SILVA - Epic Ronin Story

Close Encounters

[Silva's POV]

With Nod with us, we had two on each bird, evening the weight. I had Grub with me while Ronin had Mub. Ronin was done with him trying to flirt with me, afraid I'd kill him before the trip was over. MK was with Nod which seemed like a dangerous combination to me.

I flew my bird close to Ronin's, seeing his stoic face - meaning he was thinking hard about something. "Hey, you alright?" I asked him.

"Yeah, just... so much has happened today. The Pod, Tara, almost you, and now this." He sighed.

"Yeah, it's a lot..." I trailed off.

"Well, let's just be happy that we're on our way to Nim's." I said and Ronin gave a small smile. "There it is." I teased him making him roll his eyes. I continued to stare at him and his smile.

I only stopped when I heard MK scream. Both Ronin and I looked over to see Nod take off with her, starting to do tricks.

"That boy is going to be the death of us all!" I complained.

Up ahead, I saw nothing but death. The forest was grey and burned. "Ronin." I pointed ahead. This meant Boggan territory.

"Oh my... stay here. I'm going to warn Nod." I nodded and stayed low. I perched my bird in front of the blight and waited for Ronin and Nod to land next to me.

"Hey, I'm just trying to keep things..." Nod saw the blight before him, "light."

"What did that?" MK gasped.

"Mandrake." I spat. His name makes me think of what he did to Tara. Ronin reached over and rubbed my thigh, I placed my hand over his and held it. "Tara's power always kept him in check." I explained.

"Were you guys close?" MK asked.

"She was Silva's sister and one of my best friends." Ronin answered for me.

"So that's what they meant when they called you Princess." MK colluded and Ronin nodded. I continued to stare out at the blight.

"Not anymore since she's gone. Now nothing can heal what Mandrake destroys. Except that Pod. Her magic is in there." I explained.

"We have to go around." Ronin says, seeing the Boggan scout in the air.

"What, just for one scout?" Nod questioned.

"Ever see just one Boggan?" I asked him, unconsciously placing my hand where I was once injured.

But Nod being Nod, he took off anyway with MK and the Pod. "Nod, wait!" Both Ronin and I called after him.

A swarm of bats and Boggans flew into the air. "Get to the ground!" I shouted. The bat quickly followed suit as we weaved through the plants and trees.

"There!" I pointed to a hollow branch on the ground. I waited for Nod and MK to be in front of me before I landed.

"This way!" Ronin screamed ahead of us. Grub and Mub screamed as they saw a Boggan aiming their arrow at us.

"Silva!" Ronin screamed after me. As the arrow was fired, Nod screamed something to MK and the arrow landed beside me, causing me to recoil. I looked back up to see the bat diving straight for me. I closed my eyes and froze. I felt a hand grasp mine, pulling me really hard to the side.

The bat missed me by an inch, screeching before flying away. I opened my eyes only to see Ronin right in front of me. His body had mine pressed against the inside of the log. Both of us were breathing heavily, staring at each other.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, his face close to mine.

"Yeah, thank you." I said, not breaking eye contact.