The group had climbed down the tree a while ago. Continuing to walk around the plain in search of a place to hide. Star and Cross were up in front. Talking about some strategies to tackle Ink and the chaos he had now brought with him.
Meanwhile Moon. Former guardian of negativity, leader of the moon sanses and the most feared being in all of the multiverse. Was reduced to nothing more than a babysitter at this point. He was looking at the two guardians who were running around looking at anything and everything.
Dream looked down at the ground. Having spotted a tiny hole under the ground. He crouched down next to it. "Hey Nighty."
"Yeah?" Nightmare crouched next to him.
"Do you think an animal lives in there?" He gets on his hands and his knees and peers inside.
Nightmare sighs. "Probably. I mean animals do create burrows and stuff like this." Nightmare looks at the hole in the ground.
A sharp gasp came from Dream. "Nighty, there's a rabbit!" Dream exclaimed. Dream reached his hand down the hole.
"Uh Dream I don't think that's a good idea-" Nightmare tensed up, waiting for the inevitable.
Dream soon pulled his hand out. "There's bunnies! I petted them!" Dream smiled, grinning from ear to ear.
"Dream I don't think you should be petting them." Nightmare wraps his arms around Dream's waist and picks him up.
Dream whines. "But Nighty. The bunnies." He looks up at his brother. Looking upset.
"You need to leave them alone. You might attract predators to them by accident by poking around. The mummy rabbit probably is probably now fixing her burrow to keep them safe." Nightmare states.
Dream nods his head. "Like mummy? How she had the tree with magically branches to keep us safe while we slept?" He tilts his head like a curious puppy. Holding his hands together.
Nightmare looks unsure. Before his eyes light up. "Why don't we ask Moon? Mum did bring them to protect us."
Dreams eyes morph into stars. "Yeah your right!" He hugs Nightmare quickly. "Moon!" He then runs towards him holding Nightmares hand.
Moon looks towards the two of them. "Yes? What's the matter?"
"I have a question about mum." Dream smiles up at him. "Did she use the tree to protect us?"
Moon looks frightened for a moment. Oh no. This might just blow his cover... but luckily he had gained their trust. "Yeah. She is part of the tree after all." He says hesitating and looking nervous as he answered.
Nightmare could feel the anxiety coming from Moon. Nightmare's face changes from a similar expression to Dream to one more worried.
"Is that true?" He asks.
"Yeah. I mean come on. She infused herself in the tree after making you two." Moon says smiling. But Nightmare could tell it wasn't a happy smile... a nervous one.
"Why are you so nervous?" Nightmare questions. Dream looks confused as he looked up at his brother then back at Moon. "Mum did send you and Star to look after us, right?"
Star perks up. "Yeah she did. Its just difficult to talk about her sometimes. Moon here was very close to her so its difficult for him to talk about her sometimes." Star pats the two's head.
"Oh okay" Nightmare nods his head... still not quite believing the two. But Star did have a point. After all it did appear that only him and Dream could see her and feel her presence. "So does that mean she's okay then? You know by herself... the villagers... their not gonna chop down the tree right?"
Star once again smiled. "Nope. In fact the villagers ran away when things got... uh complicated."
"You mean things got violent." Moon plainly states.
Star looks a little nervous. "Yeah... it kinda did."
Dream looked upset by that. "Why did it get violent? Everyone should have apologised." He pouted.
"Peace probably wasn't an option." Moon picked up Dream and put him on his shoulders. "Now sit tight. We're gonna go into the forest and find something to eat."
Cross soon cut down a vine with thorns sticking out. "Yeah... maybe you guys should stay out of here. It looks very dangerous." He peered inside of the forest.
Barely any sunlight shone through the hard thick leaves. Attached to trees that towered above them. The calls and cries of animals echoed. Some sounding like normal forest dwellers where others sounded over worldly.
Star soon crawled in. He indicated for Cross to follow behind him. "We'll scout the area first." He states getting his spear ready.
Cross nods his head. "You guys definitely stay here."
Moon folded his arms. "In the open? Where we can easily be spotted? What if you two cant track your way back here and we get separated? I maybe regaining some aspect of my powers. But at the same time I cant fend of an army. Especially if I need to protect two little ones." He gestures behind him at Dream and Nightmare.
Cross eyes sharpened as he looked at the boys. "You really are the mom friend."
"Cross is that really appropriate now."
"Thought I'd try and lighten the mood a little... but you do have a point. We should all go in." Cross' grip on his sword tightens.
Nightmare smiles at him. "I knew I was right. I'll look after Nightmare and you Dream."
"Okay." Cross goes up to the young guardians. "Hey Dream?"
"Yep?" Drew hopped up now having a mouse in his arms. The mouse familiar to him as it was the same mouse from a long time ago. "What do you need mister Cross?"
"I need you to stick by me and Stars side as we enter that." He points to the dense woodland. "We're not sure its safe and need to make sure your safe."
Dream beamed up at him. "Like a knight!" He exclaims.
"I guess so. If that's what you wish to see it as." Cross tucks his necklace in.
Dream jumped up and down, having put the mouse on top of his head. "Yay! Nighty I feel like a real prince!" He holds his brothers arm.
Nightmare smiles at Dream. "That's good to hear. Cause you are the prettiest prince ever."
"Nuh uh" Dream shook his head. "You're the prettiest, smartest, kindest and amazingness prince ever!" Dream shakes Nightmares body at the speed of lightning.
"OoKkAaYy" Nightmare tries to get out. Dream quickly hugs Nightmare. Nightmare wraps his arms around Dream and gives him a little squeeze. "Mister Cross?"
"Yes Nightmare?" Cross felt a little odd calling Nightmare, well Nightmare. Since the Nightmare he had known (Moon) looked nothing like one another. But then again it probably came down to the midnight apples of negativity.
"Please make sure my brother doesn't get hurt. He means the world to me." Nightmare says holding his brothers hand.
"Of course I'll make sure." Cross crosses his heart. "cross my heart and hope to die."
Nightmare nodded his head. "Thank you."
Cross soon clicks his fingers. "Come on Dream." He holds out his hand.
"Okie!" Dream hugs his brother one more time and sprints off to follow behind Cross.
Nightmare silently waves. He looked a little upset. A shadow soon casted over him. He looked past his shoulder.
"You okay?" Moon asked putting a hand on Nightmares shoulder. "You look upset."
"Yes I'm okay. I just hope that Dream doesn't get hurt..." Nightmare mumbled softly seeing as though Nightmares blonde little head getting help down into the forest.
"He wont. Cross will look after him." Moon assured. "Now we don't wanna get left behind so we should get going."
Nightmare nodded his head. He held Moon's hand as they also headed into the forest. Disappearing without a trace.
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getting better at updating this book lol :3