I don't own Di-Gata Defenders or the Di-Gata Defender characters.

Chapter Three: The Talk

After sulking in the woods for a few minutes, Adam came across a clearing with a big flat rock in the middle. He sat on the rock as he let out a big sigh. He really regretted everything he said to Erik but he wasn't certain how he should apologize.

Should I just walk right up to him and say I'm sorry or should I let him approach me first? I don't want to explain anything, especially the dream, but I'm certain the others are going to want to know everything. Adam let out another sigh and closed his eyes.

"Having troubles?"

Adam opened his eyes and saw Rion standing right in front of him. "Yeah," he replied, "but nothing I can't handle." I hope. "Just had a little argument with Erik."

"Really?" said Rion as he sat right beside him, "It seemed pretty bad to me. But then again, maybe it's just me."

A shocked Adam turned to Rion and said "you saw it? Where were you?" Was he spying on us? Don't be ridiculous Adam; he has no reason to spy.

Rion smiled and said "I was in the woods at the very edge of the clearing. I was out for a morning walk thinking about what Tzur had said about the Ethos and such. Anyway, when I heard the scream, I quickly ran back expecting the worst. I knew everything must have been alright when I saw Seth walking calmly away from the campsite talking about Erik, spiders and fruit trees. Curiosity got the better of me and I snuck up to the edge of the clearing just in time to see you and Mel jump into the clearing. Well, you know the rest of the story."

Rion's smile disappeared and he gave Adam a serious look. "What's wrong? You seemed to be… edgy when you fought with Erik. Is something bothering you? You can tell me. I won't tell the others, I promise." He closed his eyes and smiled the biggest smile that Adam had ever seen.

"It's nothing really, just a bad dream."

Rion's smile quickly turned into a frown as he said "a bad dream? Just how bad was it? What happened in the dream?"

"I rather not talk about. I mean, I just want to forget about it. It was just a meaningless dream." I hope. "It's nothing to worry about but… could you not tell the others? I don't want them to think that I let small things, like bad dreams, get the better of me."

He noticed that Rion didn't look convinced, so he smiled and said "I promise, if the dreams start getting out of hand, I will tell you and the others. But I assure you that they won't and everything will be fine. I won't even remember the dream tomorrow I bet. So everything's okay, okay?"

"Okay, if you say so, but I think we should head back to the others. They are probably worried sick about us."

Adam nodded his head and they both slid off the rocks and began to walk back to the campsite. Adam, however, stopped for a moment and scanned the trees behind him.

Rion had noticed and asked over his shoulder "something wrong Adam?"

"No, no. I thought I heard something but it just must have been my mind playing tricks on me." He smiled as he turned back to Rion. "Come on, I beat everyone's giving Erik a hard time for the argument we had. Let's go back and allow them to give me a hard time for the argument."

Shortly after the two left the clearing, Zad's head pop out from one of the bushes and he glared at the spot where the two had disappeared from view. He had a job to do and he was going to do it. He just had to wait for the right moment.

"Really? You said that to him? That is awesome!" Mel and Kara glared at Seth as he laughed while Erik looked very confused. "I wish I had seen his face when you said that. I wish I had seen his face when you punched him. It must have been classic. Man, I've got to call him that later just to see his face." He looked at the others before putting a serious face on and saying "but I suppose it isn't good to argue amongst ourselves. You and Adam will have to apologize to each other, when Adam feels mature enough to."

"When I'm feeling mature enough, huh? Well, I guess I'm feeling mature right now so let's exchange apologies." The defenders turned around to see Rion coming out of the woods with Adam right behind him.

Adam walked up to Erik and extended out his hand. "Sorry about before, I was just having a bad morning and I took it out on you. Forgive me?"

He smiled as Erik shook his hand and said "apology accepted. I'm sorry about all the stuff I said, I didn't mean any of it…"

"I know. There's no need for you to explain. It was just a bad moment for both of us that should be forgotten."

"Saaay Rion," said Seth, "were have you been?"

"I went out for a morning walk."

"So early?"

"Well, not everybody wants to sleep the day away like you Seth."

"Now, now, Kara. That's just not fair…"

"Um Adam?" Erik steered Adam away from the others as he gave him a serious look. "Was something bothering you? You seemed pretty scared back then. I'm just..."

Adam rose up his hand to Erik and said "stop, Erik. I don't want to talk about it. Could you just drop it?" He noticed that Erik was starting to get annoyed, so he said "please? I really, really don't want to talk about it. I want to forget that the argument took place and I want everything to be normal between us, okay?"

"Um… okay."

"Oh, by the way, did you really have to compare me to Brackus? I would have preferred anyone else, even Nazmul. You know, because of what all happened between me and Brackus."

"Yeah, okay. Next time I'm mad at you, I won't compare you to Brackus. I promise."

"Okay you guys" said Seth. "It's time for us to pack up and get going. We have a long ways to go and a world to save. Let's move out!"

The defenders quickly went over to their sleeping bags to put them away. Mel, however, stopped and looked around her nervously. It feels like we're being watched.

Elsewhere, in a pitch black room, a shadowy figure is bent over the only source of light, a dark glowing orb. His fingers move about on the orb as he receives various points of view of the defenders. He removes his hands and the orb shows a view of the defenders getting on their Stormers. "What fools they are" he says in a low voice. "All of them. Do they truly think that it's going to be easy? The Defenders will fail and the Ethos will succeed. Surely they see that." The orb then shows Zad taking cover in the trees, bent down with squinted eyes. "Foolish Zad. Do you hope to succeed? You will fail and I will succeed. The Ethos will finally see you as the worthless creature you are and turn to me for help. Go on with your silly plan; I have my own to follow. In fact, it's almost time for me to make my first move. The Defenders are going to be in for a big surprise. A big surprise indeed." He turns his back on the orb and everything goes dark.