Free Fall - Into Other Worlds

Chapter 15 - Prey

It was their seventh day travelling through the forest when the three companions groaned and grumbled simultaneously at the sight of a stone marker hanging on a tree. It had only been a day and a half since they'd had the unpleasant experience of passing through a Forest Clan's territory, and now they faced a risk of repeat.

"Can't we just go around this time?" asked Kara pleadingly.

"Hold on and let me do some reconnaissance," replied Eron as he placed his hands on the tree with the marker. Communicating with the trees wasn't the easiest or the most pleasant of experiences, as one must filter through the thousands of bits of incoming information from all over the forest to find the pertinent pieces you're looking for. "We're in luck," Eron told them as he pulled back from the tree. "This is the edge of their territory, and the village is far from our path. So it should be fine for us to quickly pass through as long as we're careful."

"Did you hear that Kara?" asked Mage Wix as he turned to look at her. "Let's avoid any mishaps this time."

Kara lowered her head as she stared at the ground. She was more than aware that she was the reason they had been separated, and why Eron had ended up injured. "I'll be really careful this time, I promise."

"Stop guilting her Wix," said Eron, "She's apologised a ridiculous amount of times already. The only thing you both need to do is simply follow me and walk where I walk. Nothing more and nothing less." He wasn't quite sure for the reason, but ever since the day before, Eron had had a foreboding feeling constantly creep over him. Had his encounter with his mother's clan left him fearful? Or were his instincts warning him of approaching danger? His mind that once could've easily separated the two was now muddled by excess emotions, leaving him doubting his own senses. All he could do was try to be extra vigilant and hope he wasn't overlooking anything.

After two hours of careful treading, the three were close to having passed through the trap-filled territory of another Forest Clan safely and unnoticed when Eron suddenly froze in his tracks. His ears twitched in focus as the hair began to rise at the back of his neck.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" asked Mage Wix after observing Eron's rigid state. "Did we get noticed?" He looked around but could only see the thick undergrowth and trees that surrounded them.

"But we've been so careful this time," said Kara as she inched closer to the men in front of her. To avoid any mistakes she'd been stepping directly on the footprints of Mage Wix who was walking before her.

"Shhh! Quiet!" hissed Eron as he needed to listen. It was quiet. Too quiet. The forest was a noisy place, but for the past few minutes he hadn't heard a single bird or insect chirp. Patting Chai on the back he said, "Go scout," and then pointed up into the trees.

Chai could also sense the danger, but after a shake of his fur he jumped down from Eron's shoulder and ran off and up a nearby tree. The three humans watched him intently from the ground as he ran along a branch while scanning the area below. A movement of something long and thin swaying near a large fern leaf caught Chai's small eyes and immediately raised his internal alarms. The spiked end and the dark brown stripes over tanned fur of that swaying tail could only mean one thing. Danger. Chai quickly began barking an alarm call to warn his human friends of the deadly predator lurking close by. But as soon as he began his call, the tail disappeared as the beast began moving in on its prey.

At hearing Chai's frantic barks, Eron drew a knife from his boot. At times like this he wished he'd taken the time to retrieve his machete and bow that had been taken from him before escaping the Forest Clan village. Such a small weapon could only be thrown or used in close combat, and he didn't have time to set up his crossbow. He heard movement in the undergrowth to their left.