Naina, a crazy girl, exiled from her hometown, accused of practicing black magic that took her parent's life. Her unique ability, unknown to the world. It burnt down along with her parent's body. Her name itself held deep meaning. Too many secrets s...
They ran as fast as they could. The only demerit they had was the human David who, even if being fit, couldn't run as fast as the girls could. Naina and Ammie realized David was getting tired. Naina worriedly looked around as the sun shone brightly and they needed a hiding place for letting David rest and catch his breath.
She knew that the ravens would have probably found them, and soon enough, they'd catch them. The image of David being tied by the snakes circling his body, gripping onto his lungs and not allowing him to breathe, makes her shiver. "No, I have to find a place to hide for some time." She whispered, taking a deep breath. Her heart was heavy realizing Utkarsha might have already confronted her aunt and they must be in the fight.
"Naina, we have to find a place to hide for some time. He cannot breathe." Even if Ammie was pregnant, their intense workout sessions have paid off as there wasn't even a drop of sweat on her body or her face. "I will look around. Until then, please go to that bush and don't make any noise.'' Naina pointed towards the closed-off wild bush covered with thorny leaves.
Paddling her way through the dense forest, she looked around to find a suitable place to rest. Walking past the muddy pathway, she marked the trees paving her path. Not sure whether she was in the right way, she kept going. The forest grew denser as she went on in her path. Climbing a small tree, she looked around and realized she came a very long way from Ammie and David. Suddenly her ears picked up the sound of water running through a top level.
She knew it wasn't the right idea to either walk on the ground or climb too high on the trees. So, she just dangled between trees to follow the sound of the water. If there's water, then there must be people around who may help us. Her heartbeat sped up, expecting the situation.
Ammie did exactly what Naina asked her to. Her emotionally wrecked state did not let her think properly. She never realized she'd put her family's life in danger. Helping David towards the bush, she kept her eye both on the ground and the sky. It completely drained David. Slowly regaining his energy, he looked at Ammie apologetically, but soon his eyes bulged to the size of a socket in shock when he saw a raven speedily making its way towards them.
Holding Ammie's hands tightly, he tried hiding from it. But ravens are smart when it comes to their prey, and here they weren't any simple ones. They were the spiritual bird of the most powerful witch of their time. "Ammie, they found us." Dodging the ravens who kept flying past them, David said dejectedly. Sadness clouded their thought of fighting back. Ammie took a profound breath and held the locket that hung around her neck, still shimmering, letting them know that her mother was still alive.
Naina, hardly batting her eyes, ran as fast as she could when she found a den on the other side of the forest they hid. One after the other, she jumped into the branches of big wild trees, trying desperately to cover the distance. It took her more time than she expected. The sun was about to hide in the blanket and it was going to go dark soon. On one hand, her heartbeat hammered in her chest, assuming what might have happened to Ammie and David. Did the ravens find them?
The guilt of getting late ate her like a plague, but she held her emotions at bay. Praying to God that they will be safe, she covered the distance by climbing the trees. Her entire body was ready to give up any moment, but she wouldn't let her aunt down. Every second she pushed herself even harder. The branches peeled her hand's skin off when she tried getting a grip.
"I would let nothing happen to you!" Naina stopped climbing the trees as she neared the place where she last saw them. Her hands shivered when she slowly parted the leaves and saw David being wrapped around by the snakes and ravens encircling them. Carefully, she drew her arrows from the bag and calculated the distance. Ammie was swinging her sword dangerously fast and cut the snakes into million pieces before the snakes reached David's throat.
Placing four arrows between four fingers, Naina placed it, aiming at the demon creatures. Ammie couldn't handle them, but she didn't give up. Deliberately, Naina left the arrows at once that were coated with the same poison that killed the girl. Ravens as if in pain made weird noises that pained everyone's ears. Nobody knew this, but Utkarsha could feel the loss of every single raven and snake.
Naina, unaware that she was challenging Utkarsha by killing her supernaturals, kept on smashing her poisonous arrows one after the other without coming forward and hiding in between the branches and leaves of a dense mangrove tree.
The ravens suddenly disappeared, and so did the snakes. Shocked with the sudden disappearance, Naina got down on the ground and smiled at her sister, who from head to toe was covered with blood and mud.
"You okay?" Naina checked on Ammie as David was wheezing because of the tight grip of the snakes. Not wasting any time, Naina caught David's wrist and dragged him towards the den.
"We have to find a shelter. It's almost going to be dark and wild animals will start hunting." David said, and that reminded her she did not notify them about the den.
"I found a den towards the other side of the forest, but you have to walk, David," Naina informed them. If it was in the hands of Naina, she would have chosen the tree roots. But when she looked at both her family members, she felt their pain. Sighing, she gave the last bread she saved for herself to David when she saw that their food was dirty and covered with mud and snake's blood.
"We have to reach the den before the sun completely disappears. The forest gets denser as we make our way towards the den. And don't worry, there is a waterfall where you can wash up." She smiled, trying desperately to control her shivering lips because of tiredness and pain.
"I love you." Ammie whispered to her in her ears hugging tightly. David was in awe after he saw the sister's love overwhelming their feelings. Wiping the tears, three of them made their way towards the den where they would discover something completely shocking and probably that would change Naina's life.
