The Ever Jungle

Chapter 8 extended ver

don't worry, another chapter is on its way :))

Chapter 8

In which the jungle reveals itself

After the plants had shown Piercer and Cataleya, the two began trekking the opposite direction they thought they needed to go. Following the new map they had received. Only a day had gone by but they were quickly moving across the map towards their lost friends.

I hope they're alright, Piercer thought. He glanced over at Cataleya, who was back to her serious, determined self, with a clear goal of breaking out her teammates, and finding Seimeth. He seemed to be more involved with this quest than I expected. He appears to be less victim, and more culprit or the disappearances? He shook his head, he couldn't make sense of it all.

Cataleya stopped and immediately plopped down the ground, sighing. Piercer sat next to her, putting his arm around. She shrugged it off , Piercer knew once she set a goal, she was dead focused on it and didn't want any comfort or, 'vulnerable affection' she called it. She is too hard on herself.

"I know what you're thinking," she said, turning, "Oh yeah? And what's that" he said, raising an eyebrow, "Your thinking I'm too hard on myself. I'm not, I'm just focused on getting our other half back, they shouldn't be in here, and as a matter of fact, we shouldn't either, going off track of our mission was never what the Chief would have wanted. And we aren't familiar with this terrain or whatever monsters live here. I don't-" Piercer silenced her by covering her mouth with his hand. "Cataleya, I know you, we practically grew up together, you don't need to explain this to me, I feel the exact same way about this place as you do." "I know but-" "Stop worrying about them, let's focus on even getting to them first. And you're too loud, remember to stay quiet while we're in the jungle." She sighed again, "Alright, but I'm still worried" "I didn't say you couldn't be."

Cataleya reached into her bag and pulled out two apples, and the map. She tossed an apple to Piercer, then unrolled the map, Piercer leaned in to get a better look. Cataleya stiffened, Piercer noticed somehow they had accidentally walked through a marked red zone in the jungle, where the night time workers were active. "Let's find somewhere safe to sleep, maybe if we're totally silent, nobody will notice us," She suggested, "I doubt that will work, let's get going now," Piercer stood up to continue walking, but Cataleya pulled him back down, "It's already getting dark, we shouldn't risk it."

She began crawling across the ground underneath a small nook underneath a large tree root sticking out the ground, she patted the spot next to her, encouraging him to sit next to her. She is so random, one second, serious and tough like the soldier we were trained to be, then kind and soft the second. How lucky I am. Piercer rolled his eyes and crawled over next to her. "I'll take first watch" Piercer said, "you can sleep," "okay but if you see the night time workers, wake me because I've never seen them before" "I will, I want to see what they build," he finished.

Soon after they had stopped talking, Cataleya's breathing slowed. Piercer felt weight suddenly on his shoulder, he jumped a little, turning to see Cataleya's head resting on his shoulder. His stomach, flip flopped. Piercer held his breath, not wanting to move for fear Cataleya would wake up, but one can only hold their breath for so long, slowly and quietly he exhaled, but she didn't stir.

A couple hours later, Piercer lifted head to the sound of rocks crumbling, and leaves rustling. His heart instantly sped up, and adrenaline rushed through him. He took a deep breath, and listened.

Crunch, Crunch. A pause. The sound continued pausing every so often. Then little tiny pitter-patters, like the sound of a small dog trotting on wood. Piercer gently lifted Cataleyas head off his shoulder and laid the tree root next to her other side. He got up and cautiously crept out of their small hiding spot. A few more steps, one more step. He poked his out from behind a leaf the size of himself, he gasped, frozen in shock. He spun around and ran over to Cataleya, "Wake up! Cataleya come on you need to see this" he aggressively whispered into her ear. She stirred then and her eyes flew open,