Breathe

Chapter Two - First Encounter

A/N

So yesterday I forgot to post, so today you have two chapters!! Yaay!! (So sorry -.-') Hope you're enjoying it so far!

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The departure had already been difficult, some goodbyes were harder than others, especially when they didn't know what awaited them ahead and the danger would be imminent at every moment. The sea people still didn't understand the world they were in now, but that was what Ava found exciting, the possibilities, all the discoveries they would make along the way; not many knew this, but she kept a diary hidden deep in her backpack, full of the things she saw, tasted, heard, smelled and touched, it was has detailed as possible and it was her small treasure, certainly one that was useful on this journey.

They began by venturing out into the forest on the exact opposite of the sea where they had emerged, it was pretty dense, full of trees and bushes with no set paths on the muddy ground, so two of the guards went up ahead, cutting the vines and branches that stood in the way, making it easy for Ava and the rest of the people to pass through. Their group was a pretty small one, Ava that was the leader and strategist, also in charge of cataloguing the whole trip, four guards that she herself appointed for the task of protecting them and to do most of the dirty work, and three researchers that would take samples to analyse and experiment on, trying to find new and inventive ways of improving their quality of life.

For half a day though nothing much happened, they would go on a straight line to wherever the path leaded them, once they went up a small hill hoping to see beyond the trees but no such luck was in store for them.

"How much longer will we walk Lady Ava? Our legs are tired and our backs sore from the heavy backpacks..." One of the researchers said and Ava could really empathise with him, she was also tired. In the water it was so easy to move around, here on earth each step was as if they were lifting bags of led.

"Just a little more, according to some of the maps I found, we must be near water where we can fill our tanks, it will be easier than wasting our supplies from the start!" She answered with a kind smile and the rest of the team couldn't help but be reassured by their beautiful and charismatic leader. Above them some trees ruffled, and leafs started to fall, which made the guards get on alert immediately, so Ava tried to reassure them too. "Do not worry, it must have been some kind of birds flying away, let's keep going to make the most of the sunlight we have left!"

They continued their journey until they reached a small creek where the prism-clear water was running and shimmering with the sunlight. That place was the only one until then that wasn't embedded in shadows so they had to open their umbrellas to avoid getting sunburned. Since day one their skin, despite thick, had proven itself very sensible against the sun, so they had to protect it all the time with suncream and special umbrellas that filtered the sunlight, helping them walk around.

"I knew it..." Said Ava in a low voice, then raised her voice for the rest of them. "Let"s rest here for now! Take this chance to eat and fill your tanks. Also let's set this place as our camping spot for tonight so if anything happens this is where we will meet, be sure to mark it down on your maps!"

After her words, she put down her heavy bag on the grass, stretching her sore arms and back and grabbed her tank to fill with fresh water from the stream, feeling the fresh oxygen flow in her body, it was completely different from the sea water she was used to. Her pale skin had a sheen of perspiration because of the walking so she splashed some of it on her face and hands after filling up the tank, refreshing herself from the heat she constantly felt.

"Lady Ava," called one of the researchers, smiling kindly to her, "Do you want to eat something with us?" The girl pointed to the other two researchers who had settled down to snack.