You didn't really think Queen Wasp got rid of all the LeafWings, did you? Even if she wanted too, the othermind would never let her. It needs leafspeak to grow more of itself. And that's where our story comes in. Deep under Wasp Hive, a LeafWing named Redwood waits. He has the strongest leafspeak in the tribe, and was taken from his army and locked away. He doesn't know what happened to the rest of the LeafWings, or what the world outside has become. All he knows is the darkness, and a small cluster of plants. And that is where this story begins.
Dear Diary,
I've decided to start keeping a diary. I've never done that before, but then again, there isn't really much else to do down here, is there? My other options are talking to the dandelions or staring into the darkness. When you consider all that, keeping a diary doesn't sound so bad.
I won't be putting a date on this. There's no point. I think I've been down here about a week, when they took me from the army, but I'm not sure. It's so dark down here. The only light comes from the lamp for the plants, and that's not exactly helping me tell the time.
Those plants are the only luxury I have. I talk to them, help them grow, keep them alive. I know that makes me sound crazy, but there isn't really anything else to do. I was lucky to find this journal. One of the guards must have dropped it. Hopefully they don't come for it. There are a few others down here, and I've heard what they do to punish dragons who try and escape.
Dear Diary,
They put another one down here today. Her name is Fir, and she has strong leafspeak, like I do. Maybe that's why they captured us. To use our leafspeak. But they haven't really done anything with it yet, except for putting these plants down here and letting us grow them.
Me and Fir communicate back and forth through the plants, sending messages to each other. It's great. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to have another dragon to talk too.
I wonder what happened to the rest of the LeafWings. They never came for us, but there aren't any of them down here except for Fir and me either. Maybe they're still fighting. Maybe they'll come for us soon.
I hope so.
Dear Diary,
Fir wants to escape. She says its awful down here, with no sun and no moon and no life. And she's right. I don't know what they might do to us if we try to escape though. I'm trying to convince her not too.
She told me the LeafWings had to retreat, that we went into the Poison Jungle. I wonder what will happen to them in there. I've heard stories about how dangerous the Poison Jungle is. I don't know if they can survive there.
One thing is clear-- they won't be coming for us. Which means the only dragon I'll have to talk to for the foreseeable future is Fir. So she can't try to escape. She can't leave me alone again.
Dear Diary,
Well, long story short, Fir tried to escape. They took away the lamp for that. Now it's completely dark. Fir's locked to the ground now, covered in chains. She can't move. And without light, the plants are starting to wither. I'm trying to keep them alive with my leafspeak, but I don't know how much long they're going to last.
If we lose the plants, we lose our ability to communicate with each other. You might be my only friend again soon, Diary. It's getting late, so I'm going to go to bed. I'll try to grow the grass enough that I can sleep on it, but I'll probably end up sleeping on the stone floor. Again.
See you tomorrow, Diary. Hopefully they'll bring the lamp back soon.
Dear Diary,
The lamp is back! The light has returned! I tried not to show the guard my excitement, but when they left, I danced around the room in joy.
Fir is still locked up, but there isn't much I can do about that. At least I know the plants won't die now, so I can still talk to her. She hates the chains. I would too, but she shouldn't have tried to escape. This is what happens. This is why we can't.
In other news, they brought a new plant with the lamp. It kind of freaks me out, so I haven't explored it much with my leafspeak yet. It's black and white, with a red center, and it's voice seems to burrow right into your brain. I asked the guards what it was, but they just ignored me. They always do.
Dear Diary,
The queen came today. She hasn't visited since she locked me in here, so that was a suprise. I tried to tell Fir about it, but somehow she could tell that I was using my leafspeak, and ordered me to stop. I told Fir after Wasp left, but she never responded. I hope she's alright.
The queen told me to grow the creepy plant. It's spread all over my cell now, and it wants me to... eat it? I don't know why, but I'm guessing it's posionous. So, definitely not eating it.
I wonder why the queen cares so much about this plant...
Dear Diary,
Fir still won't respond, so you're the only one I can tell this. The queen came again. She told me to grow it more. It came into my mouth, but nothing happened so it surronded me and I reached out to it and now it's in my head and I can't get it out and it's still not in control but it WON'T STOP TALKING!
Was this what the queen wanted to happen all along? I don't know. I'm probably won't be myself for much longer. It's burrowing in. It wants me. It wants everyone. It wants everything. It used my leafspeak to take me.
I can't fight it. Goodbye, Diary. This will probably be my last entry.
Dear Diary,
I figured some things out, although they don't matter do they? Not now, not anymore. It merged with me, the plant. Not control, merging with my leafspeak. Whenever I use my leafspeak I use it. But who cares?
She's dead. I asked the guards. The plant killed her. And I am the plant now. It's almost as if I killed her. My only friend. She's gone.
I feel like I'm a rubber band, being stretched and stretched and stretched. And now I'm close to snapping.
Dear Diary,
I woke up surronded by dead bodies.
I killed them. I killed them all. And the worst thing is, I can't even feel bad about it, because I'm free now. I know this is wrong. But Fir is dead now. So who even cares what's right and wrong.
I'm going to burn this diary to the ground.