All four of us are silent as we travers through the black forest. Hardly any moonlight breaks through the canopy, various animals scurry and squawk as we pass by with our torches.
I would be lying if I said I knew where I was going. I've been walking straight since we left the stepping stones behind, hoping that we would happen upon another obvious clue. The impatience of the men at my back is palpable. I haven't hunted in three days so we've just been surviving on the few rations we have left, and the sheer hunger is enough to put anyone on edge.
Exhaustion has slowly creeped into my adrenalized body, suddenly weighing me down and I sigh as I come to the conclusion that we should rest for the night. Coming to a reluctant stop, I turn and face the others, the light from my torch bouncing off their exhausted features.
"We will make camp here for the night." All three men nodded in silent approval at my desicion. Slowly we all cleared the area and set camp for the night, along where I presummed the trail would have continued.
"We've lost the trail Nero." Ryans slightly annoyed but quiet voice broke the cadence of the light snoring coming from the twins, what he said was more of a statement than a question. Ryan was the oldest of us, not by much, but that didn't stop him from speaking his mind when he thought it was nessecary. Ryan was able to hold his own. We each had our skills that we brought to the group, his just happened to be more knowledgeable in keeping everyone alive and comfortable.
I glanced away from the smoldering coals of the fire to look at Ryans face. His russet colored skin seemed to glow from the light of the low flames. He stared at the fire too, his features resting in a slight frown. He sat up right, his legs folded. He always seemed tense when he did this but had told us many times that it was actually how he relaxed. I didnt know what to tell him reguarding his comment on our journey. I let my eyes fall back to the comforting fire, and the quiet hum of the forest draped around us once more.
Sleep was beginning to drag me under as I lay watching the coals flare and the flames dance slowly across the charred wood. My eyes closed and darkness gave way to brilliant hues of colors.
She grasped my hand in hers as we walked through the forest, flowers and ferns unfolded and bloomed behind her bare feet as she walked. She looked back at me with a bright smile lighting up her face. Her mint green eyes captured mine and everything stopped, frozen in place. Suddenly she was facing me her face so close to my own, her breath intoxicating as it fanned across my face. My heart was racing so fast as if it could take flight at any moment. She placed her delicate cream colored hand on my heart and it stopped too, pausing, doing her will. For she was a goddess in her own right and anyone would be a fool to refuse her wishes.
A loud crunch came from the right of us in the forest. I caught movement just behind the thick wall of trees and ferns. A finger touched my lips and I looked back at her, resolve solidified in her icy gaze. Turning toward the source of movement she entered into the thick wall of greenery and disappeared. Echos of screams and grunting shattered the silence of the calming forest. Birds took flight from their perches near by, their numbers blotting out the sun like a bad omen. Another branch broke to my left and I walked slowly keeping silent as I moved. Pulling back the over grown plants, two ruby red eyes stared back at me, the diamond shaped head tilting in curiosity. Dark iridescent wings sprouted from the creatures back and suddenly it was perched on my shoulder. Cautiously, I reached up to touch one of the creatures front paws. It felt so real. A cough erupted from the creature and it snatched my hand with incredible force. Flecks of charred skin gently floated around me as the flames from the mouth of the small beast seared a shape into the palm of my hand. Before I could make out the shape being burned into my flesh, the animal flew away with a large gust of wind. It landed a few feet away on her left shoulder and purred in a rough but comforting way. She looked away from it long enough to glance at me with timid eyes. Before I could ask her any of the million questions in my mind, I began to drift away, her icy green eyes thawed to a watery merky green. As I left, the mythical being perched on her shoulder rubbing its pointed head against her jaw to comfort her.
"I will find you, Sage." I vowed to her as she faded once more into the back of my subconscious.
My eyes popped open before I could comprehend what woke me up from my mezmerizing dream. Looking around everyone was still asleep, the burning embers of the fire struggling to put off anymore heat. Assuming it was the coals popping that woke me, I turned over and tried unsuccessfully to fall back asleep. Groaning quietly I gave up and grabbed my hunting gear. I could at least make myself useful if nothing else. We were all practically starving at this point.
The sun was barely peaking through the thick canopy. The shade brought no relief from the sweltering heat. That didnt slow me down of course. I had gotten three rabbits and two birds of significant size, they all hung from my belt and swayed as I trudged through the overbearing greenery back towards camp.
A snap of a branch caught my attention a few yards to my left and I ducked down out of sight. Knocking an arrow I prepared myself for the next kill, pausing as voices bounced off the large trees.
"We have to be getting close, that woman said we would find the beast with the fair skinned witch, deep in the forest where the plants were so thick they would suffocate you. Look around Koa, the forest has only gotten thicker since we crossed the river!" That last sentence was almost a snarl. My left palm chose then to burn like it had caught fire. Jerking my hand up, I saw a dark symbol burned into my flesh. The image looked knotted in a way but you could make out wings and a flower of sorts, it pulsed in my palm growing in intensity as they walked past.
"I still dont think that she will hold up her end of the bargain. I say we take the beast to the nearest town and sell it for the highest price and keep the girl for our own pleasure." I could here the disgusting amusement in the second mans voice. They both passed right by me a few feet away without even noticing me crouched behind the thick plants. The first man grunted agreement in return to the seconds idea, their footsteps getting quieter as they got farther away.
A sudden deja vu hit me. My dream with Sage and the fire breathing lizard. All of it made since. We were close, as the two men had said. Fury and panic forced me to my feet and I dashed through the low hanging branches pushing myself as fast as I could to reach camp. I had to warn the men what was happening. I had to get to her before those men... The thought of them finding her before me had me furious. I used this new anger to propel me through the forest so fast I was almost flying.
All of this only raised more questions for me. Why was I so entranced by her? Who was this new woman sending hunters after Sage? And who was Sage?
"I will find you. If it's the last thing I do." I whispered to the wind hoping it would carry my vow to the one person that could answer all my questions. The one woman that had captured me, body and soul.