The Kingdom of Orenda

Chapter 5: Eunies & Rosenbugs

A ways after they had made their way to a street, the dirt transitioning to stones, seemingly placed in an effort to make a smooth-ish road to ease travels, Axle was hit with a question.

"So- if you don't mind me asking," Axle began, turning to Eryd. Eryd looked at him with her big, slit pupil eyes and nodded for him to continue.

"What, exactly, are you? Not to be rude, but I've never seen anyone who looked like you before."

Eryd shrank back at his question, Lidya noticed her tail wrapped itself around one of her legs once more. A seemingly subconscious action.

"I wish I could answer that question for you, but I don't know myself. Literally- I was never told what I was. All I know is that I was found in a box as a child and then put into that awful circus, where I lived until I was finally able to run away."

Everyone looked at her sympathetically,

"We are getting that man arrested, I don't care who we have to go to." Axle said. Eryd looked over to him and smiled slightly, before covering her mouth once more.

"Why do you keep covering your mouth?" Lidya asked.

"Well... Not many people like having to look at sharp teeth." Eryd answers slowly, "It makes them uncomfortable.. and scared."

"You're next to a man made of wood and a man made of metal right now, I'm sure they won't mind. I certainly don't." Lidya smiled up at her. Eryd looked from Acer to Axle, who both smiled at her.

"Personally I don't think you're scary at all." Axle said. Eryd stared at him before smiling thankfully.

Then a loud series of noises drew their attention to the forward side of the road.

Suddenly, the cloaked woman from before sprinted out of the woods, she caught sight of the group of travelers and stopped. Acer put a hand on his sword, while Eryd grabbed onto Axle and Lidya out of fear.

Being in the sunlight Lidya could now see that the woman's cloak was a dark purple. The purple wearing woman glanced back the way she came as the sound of something, no-, multiple things flying grew louder.

"Run!" the hooded woman called out before darting off into the other side of the woods.

"Run?" Acer repeated, then the source of the flying noise became clear to them as a swarm of winged animals, no bigger than rabbits, flew out of the forest. They were fuzzy like bats, but had sharp teeth and claws like cats, and big eyes with pointed ears and noses. The swarm flew out and then made a B-line for the group.

"Enuies!" Axle shouted as he pulled out his crow bar, Acer took out his sword as the Enuies started descending on the party.

"Lidya, go hide- Eryd!?" Acer turned to talk to Lidya but she was already far behind him. Before Lidya could even process what was happening, Eryd had grabbed her and darted back the way they had been going at a shocking speed. Lidya wasn't too sure how she was even keeping up with Eryd's adrenaline fueled sprint, she glanced behind her and saw Acer, Axle, and Izarra all fending the Enuies off with what they had.

Eryd ducked behind a large tree, several miles from the others, and pulled Lidya beside her before she darted up the tree and cowered in a large branch.

"Eryd? Eryd we have to go back!" Lidya called up to her as she started to ascend the tree.

"No." Eryd shook her head, her voice weak and fearful. Lidya made it up the tree and sat beside Eryd, the strange girl's face was back in the fearful expression she had when the group had first found her. Lidya felt bad for her, but did not want to just sit in a tree while the others fought some strange creature.