Otherworld

Part 23

"I see the end of the forest!"

Bridged's heart jump in her chest as Loken shouted down at them as he made his way to the forest floor. Naknaki gazed up at Loken his hand resting gently on Nakira's hand that clutched at his arm.

"Are you sure?"

Loken landed nimbly on the ground in front of Naknaki. Excitement flared in his yellow eyes as his green hair lifted slightly of its own accord. A six fingered hand pointed in the direction that they were heading.

"It'll take us all day to reach the edge of the forest depending on how fast we move."

Naknaki nodded. "Let us see how far we can get today. I don't want to exhaust everyone before I have too."

"This is so exciting Arnold." Bridged whispered to Arnold as they prepared to climb up into the nearest tree.

Arnold smiled broadly at Bridged. "You know how I feel when you're excited."

Bridged gave Arnold a sultry look. "Maybe we can sneak away for a little alone time later this evening."

"I look forward to it."

Bridged brought her hand up and wiped sweat from her brow. She was currently lounging on a tree branch a thousand feet above the forest floor. Arnold had left with the other men to go and gather some water and scout ahead. Nakira lounged on a branch a few inches lower than Bridged. Nakira lay on her back with one leg swinging in the air as she sang softly under her breath.

The edge of the forest was close. Naknaki had decided that they would camp here for the night. He wanted all of them to be well rested for whatever awaited them tomorrow. Bridged was excited to see some open land and she knew that Arnold was as well. Uneasiness ran through the agoathos daimon. They were on edge at the idea of being outside the forest. Bridged could understand why. Their lives revolved around the forest. They never traveled farther than a half days journey outside the forest.

"Bridged?"

Bridged focused her attention on Nakira who was frowning at her with yellow eyes clouded with worry. "What's the matter Nakira?"

Nakira shredded a leaf and then began to do an intricate braid that Bridged could never manage with her ten fingers. She had tried once and Bridged had quickly realized that the extra two fingers that agoathos damion had were needed to make the detailed braided work that was beautiful.

"I am scared."

Bridged rolled over onto her side and braced her head on her bent right arm. "About leaving the forest?"

Nakira nodded her yellow eyes hidden as she looked away from Bridged. "I have never ventured farther than a few hours walk from the forest. I don't know what to expect."

Bridged watched a flock of bright red birds flit through the forest before she spoke. "I can understand your fear. I grew up in an area that was wide open with a fraction of the trees in this forest. I was afraid the first time I walked through a forest. I thought that I would never see the stars again and I felt closed off from the world."

Nakira's yellow eyes blinked back into existence as she looked up at Bridged. "Will you stay close to me?"

A small smile spread across Bridged's face. "Of course. I will make sure that you come to appreciate the beauty of open land. It will never replace the beauty of the forest, but it can be pretty in its own right."

Relief spread across Nakira's face. "Thank you Bridged." Nakira held up the leaf that she had braided in a bracelet. "I made this for you."

Bridged reached down and snagged the bracelet. She slipped in onto her left arm and pushed it up to where it rested just above her elbow. Bridged smiled down at Nakira.

"Thank you."

Nakira smiled up at Bridged before she closed her eyes and went back to her singing. Bridged rolled over to her back and stared up at the sky through the thick canopy of leaves. She couldn't wait to get out of the trees and begin the next leg of their adventure.