"You sure you can keep going?"
Yilas hung on tight onto Mohsen's back, her arms wrapped around his neck. Her light whisper and warm breath were enough to run a chill down Mohsen's spine. He felt tingly all over, maybe staying this close to Yilas wasn't the best idea. His head was buzzing and his crotch was burning a low fire.
"Yilas is right. You look exhausted, Mohsen." Zassar walked by their side, their pace had decreased significantly since Mohsen had to carry Yilas.
"I'm...Fine..." Mohsen talked while panting, sweats had already dampened his shirt, a few strings of hair drenched itself, laid lifelessly on the young beast-man beautiful face.
Yilas exchanged a worried look with Zassar, they both knew that Mohsen had already been overly exhausted. While Yilas was worried about Mohsen's well-being, Zassar was more concerned about Yilas's falling again, injuring her foot even worst.
"Hey... you should let me carry Yilas..." Zassar suggested, it wasn't the first time he had mentioned this but he knew, Mohsen was too stubborn to let Yilas depend on another beast-man beside him.
Mohsen answered Zassar with silence, he kept his legs walking, slower than the pace of an old man. He whispered lightly to Yilas.
"Yilas, just hang on for a bit longer, we should be there in no time." Mohsen's voice was low and hoarse, Yilas was seriously worried that he might hurt himself.
"Let Zassar carry me, alright, we need someone more trustworthy to be on guard, isn't it?" Yilas tried to persuade Mohsen. Normally Mohsen would make a more logically beneficial decision but the thought of Zassar touching Yilas made his blood boil.
However, what Yilas said wasn't completely wrong. Mohsen was using all his strength to carry Yilas and himself, he couldn't even pay much attention to his surroundings.
Seeing Mohsen slowing down, Zassar didn't wait for Mohsen's approval before taking Yilas arms, easily lifting her off his back and placing her on his. She sat with both legs to one side and her little fingers grabbed Zassar's lean, muscular waist, unknowingly sending electricity through his whole body.
Mohsen had a tight fist and he breathed heavily but he didn't stop Zassar. He didn't want to admit but he felt much lighter, mentally, and physically. He was growing exhausted.
Zassar's face flushed red, he was hiding a smile so hard but it crept up to his eyes, they were lightened up like fireworks.
"Let's pick up the pace then..." Mohsen said coldly without looking at Yilas or Zassar.
The two beast-man running speeds were more than Yilas had expected, she had to knit her arms tightly around Zassar's strong waist, or else she would have fallen off. Within 20 minutes of running, they finally reached the mysterious forest Mohsen was talking about. The strange thing about it was it made Yilas felt uneasy.
The desert and this forest separation was just a straight line of grass, on one side the cold, dried sand, and the other was green freshly wet grass from the mist. The line of tall trees covered as far as eyes can see just cut the yellow sand and rocks in a sharp, hash line. The forest was covered in thick mist, even when the night still black, Yilas can clearly see the mist. It smelled like ice, wet and dark. And it scared Yilas for no apparent reason, she had bad feelings about this place.
"Do...Do we have to go... in there?" Yilas scaredy asked. Even under the thick layer of a cloak, her body was still shaking. Zassar noticed it right away, he turned around to check on her.
"Are you cold? You can hug me tightly, it will warm you up..." Zassar said.
Mohsen immediately looked to Yilas, her red lips had now turned purple, her toes were turning blue as well. She was trembling uncontrollably. Suddenly it dawned on him what might be happening to her.
Mohsen opened his bag in a rush, he pulled out herb plants that were tied securely with strings. He frantically untied the strings and crushed up a plant with his palm. Yilas and Zassar were looking at him curiously when Mohsen shoved his hand to Yilas's face, making her swallow that plant he was crushing.
"HHHhhmmmm!" Yilas screamed lightly.
"What are you doing?" Zassar looked even more stressed than Yilas were.
"Shhh..." Mohsen shushed Yilas, telling her to swallow the plant with his eyes. Then he continued to explain "This forest has dark powers, it drains energy from weak beasts..."