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(Continuation from Chapter 7 part 1)
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It confused the four normal Mundane people upon seeing that Helen brought out some kind of glass ball of sorts, which is almost the size of her hand as she held it in her palm and when Draco and Neville saw it, they exchanged looks of understanding like they knew what Helen is going to do and nodded with approval upon accepting the kind of idea that Helen had in mind.
It turns out that Helen's idea was to make a decoy light-flash magic bomb and she enchanted to it softly which the glass ball gave out a dim glow in response to her magic and then she handed the magicked ball to Bellamy and told him to throw it at the right direction but when Bellamy was about to throw the enchanted glass ball off, Draco instantly stopped him with a light slap to his arm to instantly get his attention back at the blond man.
"She meant your right--not the other right!" Draco snapped at him softly with a frown.
Bellamy blushed a little embarrassed and this time he correctly aimed and threw the ball in the exact direction Helen told him to do.
Once the ball was thrown off and landed softly into the snowy bed at the right place, almost far away in a few meters distance from the others, and when it touches the ground, the enchanted ball swiftly flashed brightly and explodes upon impact, shooting off like a massive firework in display.
And when the light show happened, the monsters instantly came out of hiding in reaction to it, but fortunately, they didn't come at the group of survivors, instead, they lunge straight at the light show like it's their gourmet buffet, ready to serve them.
Clarke and Octavia managed to stifle their shouts from screaming in fright upon the sudden appearance of the monsters that were the type to have some sort of very dark black fur to blend into the darkness of the shadows itself, but there's no mistaking their large figures, the size almost similar to the grizzly bears, but they have no eyes under their black fur, except they obviously have long limbs with very sharp claws at the ends of all four of their paws on each monster, including very sharp numerous fangs and teeth inside the large snapping jaws of their slightly big long snouts.
Once the black-furred shadow-type monsters lunged at the brightening exploding light-show from the enchanted ball, trying to engulf it like they wanted to devour the light until it's gone, Draco instantly pushed the others into moving on, just right when these snarling creatures got distracted.
"Go, go! Move!" Draco hissed at them, nearly pushing and shoving the girls to go and run first before the other boys followed after them, guarding them behind their backs when they did.
It didn't take long for about a few meters or so that their running in a straight direction was veered off when Luna suddenly points out the glowing moss shining dimly amidst the snow through the deep dark forests they're running in and they started following that path as she explained shortly to the four confused normal survivors on the reason why they're following that very path, with the glowing moss they're following at, as it turns out that the mutated magic-like glowing moss is their guide upon the path that will lead straight to their way out of these forests.
Though the Mundane survivors decided to trust the Magical ones by now ever since they first met and grouped together, one of them had to ask, concerning the kind of doubts they still have on their minds and running rampant in fear within their guts after nearly missing another monster encounter like the recent one right there and then.
"Are you sure we can't fire up torches or use flashlights or magic to light our way?" Clarke whispered softly, not liking the fact that they're all traveling blindly on foot literally in the dark, and the only thing that they're trying to follow and trek through, are the faintly glowing moss that will show them the path to their way out of these creepy scary forests.
Draco snapped hissing lowly, "No, we can't! Even with using magic--any monster lurking out here will instantly come out of hiding and get us, exactly like those things back there when they reacted to the light-exploding ball that Helen made and Bellamy threw it out from. We can't risk it, even if we desperately need to."
"Draco, as much as I understand that we need to go on, trekking through the dark and all that but--we need to stop," Bellamy suddenly interrupted and said from behind him.
Draco turned around abruptly at Bellamy's statement like he's instantly annoyed and was about to snap at the man that they are not going to stop, since they're still near the proximity of those shadow monsters back there, even though they're distracted at the time for now but then his eyes instantly caught sight of Helen, who is now out of breath and tired, and it looked like she tried her best to hide it but her fatigue and exhaustion won over her body and it's now showing all over her entire being.
"Bloody hell and damn it all, Helen!" Draco cursed softly as he made the 'stop' gesture for the others to heed and do the same. "Why do you have to keep being so stubborn?!"
Helen took a deep breath like she's trying to get herself to keep moving but she couldn't hold back her tired panting breaths from coming out her lips and making visible puffs of air in the cold winter breeze around them. "Draco, don't mind me. I can still go on--!"
"No--nope! You are most definitely not going to continue moving on and all that!" Draco said firmly and looked completely firm on it too. "If you keep this up--you'll end up tripping over your own feet, hurt the kid burdening in your hold, and slowing us down much more than we already have. No--we're stopping just for tonight and continue on tomorrow when the sun rises up high in the sky. No arguments, Helen. Think of yourself and your kids, please."
Draco knew that that was a low blow, but it did the trick into making Helen relent and give up on pursuing on with their journey to keep on moving to leave these forests and she went silent, no longer protesting about it with one hand rubbing over her pregnant belly like she might be soothing her distressed baby moving around inside her or something.
After seeing that Helen is stopping, it's an instant agreement among them that they will too, so they did. And they didn't need to worry about their safety being out in the open, still in the middle of the vast thick forests, they're in right now because the magical tent the Magicals had before, was securely fortified to keep them safe and secure from any monsters or dangerous creatures out there that might come at them, even without the added protection of the former magical barrier before.
Neville and Luna quickly got the magic tent out and set it up and Draco was the only one standing outside on guard as the others got inside with Bellamy helping Helen into it and Draco didn't come in until one of them comes out and calls for him.
About two hours later, they were already settled in faster than usual or normal it would be, since they didn't unpack their stuff from their magic packs and bags as they know that they'll be leaving again soon, and they only got their necessities out, such as hygiene, food, and water supplies for themselves. Once the others are done inside and finished settling in, it was Neville and Murphy who came out to get Draco, who was still standing outside on guard and on alert for anything that comes at their temporary safe place, armed with only his cane still, much to Murphy's puzzlement and confusion on the reason why the blond wizard has that kind of weapon unless it might be a magical one that he thought in his mind.
"Hey, Draco!" Neville called out for him in soft whispers and lightly slapped his hand on Draco's back to get his attention.
And that was suddenly a wrong move--on Neville's part.
Because Draco nearly jumped high in the air and almost screamed out loud silly like a girl in reaction to Neville's sudden action on touching him but he managed to hold back his reaction before he embarrasses himself in front of the two guys behind him. However, he didn't hesitate to draw out his weapon, revealing that his cane is actually the sheath of a very sharp and long blade sword and he swiftly took it out and swing it right to Neville's neck upon spinning around to confront his 'attacker', which he froze and instantly put his hands up in defense.
When Draco saw that it was just Neville, he groaned with annoyance and sheathed his sword back to its cane-sheath, being graceful and expert in his sword-wielding movements upon leaving no scratch or cut on Neville's neck when he removed it.
"Confound it all, Neville! How many times do I have to tell you--to not do that!?" he snapped at him harshly with a glare.
"Sorry! Murphy and I just came out to get you and have you come in since we're finished and already settled inside the tent," Neville said sheepishly.
"How's Helen?" Draco asked softly, turning back around to gaze at the forest like he's expecting something that might be watching them or lurking in wait to catch them off-guard.
Murphy answered him, "She's fine. Luna had just finished checking her over and then ordered her to rest. The other kids were just waking up from their magic drug-induced state and Luna started on making dinner for all of us, with Clarke and Octavia helping her out."
Draco nodded, still looking intently at the forest with sharp narrowed eyes, and then told Neville and Murphy firmly. "Alright. I'll be coming in soon. I just need to set up a perimeter around our tent in case something else might come sniffing around near here. Since we'll be leaving again by tomorrow at sunrise, I'll be setting up magic wards instead of a barrier. You go on back inside, I'll catch up."
Neville would have stayed behind to be with Draco into helping him set up the magic wards but then Murphy nudged him a little to convince him to get back inside just as Draco told them to do and they did after a short moment's hesitation for Neville before he finally relented and went back inside with Murphy too.
It wasn't long until Draco managed to quickly finish setting up the magical wards to alert him if any danger or threat comes near their tent, and also protect them temporarily with its slightly strong shield around the magical tent. When he turns around and gets inside the tent after he double-checked and made sure that the wards are secure and keeping them safe, he came in just in time to catch and hear the latter conversation that Murphy is having with Bellamy and his friends, telling them the kind of weapon Draco was actually wielding and Clarke and Bellamy looked at the blond incredulously stunned while Octavia looked impressed that he had a sword hidden within the long wooden cane he's been holding the entire time they've seen him wield it.
Draco knew that the other Mundanes haven't seen him in real action, despite the slight swift movement he made before that Murphy saw, but he ignored their looks and just turned away with a sound huff like he's proud of the kind of weapon he chose to wield and use for himself and won't hesitate to show what he's made of so that others won't underestimate him.
By the time they all ate their fill from the dinner quickly made by Luna with help from Clarke and Octavia, they settle in while Bellamy brought a plate of Helen's share when she was ordered to go straight to bed to rest from her tiring ordeal of their long walk and he kindly brought it over so that she won't get up and retrieve it for herself when she gets hungry or thirsty.
It was fortunate that the children didn't notice anything amiss like seeing that they've been moved from their previous safe place and that they were on a journey because they've been magically drugged at the time but it looked like Teddy was smart enough at his very young age to know what's going on, and it seemed like he's not upset or angry about it because he knows that his 'mother' and his other guardians are keeping him and his little siblings safe from danger. The others made sure and helped to get the children fed with dinner and once they're finished, the children instantly decided without question to sleep with their 'mother' Helen in the big bedroom she's in.
Helen woke up a little from her nap upon feeling the children coming in and settle by her side, wanting to cuddle and sleep beside her which she doesn't mind at all, and she was just about to be finished in tucking them in underneath the comfy furry blankets on their very big soft bed that she and the children will be sleeping together. That's when Helen looked up after kissing Faith on her head good night and sees Bellamy come in with her covered food plate and water bottle, and she smiled gratefully at his kindness for bringing it over to her.
Bellamy smiled at the touching scene of the young pregnant mother with her adopted children lying about and around on the big bed, sleeping peacefully content besides their 'parent' and guardian, and he carefully stepped over them, making sure he's being gentle until he managed to reach towards Helen's side and sit down beside her to give her dinner. Helen smiled at him and thanked him again gratefully for his kind deed and he almost blushed visibly in embarrassment under her praise.
After Helen finished with her dinner and had emptied her water bottle, Bellamy was about to take the empty plates and water container and then leave, but then Helen stopped him with a hand to his arm and shyly asked him if he could stay and sleep beside her and the kids. Bellamy would have refused so that he wouldn't push some kind of boundaries so fast, even if he's really interested in Helen, but it looks like she really wanted the company since she felt a little anxious and a bit frightened from their near-miss ordeal from the dark-kind shadow-type monsters before at their trail, so he decided to relent and stay with her until she's deeply asleep and he can leave once she's deep in slumber with the children.
After a few hours, it didn't take long for Helen and the kids themselves to be fully submerged in their deep sleep without stirring any bit and Bellamy carefully removed himself from the bed and left their side so that he can join whoever is on night guard shift and watch out and protect their group, even though he knew that there are magical wards in place outside and around their tent.
He nearly winced a little when he saw that it was Draco who decided to take the night shift on guard too as per usual and mostly during his time ago back at the beginning of the monster apocalypse, before Bellamy and his group came but it looks like Draco didn't mind the company this time as he just nodded dimly at the young man and let him sit down right beside him.
Despite that Bellamy was being nervous and a little cautious around the blond wizard, Draco was tolerant enough for their guard shift during the night and when Bellamy tried to make small talk so that he can try to get along and be friends with him, Draco just ignored him when he heard him speaking and just gaze upon the darkness of the deep forests like he's intent into watching and looking out for any threats and dangers that might come at them and take them by surprise.
Little did this group know is that by the next day when the new morning of tomorrow comes...there is going to be something that will come at them unexpectedly by surprise but it won't just be a bad kind of monster--but also a good and friendly one.
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