A Series of Peculiar Events
A vision of a misty, hazy world slowly shifted into focus. The grey and white world around her whizzed by as she shot through the forest. Wind bristled through her fur on her back, and her paws found footing against the rocks and roots of the underbrush. The clear scent of the open world called to her, and soon she broke out of the forest, sprinting out into the open field, the long grass parting as she bounded through. She was joined by other wolves, and they raced to the top of the cliff. The river dropped off into a waterfall, and she stopped just before the fall. Below was the White Citadel, and a sense of pride swelled in her chest. She turned up her snout and howled at the setting moon. The other wolves joined her, and she broke out into a sprint back into the open field and back into the forest. The other wolves followed her for some time, breaking off one by one, until it was just her and a pup, racing back to the camp.
●●●●●●●●
Alice woke up to the bids calling in the trees. It was surprisingly bright for such an early morning, and she rubbed her eyes, poking the embers and throwing some twigs on. Most of the other members were fast asleep around her, exhausted from the action-packed yesterday. She heard a noise coming from the forest and turned with a start Sean smiled as he carried some kids that had been caught by their traps along with more firewood.
"Good morning," he greeted her. He looked so perfect in that moment, with messy black hair against his tan skin, and his stormy blue eyes shone with electricity. He had dark stubble around his face, which made him seem even more rugged and masculine. She could see the definition of his muscles from the short-sleeved shirt he had changed into. His pearly white smile sparkled as he settled next to the fire near her. She turned and blushed, realizing she hadn't returned the greeting and had instead dumbly stared at him.
"It's strange how beautiful this forest seems to me even after last night. I remember how terrified we all were when we entered, but honestly, after all we've been through, this weather is a treat. I think it's a premonition to the bright future we'll have once were out of here."
She smiled, wishing she could find the right words, wishing she could say anything at all. Her heart thumped in her chest. Social anxiety was nothing new to her, but this was something different.
"These rabbits won't be enough for the group, I'm afraid." He switched the subject. "Think you can help me catch some fish with Richard's rapier?"
She nodded and accepted with a soft word. He smiled and he led her towards the river. He grabbed Richard's rapier along the way as well as his own hunting knife. He offered the rapier to Alice, showing her how to time it perfectly to strike a fish, and then asked for her to give it to him so he could clean and debone the fish.
She was a few paces downstream from him, and he watched as she attempted the trick with a giddy smile. She was thoroughly entertained by this surprisingly fun exercise after all their strife. The water bubbled over her bare feet, and her slender, pale legs rose into shorts she had borrowed from Kim, that was held up with a belt. Her tight fitted green shirt that she had borrowed from Skylar was tucked in and accentuated her slender waist. Her dainty hands grasped the rapier awkwardly, and she thrust it at the water, missing again. Laughing, she turned to Sean and brushed away her flowing raven-black hair from her porcelain face. Her grey eyes shone with a slight green hue.
He laughed and approached, ready to give some extra tips on success, but as he stood but five inches away from her, a strange sound turned their focus downstream. Barreling towards them was a fully grown wolf, barring its teeth, readying to pounce.
Sean grabbed Alice, brought her close, and guarded her with his body. The wolf clawed at Sean's back, rending a yelp from his lips. The wolf skidded past them, then turned to face them again. Sean took the rapier, stood directly in front of Alice, and ordered, "stop!" Somehow, the wolf obeyed, and Sean took a step forward.
"Wait!" Alice pleaded. "Don't hurt her."
Sean looked at the wolf, whose eyes seemed oddly familiar. "Go back home," he bade, and the wolf turned and scampered into the woods going towards the camp.
Sean was about to follow, worried for the others when Alice softly touched his arm.
"Was it just me, or did that wolf remind you of Kim?"
●●●●●●●●
Back at the camp, moments later, Chris wandered into the woods to check on the traps and found Kim sprawled over rocks and roots. He wouldn't be surprised to learn she had slept there.
"What are you doing?" Chris asked above her.
She groaned. Every part in her body was sore. She felt as if she had barely slept, but she knew that she had been dreaming, and that it was infuriatingly confusing. She went to prop herself up, and she realized she was laying on the roots of a tree. She looked around confused and realized she wasn't at camp.
"What the hell happened?" She asked, bleary eyed
"Dunno, man, I came in here looking for food, and you were just slumped over rocks and roots. Did you sleep there?"
"It certainly feels like it," she motioned for help, and he helped her to her feet. She bent her back, cracking and popping, and twisted both ways, cracked her neck and then her knuckles. "Oh, that's better."
"You know, that's not good for you."
"Alright, Dad." She scoffed as she began walking by, "Please tell me I didn't miss breakfast."
After food, and after Alice had cleaned and wrapped the claw marks on Sean's back, they sent off once again, following the flow of the river.
They walked for miles without a hitch, with Skylar hopping on the rocks with Kim struggling just behind. They stopped occasionally, to allow someone to pick a pebble out of a shoe or splash the refreshing water through their lips. During one of these small breaks, a curious sound hailed the ears of those nearer to the forest edge. Chris wandered to find the source, and found a wolf pup whining against a rock, with its paw stuck in a trap. Kim watched the pup with a weird sense of dejá vu. Chris unsheathed his sword and Sean, Kim, and Alice all gasped and chimed together, "don't hurt him!"
Chris chuckled, and knelt beside the shivering pup, prying his paw out of the trap. When it snapped shut, the wolf's paw was out of danger. The pup tried to run back out of the woods, but its leg wouldn't allow it. It slumped fearfully against the rock, watching those around him.
"If we leave him here, I'm afraid he won't survive for much longer," Sean said, sadly.
"Can we help him?" Alice asked him, and he shrugged, but she tore off a piece of cloth from the shirt she had used to bandage Sean's wounds and began slowly approaching the pup. It growled and tried to hobble away.
"It's alright," Sean and Alice echoed each other softly. The pup looked to Sean, and he continued, "stay still, we're not going to hurt you."
The pup allowed for Alice to clean its wound and bind it in the rag. It wouldn't be much, but they felt better the pup might have a chance. They soon continued walking, sorry that they couldn't have helped the wolf more. But as the last of their group passed the pup, it slowly began following them.
Moments passed as the river began to grow wider and deeper, rushing faster than before. They would soon eventually come to a waterfall based on its speed. Then, a strange noise hailed their ears and they stopped to look for the source. On the opposite side of the riverbank, slightly upstream from them, were pygmy figures, shouting at them and hoisting their spears toward the sky in a display of ferocity.
Suddenly, a spear flung through the air and pierced right through Sean's abdomen. Alice yelped his name as he slumped to the ground. Chris roared a battle cry, grabbing his sword as he raced towards the pygmies and raised the blade high in the sky. A flash of blinding Light enveloped the riverbed, and they heard the pygmies scatter off into the woods. No one asked how Chris had summoned the Light again, nor wondered why a wolf had suddenly appeared where Kim had been, and instead focused on Sean.
Alice knelt on the ground, with him sprawled on her knees, struggling for breath. She broke off the spear head from the staff, knowing better than to take it out, which made Sean groan in pain, blood spurting from his mouth.
Alice's voice quivered, "don't you dare go. You can't go now. We're almost out. We're almost there. Stay with me." He sputtered her name, and tears welled in her eyes.
"You've got to hold on. Please," She was speaking through her sobs, and squeezed his hand. "You're my friend, you can't leave now." He smiled, and coughed blood, wheezing for air. "Sean, you have to get up. We have to go," a tear streamed down her face as she noticed the puddle of blood beneath his body. He exhaled softly and closed his eyes. His hand fell limp and her soul emptied. She laid her head slowly on his chest, sobbing softly, wishing he'd come back. Other than Kim, he had been the only one who made her feel safe and at home. She couldn't bear to lose that now. A single tear dripped into the wound as she held him. Slowly, a soft green glow wafted around them like a soft wind, and wound around his wound, enveloping them both in a strange warmth. There was a splash as the spearhead fell into the water, then his rhythmic breathing. His hand caressed her back and she shot up and looked at him in shock. There he was, smiling up at her with not a scratch on his body.
"You saved me, Alice."
She threw her arms around him, thanking the Light.
He chuckled and returned her embrace. "Idon't know how, but you saved me."