"Please Flitterbite, we have to keep going," M.K. pleaded to the blue jay. Nod was still unconscious and looking weaker as time went on. His normal healthy skin tone had acquired a gray pallor and his lips were chapped from dehydration. In a sleeping state, he was conserving energy for himself and the rose but he needed water soon. Even the rose's small leaves looked wilted. Since flying away from the backyard, they had passed over a number of streams and bubbling creeks but they didn't get the chance to stop and have a drink.
Not with more than a dozen Boggans on their tail feathers.
They had been pursued the moment they fled the backyard, the flock of grackles always following behind them with a distance of ten yards. Initially, the teenagers had flown their birds as fast as they could go to try and loose them. Yet the flock was always on their trail, even when they tried to hide in the trees. The Boggans somehow always found them and scared them out of the cover and the chase would begin anew.
The young warriors were all so panicked at the sight of the hunters that they pushed the birds as much as possible. No one stopped to think about it until it was too late. Only when the group had cleared the forests and were forced to fly over open plains did it dawn on M.K. that they had been herded there like sheep to the slaughter. And they had pushed their birds too much, whereas the grackles had kept up a constant, enduring pace.
Now the signs of their birds' fatigue and exhaustion were evident and they couldn't keep this up much longer. The sun was low and gold in the sky; they had been forced to fly all day. Out in the plains, there was almost zero chance of them hiding successfully, not with the grackles always having a visual on them. And if they landed now, M.K. was certain that they wouldn't be able to get their birds to fly again. They had no supplies and no weapons.
Panic and fear were overtaking her mind. The Boggans were going to run them into the ground and capture Nod. In his weakened state, he would offer no resistance. Then all their efforts would go to waste, unless M.K. thought of something fast.
"We just have to make till night, buddy," M.K. consoled the bird, wondering if it would do any good. "We'll loose them under the cover of darkness." Maybe she was being too optimistic. M.K. remembered Nod once telling her that Boggans have excellent night vision and it was a clear sky, but it was the only chance they had.
She felt Flitterbite's heartbeat beneath her, pumping fast and shallow. The girl cringed at the thought of his poor heart giving out because she pushed him too far past the limit, but she had no choice. They had to keep going or they'll be captured...or even killed.
"Airsnap!"
M.K. turned to see Lex crying out as her swallow folded its wings in and plummeted toward the ground, almost limp. Thryn turned her cardinal and dove after them. M.K. watched, terrified and amazed, as Thryn brought her bird underneath the falling swallow, the girl grabbing Lex and pulling out of the dive. The cardinal bore the weight of the swallow only long enough to level off. However they were too low and both birds went crashing through long grass and hit the ground.
Flit banked and landed near them, followed by Ross and Mason, who carried Jason with him. M.K. jumped off the jay and ran toward them, breathing a sigh of relief as the cardinal got to its feet, its feather ruffled but looking unharmed. Thryn and Lex picked themselves off the ground and Lex ran to Airsnap. The poor thing was lying on the ground, heaving in great breaths, eyes wide with fright but too exhausted to move.
"You okay?" M.K. asked as she helped Thryn to her feet.
"Not my first crash landing," she replied as she dusted off. "Probably just a few bruises."
"What happened?" Ross asked as he rushed to Lex and looked her over for injuries.
"He just gave out," Lex said shakily, close to tears. "He couldn't take the pace anymore."
"They'll be here soon," Mason warned. The sound of the grackles drew nearer. They couldn't see them yet but it wouldn't be long before the horde was upon them. "We need to go, now!"
"I can't just leave him!" Lex cried, already knowing what the situation meant. "He's the perfect meal for a snake or a falcon!"
"Lex, I'm sorry," Thryn said softly. "But he's too tired and none of our birds have the strength to carry him. He would slow us down and then we'd all be caught."
"None of them are going to fly," M.K. said, the others suddenly turning her to her as she gestured to all their mounts. "This is the first rest they had in hours after flying as fast as they could go, and they're not going to take off no matter how much we want them to."
The other teens realized she was right. All of the avians were breathing faster than normal, shaky on their legs and their wings hanging limply at their sides. They looked ready to collapse, some of them had already nestled into the long grass ready for a lengthy nap.
"Then what do we do?" Jason voiced the question they were all thinking.
"The only thing we can do," Ross replied grimly, cracking his knuckles. "Stand and fight."
"With what?" Thryn asked, sounding exasperated. "I only have my swords and you guys only have knives. Nod, Jason, and M.K. aren't even armed and its twenty against seven."
"What other option do we have? We can use the grass to our advantage and I don't know about you, but I'm itching to hit something!"
The grackles were getting louder by the second and despite Thryn's logical (if a little pessimistic) assessment of their chances, M.K. could see no way out of this but going out fighting. Maybe by some miracle they would be saved. She glanced over to where Nod lay on Flit's back, still passed out and his face buried in the sky blue feathers. If she could rouse him, maybe Nod could escape while they held the Boggans back for as long as possible.
Even as she jogged over to do so, she knew it was futile. Nod would never abandon her or his friends, not even for the sake of the forest. His loyalty to them was too strong for that. Would he even have the strength to stand on his own, much less run? Yet she could not bear the thought of him being captured and used by the sinister Boggan leader to destroy his home. She had to try.
M.K. gripped his arm and began to shake him, gently. "Nod, please wake up." No response. She decided to forgo the gentle approach. "Nod!" She shook him harder, again getting no response. She bit her lip and raised her hand, ready to slap him awake when suddenly his eyelids flew open, brown orbs wide with shock and disorientation. He drew in a sharp breath like he hadn't breathed in a while, sitting up so fast he fell off Flitterbite.
"Nod!" M.K. rushed to his side and kneeled down to see what was wrong. He was panting from fright like he had awoken from a nightmare and his fingers dug into the ground as if he was scared he would float away. "Hey, calm down, just look at me."
It took a second but his eyes finally focused on her. Realization dawned on his face and he whispered, "The grass..."
M.K.'s already confused mind became muddled at that. "What?"
"The grass!" he nearly shouted, drawing the attention of the others. Nod then smiled like a six-year-old on his birthday. "I know where its safe! C'mon, follow me!" He shot to his feet, making M.K.'s heart leap to her throat, afraid that he would fall over again. Somehow he remained standing and even began half-running into the long grass.
"Nod, what the hell are you doing?" Ross demanded. "And where are you going?!"
The boy stopped and turned. "Listen, there's no time to explain but I had a dream, the Queen talked to me, and I know where to go where its safe but we need to leave now!"
Lex chimed in. "But the birds..."
"Don't worry. They'll meet up with us at the big tree but we have to go! Just trust me!"
Everybody, including M.K., stared at Nod like he had lost his marbles and perhaps he had. But his frantic tone and the fact that the grackles were flying right over them and only had to swoop low enough to see them made them decide. Nod starting running again and they followed him, diving into the tangled, tall stalks of the field grass.
Night had yet to fall but it was almost pitch black in the depths of the grass, the last rays of the setting sun almost completely blocked out. The sound of the grackles cawing lessened but not enough for them to consider themselves safe. Nod didn't hesitate or slow down, weaving between the blades and following a path that they could not see. The cawing grew more distance but the boy did not let up.
M.K. was astonished that Nod was running like this, as if he did not have an energy-sucking rose on his arm. Only a minute ago, he was as weak as a newborn kitten; what had given him this sudden surge of strength? Also, what did he mean the Queen talked to him? Through the dream? Telepathy of some kind? It was the only way she could think of. Perhaps Ariel is the one guiding him right now.
As they ran, M.K. began to notice that their path was disappearing behind them. The long stalks swayed and bent over, covering them in a woven blanket and blocking any sign of them from the sky. It has to be Queen Ariel! M.K. thought hopefully.
"Over here!" Nod called. He stepped through a particularly thick wall of grass, holding it open with his arm to let them through. They gathered in a what looked like an abandoned bird's nest made of woven grass. Old, broken eggshells rested in the middle. It was almost completely dark.
"Great hiding place, and all, Nod," Mason said. "But I don't how we're safe yet." He was right; despite the distance they put between themselves and the Boggans, their pursuers were not giving up and they could still hear the noise of them. It was distant but still persistent.
"It's not a hiding place," Nod replied, cracking one of his old grins. It made M.K.'s heart leap with joy and relief when she saw that familiar, cocky light in his eyes, one that clearly said 'I know something you don't.'
"This is a rendezvous point."
The ground erupted into a pile of moist, dark dirt and three star-shaped, pink noses nudged their way out, sniffing and sucking the scent of the air hungrily. Their plump bodies pushed a way out of the ground, five massive claws on their feet digging into the dirt. Despite their large, long bodies, they had absurdly tiny heads and nonexistent eyes. Their freakishly shaped noses were the most disturbing parts of their features.
The group of teenagers backed away quickly, tripping over each others feet to get away, all except Nod of course. "Don't sweat it guys," he crowed, highly amused since he obviously saw this coming and was enjoying his time as the big-wig. M.K. rolled her eyes and made a mental note to straighten him out later.
Nod stepped up to the blind moles and reached out hesitantly with the rose on his arm. Despite him reassuring then that the creatures were friendly, he still wasn't completely certain that it wouldn't bite his hand off. The mole stilled as it sensed him, its nose's appendages quit wiggling. It bumped its nose into Nod's chest like they were old friends, knocking the boy off balance and onto his butt. The others giggled and snickered. He turned back to them, cheeks red and smiling bashfully. "See, we're all friends here!"
"Holy Mother of Nature, Nod!" Ross spluttered. "A little warning next time might be nice! You expect us to act calmly around rodents?"
"Chill Ross, at least they're not chipmunks..." There was a silent agreement among the forest dwellers. Jason raised an eyebrow at M.K. and she shrugged. Even she still didn't understand what Leafmen had against chipmunks.
"Anyway, these guys will get us out of here. Ariel told me so in my dream and she has some friends that sent them to help us."
Thryn cocked her head. "Friends?"
"She wouldn't tell me, said she'll explain when we meet up with her."
Ross's nose wrinkled. "We have to ride these things?"
M.K. couldn't help but agree with him. The moles, to put it bluntly, were smelly and not all that cleaned. And she didn't like the thought of going underground. However, she wouldn't complain if they didn't have any other choice, and they didn't. Nod replied, "Do you have a better plan?"
The grackles sounded like they were getting closer, when out of the blue, a dragonfly popped out of the foliage, buzzing straight to Thryn.
"Sterling!" she said happily, surprising M.K. with the display of emotion. She must really like that dragonfly.
"Where's he been all this time?" Lex asked.
"Flying out of sight. You know, birds and bugs don't mix." Then her smile fell. "but he can't come under ground with us."
"You're leaving him behind?"
"He'll find me...he always does." She smiled sympathetically at the insect, who was zipping around her pockets like he was looking for something. "Sorry buddy, I left all my seed cakes with my pack."
M.K. had never seen a dragonfly display expressions but she swore that Sterling looked disappointed. He even flew off dejectedly into the grass.
"Can we get going now?" Mason complained, being the first to bravely mount the smelly moles. "I'm not a fan of getting captured by Boggans that are even grosser than these rats!"
"I think they're kind of cute," Lex argued, stroking the black fur on a mole's snout. She easily jumped onto its back and continued to pet it.
"Of course, you think everything is cute!" Mason accused.
"Shut up, Mason," Ross muttered as he climbed behind Lex.
"But she does! You remember that time..."
M.K. decided to tune out their conversation/bickering. Jason pursed his lips as he gazed at the moles. "Well its been great but you guys can go ahead without me-"
"First cats and now moles?" Thryn growled, grabbing the collar of his shirt and dragging him along. "C'mon snail brain!"
"There's that nickname again..." Jason sighed. "I hope its not catching on."
As Thryn forced him on Mason's mole, Nod bowed to M.K. as he gestured to the last creature waiting for transport. "After you, milady."
"Usually I would argue," M.K. replied as her ears caught the ever insistent sound of grackles getting closer. "But since we're pressed for time, let's go."
She climbed up on the mole's back, the aroma of moisture and dead plants filling her nostrils until she was dizzy. Nod sat behind her, steadying her and offering comfort as her fear increased at the prospect of going into the foreboding underground. Sensing that they were ready to go, the moles shuffled towards their tunnel, star noses feeling their way down. Mason, Ross, Lex, Jason, and Thryn disappeared with their rides into the mouth. Nod and M.K.'s mole brought up the rear and M.K. had to press her chest and belly flat to avoid hitting her head against the too-low dirt ceiling of the passage. With a few scuffles of its hind legs, the mole collapsed the entrance to the tunnel behind them, killing the light and fresh air and plunging them into the black unknown.
Stepping off his raven, Lord Batlash casually swept his eyes over the interior of the Great Oak. He had heard a great deal of the legendary parties and celebrations that Nim Galuu hosted and some nights, he could swear that he heard them all the way to Wrathwood. However, there would not be any more parties or ordinary Jinn wandering its levels, learning scholarly knowledge or secrets. Batlash had always disapproved of Nim allowing anybody to read the scrolls. From now onward, that was changing. Everything was changing.
His invasion was going smoothly, like he planned. His Boggans had full control of Moonhaven and the Jinn settlements surrounding it. Many of the Jinn had fled but some foolishly stayed in a futile attempt to fight back and keep their homes. Those that chose to do so were either killed or enslaved (Batlash did not care either way). Ronin and his remaining Leafmen were chained and locked up securely. He knew many of his subordinates were wondering why he allowed the Leafmen to keep living (none of them dare ask it out loud) and become liabilities. Simply put, he use them as leverage over Ronin and that help in the future should he need information on his remaining enemies.
He needed those enemies taken out and the sooner the better. Every minute that passed was another minute that the Queen and the rose could slip from his fingers. He hoped that one of the patrols he sent out would come back mission accomplished. Batlash shook his head. Despite its importance, the priority wasn't his main focus at the moment.
He looked up to see some Boggans escorting his persons of interest toward him like he had ordered. Batlash's hunch was right; Nim Galuu wouldn't abandon his tree or his scrolls and instead allowed himself to be taken prisoner, probably hoping to negotiate with him on the safe keeping of his scrolls. Behind him followed Mub and Grub, the caretakers of the Queen's pods. Two added bonuses.
"My name is Lord Batlash, leader of the Boggans," he introduced himself, tipping up his chin and making his tone authoritative. He had to let his prisoners know who was in charge here. "I must say its an honor to meet you, Galuu, being a scholar myself."
"I cannot say I feel the same way," the glowworm replied, his usual jolly face very drawn and serious.
"You have nothing to fear from me, so long as you cooperate. I have no intention of destroying the vast wealth of information you have stored here, that would be foolish of me. I plan to use what's here instead."
Though the Keeper could put on a poker face when he was called to do so, Batlash could tell that Nim was relieved to hear that the Boggans would not burn the valuable documents this tree held. Instead he asked, "What have you done with General Ronin and his Leafmen?"
"They are none of your concern. You should be more worried about yourselves."
"And what are you going to do with us?"
"Imprison you, of course, and you will give me any information that I ask of you or a Leafmen dies. But right now, I require nothing from you. All I need is right here," he said, spreading his arms to the huge open gathering room like he owned it.
And at the moment, he did. But that won't last, Nim thought. He had received Thryn's message before the attack. The Queen's absence apparently worked in their favor. When he first heard the news, Nim's mind came up with the worst conclusion: Ariel had been kidnapped by the Boggans. But that didn't make sense. The Boggans couldv'e just killed her and thrown the forest into chaos instead of launching a full-scale attack. Even if they did have her, this Batlash character would have bragged about it. Conquistadors tended to do that. He would have also mentioned Nod. Good, the kid must have run while he had a chance.
"You haven't won yet, ya know," Mub spoke up, eyes narrowed and concentrated as if he was calculating how many names he could call this guy. Nim visibly winced. He had been hoping that the slugs would keep quiet and let him do the talking.
The Boggan Lord only chuckled and spoke to Mub like he was speaking to a child. "And what makes you think that, you slimy oaf? I control Moonhaven, the Rings of Knowledge, the Jinn farms and settlements, my control even goes as far as the meadows-"
"Save it, your lord-of-all-things-ugly," the slug spat. "We know that you don't have Queen Ariel or Nod and that means you will lose!"
"Er, Mub?" Grub bent down and whispered in his friend's ear. "Did I just hear you give Nod a compliment?"
"Don't you dare tell him I said that!"
"Are you implying that you know where they are?" Batlash asked softly. Nim's fear spiked. He did not like the Lord's change in tone. Alarm bells were going off in his head.
"They're probably together already, making a plan to kick your smelly butt all the way back to Wrathwood!" Mub crowed, oblivious to the danger he had put them in. Nim wanted to smack him. As much as he wanted to join in shooting snarky remarks at the enemy (and he really wanted to, I mean, what could be more fun?) he recognized that pissing off this captor could only lead to bad things. They had to survive long enough for any rescue to be attempted.
"Yeah!" Grub joined in. "And they'll kick your butt real hard cause they're...uh...um...really good at that and um..."
The slug sighed in exasperation. "Grub, we've talked about this, let me do the wise-cracks and you-"
"Enough!" Batlash snapped, voice cracking the air like a whip. He advanced on Mub until their faces were inches apart and the slug could almost make out his eyes burning with malice. "If you have valuable information, I will hand you over to my Boggans. They know more than a few ways to loosen a stubborn tongue. So answer me right now: Do you know where that whelp and sorry excuse of a queen are hiding? Lie to me and I will cut out your eyes."
Mub couldn't help but tremble with fear. He didn't have any doubt that the Boggan wouldn't carry out his threats and he very much liked his eyes. It was a good thing then, that he wasn't lying when he said shakily, "I have no idea where they're hiding."
For one long terrifying moment, Batlash stared at him with those incredibly dark eyes as he gauged his truthfulness. What if he didn't believe him?
Then the Lord straightened and brushed off non-existent dust from his spider skin, the dangling legs over his shoulder moving like they were alive. "Lock all three of them up in the most secure room here. Keep a constant guard on them." he ordered. The Boggans guarding them grunted. Batlash stared at his prisoners and addressed them all.
"You will all learn that I always get what I want. If I want to rule the whole forest then I do. If I want to kill every single Jinn and Leafman then I do. If I want the Queen then I'll have her. And if I want the King's rose then I'm not above ripping it out of the boy's arm to get it."
again guys I apologize for the slowness of these updates. Its not writer's block but my outside life and I can only warn you that these updates may become more infrequent. Ill be going to college next year and that will only make my life more busy. However, no matter how hectic things will get, I will finish this story and my other one Just Like You. Im not abandoning them!
On the bright side, I got a new laptop for Christmas (at last!) and im still figuring out how it works since it very different from my old one. Granted my parents gave it to me to finish my college applications but they dont need to know about my little Fanfiction side business ;)
thank you for all that are sticking with me and this story despite its irregular updates. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are having a good Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate! I hope that you're all looking forward to the new year.
Until next time, yours truly, FishInAFadora 3