They kept trudging along.
In the night earlier, Aria had heard hyenas off in the distance. Miles away, but still too close. It was decided that they’d walk until later in the night from then on to put more distance between them.
But as the days went on, it got colder. And then the storms would come. Aria knew that the two children would be the first to freeze. And Alex couldn’t carry both of them, especially if his exhaustion got the better of him.
It didn’t help that he wasn’t wearing the necessary attire for the weather. That none of them were really. Aria lent Octavia her jacket to keep her warm. But there was only so much that they could take. The weather was only going to get worse from there.
She stopped when Alex stopped to put Octavia back down on the ground. He was nearly too tired. But he was also too stubborn to admit it, he would keep pushing until his exhaustion killed him.
“Let’s take a break,” Aria suggested. “We have time.” she paused and looked at the two kids. “Go play or do whatever otherworld children do.”
Octavia and Eddie glanced at each other before running off to go play in the snow. They were lucky on this day. There were no storms.
Alex was hunched over, trying to catch his breath. But he straightened up and tried to hide it. Hide the fact that he was slowly killing himself with his stubbornness. “I’m fine. We should keep moving.”
“Sit.” Aria told him as she pointed at a rock that stuck out of the snow, with next to no snow on it. He didn’t argue with her. He was too tired. “You need to take care of yourself. Do you understand what happens to the body when it’s overworked?” he didn’t answer. “You’re killing yourself, Alexander. And that’s not an option.”
“I didn’t think you cared that much.”
“Well, spending weeks on end with the same people can make them grow on you. And besides all that, you’ve come this far, it’d be a shame to see you go out without a fight.” Aria stated. She glanced around. “I do know that without the proper attire, none of you are going to make it far. The storms are getting worse.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“The best we can do is slow down,” she told him. “If we can’t get through the storm, neither can they. We’ll continue after the storms finish.”
He nodded again. But paused. “Do you know where you’re going?”
“None of the others made it this far. Of course, they didn’t have my help. They always get caught in the Wood Of Saffron.” she told him. “The best I can do is get you as far away from the mage as possible. And then you can figure out how to get to your land from there.”
“Thank you.” He spoke. She let out a breath.
“Don’t thank me until you’re there,” she spoke. She looked out to where she saw Octavia and Eddie run off and noticed the complete lack of sound. It was odd. “Do children usually play in complete silence?”
“No.”
“Then, come on,” she spoke as she took off in the direction the children went off in. Alex followed after her. They came across a strange sight. The two kids were talking to a badger. Casting confused glances at each other, they circled the area. Aria picked the badger up by the scruff on its neck, it just dangled there with a pouty expression.
Meanwhile, Alex was knocked off his feet by an unseen foe. That is until a tiny little mouse wielding a tiny little blade stood on his chest.
“Why is there a mouse holding a needle at my throat?”
“I’ll have you know that I wield a sword, you little brat.” the little mouse snapped in reply. It was too much.
Aria burst into a fit of laughter that caused her to drop the badger. She laughed so hard that her stomach hurt, and tears stung her eyes. She almost lost her balance, as well.
“What are you laughing at, abomination?” the badger spoke before knocking Aria off her feet.
“Hey!”
“Stop!” Octavia spoke. “That’s my brother, and Aria’s helping us.”
The badger stood over. Its beady eyes meeting her gray ones. “You’re an Earthborn?”
“And you’re a talking badger.” Aria replied as she pulled herself together and got on her feet, dusting herself off.
The badger, who was male, turned to the other three. “And I suppose that you three, are otherworlders.”
“Yes, how did you know?” Octavia asked. The mouse climbed off Alex’s chest and he got to his feet quickly.
The mouse and the badger exchange looks. “You better come with us.”
Eddie and Octavia followed the badger and mouse with Alex and Aria behind them. Both of the teens doubted whether they should or not, but went anyway.
The two animals lead them to their little home. A hole in the ground with a door and windows. It was small and required all the humans, more so, the two teens to bend over to fit into the little home.
“I like your house,” Octavia told them. “It’s cute.”
The mouse hopped up on the table. “Thank you.”
Eddie sat down near the stairs where Octavia looked around in awe. Meanwhile, Aria and Alex got themselves situated around the table.
“Is there any way that we can get home?” Alex asked.
The badger let out a sigh. “None that I know. The mage destroyed all the doors.”
“But there’s still hope.” the mouse assured him who was a right proper lady. “I’m Peep. That old grump there is Plume.”
He glanced at Aria and cleared his throat. “Alex.” he paused. “How much hope?”
“Quite a bit,” the badger told him as he took a drink from his mug. “Omdrus is on the move.”
“Omdrus?” Aria questioned. “He’s real?”
Plume nodded. “And gathering an army.”
“An army? Why?” Alex asked. Plume nearly choked on his drink and looked down at Peep.
“Is he joking? Are you joking? You can’t be pulling my leg.”
“I’m not.” Alex stated.
Peep motioned for the old badger to be quiet and took a deep breath. “There is an old, near ancient prophecy. When three residents of the otherworld, and an Earthborn would unite and defeat the mage.”
“Defeat the mage? No.” Alex stated. “We just want to go home. Octavia and I have to go home.”
Aria became quiet. Something that the badger and the mouse noticed.
“There have been others like you,” Plume spoke. “Otherworlders. None of them have made it to this part of the wood. But there is a slight possibility that it’s not you, and if it’s not, Omdrus will likely send you back to where you came from.”
“But the Earthborn is another story,” Peep spoke. Aria lowered her head. “She’s the only one.”
“The witch doesn’t know that, if she did, I’d be dead.” Aria told them.
“And it won’t be long now until she does.”
Aria glanced at Eddie and remembered what Alex had told her and her previous conversation with him. He was looking out of the window by the stairs, completely isolating himself. “What’s in the three hills?”
“Why are you asking?” Plume inquired. She looked at Alex, wondering if he’d be the one to say it. But he wasn’t.
“That boy by the window wanted us to go there.” she told the badger. She watched his face fall immediately.
“What is it?” Alex asked. Peep quivered.
“That’s where the mage lives. If he knew to go there, then...” she shuddered. The badger cut her off. “Then that means the mage has put her spell on him.” Peep spoke up again. “She’s on her way.”
It didn’t take long for Peep and Plume to begin packing their things. But it was escaping that they needed. They needed a way out. By the time Alex helped the badger move a bookshelf, it was too late, she could hear the hyenas cackling nearby.
She took her bow and quiver off her shoulder and shoved them in Alex’s hands. “You’re going to need these more than I will.”
“What are you doing?” he questioned. “You said it yourself, if she knows, she’s going to kill you.”
Aria nodded. “I know.” she pursed her lips. “Take Eddie. Keep an eye on him too, don’t let him out of your sight for a second.”
“I can’t believe you’re going to get yourself killed over three stupid kids.” he mumbled. She smiled.
“The badger said it was a prophecy,” she told him. “It’s preordained. Fate. I know I’ll be seeing you and Eight again.” she turned her head to the door as the cackling got closer. “Now go, if I don’t catch up. Then you know what happened.” He’s hesitant to leave her even still. A strange sense of loyalty. “There’s no sense in the two of us getting killed, go.”
He sighed and turned away, grabbing Eddie by the arm tightly. “Preordained.”
Eddie fought him every step of the way. That was how she knew the mage was there. Alex had to drag the boy down the tunnel. After they went down the tunnel, she shoved the bookcase back in place, leaving no way for the hyenas to get at them cause she was sure as hell not going to tell anyone.
But as the cackling got closer and closer. She knew there would be no turning back. And she had no intention of it.
She was going to do something brave. Something courageous for a change.
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