The Princess and The Bandit

TWENTY FIVE

Lauren saw the far away look in Camila's eyes. The urge to know her more becomes very insistent. Of course she has seen the bandit spending her time quietly immersed deep in her thoughts, that is if she's not glaring at her. It's a curious thing to see someone look so serious and be attractive doing it.

Like what could possibly this person be thinking. It's like a prominent trait she shares with Dinah.

She really wanted ask. But she didn't for an obvious reason she just realized.

Because unlike Dinah, Camila doesn't like her. From the very start, the girl hated her. And the more she has spent time with her, the princess is starting to somehow understand why.

Lauren was a stranger, an outsider.

Some people are just not enthusiastic of meeting other new people, protective of the tight circle they feel like they belong to, and Camila appears to be just like that. Lauren realized that she had been invading the bandit's personal space, her sanctuary, her little group of friends, albeit not intentionally. Not too many people are okay with that. She shouldn't have taken it against Camila, the girl was just standing up for herself and all the things she holds very dear.

The princess is starting to rethink her attitude towards the bandit. With the nagging curiosity to know Camila better, she thought that perhaps she had been treating the whole situation differently. She should have had a more open mind instead of running her mouth at the slightest provocation.

Her thoughts were broken by the sounds of rushing water. The river is still out of sight but she could hear it, smell the scent of flowing freshwater and lush overgrowth of plants.

"There's a waterfall up ahead. The water is a lot warmer there because of the hot springs from the volcano," she heard Camila say.

"There's a volcano up there?" She replied, perplexed.

"We're basically at the foot of a volcano, so yeah," Camila shrugged. Then winced at the pain in her torso.

Lauren fought her every instinct to rush at the girl's side. She knows she'll received a glare. Or some snarky remark. Something that would absolutely start another bickering match between them. Camila's just the type who wants to show everyone she can handle anything on her own, and Lauren can understand this because in some occasions, the princess herself has this kind of attitude as well.

Upon reaching a narrow rocky path, trees and shrubberies still dense on either side, it went on for about several meters before it emerged into a steep clearing. Right next to it was the river, pristine and clear water gushing in a steady current.

"Don't be fooled by the clean looking water. There are plenty of leeches on the sides where the current isn't so strong and the water's not deep. Not to mention the open area where anyone can easily pass by. We'd both be vulnerable. I wouldn't suggest to dip around here because of that. Upstream's a better option,"

Camila explains to her.

She quietly follows the bandit further, as her worry about her injury grows.

Just how much more can she take?? Really, no one should be this tolerant with pain . . .

They followed the path where the river flows from. As they went on uphill, the rocks grew into a much bigger boulders, slippery but not as moldy as the ones by the clearing. There were overgrown plants almost everywhere, and the bushes are much more dense and greener, almost concealing the path they were walking on.

They walked further more uphill against rocks and underneath looming trees. Eventually, they have reached the foot of the waterfall.

Camila stops atop a flat boulder. Drops her echidna blood stained rucksack and looks around with a pained sigh.