Grove

[grasshop]

A tiny villiage located on the southern side of Small Canyon... It is a tranquil place, and very isolated...Therefore it is more succeptable to Invectid attacks than most towns, as the insects may hid eout in the canyon to launch surprise atacks. Many of the villiagers rely on warrior Slate to protect them.

(MAP COMING SOON!)

[grasshop]

Moz swung his legs back and forth as he sat atop the small little bridge over the clear stream that flowed through Grove Village. Little ripples appeared, disfiguring the face that stared back at him...his face...thin-bridged nose, bulging green eyes, a line for a mouth, knobby chin...all transformed into something even more hideous. A sigh escaped him as he casually looked about...the hot afternoon sun hit the area in such a way that the villagers seemed to be glowing from behind. He did not see Slate, whom he was patiently waiting for, but he did spot a few commoners, small children, even a dog or two...

It had only been a full hour since he had crawled out of the inn that he worked for, ate a light breakfast, and came to sit beside the cool waters to wait for the brave heroic idol of his. He had ALWAYS admired Slate....'Only one day I'll be just as good...but until then, you'll always come first...' He wondered at times if his dream was silly and childish, but no matter how many thoughts came against it, the goal was still growing stronger by the day.

The late afternoon would be tiresome but not in the least bit wasteful...Slate had promised to meet him...bring him along to fetch something from Padan, which was the nearest town...but still a nice distance away, for there was a stretch of canyon that had to be breached. Moz had agreed to come along, figuring that he'd gain something, though he didn't know exactly what, by traveling with the warrior...He enjoyed the human's company more than anyone, or so it seemed to him, so just accompanying him would be worth the while.

The former Invectid stood from his bridge perch and stretched the thin arms above his head, yawning as he did so. Slate would be along soon enough, he supposed, though he wished he would hurry. 'I wonder what's taking him so long?' Green orbs concentrated on the small village, waiting for a sign.

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

Slate walked quickly through the village, hoping Moz wouldn't be upset with how late he was. He was supposed to meet him near the edge of town today, though he was already late. He was helping a child who managed to climb up a tall tree and get themself stuck. He stopped in front of a crowd of people. Slightly frustrated, he started walking towards an alley, figuring it was the fastest way to go. He passed the back of a building and was soon at the other side of the city.

He looked around for Moz, spotting him quickly. He walked up beside the younger boy, a guilty look on his face.

"I'm sorry that I was so late. I hope you're not mad." He said, looking directly into the green eyes of his young follower, his own eyes silently asking him for forgiveness.

[grasshop]

Moz quickly averted his eyes from Slate's feeling unworthy to look directly in them, as usual. "It's....okay...." He said quietly, his gaze once again cast down in the direction of theplacid waters of the small stream, where both his and Slate's visages rippled curiously against the sky background. The young Invectid warrior sighed...

"So...are we going to leave soon?" He asked, anxious to get away from the serene hustle of town and into the dead silence of their travelling...it was very rare that he'd ever want to be shrouded so much by lack of noise, but for some reason the lust of it plagued him today. He glanced up at the human warrior's face, awaiting an answer.

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

"That would be best, considering that we should have left earlier." He replied, a worried tone in his voice. "Well, we should be off." He said, starting to walk again, gesturing for Moz to follow.

[grasshop]

Obeidantly, Moz reverantly nodded as he picked uppace to follow the young warrior, taking in the sights as they passed to the village entrance....

'The eyes....they still stare at me....why...is that?' He noted one of the villagers scowling his direction. Many of them did so in such a way it made his insides tingle. But why?....'Why do they hate me so much?' He'd ask Slate about it again a little later, when they were far away from civilization. He'd asked before, but every time...it seemed Slate would avoid telling him...

He knew himself to be different. His skin was harda nd had tiny hairs prickling them, and also a difference in colour...maybe a few odd features. Deep in thought, Moz didn't pay attention to a large stone in his path, so instead of veering away from it, he awkwardly tripped over it, sending him flipping onto his back. He smacked the ground with a hard thud...his eyes squeezing shut. A small cry escaped from him, and the blow hit him hard, knocking the iwnd from him.

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

Slate turned immediately. He looked down at his young companion, quickly bending down and taking a hold of him to help him stand up.

"Moz... Are you okay?" He asked, gently pulling the boy to his feet. He looked at him with deep concern, knowing the terrible truth behind the insect's past.

[grasshop]

A biy shakily, Moz replied as he was pulled back onto his feet. "I'm alright..." There was a blush that he couldn't help, and he quickly looked back to make sure they weren't laughing at him. The eyes still watched, and he was sure he felt a smile coming from that direction...

Tears stung at his eyes, but he quickly brought a thin hand up to clear them away. Then ,without another word he moved past Slate, eager to get going...

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

Slate quickened his pace, And slowing again once he was again at the side of the younger warrior.

'He's acting so strangely today... I hope he's okay.' He thought, quickly glancing down at Moz.

[grasshop]

Moz ran a frail hand through his purple-black bangs. he had taken extra care to put his hair up today, but the thick, full braid slapping against his back reminded him of the scorn from the villagers. When Slate had caught up with him, he quickly noticed that the warrior had a very concerned expresion upon his face.

'He notices how nervous I am...' Moz thought with a small sigh. It had been awhile since he had popped the question, but today of all days seemed like a good time to get some real answers...if Slate would give them to him straight....

The exit to the town villiage was ahead, and one ocld already see the dips leading into the small canyon...only a bit of a dust road stretch before they'd reach it...then the canyon walls would block out all worry and he'd ask again...

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

Slate continued to walk deep in thought.

'I'm going to have to tell him the truth sooner or later. I guess it's going to have to be sooner or later. The next time he asks, I'll tell him the real story.' He looked ahead to see the exit of the town. He breathed deeply, his mind already planning on how he should tell Moz the truth.

[grasshop]

Moz threw a glance at Slate, who seemed to again be deep in thought....the look on his friend's face made him shiver a bit. 'I wonder if he's thinking about....NO!' Maz stopped himself before the thought could smother him...he had often thought of this before....but now was not the time.

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

A small sigh escaped the lips of the warrior.

'I miss you, sister...' He thought, remembering the past invasion.

[grasshop]

The young Invectid breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the words coming from Slate....'I'm probably just getting worked up over nothing.' He turned ihs head forward...they were at the boundaries of the village now, and Moz took one step, crossing the undefined line that separated the twon's grounds from the unowned land....

He stopped looking ahead at where their journey was about to take him. "It's going to be a long day,huh?..." He asked more to himself than to Slate.

[Dwaley Riyne aka *SMILE]

The warrior blinked a few times, pondering questions he dared not ask.

"Wh-what?" He asked, snapping out of his thoughts, not catching what his companion had said. He chuckled lightly, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear what you just said." He forced a smile on himself, not wishing to cause Moz to worry. The smile quickly faded as he made an obvious statement, "Hey, we're outside the village! Why didn't I notice that earlier?" he had a confused look on his face as he returned to his thoughts.