The mist swirled around their feet, its ghostly fingers caressing their skin. The silence was deafening, the only sound the eerie echo of their footsteps. The trees loomed above them, their dark shadows casting an ominous spell over the forest.
Morwen shivered, goosebumps rising on her arms.
Her gaze darted around, the uneasiness she had felt earlier intensifying. She wondered if she should say something to Ophelia, but the siren walked silently beside her, seemingly unaffected by the strange atmosphere.
Shadows of dusk began to lengthen, casting a cloak of uncertainty over the two figures moving through the thick undergrowth. Ophelia's determined pace cut through the silence like a blade as she pushed forward, her brow furrowed in frustration. Morwen followed closely behind, her heart heavy with worry for Zack.
She and Ophelia had been searching for Zack for several hours now, and they had found no sign of him. They had taken a detour at Morwen's insistence, heading back to the where she and Zack were attacked rather than continuing to the Tribe of the river, where she suspected her brother might be headed.
"We can't give up, he might be hurt or worse," Morwen's voice trembled with emotion, her concern for her brother evident.
Ophelia halted, her eyes glinting with impatience. "And what if he's not?" Her voice echoed through the stillness, causing a flock of birds to scatter into the darkening sky.
"Then we'll keep looking," she declared, her voice unwavering in its determination. Despite Ophelia's doubt, Morwen remained persistent.
With each passing moment, the weight of the unknown pressed down upon them. Though they had just met Morwen was grateful for Ophelia's help.
"He could be anywhere by now," Ophelia's voice was calm and soothing despite her frustration that simmered beneath the surface.
"Please," Morwen pleaded, her voice tinged with desperation.
Ophelia hesitated, her gaze flitting between the dense foliage surrounding them and the despair etched on Morwen's face. She sighed, her irritation evident. But as she looked into Morwen's pleading eyes, reluctantly, she conceded,
"Fine, but we need to be smart about this. Let's head back to the village and see if anyone has seen him. He couldn't have gotten far."
Morwen's gratitude shone in her eyes, a flicker of hope amidst the encroaching darkness. They retraced their steps, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of Zack.
Morwen's heart sank when she saw the blood soaked ground, the bodies of two of the men that had attacked lay dead.
"We're too late," Ophelia muttered, her gaze fixed on the carnage.
"No," Morwen shook her head. "Zack is not among the dead. We need to keep searching."
Ophelia's expression was a mix of doubt and disbelief, but she nodded in agreement, understanding the depth of Morwen's determination. Together, they combed through the area, their keen eyes scanning every inch of the forest floor for any clue as to Zack's whereabouts. It was when Ophelia called out, pointing to a set of footprints leading away from the scene, that Morwen's hope soared to new heights.
"Let's follow them and see where they lead us," Ophelia suggested, her enthusiasm returning.
They followed the footprints, their pace quickening. A trail of blood accompanying them, morwen hoped Zack was not badly injured.
The forest was eerily quiet, the only sound the faint rustling of leaves in the breeze. The trees loomed above them, their branches reaching out like grasping fingers. The sky was darkening, the sun's rays barely visible through the dense canopy. It seemed to press in on them from all sides, suffocating in its intensity.
"Are you sure he's not dead?" Ophelia's skepticism lingered in the air,
"I'm certain," Morwen replied, her voice filled with conviction.
"How can you be so sure?"
"We haven't found his body!" Morwen's retort was sharp, her patience wearing thin beneath the weight of uncertainty.
"Fine," Ophelia acquiesced, though her doubt remained evident.
Their footsteps echoed through the forest, the only sound breaking the stillness besides the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of hidden birds. The trail of footprints and blood became more pronounced as they ventured deeper into the wilderness, leading them around twists and turns that seemed to blur together in their urgency.
As they rounded a bend, the women emerged into a small clearing bathed in moonlight, the footprints led them unerringly towards a pile of leaves nestled at the center.
"There," Ophelia pointed, her breath catching in anticipation.
Approaching with caution, Morwen and Ophelia scanned their surroundings warily, alert for any sign of danger. As they drew nearer to the pile of leaves, a figure came into view, hunched over with his face obscured by a hood.
"Zack!" Morwen's voice rang out, a mixture of relief and concern lacing her words.
"Oh Zack, what happened?" Morwen's eyes brimmed with unshed tears, her hand reaching out towards him.
"It's not him," Ophelia cautioned, her hand gripping her bow tightly.
As the hooded figure turned, they could see his features.
It was not Zack.
Morwens breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding.
"Who are you?" Morwen demanded, her voice shaking slightly.
"I mean you no harm," the stranger said, his voice soft and low.
"She needs help." he nodded to a form laying beside him in the leaves that they had not noticed before.The redhead was lying on her back, her chest barely moving with shallow breaths.
Morwen rushed to her side, kneeling in the damp earth. She checked her pulse, her hands trembling slightly.
"Galena" she whispered, recognizing her friend. "She's alive," Morwen breathed a sigh of relief.
The stranger looked at her, his face shadowed. "She needs medical attention," he said.
Morwen nodded. "Let's get her back to the village."
Together, Ophelia and Morwen lifted Galena, supporting her between them.
The stranger followed closely behind, his pace was slow and laboured.
As they walked, Morwen cast a sideways glance at the man. Who was he? Where had he come from? And most importantly, how had he come to be with Galena?
***
Galena was brought back to the village and was immediately rushed into the healer's hut. The stranger was not permitted inside, and he waited outside, his gaze fixed on the door.
Morwen watched him from the window, his face was pale and drawn, his eyes haunted. His eyes, they looked so familiar, but Morwen couldn't quite place them.
After a few hours, the healer emerged, a somber expression on his face. "She'll live," he announced, wiping his hands on a towel.
"Can we see her?" Morwen asked.
The healer nodded.
Ophelia and Morwen entered the hut, their eyes immediately falling on the bed where Galena lay, her breathing shallow.
Morwen sat on the edge of the bed, her hand gently brushing the hair away from Galena's face.
"Galena," she whispered.
Galena's eyes opened slightly, her voice hoarse. "Morwen," she croaked.
Morwen leaned in closer, her face inches from Galena's.
"I thought I'd lost you," Morwen whispered, her voice breaking.
Galena smiled weakly.
Morwen turned her attention to the stranger, who was standing just outside the doorway, watching them intently.
"I'm sorry i never asked your name." Morwen said, looking at him curiously.
The stranger stepped inside the hut, his face still shrouded by the hood.
"My name is Malachi." He removed his hood, his face finally revealed.
Morwen gasped.
"You know him?" Ophelia asked, glancing at her.
Morwen Shook her head, "I don't know."
Malachi's eyes were locked on Morwen, his gaze piercing.
***
The next morning, Morwen sat by the fire, her thoughts racing.
Malachi had vanished during the night, and no one had seen him since.
She was still reeling from the realization that the man she had seen in her dreams was the same one who had saved Galena.
Her head ached, her mind drifted back to Zack. He had vanished too, and she had no idea where he had gone.
She sighed, staring into the flames.
As she watched, a small rabbit hopped through the doorway.
Morwen smiled, reaching out her hand.
The rabbit hesitated for a moment, and then jumped into her lap.
"Hello, little one," she murmured, stroking its fur.
Suddenly, the rabbit jerked its head up, its ears twitching.
"What's wrong?" Morwen asked.
The rabbit leapt from her lap and ran out the door, disappearing.
The rabbit nuzzled her, its eyes closing in contentment.
"Wait!" Morwen called, running after it.
She found the rabbit crouching near the base of a tree, its nose twitching wildly.
She knelt beside it, her eyes searching the ground.
She saw nothing.
Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Who's there?" she called, whirling around.
A man stepped out of the shadows, his face hidden in the darkness.
"Don't worry," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Your secret is safe with me."
With that, the man vanished, leaving Morwen alone in the forest, her heart pounding.
As she walked back to the village, her mind was spinning. She had no idea what the stranger had meant, or if she should trust him.But one thing was clear. She needed to find Galena and Ophelia.
She found Ophelia saddling a horse."Where are you going?" Morwen asked, her brow furrowing.
The siren tied back her shimmering locks before looking back at Morwen. "there is a chance your brother could still be alive. I'm going to search for him. Your friend needs you here. You have to stay."Morwen shook her head, Ophelia let out a gentle sigh. she walked over to Morwen cupping her face in her hands.
"I will do everything i can, I promise you."
Morwen nodded, her eyes welling with tears. She hugged the siren tight.