(NO LONGER CONTINUING! READ DES.)

Chapter 3 - New Friends

The strangers looked at each other, one by one, not knowing who'll go first. "Felix!" Ethan instantly shouted out. What? Does Ethan know somebody from here? "Ethan! I've missed you!" All of the sudden, a guy who was shorter than everybody popped out of the group of people. Ethan and the stranger shook hands. 

"Echo! This is Felix! I knew him back then when we were in magic school. He was like a best friend of mine." Ethan told her. "Echo? Ahh. I've heard about you. You were a smart person in the... What was it called? The Honors Magic?" Felix tilted his head. "Correct." She responded, happy to know that she was known as an intelligent person to one person. 

"Okay. I never knew you were friends with a smart girl." Felix snickered. "Oh, shut up." Ethan shoved Felix and Felix giggled. "I'm Cherry!" A girl with ombre hair and glasses said. She looked very pretty. "Josiah!" A guy with black and fluffy hair and dark skin raised two fingers up and smiled at both Echo and Ethan.

"Lucus." A guy with blonde hair and glasses said. He was very tall. "And I'm Owen!" A guy with short blonde hair and brown eyes jumped. He was very skinny and seemed like a person who was always happy.

"We're Echo and Ethan." Echo pointed out. "Nice meeting you Echo and Ethan!" Lucus was the first to say. The other people joined in as well. "How did you guys find this place now?" Cherry asked Echo and Ethan curiously. "Oh! Well.. Actually, we didn't. Our cottage got into the flood but Ethan found this and told me about it so then we decided to live here until the flood water has vanished." Echo replied. "It's not being flooded weirdly." Ethan said, pointing to the cottage. "You guys are very lucky then. Until then, you guys can live with us! We have an extra bunk bed." Cherry smiled and everybody else smiled. 

"What.. We couldn't! It's such a nice offer but we can't..." Echo said and Ethan shoved her slightly. "Why not?" Ethan whispered in her ear. "It's kind of rude." She whispered back. "No! Please! We insist! It's no problem at all!" Lucus insisted them. Ethan and Echo looked at each other. Ethan was smiling excitedly, pleading her to accept. 

"Ok. We'd like to stay with you guys." She looked back and smiled. "Yes!" Ethan bounced and smiled. "Alright! Follow us! Oh! Wait. Before you guys go, would you guys like to pack anything from the tree house?" Cherry asked. "Oh. Yes actually! Just wait a minute." Echo said and already bounded off. "Me too." Ethan leaped from tree branch to tree branch to reach the cottage and started packing his stuff. Echo found a backpack for both her and Ethan. "Here." Echo threw the backpack over to Ethan and he caught it, starting to put stuff in there. "Thanks." He said.

Ethan already ran out with the backpack on his back. He smiled as he saw Felix. "My old buddy." Felix sighed. "Let's go before the flood water rises." Lucus told them. "What do you mean, 'before the flood water rises?'" Echo questioned Lucus.

"Well... Every time a flood happens in this forest and it lowers, another flood happens after it with'll be larger and then it ends until next time which is whenever!" Lucus told her. "Ah! Ok! Thank you!" Echo said. "You're welcome. Now, let's go!" Lucus said to them and everybody agreed. Lucus took the lead, jumping and climbing branches.

"Ahh! Wha- Oh." Ethan jumped as he felt a raindrop fall gently onto his nose. They were meeting the end of the trees and a lake. It glistened through the light of the moon. The birds were tucking their children into their nest, making them have good nights rest. 

"You see that cottage with light?" Cherry whispered into Echo's ear, smiling and pointing to the cottage. "Yep." Echo responded. "That's our cottage. It's pretty cozy." Cherry stated. "Finally. Let's get down." Lucus said and started lowering himself to the grand, using the huge tree trunk for support. As well as the tree branch to hold on just in case he fell off. Finally, Lucus let go and landed on his feet, crouching down but soon getting up.

Everybody else went down one by one, making sure they were safe to fall. The breeze whispered through the air and gradually grew to a normal speaking voice. "We're almost there. Let's just hope it won't be cold in the cottage." Lucus smiled.