𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐨𝐮 | 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐞𝐧

[EIGHTEEN]

The heads of three men popped out of the bushes. There was a lanky one, laden with tools and traps that rattled when he moved, a chubby one that held a club, and a short one, who grasped a net. They all looked from side to side suspiciously.

The short one was the first to speak. "Oh, take a look at them two jumpers," he whispered, watching as you and Naveen hopped into the bushes. "I can taste them frog legs already."

The voice of the biggest man boomed through the swamp. "Bet they taste real good with the sauce piquant, right, Pa?"

"Will you keep quiet?" The ringleader grabbed the bat and hit the large man on the crown of his head, although he didn't flinch or react much.

"Ow."

The lanky one mumbled and made some gestures with the two fingers he had, seemingly articulating a plan.

"Oh, my thoughts exactly, Two Fingers. It's time to catch us some frogs!" They two of them chuckled and ducked back into the bushes, dragging the other behind them.

---

You used a small branch to cut through the bushes, hoping to make your way back to Louis, Ray, and Tia, when the prince struck up conversation. He followed behind you with a smirk as you breathed heavily, pushing foliage out of the way.

"You know, musician, I have finally figured out what is wrong with you."

"Have you now?" You said absentmindedly.

"You do not know how to have fun. There. Somebody had to say it." He smiled at you, which you returned.

"Thank you, because I figured out what your problem is, too."

He smirked and polished his fingers. "I'm too wonderful?" He was smacked back by a branch you let go.

"No. You're a no-'count, philandering, lazy bump on a log." You scolded him before turning away.

"Killjoy," he said, badly disguising it within a fake cough.

You replied saccharinely, "What'd you say?" and continued walking.

"Nothing." He fake-coughed again; "stick in the mud."

You came back and got up in his face, pointing at him as you spoke. "Listen here, mister. This 'stick in the mud' has had to work two jobs her whole life while you've been sucking on a silver spoon chasing chambermaids around your ivory tower!" He hopped after you, unenthused.

"Actually, it's polished marble." He said once you had moved onward. A net swooped out of nowhere and stole Naveen from where he sat. He shouted and you gasped as he was pulled away by the shortest of the three men.

The ringleader of the three hunters closed his fist around his net, promptly trapping Naveen inside. "I got me one, boys! Y'all get that little one over there!" The gangly man jumped out from the long grass, grabbing you tight and chuckling. You were able to get your legs out of his grip and split his two fingers apart, farther than they should go, and the man screamed out in pain. You jumped out of his hand and began frantically hopping away, but he pulled out a handful of sharp knives and threw them right at you. They narrowly missed your limbs and almost pinned you to a tree, but you quickly wove your way out and began to hop away.

Louis was getting the last of the prickers pulled out of his hands when he saw the hunters' boat floating on the water with the short man inside, who said "that's good hunting today, yes, indeed!" Louis' eyes seemed to focus in on the rifles sitting on the boat.

"Hunters with guns!" The gator jumped into the pricker bushes, but screamed in pain when he realized what he got himself into.

Ray looked upset at the gator's antics, but his expression turned into one of shock as he saw Naveen in the hunter's net. "Look at them big frog legs. I want me some corn bread with this dinner!" The prince struggled against the net, trying to get as far away from the man as possible.