As the group flew closer to Moonhaven, a squadron of Leafmen came out to meet them.

“We’ve been waiting for you,” said the squadron leader. “Where’s Ronin?”

Nod hesitated. “He . . . uh . . . gave us a head start.”

All the Leafmen understood what that meant. Immediately, they escorted Nod and the others through a gap in the trees, revealing Moonhaven, glowing in the moonlight.

M.K.’s eyes went wide. She had seen many new and amazing things that day, but Moonhaven took her breath away. It was unlike anything she could have predicted or imagined. In the center, she could see a crowd of Jinn. M.K. held up the pod for them to see, and the Jinn cheered.

Nim greeted them, arms open, delighted to see them and the pod. “You guys made it!” He led them inside to the royal chamber and placed the pod on a pedestal where the moonlight would shine on it through a window.

Mub and Grub pushed through the crowd to get front-row seats.

“Do you know what this means?” Grub excitedly asked Mub.

“We single-handedly saved the forest!” answered Mub. “Eye-five!”

Nod shook his head, then noticed that M.K. was hanging back a bit. Cautiously, he approached her and said, “So when the pod opens . . .”

M.K. nodded. “I think the power of it will . . .”

“Send you home,” Nod finished, realizing the gravity of what that would mean.

M.K. looked up at Nod and could see that he didn’t want her to go. She sighed, not knowing how she could say good-bye.

The pod began to glow, reacting to the moonlight. Everyone gathered close, with hopes and futures all dependent on the successful blooming of the pod.

Suddenly, the moonlight started to flicker. Then it went out! The pod started to wilt. What was happening?

A screeching sound could be heard, and the Leafmen looked up to see Mandrake’s bats blocking the moonlight from entering the window.

Mandrake himself flew on a black grackle, watching and insuring that the pod would bloom in darkness. But strangely, the bats weren’t descending.

“I don’t think they’re attacking,” said M.K. “They’re blocking out the moon!”

Nod and the Leafmen took to the sky, heading directly for the bats. He looked at the Leafmen on both sides of him, realizing they were flying together as a team. He knew this was what Ronin would have wanted. Lifted by the feeling, Nod spurred his bird higher.

Down below in the royal chamber, M.K. anxiously watched the sky as the Leafmen pushed a hole through the blanket of bats. For a moment, the moonlight returned . . . but it immediately closed back up.

M.K. wanted to help. She spotted a sword and tried picking it up. But it was so heavy, she could only drag it.

Nim chuckled. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to help,” M.K. said to Nim.

“Whoa, whoa, you heard the queen. If you want to get home, you have to be here with the pod when it blooms. Isn’t that what you want?” said Nim.

“So I should just sit here?” M.K. responded.

“I didn’t say that,” replied Nim.

“So I should go up there?” M.K. was starting to get frustrated.

“Didn’t say that either,” replied Nim.

Now completely frustrated, M.K. said, “Just tell me what you ARE saying!”

“I’m saying, who gives up everything for a world that’s not even theirs?”

M.K. had a moment of realization. “My dad does. I have to get my dad.” She headed for the exit.

Nim called after her, “Where do you think you’re going?”

M.K. exclaimed, “The queen said I was here for a reason. This must be it!”

She hopped aboard a sparrow and zoomed away under the shadow of the bats. She just hoped her plan would work.