THE SON OF OUTKASTÉR

CHAPTER 6

Solace, Alice, Noah, and Angela followed closely behind Hassan through the dense rainforest, the humidity making their clothes stick to their skin. The dense vegetation made progress slow and arduous, with each step taking great effort as they pushed through the thick grass.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Alice grumbled, wiping the sweat from her forehead.

"I don't know about you, but I'm getting sick of this," Noah chimed in. "I thought we were supposed to be making good time."

"We are making good time," Hassan replied calmly, hacking away at the grass with a giant blade. "But this rainforest is full of dangers. We must be careful."

"But how much longer do we have to deal with this?" Angela asked, her frustration clear in her voice.

"I don't know why you had to give Eclipse so much food." Alice pointed out to Solace. "Now look at her. Barely keeping herself together."

Eclipse softly roared in embarrassment as she struggled to walk.

"At least she's still carrying herself around, and our belongings." Solace clapped back. "And besides, she flew for a long time without complaining. I'm sure we can walk a few hours to give her some time."

Hassan stopped and turned to the group. "Just a little while longer. We are almost there."

"So this village, Hassan, what exactly is there?" Angela asked.

"A place to rest for the night, and get some supplies. It is a small place, but it has all that we need. It is right on the border of the jungle city of Wellume that leads to the Northern Elven Kingdom of Thelm Lyath. Plus, it has a large river that runs right by it." Hassan explained.

"Thelm Lyath? Alice, aren't you from that kingdom?" Noah asked.

Alice sighed with disgust and annoyance. "Don't remind me."

They continued to follow Hassan, but the complaints about walking and the terrain continued. Suddenly, Hassan came to a halt, the group almost running into him.

"What is it?" Solace asked, peering over Hassan's shoulder. His eyes widened in shock.

"What? What happened?" Angela asked, looking around.

"A giant snake is sleeping just ahead," Hassan whispered. "Be very quiet."

The group held their breath, their eyes wide as they gazed at the massive, slumbering creature. It was easily the length of three people and as thick as a tree trunk. They stood frozen, afraid to make a sound and wake the beast.

"We have to go around it," Hassan said, leading the group to the right.

As they made their way around the sleeping snake, they couldn't help but look back at the massive creature, their hearts racing with fear. It was a reminder of the dangers that lurked within the rainforest, and how easy it would be to become another victim of its many predators.

They pressed on, following Hassan deeper into the dense jungle. But as they walked, they couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching them. Suddenly, a rustling sound echoed through the trees. The group readied their weapons, terror filling their hearts as they try to locate the source of the noise.

But as the noise got closer, the more scattered it sounded. The rustling grew louder and more frantic, until finally, a group of monkeys burst into view, chattering and swinging from branch to branch. The group breathed a sigh of relief and lowered their weapons, their hearts slowly returning to a normal pace.

But their relief was short-lived. As they continued on their journey, they encountered more obstacles - thorny vines that seemed to reach out and grab them, thick underbrush that obscured their vision, and treacherous mud that threatened to pull them under with each step.