Among The Mountains

Chapter 7

The group gathered and prepared for their hike into the forest. Chase descended the stairs, his head throbbing from a hangover. Alara sprang from her seat to assist him, preventing an almost inevitable stumble on the stairs as he nearly missed a step. She offered her support, allowing him to lean on her as she guided him to the table for breakfast.

Chase, in an attempt to lighten the mood, quipped, "Nothing like a hangover to start my morning."

Ruby, concerned about his condition for the upcoming hike, reminded him, "I hope you'll be well enough for the hike."

Chase shrugged off his discomfort, saying, "All I need is a chaser, and I'll be good to go."

Ruby placed a breakfast sandwich in front of him, and as he took a sip of juice from his cup, he nearly choked when he realized it was lemon juice. Alara, aware of his aversion to lemon juice, shrugged nonchalantly, eliciting a knowing look from Ruby.

Alara retrieved the cup, exchanging it for water, and encouraged Chase to eat slowly, placing her hands on the table. He momentarily locked eyes with her, and then, using a napkin, wiped his mouth to avoid her seeing any crumbs.

Their private moment was interrupted when Telka and Raiden made their entrance. Alara greeted them with a smile and a wave, while Raiden playfully ruffled Chase's hair, to which Chase responded with a slightly exasperated pause.

When Telka approached Alara, she took the young girl's hand and spun her around, an affectionate gesture. Alara, in response, curtsied gracefully to her caretaker. She then attempted to skip toward the exit, but Telka intervened, placing a hand on her stomach to stop her in her tracks. Alara let out a soft yip as she was pulled into Telka's arms. Her toes barely touched the floor, and she communicated with Telka through their unique form of mental connection, signaling for her to ease up.

"Not so tight, Telk. I just finished eating," she conveyed.

" I know how you get when it comes to going outside." Telka said.

" I'm not going to dart out this time. My toes can't touch the floor."

Alara's feet rested firmly on the floor after Telka released her from her grip. However, as she attempted to regain her balance, her attention was drawn to Avery, who fetched a bottle of root beer from the fridge and tossed it to Adam, who had a knife tucked away in his pocket. Avery playfully teased her partner, but their interaction quickly turned private, their expressions filled with mischief.

" If you behave yourself, I'll give you a treat tonight." Avery whispered.

" Just don't give me any soft ones." He replied.

As the group assembled at the trail entrance, Raiden provided instructions for their hike. They were presented with two trail options, one leading to the bottom and the other to the top of the river. Ruby spotted a third, rockier path ahead and inquired about its destination, but Raiden dismissed it as the mountain path, one they weren't taking for now.

Avery expressed her reluctance to take the muddy-looking path on the right, declaring, "No way am I taking that path either. That dirt looks too muddy."

Raiden's response was simple, instructing them to split into groups of four. He led Chase, Alara, and Ruby to the path leading directly to the river, while the others chose the upper path.

Their journey was filled with the pleasant sounds of birds and other wildlife that were hidden from view. Ruby was able to get a quick picture of a wild bird that flew from a tree with another above it. She took a picture of Ember, who almost caught her. When they reached the river, they noticed there were no signs of wildlife, and an eerie silence hung over the grassy banks. Even the waterfall had no signs of activity around it. They assumed that they may have made some noises that scared the river animals away.

As they explored the area, Chase found himself captivated by Alara, who was gracefully navigating the river's rocks. She was careful as she jumped from one rock to another. Ruby took some pictures of her when she decided to sit on one rock and allow her feet to move with the flow of the river. Ruby noticed Chase was still watching and encouraged him to join her. After a moment of hesitation, he made his way towards Alara. Her playful demeanor and smile welcomed him as he stood beside her on a rock.

"Hi, Alara," Chase greeted, his voice tinged with shyness.

Alara returned his greeting with a friendly wave as she gently swayed her feet in and out of the water. She carefully rose from her spot continued her playful game on the rocks. Chase watched her with admiration and commented on her skills. A moment of peaceful bonding was interrupted when a sudden sound in the distance caught Alara's attention. She swiftly turned, her demeanor shifting from playfulness to alertness. Telka and Raiden noticed her change and prepared for potential danger.

Chase heard a low growl emanate from Alara as she positioned herself between him and the source of the sound, her back shielding him. Ruby and Ember also froze in place as they detected another sound, like a tree branch breaking.

The group remained still, waiting for the silence to return before making any moves. Telka, Avery, and Adam descended the path from earlier, ready to assess the situation.

In the end, the pack decided to leave the area, choosing not to split into two groups as initially planned. The mysterious silence in the forest had given them enough reason to be cautious.