Dark Horse

Chapter 4: The Maalamee Woods

They came to a huge forest known as the Maalamee Woods.
"Stay close together" Sara said seriously, "People who go in are said to never come out"
"Well we don't know that" said Kat nervously, shivering slightly.
They all slowly took out their swords. Rich gave a signal, and his skeleton army followed close behind. For a split second, Kat and Sara's eyes glazed dark purple. Then they tripped onto something that was like weird textured sand.

They saw someone in the distance, eyes glowing purple as well, a girl, taller than Kat and Sara, but a little shorter than the boys. Suddenly they all started sinking... Now they know why this forest is dangerous. The girl emerged with an old sword and a tattered bow. Her hair was jet black with a tint of navy and silver like Kat and Sara's mother.
"We need to help her!" Kat exclaimed.
As the others were sinking Kat and Sara shot up in the sky and teleported to the girl. "Wow what was that?" Kat yelped in surprise, shivering as they went closer.
"I thought I was the only one that could do that." The girl murmured. "Who are you two?" She looked up.

"Who are you?" Everyone asked at the same time.
"Well...I'm Emerald Shine." She growled. Emerald then teleported Git and Rich with a flick of her wrist, as Sara was about to tell her they were still sinking.
"What the-" said Git coughing from the dirt in his mouth. "That's not an enderman?"
The sisters hadn't even thought that the teleportation was that of an enderman's. So at this though they freaked out, knowing they teleported too.
"I am NOT an Enderman." Emerald spat. "Plus," she continued. "My eyes are usually a vibrant green but in this disgusting forest they're purple." She sighed

"Disgusting?" questioned Sara "I happen to like the orange trees" she complained, crossing her arms
Emerald sighed, "I meant the mud you almost died in."

At this, Sara stepped back and found her way to Git's hand, hugging it tight. She threw a determined face at Emerald and looked up at her.
"Will you make sure we survive?" she asked encouragingly.
"Maybe," Emerald said, her voice growing steady. "But first," she said. "Who are you exactly?"
"We're from a kingdom called Malooma" Emerald's face paled slightly.
"You-You're princesses?" She growled, her voice wavering.

"Yes," said Sara, trying to keep her voice steady as well. She could feel something of a realisation but couldn't realize what she was realizing.
Kats' head went to the shoulder of Rich while Git added a firmer grip on Sara's hand,
Git threw a look at Rich.
"REALLY!?" Kat's face went from Git to Rich. "Get along already!"

"Anyway where do you live?" She asked Emerald. At that question her face got even paler as she responded weakly, "Tell them Sara. You can feel the connection already."

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN KEEPING THIS FROM ME?!" Kat screamed.
"You already knew," Emerald said angrily, wielding a netherite sword.

"I bet you would have known who I was at birth. I am your sister. Crown-Princess Emerald Shine, the next ruler of Malooma." She said, her voice rising.
"Our step dad tried to kill me at birth. So our mother gave me to a couple who raised me until I ran away." Emerald narrowed her eyes.

"Why?" said Sara her eyes were turning wetter by the second
"I ran away the day I heard I was a princess. I actually still have my crown if you don't believe me." She said reaching into her bag.
"No," said Sara, shaking her head. "I just want to forget the pain."
"You knew?" Kat said, crying.
"I've always known somewhere." Sara sobbed, her hand pointing to her chest.

"Umm are you two alright?" Emerald mumbled awkwardly.
"NO I'M NOT OK!" Kat yelled. She fell back and banged her head on a hard chunk of diorite in a ravine. She then passed out. Sara jumped down as well and softened her fall. Kat woke up with the boys and Sara all standing around her except for Emerald who was using herbs to fix a bad scrape on her head. "What happened?"
"You passed out," Sara said glumly. She had a deep wound on her arm.
"Yes you did. I'm using healing water and herbs to try and fix up your wounds. It seems to be working." Emerald said soothingly.
"What happened to your arm, Sara?" said Kat, staring at the cut on her arm.
"She tried to soften your fall in the ravine so she got a deep scrape down her arm. It will take awhile to heal. I'm doing my best..." Emerald murmured.

Kat's eyes glazed with tears "I-I didn't mean to-"
"It's not your fault Kat" Sara whispered.
"Come on. Let's find somewhere to stay for the night. Monsters are starting to come out." Emerald said, inhaling sharply. "Stay here I have an idea. Sara, do you have the power to control nature like I do?" Emerald asked quickly.

"No, only teleportation... as FAR AS I KNOW. THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF SURPRISES TODAY!!"
Emerald was surprised for a second. "Ok ok calm down. That made my situation a lot harder...At least I've been training. Stand in a huddle everyone!" She yelled.
She used her nature powers to lift rocks, vines, and earth to create a cave with a door. "Git!" She called "Get a torch so a monster doesn't spawn in here!"
"On it" Git said seriously.
Sara pulled Emerald aside. "I'm sorry I yelled," Sara said in a small voice.
"It's ok...I know you were stressed out." Emerald reassured her.
They went over to Kat, who was laying under a big tree. They picked her up and shuffled her into the cave. They laid her down on a bed of leaves.