Epic (4 page)

Ronin's stern voice interrupted them. “Nod, perch your bird.”

In front of them was a vast meadow, laid to waste. Dead trees, brown grass, and ashen earth covered the once-fertile ground.

“What did that?” asked M.K.

“Mandrake,” said Ronin. “He's on the march for Moonhaven. This is what the entire forest will look like unless this pod blooms.”

M.K. looked at the pod, now fully appreciating the importance of what they were doing.

Above, a lone starling circled the sky, a Boggan mounted on it.

“We have to go around,” Ronin said, pulling his bird's reins.

“Just for one scout?” asked Nod. He just wanted to go through the meadow.

“Ever see just one Boggan?” Ronin pointed out.

Nod ignored Ronin's warning and flew out into the meadow.

Drawing the attention of the camouflaged Boggans, the meadow then exploded with starlings, rising from the underbrush, a Boggan mounted on every one. Nod and Ronin pulled back on their birds' reins and then dove toward the ground.

As soon as the group hit the ground, they hopped off their birds and led them on foot under the cover of the brush. Ronin shepherded them toward the safety of a hollow log.

Just then, a starling dive-bombed Nod and M.K., cutting them off from the others. The Boggan on the bird's back shrieked.

It was M.K.'s first glimpse of a Boggan up close, and she was paralyzed with fear. The Boggan aimed an arrow. Was this the end for M.K.?

N
od grabbed M.K.'s hand, yanking her out of the path of the deadly arrow. They tumbled into a pit. The starling passed, not seeing where they went.

“What
was
that thing?” exclaimed M.K.

“You've never seen a Boggan?” asked Nod. “Someone had a happy childhood. Come on, let's regroup.”

“You mean up there? With those things?” said M.K. “They almost killed us.”

Nod spotted something behind her. “Don't turn around. Walk toward me slowly.”

Instead, M.K. whirled around quickly and saw a dark shape with beady eyes. At first, she was frightened, and then it came into the light.

There stood an adorable field mouse, grooming its face with its paws.

“Aww!” said M.K. “Hi, mousie. Look at its wittle hands, and its wittle whiskers.”

The mouse bared its super-sharp teeth and let out a roar. M.K. suddenly understood that what might be cute when you're human-sized can be deadly when you're two inches tall!

M.K. screamed, and the mouse charged. M.K. and Nod ran to the side of the pit. Nod leaped up to another level, as if he were a cricket. “Jump!” he instructed.

“I can't jump that high!” said M.K. But when she turned and saw the mouse barreling at her, she screamed again, and leaped. She was amazed at how high she could jump. “Did you see what I just did?!”

As the mouse charged again, M.K. jumped with confidence—only to hit her head on a root sticking out. She fell hard and now was out cold.

“Great,” Nod said with a sigh. So he ran up the wall and backflipped, landing on the mouse's tail.

The mouse started running, going after M.K., but Nod held it back by the tail.

That is, until the mouse whipped its tail, body slamming Nod. The mouse snarled, then crouched, ready for the kill.

Just then, Ronin dropped in. Using his sword, he sliced off one tiny millimeter of the mouse's whisker. The creature yipped and scurried off.

“They have very sensitive whiskers,” Ronin said with a shrug.

“You know, I had this,” Nod said.

“Sorry. From my angle, it looked like it had you,” Ronin pointed out. He walked over to M.K. and woke her up. “Are you all right?”

M.K. still felt woozy. “Dad? I had the most messed-up dream. There were talking slugs and tiny soldiers and—” She spotted Ronin, Mub, and Grub. “Aw, mannnn,” she said, disappointed.

“Let's move,” ordered Ronin. He whistled, and his bird flew to his side. “New seating arrangement,” he said to M.K. “You're with me.”

M.K. thanked him. She thought Ronin seemed more in control than Nod, at least when it came to keeping yourself alive.

“You're with the slugs,” Ronin told Nod.

“Disgusting,” Nod said with a sneer.

As Ronin and M.K. walked off, Mub got right up into Nod's face.

“Do you and I have a problem?” Mub said.

Nod was confused. “Uh, I don't think so.”

“What was that over there? A little chitchat? That's real cute,” said Mub. “You trying to jump in?”

“What are we talking about??” asked Nod.

Mub rippled his gelatinous bulk. “There's a code. Amongst men. It goes something like this: I saw her first.”

Nod's eyebrows furrowed. “You're a slug.”

“So?” Mub replied defensively. “You think she'd want you? Look at yourself.” He leaned in. “Oh, that's right, you can't—because your eyeballs are stuck all the way
inside
your head!”

Mub and Grub snickered.

“What's wrong, flat face?” teased Mub. “Are you going to cry? Do you want me to call your flat-faced mommy?”

“You know, you're not insulting me,” Nod told him. “You're just grossing me out.”

Mub stretched his eyestalks right into Nod's face. “You've been warned.” Then he poked Nod in the eye.

“Ow!”

M
andrake and the Boggans moved through the forest spreading blight, destroying as much as they could. Mandrake perched himself on a tree stump when Bufo was marched in by two Boggan guards.

“Hey, if this is a bad time, I can come back when you're done gardening,” Bufo said.

Mandrake gained his composure and turned toward his visitor. “I bet you're wondering why I invited you here.”

“I was frog-marched here at spear point. How is that ‘invited'?” said Bufo.

Mandrake shrugged. “We let you keep your legs.”

“Comedy. Terrific,” said Bufo. “Funny psychopath.”

Mandrake cut to the chase. “There are rumors that the Leafman Ronin was at your place of business. And that he may have rescued a royal pod.”

“Real smooth,” Bufo said to Mandrake. “You attacked the pod selection ceremony, but let the pod get away. Plus, your idiot general gets himself mulched!”

“That idiot general was my son!” thundered Mandrake.

Bufo gulped. “Of course he was. He had your . . . good looks. And your . . . healthy . . . gray complexion and forgiving nature—”

“Shut up,” Mandrake commanded. “What's it going to be, Bufo? Are you going to talk or are you going to croak? Where are they taking the pod?”

Bufo was terrified and felt he had no choice. He told Mandrake what he wanted to know.

M
.K. held the pod in her lap as she and Ronin sat atop their bird as it hopped from branch to branch. They would briefly fly through the forest, and then land on a branch to survey the path ahead. Nod landed awkwardly next to them.

M.K. gestured to Nod. “Why is he even with us?” she asked Ronin. “He's not helping.”

Ronin turned to her. “Well, when he's not being an idiot, he's a pretty decent flier. Could be one of the best. Plus, his father was my friend. So I do what I can. Many leaves, one tree.”

“What does that mean?” asked M.K.

“We're all individuals, but part of a community,” Ronin explained.

“Maybe you're part of it. But I'm kind of on my own,” M.K. said sadly.

“No one's on their own,” Ronin said. He pointed to Nod. “Not even him.”

Moments later, the small group flew down and perched near a massive, old oak tree. It was hollow, thick, grand, and welcoming, as if its branches seemed to be trying to embrace the whole forest. Huge numbers of Jinn filed into the entrance of the giant tree.

“Wow, this Nim Galuu seems very popular,” said M.K.

“I thought this was a secret mission!” Grub said, a bit upset. “How many people did the queen tell about this?”

“Everyone's worried,” said Ronin, “so they've come to Nim's.”

“So he's like the wise old man of the forest?” M.K asked.

“More like the crazy uncle,” responded Nod.

M.K. looked at him curiously as she, Nod, Ronin, Mub, and Grub entered the tree.

Inside, the Jinn were very worried.

“I hear the ceremony was attacked!”

“I hear the Boggans are taking over the forest! It's gonna be bad!”

“Nim Galuu will know what to do!” cried one of the Jinn.

Just then, a band began to play some mysterious music. A shadowy figure shrouded in fog rose from below. It was Nim Galuu, a caterpillar with a magician's flair. He was the go-to guy for reassurance, revelations, and a great party.

“Prepare to see your worries disappear!” exclaimed Nim. He waved his hand, making a moth disappear. “I know rumors have been flying!” He raised another hand, and the moth flew from his sleeve. Magic! “But the truth is never as bad as it seems. I have just returned from . . . the Rings of Knowledge!”

The crowd ooohed.

“Where every memory, every event that ever happened in the forest is recorded in these scrolls.” He waved his hands and, magically, scrolls appeared in them. Just as he looked like he was about to read from one of them, he cued the band and they picked up the tempo as he sang:

Listen party poopers, I've got something to say.
Dry your weeping eyes, we're gonna be OK.
So you don't have to worry about a doggone thing.
The Rings of Knowledge know everything.

The scrolls never lie and, honey, neither does Nim.
It's right here in my hands all six of them.
So tuck your little fears and put them right into bed.
It says right here that the queen has . . .

Nim unfurled the scroll and read the word “disappeared” to himself.

Nim started to sweat. He did not want his guests to know she had disappeared. The music vamped, waiting for him to get to his big finale . . . and the crowd started to get restless, wondering what was going on.

The backup singers started singing, “Dry your weeping eyes, we're gonna be fine.”

With the crowd distracted, Nim ran backstage. There he saw Ronin. “Ronin, did you hear about the queen? This is terrible!”

“I know—,” said Ronin.

But Nim interrupted him and continued, “We gotta do something. We gotta keep everyone from freaking out.”

“Yes,” Ronin replied. “That's why—”

But before Ronin could finish his sentence, Nim continued, “We gotta make sure the royal pod is safe . . . far away and . . .”

Just then, Nim saw the pod in M.K.'s arms.

“What did you bring it here for?!” said Nim.

M.K. and Ronin looked at each other. “The queen's last words to me were ‘bring the pod to Nim Galuu,'” M.K. said.

“Did she say anything else? Specific instructions? Maybe a note?” asked Nim.

“Those were her LAST WORDS before she disappeared. I thought you were magic?” said M.K.