I gnawed on a Zenatile kebob hungrily as the sun rose high in the sky, its warm rays finally reaching the bottom of the ravine we were in. We were sitting around a pile of stones, which held the remains of the Zenatile that Strubin had prepared as we listened to Kirune and Sophi.
"Where were you guys?" I asked between bites. "We thought you guys had died."
Sophi shrugged, stifling a laugh. "That's what we thought had happened to you! I woke up in the branches of a tree, and Kirune found me trapped up there and helped me down."
Kirune scratched behind his head bashfully, closing his eyes. "We traveled together for a while. We had landed about halfway down the cliffside, and it took us a few hours to finally make it down to the lake. Once we got here, we saw the Zenatile from far off and decided to try and stay put until it went away."
Strubin looked guilty. "Sorry about that. The Zenatile was in a coma after it tried to chase Aven and I into the lake. I nearly drowned, but Aven saved my life." His eyes shined as he leaned over and put his arm around my shoulders affectionately, and I avoided eye contact as Sophi gasped.
"Aw, how cute!" The orange aetyr gushed. "I had no idea you two were a thing, but you're really adorable together."
My face flushed red as Strubin shrugged bashfully. "Well… it's only been official since last night. I confessed to her after she saved me."
Arius growled. "Actually, Strubin, I'm afraid you're mixed up," He put in sourly. "I was the one who dragged you both onto the island."
"Yeah, and then you refused to help me perform CPR on Strubin!" I spat before I realized what I was doing. "If I wasn't conscious, he would've died! Now quit taking credit for things you don't even deserve to be recognized for, you lousy hairball!"
Strubin stared at both of us, shocked. Arius looked taken aback, but continued to skulk unapologetically. Meanwhile Kirune and Sophi were horrified at the revelation.
"...Arius," Strubin finally began, "...What does Aven mean when she says this? Is this true?"
My brother lashed his tail in annoyance. "...She's making stuff up," He muttered at last. "I helped you both willingly. She must have dreamed it, whatever it was."
I stared at my brother, gaping with my mouth open. But before I could speak, Strubin and the others sighed collectively. "I knew you wouldn't do such a thing," The green aetyr murmured. "I trust you."
Arius just nodded and turned away, standing up to go relieve himself in the bushes.
I sat there, baffled. I could've sworn that I had seen that disgusted look on his gray face, that unwillingness to help us in our greatest need.
Was it really a dream?
Kirune looked uncomfortable. "...Look, guys," He began, "I don't really know you all too well. I barely even know Sophi herself- we only met at the Assessment Ceremony at the beginning of spring, and then again on this travel party. But I think we need to put our differences aside and work together. Remember the Prince and Unydae? They're probably looking for us right now."
False. Dukalis suddenly refuted out of nowhere. They've gone on ahead to Xy'Kiln and Undergrove. They trust you enough to be able to brave the wilds on your own, assuming you're still alive.
"No, they aren't." I burst out, relaying what Dukalis told me before thinking. "They're heading on to Xy'kiln and Undergrove without us."
Sophi stared at me, wild-eyed. "...How do you know?" She asked, narrowing her teal gaze.
I sweated nervously. "Erm… remember what Queen Omani said? We have to be there in time for the Summer Solstice, and Prince Illesior knows that. He's willing to leave us behind so that he doesn't get there too late. It's up to us to catch up to them."
Kirune put his paw to his chin, looking thoughtful. "...That's a fair point," He murmured at last. "We need to regroup; get ourselves together before we can follow them."
"We should leave before nightfall," Sophi added excitedly, her tail twitching. "We'll find them before they even come within a league of Undergrove!"
"Hold on, guys!" Strubin broke in worriedly. "We don't even know where we are, let alone figure out how to find them. We're lost as of right now."
"I think I have a map," I said after a moment's thought. "Give me a sec. I'll pull it out."
I opened my satchel and pulled out Dukalis' book, and the three of them jumped back at the sight of it.
"What is that?" Sophi asked.
"It's the book I'm guarding," I replied, opening it up and flipping through its yellowed pages. "Thank the gods it's waterproof, or it would've been ruined a long time ago."
"Please be careful, Aven," Strubin muttered softly. "That thing looks cursed to me."
"Ah, here it is!" I yowled triumphantly, slamming the book down to reveal a two-page map, highly detailed and accurate to scale as far as I knew. My friends leaned in curiously as I scanned the map, then thrust my finger at a point on the page.
"Look. There's The Capital, and here's Undergrove." I traced my finger along both points. "We were in the Jade Hills yesterday, and this low point looks like the ravine we're in… right now!" I tapped the page excitedly and continued, "If we travel along here, we should break out of the ravine and descend out of these hills. Then it's smooth sailing from there!"
"Assuming we don't run into any more monsters." Arius said dryly, appearing from behind me. "It was bad enough when there were thirteen of us to face one, and look where that got us."
"That was a fluke," Sophi said indignantly, slamming her paw down and glaring at him. "We've survived this long. We've fallen off a cliff, for crying out loud! If we can do that and come away practically scot-free, then I'm pretty sure we can handle the rest of the journey, too."
"And I'll bet our survival was a fluke as well," Arius muttered under his breath, crouching grumpily away from her.
Meanwhile Kirune was staring at the map with newfound interest. "...I think it's worth a shot," He finally put in. "Besides, we don't have anything else to lose. I'd rather die trying to follow the Prince out of here than live in this ravine and starve to death."
"You wouldn't starve to death," Strubin laughed. "This delicious kebab is proof of that!"
"Well, last I checked, most of us can't hunt Zenatiles and tear them limb from limb," Kirune replied. "Maybe Sophi, since she's supposed to be a hunter, but I doubt that me, Arius and Aven can hunt monsters with as much ease."
"It takes a little practice," Strubin objected.
"All right, guys!" I suddenly burst in. "Are we gonna get moving or what? We're wasting daylight if we're leaving the ravine."
"Right! Who's with Aven?" Strubin added, raising his hand. "Because I am."
"That's because you're biased." Arius muttered grumpily, shooting me a glare.
Strubin ignored him and stared expectantly at Kirune and Sophi, waiting for their reply.
Sophi spoke first. "I'm with you guys. I'd rather get moving than stay here." She raised her paw.
Kirune nodded approvingly and raised his as well. "Same here."
"Right. That's four to one." Strubin glanced at Arius, sulking in the corner. "Arius, are you coming or staying here?"
Arius scowled, glaring at me. "...I guess I'll go," He muttered at last. "But only because you leave me no choice. I'll go mad in these woods if I'm here alone."
"Great!" Strubin's eyes brightened, and he nudged me to my feet. "Aven, lead the way."
"W-what?" I sputtered, looking around. "I'm no leader! You go."
He laughed. "Don't worry, I'll help you." Suddenly he nuzzled my ear lovingly, and I could hear Sophi let out an amused giggle. "I trust you, Aven. We all do."
I looked around at each one of them in turn. Even after leading them off the side of a cliff, they all turned to me when danger reared its ugly head. Strubin loved me. Kirune trusted me. Sophi regarded me well. It was only Arius who didn't want to be by my side, and it was because he still blamed me for Abarin's absence.
"...We'll see about that," I murmured at last cheekily. I thrust my fist in the air, and spun around, heading away from the lake. "Come on! Let's go find the Prince!"
It was time we left the ravine!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How much farther?" Kirune asked, panting as he scrambled over a fallen log.
"I don't know." I gazed at the canopy, unease creeping up on me as I realized that the sun was gradually setting, and the light was growing dimmer. Once night fell, we would end up becoming sitting ducks for any hungry monster that found us. And we didn't have any water on us to protect us from Zenatiles. "But I think we're getting close to the rise."
Behind me, Sophi nudged Kirune cheerfully. "Relax. We're all together. Remember how far we've come already! We can do this."
Strubin, who was plodding obediently by my side, leaned over and muttered into my ear, "I envy Sophi's optimism. I wish we all had it. It would've made this whole ordeal a lot easier."
I nodded in response, then stopped and paused as Arius cleared his throat.
"Aven, do you even know what we're doing?" He asked with a scathing tone. "It's almost dark, and if we don't get anywhere soon the gods know what'll happen."
"Quit blaming me, will you?" I shot back irritably. "How about you be useful for once instead of critizising me for everything?"
"Guys, guys," Strubin broke in worriedly. "Calm down. We need to work together if we're going to get anything done."
"Guys, look!" Sophi pointed ahead. "I see something. Looks like a clearing of some sort."
Strubin nodded to her. "Go on ahead with Arius and scout it out, then come back if you find anything. Call for us if you get hurt."
She nodded briskly. "Right! Come on, Arius."
Arius sighed and sprang forward, keeping up with the fiery orange aetyr nimbly as they raced out of sight.
Kirune twitched his ears uncertainly. "I will admit, I do share some of your brother's misgivings," He murmured softly to me as he fell in pace beside me. "I'm worried about what might happen if we don't get anywhere before nightfall."
"Then we'll face off whatever comes at us," I replied, adopting Sophi's eagerness jokingly as I puffed out my chest. "No biggie."
Strubin stared at me with admiration. "Stop it, Aven," He chuckled. "Soon you'll become too hot for me to handle."
"Erm- WHAA???" I spun around to face him, my face blazing red. "M-me? HOT?"
"You heard me."
"I… huh?" I ducked my head embarrassedly as Strubin gazed at me through smug slitted eyes.
Kirune stifled a laugh as he watched our exchange, his tail twitching with amusement. "Lovebirds," He said, shaking his head. "I'll never understand it."
"Whoo!" Strubin then pretended to fan himself with his hand, looking around in mock confusion. "What's going on? Feels a lot steamier in here all of a sudden."
"Stop it!" I nudged him playfully. "Sly furball!"
As Strubin laughed, suddenly I could see Sophi running back up to us, an excited gleam in her eyes. "Hey, hey, hey!" She trilled. "Guess what we found, y'all!"
Kirune looked up. "What's up?"
"There's a tunnel at the edge of this ravine! Turns out it's a passageway from here back to the open road that leads to Undergrove!"
Strubin looked at her quizzically. "Are you sure?"
"Positive!" Sophi lifted her head high. "My instincts are never wrong!"
"Then let's go," Kirune agreed. "Is Arius waiting there for us?"
"He went on ahead. Said he didn't want to waste time because of us."
I flinched. I knew Arius was talking about me specifically, but I didn't dare say it out loud.
"Hold on." Strubin held out his arm to block Kirune and instead looked to me. "What do you want to do, Aven?"
I thought for a moment, grateful that Strubin valued my opinion. I guess I did have a map, but it wasn't detailed enough for me to distinguish every obstacle there was to face.
Should we go through the passage, Dukalis? I asked him.
…I don't see why not. He replied.
I nodded. "I'm down for it."
Strubin grinned. "Come along, then." With that he turned, racing off after Sophi and Kirune, leaving me behind.
"Hey, wait up!" I laughed, following them. "Don't leave me, Stru!"
He stopped and glanced at me guiltily. "Let me help you with that."
He scooped me up and put me on his back, then continued to follow our friends.
Finally we broke through the last of the foliage and I had to blink a dazzling light out of my eyes. The trees were sparsely paced around us, but towering up high was a huge cliff face, blocking out the sun. And yet the lack of the canopy made it to where the light was almost too much to bear.
I narrowed my eyes against the harsh light. Kirune was right. It was almost sunset, and we had to get moving.
"Where's this passageway you were talking about?" Strubin asked Sophi.
She pointed. "Right there!"
In front of us, across the narrow strip of clearing, was a tunnel that faded into blackness.
"Arius said that it goes upward after a while and you can see the fields past that," Sophi explained. "Pretty cool, right?"
"There aren't any caves that shoot off from the passage, right?" Kirune asked softly, looking squeamish.
She waved her hand. "Don't worry. There's room to breathe. I doubt you could get lost in a straight line, anyhow!"
Strubin lifted me off his shoulders and bowed. "After you, my lady."
I lightly punched his shoulder. "Cut it out!" I scolded him teasingly, feeling my face grow hot.
With that, Kirune took a breath and followed Sophi into the cavern. Strubin bended over behind me.
"Don't be afraid," He murmured. "I'll be right behind you, Av."
I blinked at him. "Thanks, big guy."
I stared around the ravine for one last time, marveling at the strange ecosystem we had faced, and the many trees that took up the space in it, then turned and went into the tunnel, Strubin following close behind.
Then the sun disappeared, and all was dark.