Soul fiend

Chapter 9 - Hades

I'm starting to worry about Uri in addition to the strong attachment I feel towards her. I used to have my heart on my sleeve but I learnt my lesson or at least I thought I did. For some reason she seems to have just waltzed in and sown the seeds of something I don't want to admit just yet. I've been burned before and I'd rather not let it happen again.

A few hours pass by as we walk through the forest. Something isn't sitting right with me.

'Guys this is too easy. Where are the war hogs, the haze horses and the wolfcats and all the other beasties we had to fight to get our Animus Meus?'

'I don't know brother, but you are right this is too easy.' Ade says. 'Keep vigilant just in case.' No sooner has he finished his sentence, something stumbles out of the trees. We all get into fight positions but turns out its just Uri.

'Where have you been love? Are you hurt?' I rush up to her inspecting her for any signs of injury. She appears to be unscathed. The others circle in around me. 'She seems unharmed. That never happens, something definitely is going on here.' Caz says with a puzzled expression looking around for danger.

'Do you guys have to be all up in my personal space?' She says looking flustered.

'Sorry.' We all say in unison taking several steps back.

'Well we cant hang about here all day can we? We've got my Animus Meus to find. Sooner rather than later would be great.' Uri says as she starts walking.

She fascinates me. I don't think i've ever met anyone like her. My eyes trail after her as she starts walking. Ade gives me a nudge to get me moving. 'Where were you love? we were worried about you?' I say as I catch up to her.

'I had my first trial. I thought you guys said it wasn't going to be easy? Dangerous even?' She smirks.

'I don't know what to tell you love. You're one of the lucky ones.' I say with a smile. I can tell she doesn't want to talk about her trial, so I don't try and pry.

'When I went through this. I was one of the unlucky ones. All 4 of us were. So many little beasties wanted to come out and play. I killed at least 5 on my own. One particular little bastard was a haze horse. They're about 7 feet tall and hit you with this stink that hazes your mind and eyes. So you're left fumbling over your own feet trying to kill it or run away. They have razer sharp teeth that can peel you're skin and muscle straight off the bone.' I say imitating biting chicken off the bone. Getting a sword to appear in my hands I play out the whole ordeal, diving left and right. Rolling across the floor, I hear such an angelic sound come from Uri. She seems to be laughing at me.

'Why are you laughing, I was in peril, I was about to show you my heroic moves and how I took the haze horse down, but now you don't deserve to hear about my magnificence.'

'I'm sorry.' In between laughter she continues. 'Please continue! I'll stop, its just hard picturing it all.'

I pretend to go off in a huff hoping she'll come give me attention. She strides up so that were walking in line. 'Look I'm sorry i want to hear all about it she says with a grin.' seems shes calling my bluff. 'Fine okay i suppose ill finish telling the story.' i continue but with a tiny bit of non important embellishing. Once I've finished turn to see her face is full of amazement and it kind of makes me a bit shy. I've not felt this in a while. 

'Wow. You guys really are amazing.' she stands there face full of awe. All the guys look at her at the same time and I can tell were all feeling the same. We have been admired before. It seems different with her usually we shrug it off but with her she makes us feel special. Like we actually did something worth being proud of. This girl was making us all feel things we hadn't in a while if ever. I could tell the differences in us already. I can't wait to see what else she brings out of us.

She starts walking ahead as a hang back keeping an eye on anything that might want to have us for dinner or anything we could have for dinner. The day was nearing to an end and we'd barely eaten. Though we had been going for a while and on an empty stomach, Uri hadn't complained once. The thought that she might be used to it after all these years infuriated me. I was mad that there are people like that out in the world hurting all those innocents, hurting the one's we had sworn to protect. 

Something came out of the bushes on instinct we all stood in formation around Uri weapons drawn ready for the worst. Out came a wart hog. 

'Looks like dinners up boys.' Uri says breaking the silence. 

We all look and laugh and say in unison 'hog chase'. This should be fun. Even though we had magic we sometimes preferred not to use it this was one of those times. We were going to do the old fashioned hog chase. After about an hour of running around we finally  caught the little shit, and now it was cooking under the fire. i turn around my eyes trained too look for Uri at any given moment. My eyes found her sitting there like an angel shivering.  

'here love take this.' I said pulling out a blanket from the packs we brought. 'Id feel much better if we shared it.' She didnt have too ask me twice. I squeezed up as close as i could. 'How are you feeling?' 

'Abosoultely marvelous.' She said sarcastically. 'to be honest not sure ive processed all my feelings yet. I'm more of ignore it till it goes away type of girl.' 

'Ill be here for you if it doesnt go away and you need someone too talk too.' I say in the hopes of comforting her. She smiles back at me 'I appreciate it.' 

'Dinners up' Ade spoke while dishing it into little bowls. We ate pretty much in silence all deep in thought it seemed, before laying on the floor too sleep. I laid close too Uri i told my self it was for her protection, but it was really more for me. She fell asleep almost instantly. God i envy her. i stared into space trying too get my mine quiet enough too sleep when i heard her whimpering and crying in her sleep. Not knowing what else too do i laid behind her and held her close too me. Tiredness washed over me with a sense of peace and before i knew it i struggled too keep my eyes open.