The Anima [completed]

18.

18.

"Are we there yet?" Lucius called from behind Alvar and I, feet dragging heavily through the undergrowth.

His powerful legs crushed twigs and dry leaves, making consistently annoying crunching sounds as he stomped angrily along. Occasionally, he stopped to look over our shoulder or called out to Beast, but the Gryphon has been silent for a while, flying too high above to hear his calls. I didn't blame the creature, I too had grown sick of his constant complaints and ability to make the smallest of happenings the biggest event of the century. Only an hour before, he had scratched his nose on a stray hung branch and fell to the ground, writhing in fake agony. Alvar had kicked him playfully, but hard enough to get him to shut up. He was making it all too easy for us to be followed.

Beyond Lucius' annoying fits of boredom, it was getting very cold. It seemed to grow colder as Lucius' complaints grew and we travelled higher into the mountains. Soon enough I would shove the necklace shard down his throat, and bring back the blood as further evidence to my family. Wouldn't that have been a treat?

"No!" Alvar cried in response, whirling around to face Lucius, "But if it's peace you seek, why don't you just keep on talking, cause we will be caught in no time at all!"

Lucius' mouth snapped shut, just as I expected it to do. Although they both once wore white capes, Alvar was clearly held the strength and power of the duo, not to mention the respect.

Alvar took intimidating steps forwards, about to start another bout of insults, but we all froze when we heard a twig snap. No, not just a twig, more like a branch. There was a groan, and loud cracking sounds, wood grinding against wood. We all whirled around to face the direction of the sound, I expected to see a tree fall, grown rotten after years of poor care.

Alvar and Lucius glanced at one another, and a quick flash of terror stirred with concern in their eyes.

"What is it?" My heart thudded hard in my chest, fear sinking its cold nails into my lungs and shortening my breath.

"A Leafy." They simultaneously breathed out, eyes locked onto one spot in the woods.

My eyes followed their gaze, passing over the trees and undergrowth, and that is when I saw it. The leafy appeared at first glance to be only another one of the tall trees in the forest. But when closely examining it, I saw that the terror of the men was justified. This tree has uprooted itself; it's long and spindly branches acting as thousands of arms protruding out of its body. In the centre of it all was a void of darkness, a hole in its body where a mouth and teeth may go. But its mouth had no teeth, no lips, and no tongue, just a dark pit that seemed to suck the surroundings into it. Most frightening of all were its beady red eyes shining only just above its mouth, which were starting directly at us.

"Should we be running?" My trembled whisper broke the silence.

Alvar launches into action, but not in the way I was expecting. He dropped the sack from his shoulders and began to rifle through the blankets. He threw one to Lucius and myself before draping one around his own shoulders.

"Put them on inside out!" Alvar yelled, worry raising his voice.

"What?" I yelled my own response, but nevertheless put the blanket on inside out, the skin exposed to the Leafy.

"Just trust me!" Alvar's chest was heaving, taking in heavy breaths to fuel the anxiety that grew in his belly.

A crunch in the foliage signalled that the creature was on the move. My eyes shot over to its spot in the trees, but it was no longer there. It was at least twenty feet closer and it looked angry.