Yippee an update! Enjoy! :)

Queen Ariel gazed in wide-eyed fascination at the sprout on Nod's arm. She had never seen anything like this. Fara, after gasping and staring in wonder, had excused herself to go make mint tea for them. She still did things like that, even though she was the Queen's mother and had hundreds of servants at her disposal.

Ronin let Nod's friends stay and listen in on this meeting. Mub and Grub had their eyes glued to the sprout. "Well?" Nod asked abruptly. They've been staring like this for a few minutes, and it was making him uncomfortable. Wasn't someone going to tell him what the hell was going on?

"It's definitely a rose sprout," Grub stated matter a factually.

Nod rolled his eyes, "Yes, we've covered that," he turned to the queen. "Can you tell it to get off?"

"I'll try," she said, and screwed up her face in concentration, putting her fingers to her temples. The sprout raised it's leaves a little, and swung it's head towards her. Nod felt hope rising in him. Maybe it'll get off him and go to the Queen. But the sprout settled back onto his hand, and seem to ignore the Queen's efforts at communication.

Ariel frowned, "It's not like other plants. Or other roses for that matter..."

"What do mean?" Ronin asked.

"It acknowledged me, but it didn't listen."

"Maybe we can cut it out," Ross suggested.

Mub glared at him, "You don't man handle a plant like that! Even when it's attached to something so..."

"Manly?" Lex try to finish for him.

"Anything but!"

Nod usually brushed off Mub's insults, but he was having a freaky day and he didn't need this right now. "Look you little-"

"Enough," Ronin growled in warning, cutting him off. "You don't behave this way in front of the Queen, both of you."

The Queen was deep in thought, the rose sprout occupying her attention, but she looked up at the mention of her name, "I'm sorry, what?"

"Your Majesty," the Leafmen general began. "Is this the rose from your dream?"

"I didn't actually see the rose," Ariel explained. "But Tara said to find the King's rose, and then Nod gets a rose sprout on his arm, so it has to be it!"

"Yes, it's too coincidental," Ronin agreed. "Well it's here now, and we need to take care of it. Mub, Grub? Your good plant carers. What's your take on this?"

"Wait a minute," Nod interrupted. "Dream? Tara? King?"

"Well first, water is in order," Mub replied, as if Nod never spoke. "Since we can't water it like normal, Nod will have to drink water continually."

"Continually?" Nod blanched.

"And he'll need to get a few hours of sunlight everyday," Grub added.

"Hold on for just a-"

"And he'll have to watch out for aphids," Mub informed.

"Oh aphids, nasty little buggers," Grub agreed.

"Am I not here?"

"That's settled then," Ronin concluded. "Nod, your not to leave Moonhaven."

Glad that someone had finally addressed him, Nod consented. "Fine, I won't go more than a two mile radius-"

"No, I mean you can't leave at all," Ronin corrected. "Not even to fly around."

Now this was like a slap to the face for Nod. He gaped in disbelief. "No...you can't mean-"

"I mean it Nod. The Boggans will be looking for this rose, ergo, looking for you. Your staying here for the security of the forest."

"I can't stay cooped up in here all day, Ronin!" Nod raised his voice. His temper was cracking. "You know me, I'm an out-doorsy kind of guy!"

"Yes, I do know you. I know that you'll disobey orders and try to escape. Which is why I'm posting the most reliable and vigilant guard I have to watch you. One that I can spare."

Ross's face lit up like a firefly, and he stepped forward at attention and saluting, "It's an honor, sir. I won't let you-"

"Thryn," Ronin said, ignoring Ross.

"What?!" Nod and Thryn said in unison.

"Oh..." Ross sighed sadly, ears red with embarrassment, though nobody was really paying him much attention.

"Thryn's an excellent fighter and when she's got a job, her mind is focused on it until it's done," Ronin praised, then turned to her. "Make sure he's safe and doesn't leave the palace."

"Yes sir," Thryn nodded, but she didn't look very excited about this assignment.

"And while your at it...send your dragonfly over to Nim Galuu's place, and update him on what's been happening here. Tell him to check all his scrolls thoroughly."

Thryn nodded again, and got to work on writing a message to Nim. As Ronin went on to discuss the Berry Meadow attack, and Moonhaven's security with the Queen, Nod watched Thryn prepare her message on a scroll. She scrawled with a charcoal pencil, then read it over, checking for mistakes. Satisfied, she rolled it up, and tied it with a leather thong.

The Leafgirl seem to consider something, then took out another scroll and wrote another message. Her body blocked it so Nod couldn't read it. She rolled it up, tied it off, then took the first scroll and secured to Sterling's abdomen. Her hand reached into a satchel slung on her shoulder, and took out a moth larvae, giving it to Sterling.

While the dragonfly gobbled it up, Thryn lashed the second scroll to him. The dragonfly felt the weight on his tail and looked at her, sensing more. Thryn reached into her satchel and handed him a blueberry wheat cake, which the insect took eagerly. After he finished his meal, Sterling buzzed out, speeding as if he wasn't carrying the weight of two messages.

Nod, a little confused, came up to her, "What just happened there?"

Thryn had sensed he was watching, "Well, when I tie the message to him, he doesn't know where to go immediately. He's an insect after all. So I have to give him some food that comes from a specific source. Moth larvae are everywhere, but the most come from the Rings of Knowledge, therefore he knows he has to go there."

Nod couldn't help but be impress. He was a bird expert, and didn't know much about insects or bugs. "Cool. What about that second message?"

"That? Just a routine message I have to send," Thryn stated dismissively.

"What kind of routine message?"

"Top-secret-dragonfly-messengers-only kind of message."

Nod wasn't a lie detector, but his gut said that her pants were on fire, which just made him more curious. Before he could ask about it more, Ronin joined them, having finished with the Queen.

"It's all arranged then. I'm going on patrol, maybe try to find out more of what the Boggans are doing," he gave Nod a hard look. "Don't even think about leaving."

"Ronin...please," Nod tried one last time, but the general shook his head, then left. Ross, Lex, and Mason trailed behind him, but Nod quickly grabbed Lex before she could leave.

"I need a favor," he began. "Could you go to one of Bomba's video cameras and tell my friend M.K. about what's happening?" Lex was always willing to help, and he hoped that trait would extend to talking with a stomper.

He wasn't disappointed. "Sure, I'd love to," she smiled. "I've always wanted to meet your secret girlfriend!"

"She's not my girlfriend," Nod chuckled. "Not that much of a secret either." He gave directions of the closest camera, and she left, giggling about young love.

Fara, who had arrived with a tray laden with teacups, a teapot, sugar, and cream came in; to her surprise, most of her guest had already gone and she was now left with her perky daughter, two restless teenagers, and two slimy rose caretakers.

"No tea for Nod, my lady," Mub said to her smoothly. "Just water for him, and plenty of it!" The slug purred, as if he was going to enjoy Nod's internal torture.

The young Leafman sighed. It was going to be a long day.

Wow I loved typing up this chapter and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Please review! :)