Jezebel awoke in the inn's bed in the middle of Safiya and Nyssa. It's been so long since sleeping on a soft bed. she didn’t want to get up but Falkner will get grumpy ah who cares what he thinks. closing her eyes again after a little while she got up and stretched her wings, heading to the wash bowl in the room waking Nyssa up with another yawn and a stretch. Even getting up she’s beautiful makes me feel ugly by comparison.
“Are you ready to enter a creepy forest” Nyssa said cheerfully
“our luck just always wins out” Jezebel replied with a smirk belting on her mace. It was smaller than she would like, only two feet long in all. Soon after an hour before noon they were ready to leave. Falkner always has a scowl on his face; he didn't seem like a happy person. Thank goodness he has Nyssa.
They stood in front of the inn with one last look at the last bed she might sleep in for a long time. Aaron approached her
“Since we are heading into dangerous territory, how are you in a fight since Falkner and Nyssa have magic and William is a trained knight Omari can fly but I need to know if we need to protect you” Aaron said awkwardly. protect me? How sweet of him!
“Hector is handy with his ax but has to be extra careful Safiya is learning the sling and has a dagger but isn’t a fighter but I’m a brawler my speed and strength surpass yours so don’t worry about me” Jezebel said carefully trying to reassure him Aaron had a blank look.
“We need to leave now” Falkner said then left town over the river and passed farmers planting seeds for their crops. she could barely see the forest up ahead due to fog and it’s getting thicker the closer to the forest she got. Everyone stopped at the forest edge and everyone just stared at it nothing living could be seen only brown grass it looked wrong despite early spring not a single leave could be seen and the branches looked almost like fingers trying to grab anything that wanders into it, the fog was so thick she couldn't see more than five feet in front of her
“Let's go, we can't stand around here forever.” Hector said Falkner moved first into the forest no one moved but once he was out of sight they rushed to stay with him we can’t lose him! Jezebel thought halfbreed hater or no if we lose him the gods will be lost forever and the age of mortals will never end Falkner turned around to look at her no one spoke the strange forest held a creepy feeling the only sound was of their footsteps without any paths to speak of, just dirt and roots.
“Keep close to each other it’s easy to get lost in here” William said Jezebel stayed close to Aaron because he is the most powerful among them to protect Safiya
“I don’t like this place already” Safiya said softly Jezebel nodded in agreement. After an hour of walking they stopped on some dirt trials Hector found hoping it would lead them out of these woods
“If any monsters attack us we will only have a moment they can smell us curse this fog” Falkner muttered he’s right looking in all directions I can barely see William and Hector not ten feet away she looked everywhere at once trying and not to get ambushed what I’m I going to do? They continued, everyone was clearly on edge. William looked grim, Hector was looking in all directions. Nyssa looked serious, not like herself at all. Jezebel got as close as she could to Aaron and Safiya. I feel like monsters are just over the next tree.
“Which direction are we heading?” Aaron asked
“I’m not so sure” Falkner said, turning around
“south we haven’t turned that much on this trial right?” Jezebel said
“Not likely but maybe enough to change direction,” William said as they started walking again, not sure if they were lost or not. great. If this fog wasn't so thick maybe I could tell where I'm going.
They stopped for the night after it got dark. William and Safiya were the only ones breathing heavily. They unrolled their own small blankets and were about to go to sleep.
“Who keeps watch?” Safiya asked
“Jezebel then Aaron then me” Falkner said
“I won’t do it” he turned towards her with his fire in eyes sockets
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“oh and why not because you are too tired or because I suggested it” her cheeks turn red because he guessed right
“of course not I kept watch last time”
“which was when a week ago if not longer” Falkner replied
“I’ll keep first watch” William said surprised
“but you’re too tired” Jezebel pointed out
“Quite, I’ll do you big babies” Hector said glaring at Jezebel standing watch with no more complaints Aaron went to cook dinner before bed. Falkner went out to collect firewood I will never take orders from a man who hates halfbleeds Hector came over to her
“What are you doing trying to get us all killed?” Hector whispered “I’m not he can watch himself. stop overreacting” he raised his eyebrows at her but said nothing more why is he like this? He’s not a halfbreed after an hour Falkner returned William let out a sigh of relief
“don’t go out alone any more we need you and have no idea what’s out there” “we need a fire and I know what I’m doing but it did take forever to find you again” Falkner said coldly soon Aaron and Safiya had stew cooking jerky some water from their water skins dried fruit salt, and a little cheese thrown there for good measure.
But what can I do? Everyone is sick of road food. I'll just pick the non meat stuff out. she was handed a bowl with a spoon by Hector after eating. Hector stood watch as Jezebel fell asleep.
In the morning at least it should but since the fog was so thick that she couldn't see the sun, just gray light. She just noticed Safiya stood next to her.
“How long have you been awake?”
“a few minutes we still have to wait for everyone else to wake up” Falkner, Aaron, and Nyssa were awake within minutes of each other. Aaron and Falkner were talking softly to each other. Aaron shook his head. What are they saying and is it against halfbreeds? Maybe. no there just talking about breakfast right? I just don’t know. They continued to talk as everyone got up. William packed up his pot scrubbing it clean before packing it away. They headed on the same trail hoping it would lead them out of those woods. They walked in single file with Hector William and Falkner in the back pulling the pack animals along. After four hours of walking they took a break
“Are we getting any closer to leaving these woods?” Aaron asked
“I don’t know how I’m supposed to know? everything looks the same,” Falkner said mayb-something came towards them. It looked like an elk mixed with a wolf slamming into Aaron tackling him to the ground pulling her mace immediately. she charged the beast, hitting it in the hip with a roar. It hit her in the side with a paw as she lay on the forest floor. fire and ice hit the beast then skylight hit it as well before it ran shrinking with pain. but didn’t kill it, it all happened so fast! Only seconds. getting up with a grown
“What was that?” Safiya asked
“Does it matter?” Nyssa said William ran past her with herbs and badges as Aaron took a hit. His thigh was torn quite a bit and his shoulder was bleeding with a claw mark. He looked like he was cut by a knife.
“How are you feeling?” Jezebel asked “like I’ve been hit by a battering ram and stabbed” Aaron said spitting out blood from his bleeding lip once he was banged William tried to life him
“Let me do it, I'm the strongest,” slinging Aaron over her shoulder, carrying him he was heavier than Safiya but manageable. They continued with Jezebel in the middle protecting Aaron. I wish I could itch my leg Jezebel thought with frustration
“we could not see it coming. Try using your hearing” Hector said everyone grew quiet the only sound was their breathing hearing for new threats
“I think that was just an animal not a monster” Aaron whispered
“What's the difference?” Jezebel whispered back, careful to be quiet.
“It wanted to eat me and when it got difficult it bolted”
“true” then something grabbed her leg and pulled her to the ground dropping Aaron on his face.
“help!” Jezebel screamed but with the dirt in her mouth it was too quiet. Falkner and William ran to the source. She saw the tree move with a face, empty eyes and a mouth full of pointed bark teeth. It roared when Falkner started cutting at the roots but branches grabbed his arms Nyssa began to cut the branches holding Falkner. She was four feet away screaming at the top of her lungs then she dropped to the ground Falkner was freed and threw fire in its face. Hector pulled her to safety as everyone else ran grabbing Aaron before running off.
They camped for the night, breathing heavily from carrying Aaron all day and almost getting eaten by a tree. setting Aaron down while looking at the trees with dread trying to see in any moved
“I’ll keep watch tonight” Nyssa volunteer sitting down by Aaron so he won’t get lonely
“This place is unnatural,” Falkner muttered near her. looking at the tree branches like fingers ready to grab her.
“it’s still early spring” Nyssa pointed out
“No, just look at this place, it's dead and that tree tried to eat us,” Falkner replied, shaking his head. Falkner is right, this place is strange. Jezebel thought no one wanted to go and get firewood so they all collected what they could find within ten feet away from their blankets. And Falkner had a fire in no time cooking venison stew with dried fruit on the side this time after they ate Aaron had some trouble eating due to his lips and shoulder
“Do you want me to feed you?” Jezebel asked
“No I don’t” Aaron snapped surprised at the reaction letting the matter drop “next time don’t use your sword use your flames” Nyssa said Falkner didn’t react to that after they ate out of dirty bowls no less everyone but Nyssa went to sleep for the night.
