The Quest for Onyx (Book 1)

Chapter 19

"So you're sure that you know where you're going?" I ask.

To catch you guys up, we're hiking through an endless forest trying to find the exit. They should call this forest the endless forest instead of Kodiak forest.

Star looks back at me "Of course. I live here, it's only natural that I would know the way."

"I don't see how. It all looks the same to me." Tiny says while almost falling into a patch of briars.

"There are certain things in the landscape that help me know where I'm going." Star replies.

"Ah ok cool. Is there any reason why you brought your backpack?" I ask.

"Well..." Star begins. Then she suddenly stops walking.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

Star didn't reply she just stands there completely still. Her ears twitch and it seems like she's listening for something.

"So are we gonna keep going?" Tiny asks.

I start to feel uneasy. Star looks intensely focused on something. I don't like this suddenly change in her.

Suddenly Star whirls around and throws a dagger straight at my face. I duck just in time and it flies over my head. There was a terrible screeching sound.

"What I'm the world did you do that for?!" I exclaim furiously.

"I just saved you from a Scavenger." Star says nonchalantly.

I look behind me and see what I think is a cross between a coyote and a vulture lying on the forest floor. It has the body of a coyote with the head and wings of a vulture. There's a pool of dark colored blood around it and Star's dagger is embedded in its throat.

"Yeah, so?" I say "It doesn't make it ok to throw a dagger at my face."

Star walks over to the creature and retrieves her dagger. "I think it's fine when I'm saving your life." She squats down beside it and uses her knife to prop open its mouth "Scavengers go directly for your throat. Their sharp teeth make biting through flesh easy. This one is an adult and it would have killed you fairly quickly. It would've clamped down on your neck from behind and then bit through your entire neck in one bite. Do I need to continue?"

"Umm...No...I think we got it." I say.

Tiny elbows me "Essix apologize."

"What? Why?" I ask.

"Essix come on, she saved your life. Again." Tiny replies.

I sit there with my arms crossed for a little bit in silence because I don't want to admit her throwing that dagger at my face was the best option at the time.

I sigh. "Fine. Star I'm sorry for my attitude about the dagger to the face thing. If it wasn't for you I would be dead." I sulk.

Star tilts her head and smiles at me. "There's just something about hearing your apologies. Like you really don't want to but you try. That's funny to me."

"Not sure that how that's funny but ok I guess." I reply.

"It just is to me." She pauses and loops her hands around her backpack straps. "It's nice for a change to have some people to talk to instead of forest animals."

"I've enjoyed this part so far." Tiny says happily.

"Even though you've fallen into briar patches like three times today?" I tease.

"Hey having briars stuck in your fur is not funny." Tiny says while pouting.

Star watches us with a smile on her face. Then she tenses up. "We're almost there. We should keep moving."

"Is something wrong Star?" I ask.

She looks like she wants to say something but she doesn't. Instead she turns around and tightens her grip on her backpack straps. "It's nothing really. It's just that there's not normally any Scavengers around these parts...but I'm sure it's nothing let's keep going."

She starts walking again and Tiny follows after her. I stay where I am for a little bit. She looked worried. I'm not sure about what though. I brush the thought off and follow them into the brush.

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Hey Wattpaders!!

Yeah new chapter!! I finally wrote another one for y'all to read. I hope you all enjoyed it!!

Still working on the editing but we're chugging along.

Love you guys thanks for reading!!

------ScarletApollo99 😜