Lawyers and people who wish to sue: if you want a disclaimer, then go back to previous chapters

the rest of you: you get the idea, read and review please :)

When Nod came back to his senses, he felt first the dryness of his throat, and the throbbing pain in his head. There was a dull ache all over his body, and burning lashes on his face and hands. He felt a heavy weight on his arm. His eyes flickered open to stare at broken pieces of a blue sky, shining through sharp thorns. He was lying on a bedroll with a cushion under his head.

Only when he had fully awoken, did the pain multiply in his head. He groaned, but his throat was so dry that it came out more like a strangled whisper. He would roll down that hill again if it meant he could have a drink. A shadow fell across him, and Ronin came into view, trying to look angry, but Nod could tell he was relieved.

"Glad to see your back in the land of the living," the general said gruffly.

"I would have stayed dead if it meant no pain," Nod croaked. "Water?"

Thryn came up and handed him a canteen. Slowly, he looked around to see his friends, Finn, and a Leafmen medic inside the hollow. The rest of the battalion were moving around outside.

Nod had a long drink, thinking of how he'll never take water for granted again. The cool water soothed his sore throat, and his senses perked up. He looked down to see his left arm wrapped up in a blanket, and tied as a sling around his neck. He didn't remember breaking an arm on the way down, nor did he feel any pain, beside his head.

"What happened?" Ronin asked.

"The Bogs surprised me and I got knocked off my bird," Nod said, and explained the incident in detail. Then he parroted Ronin's question back at him.

"I found you here," Ronin began. "Your helmet protected you from that rock. We didn't want to move you in case of a concussion, so the medic made you comfortable, and waited for you to come to."

"Are the Boggans gone?"

"They retreated. I killed the last three before they could get to you."

"Thanks," Nod grunted, then pointed to his arm. "What's with the sling?"

Ronin didn't answer, but tightened his jaw, and his silence made Nod uneasy. They weren't telling him something. The teen decided to take a gamble, and shifted his arm in the sling. He tensed, waiting for the pain, but it didn't come. His arm was fine.

"It's not broken."

The medic looked at Ronin, as if in permission. The general nodded and the medic came and untied the knot that held the sling. An unexpected weight made his arm drop, and the medic unwrapped the blanket.

Nod beheld the sprout that had coiled around his lower arm, and it's roots that sunk into the joint of his elbow. The white roots were visible beneath his skin, and they pulsed with life. The small leaves hugged the back of his hand and wrist. The teen's heart pounded in his chest with fear, and his eyes got so wide, they might have popped out of his skull. He shook his arm violently.

"Get it off me!" he shouted, and his head protested at the movement.

Steady hands tried to still him, "We've tried," Ronin reassured. "It won't let go. It's rooted in you, Nod. Just relax, and have some more water."

Ronin did not remove his hand until Nod had calmed down some, making sure he drank from the canteen. Then, he gathered Finn and the young soldiers. "We need to take him back to the Queen. Your all under orders to not speak of this to the rest outside. It has to stay strictly between us all."

Each one saluted and Ronin turned back to the medic. "Wrap his arm up again. We can't have the others see it," he ordered. "Nod, pretend that its broken."

Nod was too dazed to protest. When the sling was replaced, they walked outside, Nod limping a little. His whole body was in pain from his roll down the hill, and it wasnt hard to pretend he was hurt. All he could do was try not to rip the thing off his arm.

His own bird had flew off, so he climbed up behind Thryn, ignoring the curious stares from the other Leafmen. Thryn, feeling his discomfort, quickly reined her hummingbird to fly, escaping the gazes

Nod wrapped his 'good' arm around Thyrn's waist. After flying in silence, Thyrn spoke up.

"No wonder you were so thirsty when you woke up," she said.

"What?"

"Your plant. It sucked the water out of your body, and it's probably doing it right now," she stated, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She unhooked her canteen from the saddle. "You should drink some more."

"Whoa, whoa, let's get something straight here," Nod chided. "It's not my plant."

"Whatever you say Nod," she replied tiredly, as if the conversation exhausted her. "Just take the water."

The rebellious side of him wanted to say no, but he was actually thirsty. Already? Maybe Thryn was right, he thought, and he finished off the canteen.

"Sorry," he said when he handed it back to her, empty.

Thryn just shrugged. Sterling flew beside them, buzzing around their heads.

"You don't talk much, do you?" he asked.

"Not much," she replied curtly, as she dug inside her saddlebag, and pulled out a fly larvae the size of her palm.

"What if you had to make a speech?"

"And why would I need to make a speech?" she asked, and tossed the larvae to Sterling. He caught in his mouth and chewed contently, while flying.

"Just trying to make conversation. So if you had to make a speech, what would you do?"

Thryn sighed, as she scratched Sterling behind his left eye, his favorite spot. "Let's just say that I'd do what needs to be done."

"That's a pretty vague answer," Nod stated, a little irritated.

The Leafgirl just shrugged. It occurred to Nod that Thryn liked to be vague. A silence stretched between them, one that Thryn enjoyed and Nod tried to think of other things to talk about. Anything that could keep his mind off of what was attached to him.

They reached the stream that lead to Moonhaven, and the battalion followed it to the entrance. Nod and Thryn were graced with the sight of Moonhaven in full sunlight, surrounded by sparkling water and colorful flowers. The smooth granite rock were warmed by the sun, and the cheeps of hummingbirds echoed off them. The place never failed to take his breath away.

The battalion landed on the big, flat rock called the Outcrop. Four small openings lead inside the hidden palace. The first two lead to the barracks and birds' roost, the third to the Queen's chamber, and the fourth to the private apartments. The Leafmen dismounted to go to their respective places, weather it was to the barracks, roost, or even sentry duty. Nod wished he could join them. Instead, he was lead away with Ronin and his friends, down the Queen's Hall.

Hope you guys arent too confused (I dont know why you would be) but if you are then just PM me and ill happily explain it for you ;)

Dont forget to review!