Tumia

Yobap

As we geared up, all the Kratens eyed me as we prepared for the hunt. Their materials were too big for me; they carried heavy bows, arrows, and various spears. All I had was a gun and a pocket knife, which wouldn't help much in the forest. Ash addressed the group, discussing our goal for the day.

Vorian came over and placed a smaller bow and arrow at my feet. I looked up at him gratefully and picked up the weapons.

"These should be light enough," he whispered.

We headed into the forest. The Kratens leaped between the trees effortlessly, while I hesitated. I had never jumped from tree to tree or swung on vines.

"The human is scared," one of them joked as I looked down. We were so high up... if I fell, I'd be dead.

Vorian swung back over to me as my eyes stayed glued to the ground. "Thalia, focus on me," he said, lifting my chin.

I did as he asked, and his arms wrapped around my torso, pulling me as he jumped. I clung to his chest, squeezing my eyes shut.

Laughter surrounded me as I opened my eyes to find we were on a different tree. Ash gave us a sympathetic look before continuing.

"Just hold on to me," Vorian said, and I did as he instructed.

We swung through vines and leaped from branch to branch. Once my nerves settled, it started to feel fun. The wind was blowing against my cheeks, and the forest was beautiful. The pink leaves mixed vibrantly with a few green ones.

Ash stopped on a tree and told us to pull out our weapons. We dropped to the ground, moving slowly through the grass. A small doe walked through the woods.

I pulled out my arrow like the rest, waiting for the right moment. My arm started to ache, and I could hear the others laughing at me.

"Tiny human," one mocked.

I gritted my teeth and shot the arrow. My hand ached from the pressure, and I missed the deer as it ran away.

The Kratens laughed at my terrible aim. "Leave the hunting to us," one of the girls said, pushing past me.

It took all my self-control not to respond. She laughed with her friends as we moved to a new spot.

Gripping my weapons, I followed behind as Vorian led the way. "Ignore Sab," Ash said, appearing beside me. "She's just jealous Vorian claimed you."

I didn't understand what Ash was talking about or care if Sab was jealous. "Well, I never asked him to do that," I scoffed.

"If he didn't, you'd be languishing in a jail cell, starving," I remarked dryly.

Ash chuckled, prompting me to glance at him with confusion. Unlike the others, he showed genuine kindness to Dr. Evans and me.

"I suppose that would have been preferable to his insincere kindness," I concluded, resigned to the situation.

"You're stubborn like my brother," he commented.

Vorian shot a deer, prompting cheers from the group and concluding our hunt. The team carried the animals back to the tree.

I felt a bit upset, knowing I could have shot that deer earlier if my hand hadn't been aching.

We approached the bottom of the tree, and the group grabbed ropes to pull the deer up. Vorian tapped my shoulder.

"Follow," he said, walking away from the group and into the woods.

I looked around, noticing nobody was paying attention to us. I ran to catch up as we walked away from the tree.

"Where are we going? Are you leading me far away to kill me? I asked, but he didn't answer as we continued walking. But I swear I saw his lips turn up just slightly.

The trees on this side of the forest were even more beautiful than the ones near the base. Everything here felt more alive. The forest was vast, but taking in the surroundings, I felt at ease.

We walked along a narrow path where the trees covered the sky, and below us was a stream of glowing water. I smiled, seeing new creatures swim through it.

"Does the water always glow?" I asked, kneeling to touch it.

Vorian watched as the fish swarmed near my hand, leaving tiny kisses along my skin. "No," he whispered.

I smiled, standing up and continuing down the path. We came across a tree from which the stream originated. I looked up at the massive mountain, mesmerized. Vorian took my hand as we walked around the river and entered a cave.

Inside, the water glowed even brighter. I smiled, never having seen anything like this.

Vorian knelt by the water, motioning for me to follow. He unwrapped my bandage and dipped my hand in the water. I remembered the last time I was injured, he did this, and my wound healed within hours.

"How does the water heal so fast?" I asked, amazed by the science behind it.

"The minerals come from Olha. As long as she's connected to us, she can heal," he explained.

"My arm healed by the next morning. The doctors on the base were shocked," I joked.

"It only works for those Olha wants to help. You are lucky," he replied, finishing washing my hand and standing up.

The cave was beautiful. I wondered where the water led. As Vorian busied himself sharpening his spear, I stripped to my undergarments and jumped into the water. The splash caught Vorian's attention, and he ran to the edge in a panic as I swam back up.

The water glowed even more. "Thalia, get out," he stressed, but I ignored him, swimming around.

There was another opening, and I dove into the water to see where it led. I heard another splash and saw Vorian following behind.

We swam deeper, entering another cave. It was dark at first, but as we moved further, the water glowed brighter.

We came upon a dark cave with shallow water. Coming up for air, I was amazed by the beauty. Plants grew along the walls, and flowers bloomed.

Vorian surfaced behind me, equally amazed. "This is beautiful," I shouted, swimming to the edge and getting out.

My hair was wet and curly. It would look a mess later, I thought. Vorian jumped out too, and we sat, taking in the cave.

"I've never been here," he whispered, still surprised.

The water glowed brightly as fish appeared, circling each other. I smiled, watching them. "What are they doing?" I asked, tapping my finger in the water.

"We should head back for dinner," Vorian announced.