The Game

Thirst

Chapter 11- Thirst

Nate and Greg jogged up behind me on both sides, silent. It had been several hours since we last had spoken and that was okay with me. There were things I needed to consider in the quiet lonesomeness of the forest. I stepped over an above ground root covered in moss, a fog hanging just over my feet. These were not the woods I was used to. I pushed aside a leafy plant and stopped for a moment. I had to adjust to the fact that I was in Japan, no longer my home. How I got here was a mystery too complex to solve, but there were many things now I did not understand.

    Nate spoke into the quiet and I closed my eyes at the disturbance. "I believe we're still heading North, but we need to find a water source."

  I nodded, but said nothing. What do I say to faeries?

"I can hear a river," Greg announced and started off down an unbeaten path. He held back a branch and looked at me a question. 'Coming?' it asked.

I nodded again and then, determined not to keep acting so cowardly, I said, "Lead the way."

I could not hear any water source, but I trusted Greg had supernatural hearing or something of the sort. It took an hour to reach the river, and by then I was severely in need of hydration.

It was just beyond a thistle of bushes. I could hear the rushing water, the trickling, the melodic sound. I was about to rush beyond the tree line when Nate grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"Listen, Dana." It was the first time he had said my name. "Be careful. Listen to us, and whatever you do, don't touch the water."

I tugged at his grip. "Why not?"

Greg looked towards the sound of the river. "I think they are here."

I froze. "So how do we get water. I am dying of thirst."

Nate met my eyes, locking me in place. "Let us get it. We can be immune to some kinds of tricks."

It was the first time in hours we had talked about them being fey. I was not used to it yet. I relinquished with a nod of my head and Nate squeezed my wrist a little bit longer before dropping his grip.

He brushed off the front of his shirt and led the way through the undergrowth. And there it was. The river, which tangled itself through trees and bushes and mud, flowed fast and shimmering in the afternoon sun. Physically refreshed by the sight, I took a step forward, throat dry.

Nate gave me a cautious glance, before lowering his bag off of his shoulder and removing a pan and a small bottle of water solution. Greg and he shared a glance in that knowing way I hate before Nate headed towards the river's edge.

He kneeled down and scooped up a panful. He stepped back up looked down the river and up stream and then returned to us. He squeezed a few drops of the carbon into the pan and then we waited. Greg and Nate sat on either side of me, but not too close. They were giving me time to adjust. But to be truthful, I wasn't scared. I did not believe they would hurt me. I just wouldn't go so far as to trust them. They were still some kind of inhuman creature, one of which loved to torture and kill innocent people. I was not scared; I was wary.

"Well, I would bet the water is good to drink now," spoke up Greg after a while. He grabbed the pan, gave a thumbs up, and took a sip. After a few seconds, he sighed. "May be poisoned but it sure hits the spot!"

I laughed and took the pan. The water slid past my lips and cooled the inside of my mouth. I felt immediately satisfied.

After we had finished the pan I sat back on my hands and let the sun caress my skin. I smiled and said, "I want to know more about you."