"It's fine really," said Cora as they stopped in front of the tent. "I can sleep outside. I'm more than used to it."
She could feel Draven's fingers running through the ends of her hair before curling his fist around her locks and pulling her back into his chest. His breath on her neck sent shivers up her spine.
"And risk you running off on me? I don't know what game you're playing with me yet, but I'm not letting you out of my sight. Not until I get what I want from you. Now take off your shoes and get in the tent."
Draven let her hair go as her head fell forward. Then, with a scowl on her face, she pulled off her boots, carelessly tossing them to the side before climbing into the cramped tent. In an effort to create as much distance between Draven and herself, she shimmied her way towards the top corner, settling on the cosy insulated padding of the tent. Draven kicked off his boots, picking up Cora's in the process and placing them inside at the bottom of the tent.
"Don't leave your shoes out in the open overnight. You'll get bugs in them," said Draven as he lay down next to the entrance and zipped up the tent. Then, he proceeded to unfurl a large sleeping bag large enough to cover them both.
Draven pulled up the sleeping bag, ushering her to get under it. "Now lie down and get some sleep. You'll need your strength for tomorrow."
Cora replied reluctantly and lay down next to Draven before he draped the sleeping bag over both of them. Draven placed one arm under his head and closed his eyes, seemingly falling straight asleep as his chest rose and fell in a steady, even pattern.
The rainforest was humid so the sleeping bag worked well as a large blanket, thankful that they didn't have to zip it closed, but she couldn't help feel the extra heat against her arm as it touched Draven's. She had never slept next to anyone before, but the extra warmth was nice. Most of her life she had been confined by herself, with only the sound of her surroundings and emptiness beside her. So it felt rather unusual to have the steady breathing of another person next to her, and the warmth from his skin pressed against hers. Draven's earthy scent filled the air and soon she fell into a deep sleep to the sounds of his breathing.
Cora woke up feeling groggy, as though she had risen from a deep slumber. The darkness of the night made it hard for her to adjust her eyesight, but the sole focus right now was the urgent need to relieve herself. It was not uncommon for her to need the bathroom in the middle of the night. Stupid body, she thought. Letting out a sigh, she propped herself up on her elbows and glanced down at Draven, who had turned onto his side during his sleep, now facing in her direction.
He looked so peaceful sleeping, and an inexplicable desire arose within her to run her fingers through his hair that fell across his forehead. It looked so inviting. Instead, she suppressed the urge and looked at the opening of the tent, contemplating her next move. It seemed simple enough - she just had to manoeuvre herself over Draven, unzip the tent and get out. Perhaps putting on her shoes would also be a sensible move. She grabbed her shoes at the bottom of the tent where Draven had flung them earlier and put them on as quietly as she could.
Her hand reached over, tugging at the zip, but as soon as the noise filled the air, a hand reached over and grabbed her wrist.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draven pulled her back away from the entrance, grabbing her chin and pulling her face down to meet him. Goddess, he was stunning. "Not trying to escape now, are we?"
"I really need to pee," Cora admitted, finding herself in an awkward position. She was now partially draped over Draven, with one of his hands still clutching her wrist, while the other hand maintained its hold on her chin. As if seeking stability, her other hand instinctively found its place on top of Draven's chest.
His prolonged gaze held her captive as she found herself mesmerised by the intensity of his piercing blue eyes. The moonlight streaming through the open tent flap only served to enhance their striking allure, casting a captivating glow upon them.
Draven's fingers released her chin, only to briefly brush against her bottom lip. "If you're not back in ten minutes, I'll drag you back here myself."
For such an attractive man, his attitude was a piece of shit, but the only thing on her mind right now was relieving herself. So she unzipped the rest of the tent and stepped out. As she walked in the direction of a cluster of trees, she passed the firepit where Finn was now sitting, throwing twigs into the fire. He glanced up at her.
"Just going to pee," she said, pointing to the spot she was walking to. Goddess. Why did she need to inform everyone of her bowel movements?
"Watch out for snakes," smiled Finn before going back to poking the fire.
Cora was quick, afraid that Draven really would drag her back to the tent if she didn't get back in time. But when she arrived back, she found Draven on his back with his eyes closed, deep in a slumber. She climbed back over him, zipped up the tent, and nestled back into her spot. Soon she was fast asleep.
When she woke the next morning, Draven was no longer in sight. The light was dim with the early morning sun and she stretched out under the blanket, which was firmly tucked around her. Even though she wasn't in a bed, she was still getting used to the comforts of being warm at night and her body felt a renewed sense of energy.
As soon as she opened the zip on the tent, Draven was there, waiting for her.
"I've brought you some fresh clothes," said Draven, handing her a clean top and some fresh underwear. "I suggest you rinse what you have tonight and hang it out to dry. We couldn't pack too many changes of clothes, but it should suffice for now."
Cora grabbed the clothes from Draven, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment at the thought of him seeing her underwear. It wasn't just that he had seen them, but the fact that he had purchased and packed them for her. The whole situation felt overwhelmingly embarrassing. Meanwhile, Draven maintained his composure, his expression revealing nothing, as if it were a mere business transaction to him. Turning away, she swiftly zipped up the tent, ensuring her privacy. Hastily, she changed into her clothes, eager to put the awkward situation behind her.
They set off relatively quickly that morning after a quick breakfast of prepacked high calorie protein bars. The pace was similar to the day before, although the path was larger, allowing Finn, Kimiko and Ferno to walk by her side, chattering beside her.
"I'm telling you, Charlize Theron does her own stunts," said Finn animatedly.
"She does not," laughed Kimiko. "She's just a pretty face."
"No, she really does. That scene in Mad Max where she jumps between vehicles was all her."
Finn continued, trying to argue his point. "Tell her Cora. She does all her own stunts, right?"
"I have no idea what you're all talking about," replied Cora. And it was true. She had no idea who this Charlize was or what a Mad Max was. But she did enjoy listening to their conversation.
But Finn continued, oblivious to her response. "Come on. You know the movie Mad Max."
Oh. Movies. She had heard about those and even seen glimpses of a TV a few times. "Oh, I haven't seen a movie before. Are they any good?"
The shock on Finn's and Kimikos' faces was evident, and even Ferno, who usually remained impassive, appeared taken aback. Ferno couldn't help but ask, "You've never seen a movie?"
Perhaps this was the very thing Draven had talked about earlier. Yes, she had interactions with people, but there was something missing. This casual conversation seemed normal to them, but to her, it was sometimes like they were talking a different language. This sensation left her with a profound sense of loneliness, as if a veil separated her from the rest of the world.
"The dungeons rarely come with entertainment options."
Kimiko came up and placed her hand on Cora's shoulder. "Shit Cora. I'm sorry. That was insensitive of us."
"Oh my goddess. You know what this means? Movie night!" Finn squealed, jumping playfully against Cora's back, almost causing her to topple over. "There are so many good movies. We need to watch the entire set of Marvel movies, and then all the Indiana Jones movies. Ooo ooo and I want to watch Cocaine Bear. It just came out..."
Finn continued to name what seemed to Cora to be every single movie available. There couldn't be that many movies out there. Could they? By the time he was done, everyone had droned out, even Cora, who was trying to gather as much information as she could about these so-called movies. She wasn't getting her hopes up of ever actually seeing one, but it was nice to dream. She rubbed her fingers against her wrist.
Cora and the team had been walking for hours and Cora spent her time focusing on getting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly the line in front of her stopped, leaving her to collide with Ferno, who was in front of her. Cora paused with the rest of the group, as Draven came back down the path.
"We have a problem," said Draven. "I've just received word from Team Echo that Alpha Oren is about a day's trek behind us. Ronan and Ferno sweep the perimeter. I want checks done every hour. Kimiko, take the lead. Talon, you'll take the rear. We'll need to pick up our pace. I want the distance between us to be expanded. We don't have the forces to stand against their army, so we'll need to reach the safety of the Kulana tribe before they do. We'll be marching through the night."
Ferno and Ronan shifted into their wolf form, grabbed their backpacks in their teeth, and disappeared into the thick jungle. By the time night had fallen, they were still marching through the growth of the jungle to dim torch lights as the moon flickered its light on the ground.
To say Cora was exhausted would be an understatement. Without much respite, her feet scraped wearily against the damp ground. Adding to her plight, an hour ago, the night had gifted them with a relentless shower, falling somewhere between a drizzle and a downpour.
Draven had stayed by her side since the warning came in. He didn't urge her to go faster or pick up her pace. Instead, he matched her stride, moving alongside her at the pace which fell far short of what she would have liked, but all she could do was try her best. As the morning sun began to filter through the trees, hours had passed, and Cora's legs, weakened like jelly, finally betrayed her. Collapsing to the ground, her knees scraped against the twigs and branches littering the earth. She couldn't go on.