15 Regroup (2/2)

[Thats right, but first, the book.]

”Book...”

[You remember what to do with it?]

”Yes.”

[Good, now be on your way.]

The sinister voice fades on a proud cackle. Monna, with a dull gaze, walks off holding the book. Leaving to perform the task given to her. A short time later Monna goes back to the forest, empty-handed, in search of the others. She hesitates, her empty eyes clear before she continues walking with a confused look on her face.

____________________

Daric and I make our way back towards the underground bunker. Hoping to run into the others on the way back. Daric, still limping, has one arm around my shoulder and leans against me as I help him walk. We weren't too far from a tunnel opening. We needed to get over a couple of roots to get to it; we didn't dare go back up the river in case we ran into whatever monster chased off the men. Daric has yet to speak. I keep glancing at him concerned. We're moving from one tunnel opening to the next through the gap between tree roots. I open my mouth to talk to Daric but end up screaming when the rustling leaves take ten years off my life. We nearly crash to the ground in our fluster, when the two familiar faces appear my fear morphs into annoyance. They came out another tunnel I didn't notice is nestled at the junction of the roots.

”Don't do that!” I glare.

I clutch my free hand to my chest to calm my racing nerves. Ivo and Zain are fighting laughter, the bastards.

”We're sorry,” Ivo says, clearly not.

Daric chuckles, I shoot him a glare. Hiding a sly grin, I casually, I toss out. ”Don't forget this forest is full of beasts. Daric and I were getting chased, and something attacked the men following us. Who knows, maybe it will come back for us.”

Their smiles wilted and they glance around nervously, like its going to pop up in the next second.

/Serves them right...sigh, how did I reach the point I'm happy to scare children successfully?/ I shake my head at myself. I'm about to tell them I'm joking when leaves rustle once more behind Ivo and Zain. Scaring us out of our minds and taking another ten years off my life.

Zain shrieks, ”Oh, Goddess! We're gonna be eaten!”

Monna comes into view, and I almost wish it was a man-eating beast.

She shrugs, ”looks like I scared you.”

/Was that suppose to be an apology?/

”Did you just show up? Where were you?” I ask, knowing she would never leave Ivo behind unless something happened.

Gracing me with a glare that, I swear, will one day become a permanent fixture to her face. She says, ”I lost track of them when we were running.”

I stare at her. She lost track of them? She did? The same woman who doesn't take her eyes off Ivo more than two seconds. Lost track of him when he could have potentially been caught and killed by guards. Daric stiffens, he must have thought it was strange as well. Since there is no point in me calling her on it, because what she does is not my concern, I drop it.