Stuck In The Middle

Rivendell

   Atalanta squirmed in her sleep, trying to fall back asleep. However, she knew it was no use. She had felt that weird falling sensation, and then she had felt like she was lying on grass. There was a weird smell in the air, something she wasn't used to. Was it....the forest? Groaning, Atalanta opened her eyes, slowly. She shut them quickly, and then opened them again. No...

So, her nose was right, as always. She was in a forest.

Scrambling up, Atalanta looked around her. She hated to admit it, but she felt...scared? No, not scared. Shocked. Why? Probably because she went to bed, in a bed, and now she was in a forest. The only thing she saw were trees, a river, and...

''Ashley? Kate?'' Atalanta whispered, more to herself. Of course, as they were the heavy sleepers they were, they weren't going to wake up like that. Deciding to take a look around, Atalanta kneeled next to the lake, which was on her left.

She stared at her reflection, annoyed. Her hair was sweaty, but she hadn't had a nightmare. She was wearing her 'Team Eowyn' t-shirt, and black pants. Groaning, she realized what was probably happening. Peeking under her shirt, she realized she was right. She was wearing her fighting clothes, as well. The same clothes she was wearing yesterday. And, come to think about it, Kate and Ashley were wearing their clothes from yesterday, too.

Digging in her pockets for her phone, Atalanta dialed 911. She found that she had no signal, though. Annoyed, Atalanta stood up, dusting her pants. Turning around with a sigh, Atalanta carefully navigated through the trees, and kneeled beside her two sisters. Sucking up a breath, Atalanta had to hold in a grin.

''WAKE UP!'' She shouted, ignoring the birds that flew out of their trees. Kate and Ashley shot up, looking around.

''This isn't funny, Atalanta!'' Ashley gasped.

''Why would you drag us into a forest? And – wait, are these our clothes from yesterday?'' Kate asked.

''I didn't bring you here. I woke up here, too.'' Atalanta says, her smirk fading.

''Were we kidnapped?'' Ashley asks, confused.

''No. I would've known, I'm a light sleeper.'' Atalanta replies. ''My phone signal isn't working. Can we get out of here, please? We need to get back.''

''Alright.'' Kate nods. Atalanta holds out her hands to the other two, and they accept her hands. Atalanta pulls them up, and they glance around.

''Where to?'' Ashley asks.

Atalanta shrugged. ''Follow the river, I guess. It's what they do in movies.''

Ashley and Kate nod, and Atalanta sighs. ''Let's go, then.''

***

Atalanta kept walking ahead, ignoring her sisters' groans. The weather had gone from slightly chilly to freezing, and it wasn't doing Atalanta – who was clad in a t-shirt – any good.

''Atalanta! It's freezing!'' Kate yelled.

''Yeah. You wanted to find shelter, yes? What good is shelter if we're freezing to death?'' Ashley adds.

Atalanta might have responded, if it hadn't been for the arrows.

They came out of nowhere. One second nothing was in their way, and now a bunch of dudes had arrows pointed at their necks. Atalanta had to admit, they looked like elven warriors from Lord of The Rings.

''Halt! Who are you, and where do you come from?'' A boy says. He looked really familiar to Atalanta, but she couldn't tell.

''I'm Atalanta Rose Jackson.'' Atalanta says, introducing herself. ''This is my twin, Ashley Ina Jackson. And finally, this is my older sister, Katheryn Kendell Jackson. Now, kindly move out of the way. I'm a black belt in martial arts.''