Arkwood

Chapter 17

I stared at her while she smiled at me.

" A pretty name for a pretty face. That's perfect. " The girl said proceeding to pushing a lock away from my face.

" Wha-at's your name? " I asked , still seated on my butt.

" Oh , how rude of me. I'm Helena. " She said placing her hand back on her lap.

Her cheeks were bright red from the cold of the night while her eyes glittered like stars. A blue cotton dress clothed her tiny body while black boots hid her tiny feet. She looked 5-ish. Too young to be wandering out here alone.

" What are you doing out here alone , Helena?" I asked.

" Oh , I was chasing after a bird that's actually-" She pointed towards a tree where a blue bird's little legs proudly stood on a branch.

" There. It's pretty , isn't it?" She said clasping both of her hands together.

I nodded with a smile.

" But it's not safe for you to be out here alone. It's dangerous , Helena. " I said.

Helena furrowed her eyebrows before studying my form.

" Why do you care...about me?" She whispered.

I didn't know what to say. I mean , kids are not allowed to be in the woods at night , right?

" Just...you're too young to be out here alone. " I answered shrugging my shoulders.

" Can I stay with you then? "

My eyes widened. If she is the young girl Kiara was speaking about , she'd help us , right? I'm just wondering how the rest would react.

My mouth tilted slightly before getting up.

" Of course. "

^◇^

" But for real though , you killed an innocent animal who was just having a good day. " Alaric said eyeing the meat.

Kieran just huffed after hearing Alaric talk about the deer 15 times already.

" If you feel so bad , don't eat at all then. " Jay said eating the last bit of the meat.

" Where's Elixir by the way?" Jay asked looking at Kieran.

" She went to the nearest water source. "

" ALONE?!" Jay shouted.

" WHAAT?!" Kiara shouted getting up from her sleep.

" Chill. There's nothing near the pond. I would be a bad person if I let go alone. " Kieran said furrowing his eyes.

" Man , I swear if she's dead wherever she is right-"

" Who's dead?"

Everyone looked up at me.

Then their eyes darted over to a form next to me.

" That's- that's the girl!" Kiara said pointing her finger at the girl.

Kieran's form somehow turned cold.

" Where...did you find her?" He asked averting his eyes from the girl to me.

" She happened to bump into me by the pond. "

Jay and Alaric however, managed to move six feet away from Helena as they were further away from the fireplace.

" She's the sweet girl I met at the market!" Helena smiled  tugging at my dress pointing at Kiara.

Then she looked at Kieran. And her smile dropped.