I slip the hood of my cloak over my head as I follow Leo and Vul out the front door. The sun has set, leaving behind the orbs that float along the paths like street lamps. I can see some light peeking through the curtains of the other trees and spilling onto the ground. Each of the trees is massive, being as wide has a house and three times as tall
"Come on," Leo says softly as they lead me around their tree and into the shadows.
I tuck my hair behind my ears and straighten the strap of my bag as Lux wiggles around in my pocket. "So how are we going to—"
The words die in my throat when I see Leo transform right before my eyes. His body grows twice its original size and his clothes and backpack all blend into a brilliant golden pelt. His pupils slide into slits and his face grows a snout as he lands on the ground on all fours.
He's a lion. He's an actual lion.
He turns his furry head to me. "Hop on."
"Uhh . . ." I start as I simply gape at him. He sounds so calm, like this is an every day thing. I mean, it probably is in their world, but not in mine. I glance over at Vul who just gives me a sly smile before leaping into the air and landing on all fours in the form of a fox.
Leo leans down on his front paws to give me better access to his back. "Come on Ari," he says, his voice deeper and raspier due to the mouthful of teeth, "this is the fastest way."
I nod and take a hesitant step forward. God this is weird.
"O-okay," I stutter out as I dig my hands into his fur and clumsily hoist myself onto his back.
"Hold on," he says as he stands and I grip his mane tighter so I don't fall off.
Vul paws at the dirt before taking off into the trees with Leo and I at his heels. The sudden movement nearly throws me off of Leo, but I manage to righten myself and hunch down some so the harsh wind doesn't hit me.
They definitely run faster than their animals in my world, because the trees practically blurred as we sprint past them. My eyes can barely process what we are going by, only seeing the large amounts of vegetation and the quick glimpse of a tree here and there. The guys are somehow able to see with only the dim lighting of the moon and manage to not run into any trees or bushes. In fact, they glide past them with ease, zigzagging enough times to make my head spin.
It isn't until what I assume to be hours later that we finally take a break. The moon is at its highest point in the sky and the trees around us look more tree-like than house-like.
Leo leans down and I slide off of his back, my legs stiff from being in the same position for so long. I stretch out my legs as they turn back to their original forms, their clothes surprisingly still on along with their backpacks.
Vul kneels down and rummages through his bag before pulling something out and cupping his hands around it. I 'm too far away to make out what it is, but he brings it up to his lips and mutters something that I can't make out. A moment later he uncups his hands, revealing a small ball of white light, looking almost identical to Lux. He lets his hands fall to his sides as the light bobs in place.
"Go," he says softly and the light darts to the left and then the right. Upon closer inspection, I find that it isn't an orb, or even a pixie, but in the form of something else entirely. It skids to a stop in front of me and I see that it is actually a hummingbird made of tightly woven strands of white light. Its wings beat rapidly and its head is cocked to the side. the small bird blinks at me and then circles around my head so fast that it picks up a breeze which tickles my skin. A small smile tugs at my lips and I giggle before the little bird moves on to Leo.
"We're about a quarter-mile away from the Fallows," Leo says as Vul rummages through his backpack and pulls out a sleeping bag. "We'll make camp here and head in at dawn. I don't want to risk going in there at night."
"Agreed," Vul says as he unrolls his sleeping bag. I take this as a sign to pull out my own. The humming bird darts around us, creating a constant light that makes it easier for me to see what I'm doing.
"I'll keep first watch, yeah?" Vul says and Leo nods as he pulls out his own sleeping bag. Lux pops out of my pocket as I take off my cloak.
"You'll need as much sleep as you can get," Leo says to me as I shimmy into my sleeping bag. "Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
I sigh and let my head fall onto my balled up cloak. "Every day has been a hard day so far."
Leo chuckles but doesn't say anything else as he settles into his own bag across from me. I close my eyes as Lux curls up beside me, resting in one of the folds in my cloak.
It only takes me a few moments for sleep to consume me.
. . .
Aria.
I groan and turn onto my side. "Five more minutes," I mutter as I try to fall back asleep.
Aria, come join us. Aria.
My eyes snap open as the familiar whispers fill my ears. I sit up and find myself in a large, empty room. It's walls are much like the ones at Leo's and Vul's, but the vibe isn't comforting—it's hollow.
Aria, the voice whispers and I turn my head, trying to find where it originates from, but to no avail.
Come join us.
I stand, my body moving against my will. My feet head in the direction of the voice, as if they know where it is coming from.
Aria.
As I move, I notice the voice changing, sounding much like my sister.
Join us.
Nina?
Find me Aria. I need help.
"Ari stop! Don't do it!" I freeze, the hypnosis on my body subsiding. "Don't listen to them Ari!"
I whip around to find Nina standing a few feet away from me.
My sister looks nearly transparent, seeming to flicker in and out of a physical form. Bags are large and dark under her eyes that are filled with worry and sorrow. Her lilac colored nightgown is in tatters, the bottom frayed and torn with one of the sleeves missing so the dress holds loosely on her thin and frail frame. Her long brown hair is slick with grease and it falls to her thighs. She is practically skin and bone and is covered in grime.
"Nina?" I question, not sure if it is really her, she looks nothing like herself.
Aria!
I turn again to find Nina standing behind me as well.
Come with us.
"Ari, don't do it!" the first Nina pleads.
Aria join us!
I keep looking between the two Nina's. Who is real? Which one is my real sister?
Aria!
"Ari!"
Aria!
They call my name over and over again and with each call another copy of my sister appears.
I keep turning around and around, my eyes wide and head pounding. Sweat beads on my brow as my breath coming out in quick and shallow gasps. I fall to my knees as my hands clutch my head to try and block them out.
"Ari!"
Aria!
"Ari!"
I scream.
. . .
"Ari wake up!"
I gasp, my eyes blinking open in surprise. I whip my head around, finding myself in the forest with Leo and Vul instead of that hollow room. Yet the trees don't surround me, and I am no longer in my sleeping bag, but standing at the edge of a cliff and staring down at the rocky earth below me. My eyes widen and I make a noise of surprise as I stumble back from the edge.
"Calm down," Leo says, catching me before I could fall.
"H-How? W-When did I?" I question, stumbling over my own words.
Leo steadies me before letting me go. I glance over at Vul who stands off to the side, deep in thought.
"You were sleep walking," Vul deadpanned without looking at me. Instead, his gaze is trained deeper into the trees behind us.
"We've been chasing you for two hours," Leo adds.
"But for some reason, we were unable to get close enough to stop you. All we could do was follow," Vul finishes.
"What do you mean?"
"There was some invisible force pushing us back," Leo replies. "We couldn't get any closer than a few feet. Once you got to the edge of the cliff you stopped and we were able to break through."
I glance over to the cliff's edge. I was that close to dying? One more step and I would have fallen.
I slowly sit down, my legs shaking. My trembling hands grab onto my head as my breaths grow ragged.
What's wrong with me? Why is all of this even happening? Why me? I could have died! And for what? How do I know that any of this is even real? It could all be some insane dream or—or just my imagination. This can't be real; Caelum, the Bratus, it's all too good to be true. This can't be—I can't be—
"Ari, you have to calm down," someone says as they grip my shoulders, but I'm too out of it to try and figure out who it is.
"Here, give her this." Something is pushed between my lips and they tell me to chew. I hesitantly oblige.
A familiar sweet taste runs over my tongue as I feel myself relax, both physically and mentally. The tension slowly subsides from my shaking limbs as my hands lower to my sides and my breaths turn calm.
"Sanitas." My head snaps up to find that it was Leo who spoke to me. "It also comes in a solidified form." I only nod, my mind too distracted by the plethora of thoughts to form coherent words.
"We should get moving," Vul says, his tone emotionless as he steps closer to Leo and I. Leo glances at his brother, watching him intently for a moment before he nods. He turns to me.
"Do you think you'll be okay to travel?" he asks me, his voice soft as if he is taking to a frightened animal.
Ignoring his sympathetic tone, I merely nod, thinking of the Nina I saw in my dream. She needs help, and soon.
Leo drapes the cloak around my shoulders, which I then tie at the nape of my neck. When Vul brushes by me, he tugs the hood over my head before changing into his animal form alongside Leo.
Lux pops out of my bag and lands on my shoulder.
"I'm glad you're okay," she says as I climb onto Leo's back. "I just woke up and you were gone. You had me worried."
A small smile touches my lips as I climb onto Leo's back. It's nice to know that someone cares.
"I'm sorry Lux," I say and she settles back into my pocket so she won't fly off of my shoulder. "I'll try not to let it happen again."
She doesn't respond.
I sigh as Leo rises to his full height. Once I'm comfortable, we take off into the woods once again.