The Descendants of the Ascendance Series

Just trying to clear their heads

I decided that while fancy Nessarose attended her meeting, I would take a leisurely walk through the forest with my beloved Eclipse. Eclipse is my Norwegian Forest cat. He follows me around and is my best companion when hunting or exploring in the woods or the city. He is very good at finding me wherever I am and he knows my whereabouts better than anyone. Once, I was exploring the hidden escape tunnels under the castle and I looked around the corner and saw him running towards me, his fluffy tail swishing. Anyways, walking through the forest with Eclipse is my escape from life. Like Evangeline's boat rides with Walker, or Nessa's wooded horse rides. They think I haven't noticed that they can leave stressed, and out of it, and return calm and collected, but I am a very observant person. I'll assume that they have noticed the same of me and Eclipse's walks. I make sure to take in the fresh tree scent, the wind in my hair, and... the blood?

"What!" I exclaimed, noticing a blood-sodden handkerchief and the ground. It read:

Nessarose Amarinda

"Nessa!" I screamed, eyes wide with worry, head pounding with questions.

"Addy?!" I heard through the trees. But it wasn't Nessa, it was Ev and Walker. Trailing behind them was Jack, Nessa's horse.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, knitting her eyebrows together.

"Better question, what are you doing here?"

"Either way, we need to find Nessa. Something is obviously seriously wrong."

"There!" Walker yelled, pointing to an apple.

"I saw Nessa leave the castle with an apple!" he replied, still pointing.

"Then let's go!" I yelled and then ran off in the direction he pointed, Eclipse still by my side.

"Can you follow her scent?" I knelt down and asked him. He sprinted forward.

When we stopped, we were standing awestruck over Nessarose's body. I was the first to dive on my knees and started shaking her lifeless body.

"Nessa?" Her eyelids batted and then fluttered open.

"Nessa!" They closed again.

Walker ran up to bandage her head and Evangeline somehow surpassed my stubbornness and convinced me to go ahead to the castle and find Tobias. Eclipse ran first, as if beckoning me to follow. I chased after him until we reached the castle.

I found Tobias in his and Amarinda's quarters, folding laundry.

"Tobias!" I ran in out of breath. He looked at me with alarmed eyes and Amarinda came from around the corner.

"Nessa"

*gasp

"Her horse"

*gasp

"She's hurt"

*gasp

"In the forest"

"With Evangeline and Walker"

"They're on their way"

Amarinda enveloped me in an absentminded hug while staring intensely at Tobias, as if they were having a conversation with their eyes. Tobias bolted for the door, Amarinda looked me in the eye and followed close behind.

By the time we made it outside, our friends were riding up. Tobias rushed forward.

" Nessa!"

Amarinda ran up just in time to catch Nessa as she slipped from Evangeline's grip and Jack's saddle.

"Don't worry, I've got you." Her mother whispered.

Once we got Nessa situated in her room near a sunny window, I left to clear my head. Again. For the second time.