The Forest Kids

Chapter 2

Lily led us down a long, narrow path full of bushes, trees, and every type of weed you could imagine. I glanced back at Phillip behind me. He looked confused. So was I. This wasn't what I have planned... but it was fine.
This little girl needs us. I thought.
Eventually, the path became more and more wide as we walked on.
"So, Lily... where are you taking us exactly?" I asked.
"We're almost there!" Lily looked back at me and smiled. I couldn't help but smile back at her. She was just too cute. She turned back on the path and my smile faded as I looked to the ground.

What am I doing? I was supposed to tell him. But I can't even do that.

I felt something touch my hand. I looked over. It was Phillip. "Hey." He said gently. His voice reassured me. For the longest time, it has. He's always been such a good friend. "Hey." I said back. I looked at his face. His eyes were amber and he had the cutest freckles. His hair was in his messy brown bun, like usual. Just the way he liked it.
"You okay?" He asked. I took a breath.
"Ya. I'm okay." I grinned. He continued to hold my hand until Lily stopped us in front of a small river.

It wasn't too big. It was small enough that you could make it across if you jumped. Lily knelt and poured out the water from her bucket into the river.
" Okay, you'll guys will have to jump." Lily told us.
"Don't worry, I'll go first!" She tossed her bucket across first. She took a step back before she ran and leaped. I was scared she was going to fall. But Lily made it across and on her feet. Lily grabbed her bucket. She turned back at Phillip and me.
"Okay! Your turn!" I looked at Phillip. He moaned.
"Well, if you insist." He jumped over, just like Lily did, and made it across. I did the same.
"Yay! You guys made it!" Lily said thrilled. Her smile was so big.

"Lily! Is that you!?" Yelled a voice from the distance. It was so stern that it caught me off guard and I shuttered. I looked behind Lily to see a tall figure approaching. It was a girl. She looked older than me. She was slender and her arms were muscular. Her hair was blonde with brown roots. It was in a low bun.  She wore a dark grey tank top and leggings. Her face intimidated me. Her nose was long and sharp. Her eyes were narrow and her eyebrows tilted down. She looked upset. Not too upset, but enough to be mad.
She was looking at Lily. Then she looked up and saw Phillip and I. Her eyes broadened but her expression stayed the same.
"Lily. Who are they?" Her voice sounded fierce.
"Sam, I thought you were checking on the tree?" Lily answered back. She sounded fearful. The girl took a step closer to Lily, and she quivered in fear. The girl paused. She then strode towards Phillip and me. She halted in front of us. She looked at Phillip, and then slowly turned her head to look at me. Her blue eyes burned into mine.
"Well?" She waited for a reply.
" I'm- I'm so sorry miss, we don't mean any harm! Lily just told us to follow her and-" The girl put her hand in front of my face. I shut my mouth.
"Lily, is this true?" The girl asked. Lily nodded. The girl put her hand down and scowled at me again. She chuckled.
"Oh, your lucky she brought you two here, because if you would've come by yourselves-"

"Sam!" A voice barked from behind her. Sam shook and she turned her head. She glanced back at me, aggravated. She stepped to the side.
"That is not how we meet people." The resounding voice replied.
I looked in front of me. There was a boy who looked about Phillip's age. He had dark skin and an afro. He had piercings on his nose and ears and a slit on one of his eyebrows. He wore a tucked, plaid, button-up shirt, and black shorts. He looked at me and Phillip and beamed.

"I apologize for Sam, newcomers. She just gets protective of home camp." His voice was easygoing. He reached out and shook Phillip's hand. "Call me Toby." He said pleasingly.
"I'm Phillip, and this is Molly."
Toby looked at me and grinned. "Nice to meet you, Molly." He took a step back.
"Lily, you found two great people alright." Toby gently rubbed the top of her hair. I heard Sam scoff and Toby rolled his eyes at her.
"Um, I'm sorry, but where exactly are we?" I asked, jumbled over the whole situation in front of me. Toby looked at me and smirked.
"We're at the very center of Lake Lavender National Park." He stepped closer to Phillip and me.

"And we are The Forest Kids."

Phillip and I looked at each other in slight disbelief. Toby cracked up. "Why don't you come with us? We'll show you two around if you are interested."
I looked at Phillip. "Should we?" I asked. He looked back at me. "Well, we don't have anything else to do." Phillip replied.
"Great!" Toby smiled. "Just follow me." We walked along with him as we passed Lily and Sam. Lily smiled while Sam sneered.
What did I get us into? I thought.