The Jem

~23~

"What's coming?" Hunter asked, his hands were now gripping Crimson's tightly.

"I don't know what it is, it looked like a Lihara!" The shifter was now pacing up and down.

"Aren't those the things that take your soul whilst suffocating you?" Darya said flatly. They all nodded.

"The things that came to the castle." Crimson turned to Hunter and he dipped his head. 

"Wait a second you can't see Liharas!" Deeja bolted to the stranger.

"Actually feline, I could see them purrfectly but maybe you just have bad eyes." He mocked.

Deeja looked infuriated as she attacked him, he turned into a tiger and they began rolling and scratching at each other. "I will rip your eyes out so you will never see again!" Deeja snared.

"Good luck, kitty!" He roared teasingly.

"ENOUGH!" Crimson arose vines and roots from the ground and separated the two lethal cats. "You can't just come to us then start making problems!" Crimson shouted at the new guy.

"And Deeja, you should be more mature then that!" Hunter glared at the two of them. Darya was trying to hold in her laugh. "Best cat fight I've ever seen." She giggled.

Hunter and Crimson shot her a stare,
"Sorry, Mum and Dad." She snickered more.

Crimson retracted the vines, "We will work together but you have to promise me, no more fights like that, you could have given away our location."

"I can't make any promises, but I'll try." Deeja snarled.

"Me too." The tiger returned back to his original form.

                                       ~

They were now riding again and trying to stir clear of the 'Liharas'.

"I didn't know you had that in you, Tree Princess." Hunter whispered playfully to Crimson as a twang of nerves shot through her body and she shuddered.

"Firstly, I didn't know I had that in me either and Secondly, How many times have I told you not to call me that?" She grinned. He placed a kiss on her cheek, she blushed then she nudged the horse's side too speed up as they joined the group again.

                                         ~

"Can't you pick another form?" Deeja glared at the lion beside her.

"Why are you feeling downgraded little kitty?" He purred.

"No I-I, oh whatever." She growled at him as she ran faster. "What's your name, do you even have one, liar?!" She laughed.

"Actually yes, my names Jermine and who are you exact-

"Guys did you feel that?" Darya shivered.

"No, what's wrong?" Crimson stopped her horse.

"The Liharas!" Jermine shouted.

"Make a shield Darya! With your magic!" Deeja ordered shakily .

"I don't know how!" Her breathing was becoming unsteady.

"Just focus." Crimson said calmly.

"Ok." She dismounted her horse and stuck her arms out high above her head. Suddenly a light blue shield was covering them and Crimson secured it with her roots and vines.

"Woah wait? You guys are the element holders?" Jermine asked excitedly.

They both nodded but kept their concentration. The Liharas began banging on the shield and making loud crying noises.

"Legend says those crys are the souls they keep." Deeja grinned at Jermine who looked like he was going to wet his pants.

"We have to get rid of them!" Hunter announced. "Maybe I could take their souls?" He added.

"No way Hunter! You cant!" Crimson cried out as a bead of sweat slithered down the side of her forehead.

"Well then what can we do?" Darya asked.

"How do you get rid of a shadow?" Deeja began staring out of the vine covered water dome.

"You don't." Hunter ground out. "But I can absorb it." He suggested.

"No!" Crimson yelled.

"I have to."

Darya opened up a little exit and Crimson separated the vines then quickly built them back. A tear rolled down her face but she couldn't wipe it away, her hands were preoccupied.

After few short moments the loud, sorrowful shrieks stopped. But no one came back in.

"Hunter?" Crimson's voice turned sour. "Hunter!" She bellowed again. She and Darya put down the shield and found Hunter unconscious or was it...dead?

"Hunter!" Crimson fell to her knees and shook his right arm rapidly.

"Tree-Princess?" His mild murmur was all Crimson needed to hear as she beamed. "Your alive!" She grabbed his glove and placed it carefully back on his hand. She heard everyone else sigh in relief too.

"We have to rest for a bit so he can regain his strength." Crimson was still smiling as she looked at her other 3 companions. They all nodded in agreement.

They turned to start setting up for the night, "And Darya..."

"Yes?" Crimson stood up and walked up to her, Darya was a little shorter than Crimson but she still looked about her age.

"Thank you. Without you that could have gone horribly wrong, we could have probably been dead by now." Crimson hugged her and Darya hugged her back. "Your welcome." She said.