Gia heft the meat higher on her shoulder, trying to hide how much her shoulders were aching.
"Why don't you let me carry that?" asked Llewel with a smile that melted something down low.
She cleared her throat, finding it suddenly dry and nodded. He took it from her with a grin, and she averted her eyes, catching Vonn watching them. Hurrying to catch up to him, she reached for his hand and grabbed it, as if it were a life line. Ignoring the chuckles behind her, she looked ahead of them, to see massive trees that stretched high above their heads.
Kilyn had stopped with her parents up ahead, looking at something. When she got there with Vonn, Gia's breath stopped. They stood on the edge of a great ravine. The sounds of water in the distance echoed among the trees, and a light breeze blew up from the depths that seemed to have no bottom.
"This is where we start traveling along tree branches," said Kilyn with a grin at their horrified looks.
"What's going on?" asked Tom with a frown. "We're walking on tree branches?"
"They're like wooden paths," said Vonn, giving everyone a look. "Just without rails."
Mikey was staring at the branches ahead of them, that were easily four or five feet across, but were covered in moss and slick wood.
"Elven children are taught to walk over these branches from a very young age, so you should be fine," chuckled Kilyn, stepping out onto the first branch that presented itself.
"I'll go after anyone who falls," said Llewel, with a similar chuckle.
"How?" asked Carla, not moving an inch. Fear was evident on her face.
Gia glanced at Vonn, worried. He had to carry her across the dwarven bridge, but it was a short distance. This was much longer, and not as smooth!
"Let's play a game," said Gia, stepping forward to make eye contact with her mom before looking at Mikey with an excited smile.
"What kind of game?" he asked, perking up immediately.
"Yes, what kind of game?" asked Carla, not as excited by the idea.
"Dad can't see to know when to step up or to turn at a bend, and mom is scared of being so high up. Let's play follow the leader, but with our eyes closed, so no one is scared," she said, focusing on Mikey.
"What do you mean, with our eyes closed?!" exclaimed Carla, her voice rising as her eyes widened at the thought of being unable to see at all.
"I do it all the time," said Tom, patting her arm. "I think this is a brilliant idea."
"I'll go first, and watch where to put my feet, and you follow me, holding on to my hips. Dad can go after you, holding on to your shoulders, and Mom can go after him, holding his hips. Vonn can go last, to make sure no one is about to do anything wrong. Every step I take, you will take, and when I turn, you'll feel me turn, so you can too. When I have to step up, I'll tell you."
Mikey thought about it for a moment, before nodding. "That is brilliant, Gia! We'll be like a snake, or worm!"
"Oh, dear," whispered Carla, holding her hands to her chest as tightly as she could.
"I have experience catching people who fall," said Llewel. "You don't have to worry about anything."
"How do you catch people?" asked Tom, curiously.
"I have a rope and a whip that I use to secure myself to the branch if I have to jump after someone who's fallen. When I catch them, the rope stops us."
"That sounds painful," Tom said.
"I won't lie you'll have bruises and be sore, but it's a far cry from being dead."
"Oh, dear," whispered Carla again, closing her eyes tightly.
"Mom," said Gia, standing right in front of her.
Carla opened her eyes.
"Do you trust me?"
Carla started to say something, and glanced at the tree branches behind Gia.
"Mom!" said Gia forcefully, grabbing her mother's attention again. "Do you trust me?"
Carla shut her mouth and sighed. Trembling, she nodded.
Squaring her shoulders, Gia looked at Mikey. "Ready?"
He grinned at her and nodded back. She turned away from him, letting everyone form their chain, then took her first step, coming to the edge of the rock. Everyone behind her took a step as well.
"Stepping up," she said, taking another step onto the branch.
"Stepping up," said Mikey, as he struggled with the big step and his small legs.
"Stepping up," said Tom, barely hiding the amusement in his voice.
"Stepping up," whispered Carla, when it was her turn.
Vonn called, "Do I need to say I'm stepping up, too?"
Gia laughed and said, "No, you need to be watching everyone in front of you, to make sure no one gets too close to the edge or doesn't step up enough."
"Okay, got it."
They wound through the canopies of the giant trees, with Gia moving slowly with her family following behind. The sights were wonderful, but she refrained from saying anything. It would encourage them to open their eyes and break her father's heart. Whenever they had to swap to another branch, or had to slide past a tree trunk to the next branch, she made it a silly game, to distract her mom from how terrifying it was. She had time to think up each silly thing they would do, by looking ahead at their path to see what the next big obstacle would be.
When the village they were approaching came into view, she almost missed a step. It was so beautiful in the streaks of light; it took her breath away.
"Very few people still live here," said Kilyn quietly, as they got closer.
"Why?" asked Tom.
"Many have chosen to move to the capital, to be closer to the king, and they don't like the vines that have started taking over the town," said Llewel.
"Are we almost there?" asked Carla with a shaky voice.
"Almost, Mom," said Gia. "Can you feel how the path is starting to slant down? We're coming to the entrance to the town now."
Kilyn pointed to the entrance, so Gia could see what the last obstacle would be.
They would have to jump off the branch, onto the stone path. It looked like the branch had moved some and there was now a gap of about two feet. Nothing serious, but it would be difficult for them to do it with their eyes closed. Gia knew that the moment her mother saw how far down it was, she would have a panic attack and possibly fall. She needed to think of something really creative to get them across the gap.
"Okay, we only have one last obstacle," said Gia cheerfully, as they came to the gap. "There's a stream we have to jump over, onto the path of the village. We can't step into the water, because it's filled with sharp sticks that might go through our boots. We'll go one at a time, and I'll hold your hand while you go. Don't open your eyes until Kilyn pulls you up against the wall, okay?"
Mikey nodded, a wide grin on his face. He had enjoyed the game, but Gia could see her mother was only moments away from having that panic attack, despite not having her eyes open. She turned around and stepped across the gap, straddling it.
Holding Mikey's hand, she said, "Okay, Mikey. You're first. Ready to jump?"
He nodded, holding her hand tightly and jumped, clearing the gap easily. Kilyn grabbed him and pulled him to the wall quickly. Gia glanced at Vonn, to see him frowning at her position, but he didn't say anything to prevent her mother from freaking out.
"Alright, dad. I know it's been a long time since you've jumped, but I need you to jump as far as you can, alright?" said Gia, taking his hand.
He bent his knees as a look of intense concentration overcame him, and then he jumped. Kilyn caught him as he overjumped, almost going off the edge of the stone ledge and pulled him over to the wall by Mikey who had opened his eyes and was holding his mouth tightly as he watched what Gia was doing. He knew if he said anything, Carla might freak and send them all falling.
"Alright, mom, ready?"
"No," her mother whispered. "There's no water here, is there? I can't hear any!"
"This is the last thing you have to do, and we can go inside the inn and sit down for a delicious meal and a cup of hot tea," said Gia, struggling to keep her voice cheerful. She had glanced down as Vonn guided her mother into position, and Gia could feel the color draining from her face.
"I can't carry you and jump, Carla," Vonn whispered in her ear. "You have to pull up those big girl britches and jump."
"What!?" exclaimed Carla, shocked by his choice of words, just as he picked her up and threw her over the gap.
Gia had a hold on her mom's hand when Carla went flying past, being caught easily by Kilyn, but the jerk was enough to dislodge Gia's foot from the branch.