Tommy's POV
       Cory, Uni, Jon, and I were all walking through the woods, talking. We had been walking for about 2 hours now, and we had talked together the whole time. We had explained to Jon the details of our quest, and we'd shared information about ourselves. And Jon had told us that he was 15, and he had been the smallest jester in his town, and he had no idea why. Maybe it was because he was the youngest, or something else. Who really knows.

       Well anyway, Jon told us that in his old town, jesters weren't allowed to have children unless the head jester said they could. And, as you already know, the headjester isn't the nicest person, and he did not allow Jons parents to have a child. Though Jons parents wanted a child, and they decided that it was up to them if they wanted a child or not, so they had Jon. And as Jon grew up, they kept him hidden, in fear that he would get taken away from them. And this us where Jon was in his story now.

      "Then, one day I was playing in the backyard of my house, and my backyard was surrounded by tall gates, but there was a door...And out the door there was the exitgate.. And being the 6 year old I was, I ventured out. I had never ventured out before, but this time I wanted to." Jon continued as we walked. "Why?" Uni questioned. "Why what?" Jon asked. "Why did you decide to go out that day? I mean, you never did it before, why then?" Uni questioned. Through my mask I saw Jon glance nerviously at Uni, "O-Oh, I..Um..I just wanted to...Ya know?" Jon stuttered nervously. I knew he was hiding something, and so did the others, but we were all hiding something. Then Jon continued with his story, "And when I walked out of the gate, I was amazed by the beauties of the outside world..So much so that I didn't even hear it coming... Then a Serpiente popped out of the bushes...And I was to small to fight it, so I screamed. And my parents came to help me, but so did other jesters. My parents were no match for the S-Serpiente...A-And they were killed... And the other jesters saw what had happened, and when the headmaster heard about me..He blamed me, and I know it's m-my fault..." Jon said, tears beggining to gorm in his eyes as he spoke.

      Uni realized that Jon was crying, and quickly put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Jon...It wasn't your fault. You were just curious, and you didn't know the Serpiente was there... Please, don't blame yourself." Uni said softly. I shivered at the idea of getting attacked by a Serpiente. Just image getting attacked by a snake, except the snake it longer than a horse, and it has venom that boils your blood while your alive, and kills you in minutes. Not very pleasant, huh? I was broken out of my thoughts by Corys voice, "Okay guys, I think we should stop here for the night."

       I looked at Cory, then I followed his gaze to a small clearing. I nodded, "Yeah, that's a good idea." The others nodded, "Okay, lets make sure the area is safe first. Uni and I will go look around. Tom, you stay here with Jon. Sound good?" Cory asked. "Sounds righteous." I said, and I noticed that Jon didn't say anything. And as Cory took out his bow and walked through the trees with Uni, I saw that Jon was staring at something. I followed his violet gaze, and saw that he was staring at a....Leaf? It was a small leaf, maybe 2 inches long. It was a regular green color, and its surface was smooth looking and shiny.

      I watched curiously as Jon walked slowly over to the bush that was covered in the small green leaves. He slowly reached out and touched onr of the leaves, and I saw his body stiffen a bit as he touched it. Then he shut his eyes, as if concentrationg on something. Then he opened his eyes and looked back at the leaf. Then, he picked the leaf, and put it delicately in his pocket. And he did this with a few more leaves aswell. Then, he looked back at me, and I saw suprise flash in his gaze. As if he hadn't known I was there.

      For a moment I stopped to contemplate what to do. I wanted to question him, but I also figured that it wasn't my business what he was doing. So, I pretended not to have seen him do it. I turned my head the other direction, and used my hidden eyes to my advantage. "Hey Jon, do you think we should go look for berries in the bushes around here?" I questioned casually, and I heard Jon sigh in relief, as if he was happy that I didn't question him. Strange... I thought to myself, but I ignored it. Then Jon spoke up calmly, "No, I think we should stay here. If Uni and Cory find anything, im sure that they'll tell us." Jon said. I nodded, "Okey dokey." I said simply, walking into the small clearing and taking a seat on the soft ground. Jon followed and took a seat next to me.

       For the next few minutes, Jon and I sat side by side on the soft forest floor, silently. I was beggining to worry about Uni and Corys absence, then I heard something from the woods. "Im sure it's nothing Cory." I heard Uni say calmly through the brush. "No Uni, this could be serious. What if they're bad people?" Cory snapped back. "And what if they aren't?" "Better safe than sorry." The two argued. Then they came out of the brush, Cory was holding his bow, and his mouth was set in a strict frown. Uni on the other hand, looked alot calmer, he was slightly smiling, as if trying to calm Cory. "Find anything interesting?" Jon questioned, nervousness pricking his voice. Uni sighed, "Nothing to important-" he began, but Cory cut him off. "No, we did find something important." Cory said, sending a glare in Uni direction. "Well Carl, don't keep us waiting. What'd ya find?" I questioned playfully, yet there was a serious tone to my voice. Cory sighed in annoyance at tge name Carl, then he looked at Jon and I. "Horse tracks." He said simply. I scoffed, "Seriously? Horse tracks? What, do you have a fear of horses or somethin'?" I questioned. Cory sighed and shook his head, "Well you morons, wild horses don't live in the woods! But ya know, bad people ride horses INTO forests. So, there is a big chance that this is a serious problem. What if they kidnap us while we're sleeping or something?" Cory argued. I mean, he had a point, but it was an overly dramatic point. "Carl, you need to chill. You have a point, but isn't that a little, I don't know, overly dramatic maybe?" I said. Cory glared at me, "One, it's CORY, and two, when there are bad people riding horesback through these woods, you owe me an apology!" Cory snapped. I chuckled quietly, "Yeah, uh-huh." Cory bared his teeth, then Uni stepped in, "We've had a long day guys, so let's just chill and go to sleep. It's to late at night for you guys to be arguing like little girls." He said calmly. Cory mumbled in annoyance under his breath, then he agreed with Uni, as did the rest of us. So we layed down, and I fell asleep almost immediantly.

                               Jon's POV
       I was sitting quietly in the darkness, my gloves on the ground beside me. Everyone else was asleep. Cory and Uni were leaning against a tree, leaning against each other as they softly breathed, and Tommy was laying on his side curled up in a ball, his thuck, long tail curled softly around his body. I looked up at the stars again, then I glanced at my gloves that laid beside me. I almost never took them off, so why now? Why did I find this moment so important? I sighed as I looked back at the small green leaf that I held in my fingers. I took in a deep breath, enjoying the feeling that the leaf gave me.

        This single leaf gave me a feeling of strength, and don't know why. I've always been drawn to these leaves, for seemingly no reason. I ran my fingers down the rubbery leaf. It gave my fingers a warm feeling, and my body seened to be attracted to the leaf. Like a strange force inside of me yearned for something within the leaf, but what was there to yearn for? These leaves are useless. The only good that they do for this whole world is feeding caterpillars. So whay do I love tham so much? I mean, im not an animal... So, why?

    I continued to question myself. I love these leaves, but they've caused me so much pain...These leaves are the reason that I have no parents, no family, no place. It's all because of these stupid leaves! The memory replayed in my mind over and over again. The day that I wondered out of the yard...But it was no act if childish curiosity, no...It was an act of feeling. I remember sitting on the ground in the backyard, and then seeing the leaves outside the fence. I remember fighting the urge to go touch them...Then I remember the dreaful day that the calling became to strong. It was like my soul was pulling me towards the bush, and when I touched the leaf...My soul seemed to flutter, then the Serpiente had come... And last but not least, I remember the last words that my mother had said to me. And the words echoed through my head, "Jon...Everything happens for a reason... T-This is just one of the many a-adventures that you're bound to face...Just remember my little jester...You..are..special.."

       I felt tears run down my cheeks as the painful memories resurfaced. I looked down at the leaf in my hand. I growled under my breath, and as much as I just wanted to smash the leaf in my hand, a part of me wouldn't allow me to. I growled under my breath, then I brought the leaf up to my face and looked at it, "Why am I so drawn to you? You're just a stupid leaf..." I cried sadly. Tears streamed quickly down my face as I cried silently, and I curled into a ball. I brought the leaf to my chest, and held it there as I cried. My heart seemed to slow down to a steady beat as I held the leaft there, then, I slowly drifted off the sleep with a warm, comforting feeling surrounding my body.
                        *Dream*
         I opened my eyes and saw that I was standing in a small, bright green clearing. And surrounding the clearing in a circle, was bushes full of  those stupid leaves. Oh great... I thought dryly. " Get out of my dreams you stupid leaves!" I growled angrilym I felt a strange strength here, but I decided to ignore it "Now JonJon, you know very well that these aren't just some 'stupid leaves'." A achingly familiar singsong voice said to me. O looked infront of me and my eyes widened, "M-Mom!?" I questioned in suprise. Infront of me stood a female jester. Her outfit was lime green and pink, and like me, her bright-pink hair came out of her jester hat. Her magenta colored eyes softly stared into mine. "My little jester.." She said sweetly, and I ran up and hugged her. I hugged her tightley, as if I was scared that if I let go she would slip away. She hugged me more softly, "I missed you so much..." I said quietly, tears streaming down my pale face. "I missed you to...But i've been with you tjis whole time, Jon" Sge said softly, breaking the hug. She was taller than me, so she kneeled down to my eye level. "I've been watching you, love. And i've seen all the hardships that you've had to face. And im so so sorry that I had to leave you." She whispered."

        My elf-like ears dropped in shame as she said that, "Im sorry....It's all my fault..." I choked out. I saw her eyes fill with a stern look. "You listen here Jon, none of this was your fault. Every single bit if this was mean't to happen." She said sternly. I shook my head, "No...If i'd just stayed in the yard...." I began, my voice trailing off sadly. She sighed, "Jon, listen. It wasn't your fault. I was destined to die that day. There was a million ways that it could have happened...But it was inevitable. You coulndn't have stopped it, I couldn't have stopped it, no one could. It was written out in the stars long before you were even born." She said quietly. That made me feel a little better, than my mother stood up, and she walked over tuo one of the bushes that surrounded us.She reached out ond touched a leaf, and it turned into a bright pink flower. She picked the flower and looked at it, then she looked back  at me with a smile. She walked over go me, and once again kneeled down infront of me. She smiled and put the flower behind my ear. I giggled, then I noticed how sad she looked. She was smiling, but her eyes shone with sadness. "Jon.." she whispered. "Yeah.." I questioned. "Remember that you're special. Don't lose hope." She said quietly. "O-ok..." I stuttered. Then she smiked, and she lifted her finger up and gently tapped where my heart was. I gasped as I felt a burst if energy run through my body, jt felt like when I touched the leaves, except alot stronger. Then, I saw a light green heart shape begin to form on my vest, right over my heart. It glowed with intense power, then my mom put her fingers softly on my chin, turning my head to face her. My eyes met hers, and she smiled sadly. "Goodbye Jon..." She whispered. "No...Please don't leave me.." I whined. She looked me softly in the eyes, and I saw her body begin to fade away. I felt tears run down my cheeks. Then, right before she disappeared, she whispered, "Beware the tracks of mud and darkness."
                          *dream end*
      My eyes shot opened, and I quickly sat up with a gasp. I felt a tear run down my cheek, and my hand rested over my heart. I felt something in my hand, and when I pulled my hand from my heart and opened it, I gasped to see the small leaf that I'd fallen asleep with. Then I noticed that I felt like I was being watched. I quickly looked behind me, and I saw that the others were already up, and they were staring at me with concern. "You good Jon?" Cory asked quietly. I took in a shaky breath, "Im good." I said, forcing happiness into my tone, and faking a smile. I wiped the tears out if my eyes, then I looked at the leaf in my hand once more. I stared at it, then I put it in my pocket with the others. I looked up at them, and smiled shyly. "So, should we head out?" I questioned. Jumping to my feet and walking over to them. They nodded, and they gathered their things, and we headed off.

A/N Update! And don't worry guys, I haven't forgotten about the other shred squad members, they'll join this soon enough! Well anyways, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED, AND HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!! AND GOODBYE PEEPS!!!!