The Trials

seduced.

I yelped as the flames burned my exposed arms. Since Cassandra was wearing a v-necked long sleeve and wide light washed denim jeans and white sneakers she was fine except for her neck. Both of us got up immediately, patting the flames out from our bodies. I crouched low as if I were a cat ready to pounce and my partner readied her sword. The tribe of small men let out a battle cry, and they attacked. Cassandra looked at them frantically. Then she turned to me. "Nance, what do we DO? We're outnumbered! By like, a LOT."

I shrugged. "They're short. And small. We can beat them. And DON'T call me 'Nance'."

She frowned and swung at a short man and I took a man by his shoulders and threw him at a group of males. They toppled as if they were dominoes and I kicked one in the cheek. I looked at my partner. "You think there are medallions here?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "Nope! I think these guys just wanted food!"

I stared at one of the guys who was trying to hurt me by punching my leg. I held him up by the collar of his shirt. "Do you have any medallions?"

He shook his head quickly. I pulled out the one I already had. "You don't have any of these?"

He shook his head again. I dropped him to the floor and turned to my partner. "THEY DON'T HAVE THE MEDALLIONS!" I shouted at her.

She tightened her lip. "So what now?"

I shrugged again as I punctured my claws into the throat of a mini man. "We leave."

She stared at me. "Th-Then why'd you just kill that male?"

I shrugged once more. "Why not? He was bothering me."

She let out an exasperated sigh and we continued on The Trials.

We set down in a small clearing in the forest. We both slept on the ground since we didn't want to make beds because that'd take too long. The next morning, we traveled through the woodlands. After a few hours Cassandra raised her chin to the tops of the treetops. She sniffed the air. She turned to me. "Nance, do you smell that?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "I TOLD you not to call me that. And no. What do you smell?"

She raised her chin to the trees again. "Like... cologne? Like FANCY cologne, not something you'd find in a forest."

I frowned at her. "I don't smell anything. Maybe my nose is stuffy."

"Oh no, no. I'm just sure that your stunning partner has a better nose than you."

I whipped around in a low crouch towards the new voice. A man with dark brown hair that was almost black, blue eyes, and a slightly muscular build came forward. Now that he was so close, he DID smell good, which was strange considering our surroundings. He wore a crisp tuxedo. He smiled at Cassandra and took her hand (and she did NOT pull it away). She looked charmed by him.

I put my hands on my hips and tried to stand up straighter and raise my chin to be the same height as him, but I was only five feet and four inches while he was five inches taller than me. Since there was no chance of me being taller than him, I just tried to be as tall as I could. "Who are you?" I barked at him.

He gave me a pleasant smile. "I am Xavier. And you two girls?"

I glared at him but my partner didn't seem troubled at all. "I'm Cassandra Lemay," she answered with a dazed smile.

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "Pleased to meet you, Cassandra."

"Oh, it's just Cass."

He gave her another smile. "Cass it is." He looked at me and I scowled at him. That cologne was REALLY good. "And you?"

I scowled deeper. "No. Not telling you unless you tell us what you're gonna do with us and why."

He laughed. "Well, you women seem very tired and the forest isn't a good place to be, even in the morning. I have a treehouse above these trees in which you can eat well and sleep peacefully. Or you can of course chat with me."

I squinted my eyes at him. "Why would you be willing to help us?"

He shrugged. "I live in the woodlands. This is my home. I like to help those who travel within my house."

My partner turned to me with a large grin on her face. "C'mon, Nance! This could be FUN. You especially need fun. And maybe he has something that'll clean your weapons, and even mine!"

I shook my head. "No. We need to continue on The Trials. This is a distraction."

She rolled her eyes at me and took my hand and pulled me to face Xavier. "This is Nancy. She's a bit... feisty," explained Cassandra.

I stared at her. "CASS! You're not supposed to TELL him who I am!

She rolled her eyes once more. "Oh, PLEASE. He's gonna help us!"

Xavier nodded. "Yes, your partner is right, Nancy. I will aid you and you can just stay until after lunch then you may continue on your journey. I will provide baths, food, water, fresh clothes, and beds. Doesn't that sound nice?"

I shook my head. "No, it sounds-"

Without warning, Nancy pulled my arm and followed the mysterious man to his mysterious treehouse.