Eclipsed

Chapter 56

As they walked along the forest path, the air around them felt still, save for the occasional rustle of the bushes behind them. At first, Ren and Aiko ignored it, brushing it off as the wind or perhaps a small animal moving through the underbrush. But the rustling grew more persistent, a pattern that felt deliberate.

Ren's sharp eyes flickered to the trees behind them, his senses tingling with the unsettling feeling that they were being followed. He exchanged a quick glance with Aiko, his face unreadable.

He whispered low, barely audible, "I'll ambush them. Aiko, pretend to keep walking."

Aiko nodded without hesitation, her expression serious. "Yes."

With fluid grace, Ren silently moved off the path, slipping into the shadows of the surrounding forest. His movements were calculated, each step soundless as he crept into position.

Aiko, oblivious to what Ren was about to do, kept walking ahead as if nothing had changed. She held her weapon lightly at her side, her mind focused on the path ahead, while her senses remained alert but unconcerned.

After a few tense moments, the rustling behind them intensified, and just as the figure seemed ready to reveal itself, Ren sprang into action. With a swift motion, he kicked at the bush, sending a figure tumbling into the open space in front of them.

Aiko whipped around, her weapon immediately drawn, her eyes scanning the figure that had been forced into the clearing. She froze, her eyes narrowing as she took in the sight before her.

It was a boy, no older than 11 or 12, with dirt-smeared clothes and wide, frightened eyes. His hair was wild, and his body trembled slightly, caught off guard by Ren's quick movement.

Ren stood by, his expression cold. "This kid was following us," he said, his voice blunt.

Aiko looked at the boy, a mix of confusion and concern in her gaze, her grip tightening on her weapon. Something about the situation felt off, but for now, the boy remained silent, his eyes darting between them as if unsure whether to run or explain himself.

The forest around them seemed to hold its breath as the tension lingered.

The boy scrambled to his feet, his face flushed with frustration as he glared at Ren. "Screw you, idiot!" he spat, his voice cracking with a mix of anger and embarrassment.

Ren paused, his expression shifting from irritation to a slight sympathy. He could see the fear behind the bravado, but he wasn't about to let the kid off easy. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you—"

"Shut up!" the boy snapped, his hands clenched into fists. "You just like messing with helpless little kids, huh?!"

Ren, though starting to feel a little annoyed, kept his composure. "Why were you following us, then?" he asked, his voice cool and steady. "If we're so bad, what's your reason?"

Aiko stood off to the side, watching the exchange with an amused, almost bemused, look in her eyes. She found the back-and-forth between Ren and the boy a bit funny—there was a raw honesty in the kid's anger, something she could relate to in a strange way.

The boy hesitated, his eyes flickering between Ren and Aiko before he blurted out, "Well... that's because... I have nowhere else to go! You two looked like you were going somewhere, so I figured I'd follow."

Ren's irritation faded slightly as he knelt down to the boy's level, studying him closely. He could see the desperation in his eyes now—the raw emotion behind the bravado. "I understand what you're feeling," Ren said quietly, his voice softening. "But it's dangerous for a kid like you to be following us. We'll find you a safe place."