The Enchantments: Book 3 - The Key of Sorcen

Chapter 18: The Rainforest

Simeneon felt the pain start to creep up her back as they pushed through the trees and soggy underbrush of the rainforest. Her problem wasn't so much from the rain or bugs (that seemed to pour down on them from everywhere) but the weight of the backpack that seemed to soak the water in and retain it.

Giles followed behind her carrying at least twice what he needed to, while Macnish followed without a pack pushing through like he was the most important person alive.

"Why do you carry that buffoon's pack for him, drop it on the ground and tell him to carry his own!" She said angrily.

Giles just grunted and continued past her not even bothering to answer. He had his reasons and he knew if he tried to explain it she wouldn't understand.

Macnish stepped forward, caught the look Simeneon was giving him and turned away just as quickly. He had come to figure out the same as Giles. There was no arguing with this irritating little girl, just go about your business like she wasn't even there. But he found she was a lot more difficult to get away from than some of his followers. At every interval, she would be in his face telling him his shortcomings. He had no shortcomings, he did things the way he wanted to do things, and if others didn't like it they could just go... well you know.

The guide, Macco was naturally adept to the forest and he cruised easily through the thickets, every once and a while he would stop, take a drink of water from one of the leaves and continue on when the others came into sight again.

Simeneon tried to stay close to Macco but the more saturated her pack became the slower her movements started to become.

"Simeneon, could you do me a favor?" Giles asked breathlessly when at one point she stopped to relieve the pressure on her back. "Can you tell Macco that I have to stop for a few minutes and rest?"

She nodded then let out a whistle that startled everyone even Macco who was now good twenty yards ahead. She watched him sprint back to them with fear in his eyes and it wasn't until Simeneon showed him Giles in his exhausted state that he calmed down.

He nodded frantically then soon disappeared back into the trees to which he came back a few minutes later waving his hands for them to follow.

Giles groaned but put the packs back on and followed Macco back into the woods.

"Why have we stopped?" Macnish asked defiantly. "We can still make a few more miles before we have to camp for the night."

"I have to rest," Simeneon lied to avoid Giles an onslaught from Macnish. "I don't have the same stamina that you have sir."

"Well, I should think not, I'm trained well in the world of survival, while you are just an amateur."

'This amateur can kick your butt if your not careful, you idiot.' She thought bluntly, but what came out was different. "That's why I rely on you to guide us, sir."

"Good thinking, you can carry on." He said then proceeded to smash into a tree that was soon pouring water onto his head.

"You really are a shmuck!" She whispered irritably then followed the rest of them into the trees.

If Simeneon thought it was wet and icky on the beaten path, it was nothing compared to the part of the forest they were going into now. The air was thick with humidity mixing their sweat with the condensation from the vegetation.

After a few minutes of trying to keep Macnish focused on the path less traveled and how his muscular arms looked glistening in the humidity, they pushed through into the clearing.