Dragonsoul

Chapter 16

Upon returning to the forest's familiar embrace, the same one the forest had provided to Leonie her whole life, she felt more comfortable. It was the same forest she had traversed with her father, so many times before, it made her feel closer to him, and that was what she needed.

Although her life had been uprooted and turned upside down, it was comforting to know that there were still some constants left.

One of those things was the everlasting balance of the forest, the neverending dance between the predators and the prey. They managed to coexist on the same stretch of land, although it was a constant struggle for survival. That was how life had always felt to Leonie, like fighting to exist. It was something she could understand, accept, better than she could understand the things she had learned from the Mage.

In Leonie's world, which started crumbling after her father's death, those familiar things, no matter how cruel they might have seemed to others, helped her stay grounded. It felt strange to her that although she lost her father to that same forest, she could still find comfort in its vibrancy. After all, one couldn't blame a forest for the fickleness of Fate.

However, she did notice that Nald avoided entering the forest ever since the forest took their father's life. She knew she had to have a conversation with him about it, but was afraid that she was not strong enough not to break down in front of her little brother. That should not happen under any circumstance. If she broke down completely, if she allowed the pain to overwhelm her, then she would be unable to help any of them.

Rim and her were very close to home when Leonie started receiving a strange emotion from him, it was as far as she could see, fear. It came as a shock to her since the whole way through the forest, Rim's cheerfulness kept her feelings balanced, even when pain threatened to overrule all the other emotions.

He kept chasing after pixies, squirrels, and generally anyone who dared glance at the strange pair that the girl and the dragon made. Sometimes, he would even give them a playful chase, but he always returned to Leonie's side promptly.

The dark cloud that rolled over his mood felt like a bad omen. He was able to feel something more than there was. It gave Leonie a strange feeling of foreboding.

"What is it, Rim?" She asked.

He sent her such a jumble of emotions that she couldn't sort through them and unravel the most prominent one in so many threads of emotion that tangled themselves around her friend's heart.

Still, the tone of the sentiment was unmistakably negative.

Not waiting to distinguish them, Leonie hurried home, knowing deep down in her heart that the emotions Rim was receiving were emanating from their home.

Fear grasped her with its slimy hands squeezing tightly. A huge boa constrictor seemed to wrap around the poor girl and squeeze the life out of her as she did her best to run back home as soon as possible.

She ran as fast as she could, using all the remnants of strength she had left and doing her best to ignore the panic attack that was just around the forest bend.

Leonie did not even notice branches scraping against her skin or the stones that she tripped over.

What if something happened to them? What if they were hurt?

Leonie could not allow for another member of her family to leave so abruptly when there was so much more life left for them.

When she finally came to the house, she could see her mother and Nald sitting on the front steps of the house, hugging each other tightly.

"Mom, Nald, what happened?" She asked, running towards them.

Rim ran after her, she could feel him trying to comfort her, to help, and she loved him even more for it.