The two stayed in that position, their arms wrapped around each other for a while, warmly embracing each other in their arms until- "Um Eve, can we stop for a moment..." Somniya asks in a muffled voice.
"No, not yet, just a few more minutes," She replied, her eyes softly closed as she adjusted her head into a more comfortable position on Somniya's chest. "Wait- you're not still planning on doing anything are you?"
"No, it's just that although u died your hair bubble gum pink it doesn't really taste all that like bubble gum..."
The moment Somniya closed his mouth at the last syllable Eve's eyes exploded open, and before Somniya knew it Mia had jumped back granting his wish. Although in a lot more violent manner than he intended.
Eve catapulted her brown leather boot into the air and within that next instant struck it down to the centre of Somniya's head like a battle axe, it felt like his eyes were about to fly out his head, slamming his chin into the floor of the carriage, the impact causing it to quake even startling the dragons for a moment.
Still disorientated counting the stars Somniya tried pushing himself to his feet, "What-what'd I do???"
It seemed as if Eve had teleported back to the front of the carriage by the time Somniya had reopened his eyes,
"Pervert."
How was he the pervert when all he wanted was out, she's the pervert for doing that, he was only being considerate. "Yeah right, it was your fault again! You're the pervert you were practically shoving it halfway down my throat, you think I'd want to eat your stinky poison hair?!!"
"I knew you were a pervert, but chewing hair is just disgusting, almost as bad as a foot fetish. And for your information, it's all-natural shut up."
"Sure, it is..."
"I'll Show you dammit!"
"Sorry, you aren't going to trick me into taste-testing your hair again. Done that enough."
Eve returned her focus to the road ahead, "Of course not like that, and not now idiot-inya."
"What is that my new nickname already Pinky?"
Somniya gripped the top of his hair and plucked out a few black strands, 'let me show her what it really feels like, then she'll understand.' Somniya thought with a vile smirk, as he watched the strands of hair in the palm of his hands.
The carriage remained silent for a moment, but soon the entire countryside could hear Eve's obscured screams after Somniya assassinated her with the black ball of hair shoving it into her mouth remorselessly with the same vile smirk. "Gahgagahhhagagagahbragha!"
"Yeah, don't taste so good, huh? And unlike you, I haven't poisoned mine!" However, Somniya's expression quickly dropped as he came to the realisation.
He was fucked.
He had severely underestimated Eve's bearlike strength as she stood up throwing Somniya's body back into the carriage like he was but a box of nails.
"Hey, hey, it was just a joke ha-ha.." Somniya chuckled, sliding his butt against the bottom of the carriage with his feet and hands, desperately attempting to put out the inferno marching towards him in the process.
"I'm going to kill you- you dirty bastard!!"
"Hey, wait come on you tasted hair I tasted hair no big deal-"
"My hair wasn't rummaging through garbage a few hours ago!"
And just like that the dark despair once consuming the carriage became a far dark distant fog of the past.
The wholesome warmth emitted by the light of the two bickering with each other as always abruptly and drastically outshined anything else that could've been or had been as they laughed argued and smiled together.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
A few hours later the sun rises on the horizon, Eve nods her head down and rapidly jerks it back up in an intense battle against sleep, as she attempts to keep a clutch of the saddle rope of the dragon bears.
Somniya rests his right hand on Eve's right shoulder, as well as trying to offer a sense of reassurance trying to wake her up just enough to sense her situation. "Yo, Eve you're tired, come let's take turns."
"What- no... I'm fine..." Eve declined with a loud yawn and droopy eyes, relinquishing any reason for Somniya to believe her statement.
"Yeah, we both know that's a lie come on take a nap I got this!" Somniya reassures once again with a cheek-to-cheek smile and a thumbs up on his left hand.
Eve drags her body to her feet barely having the energy to walk straight she steps into the back of the carriage. "Okay fine... just a few hours okay we're almost there so wake me up when you see a small tavern on our left."
Eve looks back once more before resting her head at the back of the carriage. "Don't mess it up okay?"
Becoming quite annoyed by Eve's lack of confidence in him, despite the kind offer he crosses his arms as he steps into the front of the carriage trying to blow off her concern. "Yes, yes don't worry how don't you have any faith in me bye sleep well."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eve's eyes gently blink open greeted by the warm sunlight over the mountains, "Huh where are we?" Still getting her bearings she brushes the brown blanket over her to the side.
Suddenly a thundering raspy cough bellowed from the front of the carriage, instantaneously dragging Eve out of her tired trance.
Eve's feet immediately spring towards the front of the carriage "Somniya? No way?!" Where Somniya is peacefully entangled in a deep sleep, confirmed by the trail of drool dangling from the corner of his lips and his unhinged snores.
"I got this yeah?!" Eve roared directly into his ear as she pinched it between her thumb and finger causing Somniya to jolt up, almost falling from the carriage.
"I do, I do, see I'm awake..."
"You're acting like your snores weren't a natural alarm for the entire forest!"
"Wait we're in a forest now since when?" Somniya questions
Eve cradles her head in her hands trying to hide her disappointment with a *Sigh* "I am literally going to slap you all the way back to Hallswell in a minute... at least you should know how much back till the tavern."
"Wait there was a map? -" and within that next moment Eve slapped Somniya into the stars as his body flew right off the carriage like a rubbish bin tossed to the side.
Once Somniya had regained his bearing he sat up rubbing his head on the grass beside the carriage with his left hand "Ow! What was that for?!" He screamed despite knowing his evident blunders refused to acknowledge them.
"Oh I don't know, maybe I was hoping I could slap the stupidity out of you," Eve replies in a harsh tone as she continues to adjust herself in the front seat.
Suddenly the carriage turned to face the complete opposite direction, and the dragons began galloping off, she was abandoning him!
Somniya knelt on his knees and stretched out his right arm "Wait where're you going Eve!"
"You can walk the rest of the way back yourself, it's not that far anyway even you can't mess it up, you deserve it, idiot," Eve replied her scornful voice slowly fading into the distance.
The cold breeze prickled his spine as Somniya looked up and down despite having no idea of where he was the eerie feeling of the forest made it all the worse.
Yet what could he do now that bitch had abandoned him, he had to start moving.
So, with a spiteful snarl, Somniya pulled himself to his feet and began walking in the direction of the carriage immersing himself in his surroundings as he walked.
To which he realised the ominous forest wasn't so ominous.
The forest spread out like a sprawling tapestry of green, a realm where nature held undisputed sovereignty.
Towering trees, their trunks adorned with mossy garments, reached skyward, their branches forming a dense canopy that filtered the sunlight into a dappled mosaic. Shafts of golden sunlight pierced through the leafy veil, casting ephemeral patterns on the forest floor below.
The air was rich with the earthy perfume of damp soil, intermingled with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers.
Ferns and shrubs, adorned with delicate blossoms, carpeted the ground, creating a lush undergrowth.
The forest seemed to hum with life, alive with the melodious chirping of unseen birds and the occasional rustle of small creatures hidden in the foliage.
Moss-covered rocks and fallen logs served as resting places for weary travellers, while a gentle babbling brook threaded its way through the heart of the woodland, its crystalline waters reflecting the verdant surroundings.
In the midst of this natural symphony, the forest emanated an aura of tranquillity, inviting those who entered into a world where time seemed to slow, and the mysteries of nature unfolded with each step.
It was beautiful, it was peaceful.
"Not so far, my ass! I've been walking for half an hour and I'm still not out of this damned forest, that bitch!" Somniya sneered not even walking anymore but frustratingly dragging his feet one after the other
Although blinded by his anger he couldn't shake the feeling he may of just only by a slight chance, by the littlest smallest chance, he may have taken a wrong turn.
"Hey, hey, hey."
"Did you perhaps stray off the path?"
"Don't worry forget whoever that 'bitch' is come with us we'll help you."
Came three unrecognisable voices all in a suspiciously welcomingly tone although it was impossible to cloak the strong stench of menace in their voices.
The fact whoever these people were they definitely weren't as kind as they are trying to portray and knowing this Somniya cautiously turned his head to the origin of the voices.
'How the hell do they know about Eve and what she did, and she's a bitch.' Have they been watching since Hallswell?
No never mind, anyone would be able to tell after a moment with her.'
Three grown men stood with almost identical brown rags with tears here and there and blue ropes acting as belts and impatient grins on their faces, as if they were holding off digging into a delicious table of food.
The one on the left was quite burly although the majority of his mass being fat, he was still evidently strong. He had drawn back spiky orange hair.
The one in the middle wore similar rags but he had a much more average physique as well as a red bandanna across his forehead.
He had long blue hair that he just let dangle down from his head covering his left eye.
The third one was a lot skinnier and was bald.
This gang was too perfect of a trio, the names that he had come up with fit them perfectly. He'd refer to them as 'Fat, medium, and, skinny.'
Each of them had some kind of weapon Fat had some kind of wooden bat whilst medium and skinny had a dagger all wrapped around their waist under their makeshift belts.
Not feeling up to their offer, Somniya smiles as he attempts to take a step back. "Nah I'm good-"
Faster than his eyes could even follow skinny shot his dagger and as if a bullet from a gun, it injected itself directly into a tree beside Somniya, not only abruptly putting a halt to Somniya's body but also his thoughts.
"Don't move," Skinny commanded as he pulled out another dagger from behind him threateningly positioning it right in front of his face.
Informing Somniya in a way worth thousands of words what would happen if he even thought of taking another step.