When I Look Up At The Stars

09 | ursa

"My aim is perfect."

The last knife lodged right between the two others, in one straight line.

The branch cracks.

It takes both Axel and the figure a second to realize what she had just tried to do.

But that was the point, for the element of surprise always worked the best against an enemy.

As the wood splinters, and creaks as it falls, the sound of scurrying resounds across the clearing.

Except this time, the footsteps are retreating. The figure was running away.

Axel and Stella turn to face each other, and as the same understanding passes between their expressions, they're both leaping to their feet to follow after the footsteps.

Their feet pound against the forest floor as they run, dodging sharp branches, ducking between leaves, twisting and turning through the thick trees. In front of them, the figure darts between the spaces with surprising agility, but the darkness still prevents them from discerning any features- except for the all-black attire.

Stella's tiny frame zips through the vegetation with ease, while Axel remains a hair length behind, as his arms push through the branches and twigs that were constantly in the way. A broken branch swings into his face, cutting across his cheek and making him hiss, but he doesn't allow himself to slow.

The figure ahead begins to take an oddly specific route, jumping over certain roots, ducking under only some branches, and stepping over precise positions on the ground- while navigating through the dense foliage.

While it was odd, it gave them an advantage because now it meant that they were drawing closer, much faster.

Stella grits her teeth, pumping her legs in an attempt to catch up, until-

"Wait!"

The panicked undertone in Axel's voice has her instantly skidding to a halt.

For a second, she's almost annoyed at his intrusion but then her eyes catch sight of the silver glinting near her feet, and she draws in a deep breath.

Spikes.

Long, sharp, deadly ones by the look of them, scattered across the ground, only inches away from where her feet were.

They could have easily impaled their way through her shoes, injuring her terribly, if it were not for his warning.

"Oh, stars," she breathes, as her heart thuds in her ribs. She can feel Axel's breath right behind her, along with the distinct scent of dark chocolate and citrus that seemed to always surround him.

"This is why I told you to stay behind me," he says, and even in the obscurity, she could feel his eyes boring into hers.

She could hear his heartbeat too. It was faint, but just as frantic, as his warm hand curled around her upper arm and tugged her back gently until she was behind him again.

The figure was no longer in sight, having disappeared into the darkness.

"Traps?" Stella asks quietly, as her own fingers instinctively wrap around his lower arm.

"Traps," Axel murmurs in affirmation.

The spikes weren't the only traps laid out, hidden in the crevices of the undergrowth. Axel would never have noticed if he hadn't caught sight of those metal death pricks first.

There were clear signs of the land that had been dug out, which meant land mines, though he couldn't see the others hidden in the shadows- it didn't mean they weren't there.