A New Hero

Meadow Flower

The trail was easy to follow. Even without the downed branches and twigs snapping from above, the continual cursing that rocked the trees guided Gavin through the underbrush of the forest. This land was wild, trees scattered wherever they fell, forcing him to have to slide over an ancient log coated in moss. As he did so, his sword nearly tumbled out of the scabbard, the end snagging against a branch and catching him tight.

Whipping above him like a bird traversing the sky, a shadow blanketed out the measly sun as she leapt to a new branch and kept going. "Myra," he shouted, legs astride in his attempt to get over the log while he struggled to fish the stuck scabbard out of a rotted knot.

Her shadow in the leaves paused a moment, the first sign she'd heard him following her. "Go away," was all she said before resuming her dash through the treetops.

Maker's sake. Gavin finished sliding over the log, his foot submerging into bog water that was quick to leech up his ankles. And today was already off to such a smashing success already. "Myra, wait..." he called, shaking a leg to try and disperse the muddy water while pursuing her. It was like trying to catch a butterfly, the girl only pausing a moment before leaping to the next branch as if she was born with wings.

"Did my sister send you?" The shadow in the trees turned and Gavin could spot her fingers gripping tight to a branch to keep herself upright. "She did, didn't she? 'Go and fetch her, squire. She's being unreasonable again.'"

"The Princess didn't ask me to find you," Gavin called. Technically correct. She was standing in a blustering agony while staring at the direction Myra vanished in. He took it upon himself to enter, though Rosamund did hope he'd keep an eye on her sister. It didn't really count as her sending him.

Which Myra seemed to sense. She rolled her eyes, her feet easing along the branches while her hands kept a tight grip to the balancing ones. "Yeah, right," she snorted. "I know exactly what Rosie wants. Me to go sidling back with my tail between my legs and apologize. Shake hands. Play nice. Well...screw that. And screw her too!"

The path split apart, one a more distinct deer trail, and the other seeming to have been abandoned by the animals years ago. Saplings that'd whip apart anyone who passed, stinging weeds covered in thorns, an obvious puddle that could be Maker knew how deep and full of leeches: all that and more awaited him down the untraveled path. And guess which one Myra chose to leap above.

Groaning, Gavin stomped down it, having to pull in a breath to slide sideways through two trees that when he glanced up looked as if their trunks grew together. Myra had an easier time up above, easily walking from one kissing tree to the next. Suddenly, she paused, legs astride the two trees, and stared down at the boy following her.

Was she going to finally talk to him? At least slow down enough?

Myra snorted, "If you're trying to look up my skirt, it won't work, cause I ain't wearing one."

"For the love of..." Gavin grumbled to himself before shouting, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Yes," echoed through the trees, "I clearly want to talk about it, which is why I'm running and jumping as far from you as I can..."

Her voice froze, the branches that'd been bowing with her weight holding still. "Myra?" Gavin called, whipping his head around to see if there was any danger. Through a gap in the foliage he spotted a hint of her shirt. She moved forward, the entire branch under her bending.

Myra took another step, when a great crack broke from below her. "Shiiit!" she cried, the entire forest canopy shattering apart as branch and girl came racing towards the ground.