I relaxed as soon as I realized it was Cienar. He was back in his normal form and I rushed to him despite my burning lungs. He had just stood up but I jumped hugging him making him fall back down. "Ah-!" I didn't let go. "You scared the crap out of me!! Are you okay?!"
He sat up but I still stuck to him like glue. "Not now, I think I landed on a rock." He rubbed his back and I moved off of him. "Oh, sorry. Are you sure you're okay?" He looked surprised. "Why are you asking me that? You're the one who got kidnapped and almost died. I can breathe underwater remember?" I looked to the river then back at him. "What happened down there?" He followed my eyes and smiled. "I beat the hell out of him that's what. I told him that if he ever went near you again, I would be having sushi for dinner."
I smiled back. "Thank you for saving me." He kneeled and stood up. "Don't mention it. Now let's find the others and get out of this jungle before anything else takes you away." He held his hand out to me and I took it to stand.
Awhile later we made it back where Arine and Ikko were waiting for us. Arine put his hands on his hips. "Both of you are drenched! Where were you two?" Cienar took his staff from leaning against a tree. "Around." Arine glared. "Did you do anything to her?!" Cienar smiled. "Yes. A ton of dirty things." I punched him in the arm. "Shut up you pervert!" He rubbed his arm. "How rude." Then Ikko started to pace. "Can we get out of this damn jungle already?! My hunger is killing me!" Arine turned to him a little nervous. "You're not going to... Eat one of us are you?"
He gave Arine an irritated look. "Depends on how annoying they're being." Arine stepped back. "Okay we'd better get going!" He turned on his heel and walked away quickly as we followed behind.
Some hours had passed and I could tell that Ikko was getting restless. I turned to Cienar. "How much longer until we're out of this place?" Cienar didn't look at me and kept walking. "Awhile. If we're lucky we'll make it out of here by nightfall." Arine groaned. "Really? but it would be so much easier if we flew over this stupid jungle!" Cienar stayed firm. "It would be. Until you were burned to a crisp when a dragon rider sees you."
Arine crossed his arms and mumbled to himself. "Stupid patrol." I felt bad. 'Now Ikko's going to be hungry for another day. Me Arine and Cienar could snack on fruits all day but he has nothing.' Then I remembered something. I once heard a scientist in the market where I used to get things for Mary say something about a magenta fruit and showed a picture of it to a colleague.
I looked around for a moment and then started running in another direction. I heard Arine and Cienar call for me but I continued to run and stopped in a clearing. I looked up and saw the fruit I was thinking of on a tree ahead. 'Well that was convenient.' I walked up to it and started to climb. The branches were farther apart the higher I went but I somehow managed to make it to one of the top branches and secured myself so I wouldn't fall.
But there was a problem. The fruit were on the end of the branches and the leaves of the tree were moving weirdly. I sucked it up and started to crawl to the end of the branch. The leaves were moving against me and they tickled. I held in the laugh as much as I could, and reached for the fruit at the end of the branch. They were too far away. 'Just a little closer...' I reached farther, but then the branch broke.
I went tumbling down and hit branches all the way down. "Ah! Ow! Ow! Oof! Ah! Ow!" I finally hit the ground. "Owiee!!" I dusted myself off and realized I was covered in scratches and cuts. 'Do I like hurting myself or something?! Because this kinda stuff happens way too much to be considered an accident!!' I was annoyed until a bunch of the fruits came falling down from the top of the tree and covered the ground, along with hitting me in the head.
I smiled rubbing my head. Later I had gathered all of the fruits up into a huge leaf pocket I made and went back to the others. They were calling my name when I came running up to them. Arine rushed to hug me. "What are you, an idiot?! You scared us!!" I blinked. 'Oh. Right. I should probably not go running off in an enchanted jungle randomly without telling anyone where I was going.'
Arine pulled away and I gave him a nervous smile. "Sorry... I just needed to get something." Cienar raised an eyebrow. "What are you holding?" I looked to the bag in my arms and opened it showing him the fruit.
He was surprised for a moment, then smiled. "I forgot about those kinds. How smart of you to get them." I smiled back but Arine was confused. "What are those? What do they do?" I walked up to Ikko who was still irritated and not paying attention. I handed him the bag and he looked to me.
I held my smile. "These fruits are blood substitutes for demons and angels. They are used by regular angels and I heard they're quite good." He picked one from inside and examined it. "I haven't seen these in a very long time. Since I was a normal angel." He smiled. "Thank you Silvera." I was about to say something but Arine suddenly turned me to him. "You're covered from head to toe in cuts! What happened while you were getting those?!" I looked down at myself and Cienar and Ikko noticed.
I shrugged. "A branch might've broken, and I might've hit some things on the way down..." Ikko's eyes narrowed. "So tell me. Do you just go out LOOKING for trouble?" I crossed my arms. "It's not that bad." Cienar walked up beside me. "We could've helped you get the fruit." I sighed. "I know. But I like to know that I can still handle things on my own. I don't like relying on anyone." I pushed Arine's arms off me and Cienar looked guilty. Ikko then rubbed my head messing up my hair. "We're not asking you to rely on us. We're asking you to let us help you. There's a big difference." Arine smiled. "Yeah, it's what friends do right?"
My smile came back and Cienar bended some water from a nearby stream and it started to glow. "I'll heal you before we keep moving." I was surprised. "You have healing magic too?!" He nodded with a small smile.
Later after the sun set we were all pretty tired. Walking for so long really wore us out, so we made camp near the end of the jungle. I was sitting next to Arine as usual, Ikko was asleep against a tree like he always does, and Cienar was sleeping sitting up against his staff. I smiled. 'I am so glad I have them. I don't know what I would do without them. They're the best friends a girl could have.' I started to get sleepy and layed down next to Arine comfortably drifting off for the night.