"You really should keep that close to you," August nodded towards the bow in Izzy's hands. "It might be dark enough to slip under the watch of any lurking guards but there are far more dangerous things around these woods at night."
The princess gripped her bow, already loaded with an arrow in case any surprise attackers chose to make an appearance. The two had already discussed the plan before. It was about a 3 hour hike to the bridge, but that was if they managed to make it through under the radar.
August and Izzy set out into the night once more. It was starting to feel like traveling through the forest was beginning to be their thing.
August kept her dagger tight in her hand. She didn't know what was out here but after everything she'd seen she wasn't about to risk getting herself or the princess hurt. The palace wasn't horribly far from them but the trip was still difficult to tackle in the night. Beside her she watched the princess narrowly avoid tree trunks and step around rocks. Her ability to navigate the forest were already improving.
It wasn't until they had made it to the half way point when the noises began.
At first it was subtle. A rustling in the trees or the snap of a distant twig. Nothing that couldn't be blamed on another woodland creature scouring through the night. The noises made Izzy jump for a moment before trying to laugh it off and keeping on. August on the other hand knew not to trust it at all. Her grip on her dagger tightened.
That is when they heard the first voice.
When August heard it she instinctively reached her hand out and found Izzy's reaching back. They quickly interlocked fingers as they sped up their pace.
It was soft, nearly a whisper, but high up above them as if coming from the treetops themselves. One would come followed by a length of silence before another would make its appearance. Each louder than the last as the girls became hyperaware that they were growing closer.
"Come on, let's go" August muttered, picking up her pace. Hoping that maybe it was just their own ears playing tricks on them.
The girls continued on through the forest as the voices grew louder and louder. Bringing their pace up once more they found that they were running hand in hand through the forest. The voices swirling above them had transformed into laughs. High pitched, evil laughter, resonating above the treetops.
They grew louder and louder until finally it all went silent. The two stopped running, their chests quickly rising and falling from the adrenaline. They both now knew what it meant when the silence came, that the enemy was close. Izzy slipped her hand out of Augusts as she reached to steady an arrow into her bow. August on the other hand brought her dagger out and armed at her side, her other hand reaching out into the darkness beginning to feel for the energy in the air. If there were as many of them as it sounded, she was going to need all the help she could get.
They stood with their backs touching, scanning the dark forest around them.
Izzy couldn't help but yelp out when the first body hit the ground.
