Epic (Nod x Reader)

Nod

Toad rolled his eyes at my appearance, "Great, now the girlfriend is here, just what I needed." He turned to his gang, "Feed him to something, a snake would be good." He turned to me, grabbing my chin, "And I'll take care of the little princess over here."

I grinned, "Not if I take care of you first." He huffed a laugh at that, grabbing me by the arm, and I winced when he pressed into the gash. "Congrats looks like that snake will be having two meals today."

"Nah, snakes just swallow you whole." Footsteps entered the cave, resounding with a certain authority and respect you tend to get when you're the commander of the Queen's guard. I watched as Ronin walked towards Toad, an amused grin set on his face. "Now," he paused, eyeing Nod, "if you put him inside a hornet's nest, now that's a show."

Toad fixed his coat jacket, puffing up the collar as he turned to Ronin, "Ah look, it's Ronin, defender of the weak, pooper of parties, here to ruin the fun." He gestured to his underlings, and with a wave of his hand Nod was let go, me kneeling down at his side to take a look at his scrapes and bruises.

Ronin smiled bemused, "I didn't ruin all of it, I let you hit him." Nod looked up unamusedly, holding up two fingers, "Twice." I snorted.

"Hop along now little froggy." Ronin's voice was back to its stoic nature and Toad held up to hands, offering a white flag. "Easy, Ronin, it's a big forest out there. Even leafmen gotta sleep." And with that, he made his way out the door, followed closely behind by his 'threatening' group of hoodlums.

I turned to Ronin, crossing my arms and raising an amused brow. "Talk about an entrance, Ronin. Very impressive, truly." I applauded, a teasing lilt that had Nod letting out a snort. "You prepare that when Nod was getting his ass handed to him?" I wondered out loud, tapping a finger to my cheek.

"Yeah, whatever." Nod shoved me and I grinned, letting Nod turn to Ronin, "You're wasting your time, I'm not coming back." But still, he trailed after Ronin as the older man made his way towards the larger entrance, where his hummingbird rested on the edge of the opening. Nod hummed, "Oh, I see, reverse psychology." He nodded his head noncommittally, "Make me feel guilty, get me to beg you."

Ronin glared, scouring the room in suspicion. "I didn't come for you. The Queen is dead."

I inhaled deeply, "Way to be blunt about it."

Nod paused at the blunt statement. Before turning to me, then to Ronin, and then back to me. He met Ronin's gaze, "What? How?"

"Boggan ambush."

"Ronin, I-" His voice cracked a little, hesitance lining his features, "I don't know what to say she was your-". He sighed, "I'm sorry," Nod turned to me, eyebrows furrowing as he placed a hand on my shoulder, "For both of you."

"What's going to happen to us? To the forest?"

I grabbed his hand, "We need access to your bird, Nod." I narrowed my gaze at him, trying to relay everything that's happened in the last day, but it wouldn't come out. Instead, I glanced at Ronin before meeting Nod's eyes. "We need to get the pod to Nim Galuu's. If we don't the forest will die."

He nodded, "Let me grab my saddle." Ronin backtracked at this, crossing his arms, "What? No, I didn't ask for your help."

Nod glanced back at the older man, skeptical, "Really? because it really sounds like you could use rider with my..."

"Ability to absorb punches? No, and I have the Princess, anyhow."

Like the title itself triggered something in me, I felt something trail down my arm. I touched my fingers to the injury, whimpering a little when I pulled back and found blood, specks of black decay infecting it like a parasite. "Uh, I wouldn't count on that." Pressing a hand to hold close the wound. Nod rushed up to me, "What happened?"