkwardly.

'Good morning, your highness,' said Dr Flora.

'Morning.' I replied. I wondered where Flik could be. I could see Ivy and Carlos sitting on a large rock chatting and the Blueberry Scouts assembled near the Clover Forest but no Flik. The Blueberry Scouts noticed me and jumped up and came running towards me.

'Hi, Princess!' they chimed,

'Hey Atta!' said Petal enthusiastically.

'Hello girls,' I replied 'How are you?'

'We were just talking about you!' said Reed.

'Yeah,' said Blossom, 'and someone else . . .' my stomach gave a surge. They had probably been talking about me and Flik. The girls were grinning.

'So sweet!' said another. I felt embarrassed.

'Sorry girls, gotta go, lots to do before the Council Meeting.' I told them. I was beginning to feel rather awkward.

'Okay!'

'Bye, Atta!' (That was Reed)

'See you later, Princess,'

Flik was in the South-West Tunnel last time I saw him.' Petal whispered to me before running after the other girls. I hurried to the South-West Tunnel but he wasn't there. I enquired about his whereabouts but no one knew but that he had left not that long ago. It took me ages to find him. He was standing close to the rock Ivy and Carlos had been previously sitting.

'Flik! I've been looking all over for you!' He turned towards me smiling awkwardly. I smiled back, running towards him.

'Hi, Princess.'

'Enough with this formal stuff, just call me Atta.' I insisted. He looked quite flattered. 'How are you feeling?' I asked him.

'Oh, much better,' he answered cheerfully.

'I'm so glad!' We stood silent for a moment.

'How about you?' he asked, 'I'll bet you're pretty busy with running everything.'

'Not entirely busy . . .' I answered, almost playfully.

'Awesome! I mean awesome for you . . . I mean, well . . .' I looked towards the sky. The sun was almost directly above me.

'Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry. I have to be at a Council Meeting soon!' I started to head towards the anthill,

'Atta! Wait!' Flik called after me. I stopped.

'Yes.' He ran up to me and kissed me on the cheek and then ran towards the Clover Forest. I put my finger tips up to my cheek where he had just kissed it. Wow! Had he just done what I thought he had done? It felt like heaven. Complete bliss.

My day dream was interrupted by the sound of giggling close by. I looked around. Who was it? Where were they? I looked behind the rock. Ivy and Petal were crouching behind it, trying unsuccessfully to smother their laughter. I gave a loud cough. They abruptly stopped laughing and turned to look at me. For a moment they were silent. A second later, however, they burst into shields of giggles again.

'He kissed you!' blurted out Ivy, having no success in covering up her laughter. Petal had more success.

'What did it feel like?' She asked awestruck.

'Like . . . like,' how could I describe it to a young girl? I thought, trying to ignore Ivy complaining about stomach pains she had because she couldn't stop laughing. I looked to the sky and realized with a jolt that I should be at the Council Meeting. 'I'm late!' I cried 'I should be at a Council Meeting!' I ran towards the anthill as swiftly as I could. I arrived at the Council Chamber puffing and panting. 'Sorry!' I said, still trying to regain my breath.

'It's okay, Princess,' said the black widow spider, 'we were a little late ourselves.' I took my place.

'So, uh, well . . . what's your proposal?' I asked them.

'A fake bird,' began the ladybug,

'As big as a normal one, which can be operated from the inside,' continued the stick bug. I stared at them. They produced a modal.

'Which would be raised above the anthill,' explained the preying mantis 'and hidden high in the tree. Then when Hopper and his gang are below, we launch the bird and scare off those grasshoppers. It would require everyone's involvement.' We had a royal huddle.

'What do the rest of you think?' I asked.

'Brilliant.'

'Brilliant.'

'And the grasshoppers would never suspect it was a fake!' answered Mr. Soil.

'No, they would leave as fast as possible and be too scared to return!' added Dr Flora.

'I absolutely agree.' I told them. We came out of our huddle and turned to the warrior bugs. I took a deep breathe, 'We are all in agreement, that the plan should go ahead.' I told them. They smiled. We left the Council Chamber and I was thinking deeply how to organize it. Flik was near the tunnel entrance. I rushed up to him, 'Flik, we are going to make a bird!'