Author's note: This one-shot is from The Outcast's prologue. I was originally going to edit The Outcast and take this scene out, but I don't think I ever did? So I'd originally written a one-shot on it since I still liked the scene.

Lloyd is five.

It was two weeks later—two weeks since Garmadon and Wu had been kicked out of the city. Two weeks they'd been in the Outcast. Garmadon and Misako had managed to build a very small cabin about a week ago. Wu, thankfully, was almost healed.

"Ooh, a butterfly!" Lloyd said, pointing to said yellow butterfly.

"Yes, that is a swallowtail butterfly," Wu said, smiling. He and Lloyd were outside of the small cabin, and Wu was sitting on a nearby boulder, resting his side. He was babysitting Lloyd while his brother and Misako had gone out to scrounge for food. His side still hurt a little, but he was doing much better now. The first three days, they hadn't known if he would live or not. But, he survived, probably because of his dragon blood—dragons were known for healing more quickly than oni and humans, including being able to survive heavy blood loss—which was what got them into this mess.

Garmadon and Misako returned then, Garmadon carrying the black backpack over his shoulder.

"Everything go alright here?" Misako asked worriedly.

Wu nodded. "Yes, it's actually quite a nice day. Did you find food?"

"Yup!" Garmadon cheerfully replied. "We found a bush full of blueberries!"

"Ooh!" Lloyd cheered, running over to them.

Garmadon happily gave Lloyd some blueberries to sample.

"Yummy!" Lloyd grinned.

Garmadon stole some blueberries for himself, then gave some to Wu.

Wu happily accepted them.

Misako rolled her eyes, knowing that they should probably save them for later, but she too grabbed some of the berries.

"How's your side?" Garmadon asked Wu.

Wu waved him off, saying, "Fine, fine."

Garmadon frowned at his attitude, but didn't press him.

"We should probably go out again…" Misako reluctantly told them. "These aren't going to fill anyone up."

Garmadon turned to her. "Yes, you're probably right…"

"Only probably?" she asked, an unamused look on her face.

Garmadon quickly backtracked. "Well, I mean—I, I just meant—"

Misako laughed at his stuttering. "I'm just kidding, Garm. Relax."

Wu laughed as well, finding it highly amusing.

Garmadon still looked unsure for a moment, then shook his head, deciding to drop it—and giving Wu an annoyed glare.

"Can I have more?" Lloyd asked, coming up to Garmadon.

"Of course," Garmadon replied, smiling, and handed him some more.

Lloyd happily devoured them.

"We should start considering rationing our food," Misako told him. "At least, us adults. Lloyd needs food to grow."

Garmadon nodded. "That would be wise, yes. How are we going to do that without stuff spoiling, though?"

"We can make dried fruit, maybe. And we can find things that won't go bad." Her eyes suddenly sparked with an idea. "Maybe we could eat what will go bad—if we can't find a way to save it—and then save the other stuff for later, whenever we have a bad day of foraging?"

"Hmm…that could work…"

Wu nodded as well. "I think that's a wise idea."

Lloyd wandered a little bit away from them, eyes fixed on something they couldn't see. He giggled, suddenly trying to catch something.

Misako frowned worriedly, glancing around.

Garmadon put a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay. Let him have some fun. He's been so fenced-in lately; it'll be good to just let him be a five-year-old for once."

Misako nodded reluctantly, feeling a twinge of guilt and pain in her heart. "Alright. But…I just don't want him to get hurt…"

"He won't, don't worry. Wu and I can protect him."

Wu nodded in agreement.

She frowned at him. "But you're still injured, remember?"

"But healing quickly!" Wu smiled. "I can fend any attackers off now."

She didn't look convinced.

"Well, we should get moving again. We need more food." Garmadon turned to go.

Misako nodded, glancing at Lloyd reluctantly. "Okay…" She glanced at Wu. "Keep him safe."

Wu nodded soberly. "Of course. I won't let anything happen to him."

She frowned, still looking unsure.

Garmadon urged her to come with him, saying it would be getting dark soon.

She glanced at Lloyd one last time, seeing him holding up what looked to be a grasshopper. He was smiling. She sighed, knowing how temporary that was here. She turned to follow Garmadon, hearing Wu tell them good luck. Lloyd said something as well, but she didn't hear it.

She hoped they would be alright….