Forest of Fears [Thomas Sanders fanfiction(Prince x Anxiety)]

Lost

"Why are we following this thing?" Anxiety questioned, staring wide-eyed at the figure up ahead.

Roman rolled his eyes. "I'm following it, you're just following behind me like a scaredy-cat." He continued walking down the hall, the figure seemed to notice this and opened up a door, walking inside. "I don't think I've ever been near here before... since when was there a door that lead outside?" Roman muttered to himself, looking out the door left ajar by the figure they had been following.

"Outside?" Anxiety repeated, stepping up next to Roman and finding him to be speaking the truth. In front of him there was the beginning of a forest, starting just a few yards away from the door.

"Look, there it is!" Roman pointed to the figure once again, stepping out of the door and chasing after it.

"Hey, idiot, don't just run out there!" Anxiety tried to stop him, reaching out to pull him back, but Roman was too fast. "You don't even-why would you-agh!" Anxiety shook his head in frustration, chasing after Roman to drag him back before they both got killed.

Anxiety looked around as he ran after Roman, finding that the further into the forest he went the less leaves there were on the trees, and the more barren and dark things got. He got so distracted by this, when he finally caught up to Roman he went crashing into him. Roman had stopped moving, and now both of them fell to the ground, yelping in surprise.

Roman jumped back up and turned to Anxiety, sword pointing at him in defense. Anxiety froze, staring at Roman in fear. Roman let out a breath of relief when he saw it was only Anxiety, dragging him to his feet and then turning back to find the figure facing them.

Anxiety watched Roman and the figure stare each other down. He still couldn't make out any details of the figure, as they were covered completely in a cloak, the hood pulled up to hide their face. For all they knew, there may not have been a person wearing the cloak at all.

Just as Roman was about to call out and ask who they were, they disappeared. Anxiety blinked-how was that possible? He had just seen them, and then they weren't there anymore. Were his eyes playing tricks on him?

"You.. you saw that too, right?" Apparently not.

"Yeah.." he breathed, stepping closer to the place the figure had been. Roman put a hand out to stop him.

"That may not be a good idea. We should head back, make sure it didn't get back inside." He advised, and Anxiety nodded, gesturing for him to lead the day. Roman did just that, turning and walking in the direction they had just come from. They walked, and they walked, and they walked, and they never found the door.

"It wasn't.. this far away, was it?" Roman questioned, pausing and looking around. "I'm pretty sure we only ran for about a minute. This.. isn't right."

"So.. we're lost?" Anxiety questioned, trying to hide the fear that gripped him as he looked around the forest. It all looked so dead. Nothing like what it had looked like when they first arrived.

"No, no we're not lost! We can't be." Roman looked around slowly. "Come on, let's keep living. Surely we're close now!"

He led the other for another few minutes, Anxiety being the one to stop them this time. "We're walking in circles, Roman. We passed by this at least three times by now.." He didn't hide his worry now.

"I.. there's got to be a way out of here." Roman was ready to keep walking in circles, but Anxiety grabbed him by the arm.

"Stop it! We're lost, let's just sit here for a minute and-and figure-figure something out." Anxiety stepped closer to Roman, an attempt to use him as a shield from anything that could be around them. His breathing sped up, he was about to hyperventilate. His eyes darted around, looking for any sign of danger.

"Roman!" He yelped out, pointing into the trees around them. Another figure was stood there, approaching them.

"What? What is it?" Roman asked, looking around. He drew his sword again as he saw it. "Who's there?" He demanded.

They said nothing, but stepped close enough for the two of them to see, showing their face. "Fairy God Mother?" Roman asked in astonishment, the lady smiling gently at him. Anxiety studied her features; she looked very kind, her lips appeared to form a permanent smile, her eyes soft and bright, and she also appeared very knowledgeable. So this was the woman Roman often talked about?

"What.. what are you doing here?" Roman questioned, sheathing his sword, and relaxing. He had been standing battle-ready before she had revealed herself.

"I should be asking you that question, Roman." She laughed, stepping closer and noticing Anxiety and raising a brow.  "What were you two doing out here, all by yourselves?"

"Well, we were following something that led us into this forest. When it disappeared, we didn't know where we were. Do you know how to get out of here?" Roman asked, looking hopeful. He certainly didn't want to be stuck here with Anxiety any longer than he absolutely had to be.

"You really don't know what this place is?" Fairy God Mother frowned at the two, who shook their heads. "This place.. it is Thomas' Forest of Fears. Hidden in this forest is everything he's afraid of, it's incredibly dangerous and there's only one way out once you've gotten inside."

"What-" Anxiety spoke up, his voice cracking. He was still so scared. "What way is that?"

The woman looked at him sadly. "Well.. it's not simple..." she sighed. "There are three challenges you have to face. Once you've completed all three of them, you will return back home. These challenges, they're deadly. Make a wrong move, and you're gone. I wish I could help you boys, I really do, but that's the only way you can escape from here.."

Roman and Anxiety glanced at each other, both looking afraid.

"That's our only chance of escaping?" Roman asked, and Fairy God Mother nodded.

"You boys are going to have to work together on this one. I'm afraid I can't stay and help you any longer, though. I wish you both luck on your journey, boys." She gave one last gentle, worried smile.

"Wait!" Roman called. "What are these challenges like?"

He called out too late, however. She had already disappeared.