𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝐻𝑒𝒾𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓈

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒳𝒳

[𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒳𝒳
[𝐹𝓊𝒸𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃𝓈𝒶𝓃𝑒

Third POV

It's eerily quiet as the troubled family walks down a lone path. Rocks on either side, practically boxing them in. The hairs on Celestria's arms stand at attention as she rides on Raven, following closely behind Cirilla, who's sat upon Roach. Geralt walks ahead of them all, guiding Roach as he does, on high alert for whatever it might be that's looking for the young snow-haired girl. "How much further is it?" Cirilla's questioning breaks the silence, putting an anxious Celestria at slight ease. To no response from Geralt, she asks another question. "Where are we even going?" She huffs. "At least at Kaer Morhen, we were safe,"

"A trail of grasses isn't safe," Geralt responds half-heartedly.

"Not listening again," Ciri responds. Celestria furrows her eyebrows at the two, shaking her head at their stubbornness. As though she herself isn't one of the most stubborn people Geralt and Cirilla have encountered.

"You want to kill yourself trying to become mutant, so if you survive, you can kill yourself trying to get revenge," Geralt says simply. Celestria shrugs from the back of the group, feeling as though Geralt summed it up pretty well. "Which part did I miss?"

"You don't really give a shit about what I want," Ciri says softly. "All you care about is your," She pauses, searching for the right words. "Damn duty. So as long as I'm breathing you've done your part,"

"Cirilla, you know that it's true," Celestria finally butts into the conversation.

"And I do understand," Geralt says, pausing his movements to turn to the girl. They all freeze at the sound of something in the air.

"What was that?" Celestria keeps her voice low as her right hand tightens on Raven's reigns, and her left secures itself around her belly. Geralt doesn't respond, he simply tugs on Roach's reigns and keeps walking. Celestria mumbles a string of curses after being ignored but stays relatively quiet. Despite her annoyance, she trusts Geralt.

"This is the shallowest part of the river. I'll check to make sure it's safe to cross," Geralt explains as we come upon the riverbed.

"What do you mean safe?" Ciri questions, confused by Geralt's words.

"I'll try to draw it out first,"

"Draw what out?" Celestria asks, just as confused as the young girl.

"It's some kind of Chernobog," Geralt answers as he stares out across the water.

"I don't know what that is," Ciri and Ria's statements come out in unison.

"Stay here. Both of you," Geralt's words come out as a demand, knowing it's the only way the two stubborn females will listen. Geralt drops Roach's reigns and begins slowly walking into the water.