Star In The Shadows - A Zanemau Story (ON HOLD)

One - Forest Stroll

It was a sunny, pleasant day, the kind that makes you want to enjoy life. It was on this day that Aphmau decided to take a stroll in the forest.

As she wandered away from the campsite, Aphmau found herself crossing a clear, slow stream and climbing over a large boulder by using the moss as a ladder.

Wandering past bushes, she reached up and felt her flower crown, which had dried recently. Seeing a patch of flowers, Aphmau set down to working on a new flower crown to remember this day.

"I'll make Garroth and Laurance some flower crowns too."

Aphmau started looking around for some more flowers, and as she was walking, her foot caught on a root, causing her to trip. She fell down a hill and might've screamed a little bit, but was fine overall. Aphmau looked around.

She had fallen down a hill too steep for her too climb, into a sort of pit. Creeping towards the open end, Aphmau found herself in a clearing dotted with the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. But it was the odd stone... thing that drew her attention.

As she crept closer, Aphmau saw that it was covered in writings and runes that were unfamiliar to her. She timidly extended her hand to the stone, and brushed a few layers of overgrowth away before being blinded by a flash of lime green light and falling unconscious.

+=+=+=+=+

Garroth was nervous. He had indeed been nervous since allowing Aphmau to go on a stroll, but he was even more anxious as the others were waking up, and he wasn't entirely sure how he would explain Aphmau's "getaway" to the others.

"Wow Garroth, you're up early." Said Laurance as he waltzed over to where Garroth was standing-and panicking. "Also, where is Aphmau? Her sleeping bag's been empty since I woke up."

"She's out on a stroll. I wasn't sure if-" Garroth was saying just before a shrill scream ripped through the air.

"THAT'S APHMAU'S SCREAM! WE NEED TO FIND HER!" Laurance yelped. Garroth then proceeded to wake Travis and Katelyn before joining Laurance in the search.

+=+=+=+=+

Zane was not expecting this. He had not been expecting to hear a scream, or to be driven towards it. And he definitely didn't expect to see... this.

Lying on the ground, unconscious, was a beautiful woman in a violet dress and with a purple flower crown. She was surrounded by flowers, and Zane was so taken aback by the scene that it took him a moment to recognize the woman as Aphmau. The moment he did, however, he heard the all to familiar voice of you-know-who calling, "APHMAU! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Suddenly, the desire to cause pain and suffering for his older-ugh-brother blossomed within him, and so he walked over to Aphmau, sword in hand, until he stopped.

He could somehow sense an aura of power flowing through her body, and it reminded him of his days as a boy in O'Khasis, where he had been taught about Lady Irene. Looking down at Aphmau, Zane felt a comforting feeling completely unbeknownst to him; a sense of hopefulness and pleasure that made his mouth almost smile. He just couldn't do it. Not like this. So Zane bent over, picked Aphmau up, and carried her bride-style out of the clearing and to who knows where.

+=+=+=+=+

Vylad had wandered over to the clearing where Aphmau lay, unconscious, and quickly found himself witness to the abduction. Wordless, he ran back to the campsite, and in his exhaustion, faceplanted on the ground.
------------------------------------------------------------- So, I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. I hope to get at least chapters 2-4 out by Friday, and if you can, please comment. It is in everyone's best interests that my writing improves. :-)