Chapter 3 – Part 5
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The three walked along the winding path through the forest, the sun shining weakly through the canopy of trees. The air was fresh and the scent of wildflowers filled the air. At each step, they were surrounded by the sounds of the forest, the singing of birds, and the rustling of leaves under their feet. The tall grass at their sides was full of roses, daisies, and wild lilies. The sunlight filtered through the tree leaves, creating a magical aura around them.
As they walked, Pip remained alert for any signs of danger or threat, keeping an eye on the shadows and listening to the whispers of the forest.
Galadel walked alongside Aerin, sharing stories of his past adventures.
Every now and then, a small animal would cross their path, darting through the underbrush.
Galadel began to quietly sing an old song as they walked.
Aerin couldn’t help but be curious about what he was singing.
Galadel looked at her with a smile. “It’s about the War Of The Eternal Night, a great war against the dark beings. It tells the tale of how the heroes of our world fought and defeated the enemies.”
Aerin raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “I have always heard stories about that war, but I never fully believed them. Is this song true?”
Galadel chuckled and nodded. “Yes, it is. The war may have happened long ago, but it’s lessons still hold true today. It serves as a reminder of the bravery and strength that lies within us all.”
However, as the day wore on, Pip began to feel a disturbance in the air. He frowned, trying to identify where this strange sensation was coming from. The sound of scratching feet and a repulsive smell of rot, so typical of malicious creatures. He became tense and stopped suddenly, raising his hand to get the others’ attention.
“What is it?” Galadel asked, looking at him.
Aerin just looked from one to the other, confused.
For one or two seconds, Pip didn’t say anything. He sniffed the environment to be sure. “Something is coming,” he finally whispered, looking at Galadel with a serious expression.
Aerin frowned. She heard nothing but the sound of leaves and branches beneath her feet. She felt nothing out of the ordinary, as her fairy senses were still not fully developed and she was not used to certain noises like Galadel was.
“What’s going on?” Aerin asked, looking at the two with wide eyes. “What did you hear, Pip?”
Without asking any more questions, the three of them ran through the forest, the sound of their footsteps and heavy breathing echoing around them. They ran as fast as they could, trying to distance themselves as much as possible from the sinister creatures that were chasing them.
Pip was focused on the noises, trying to determine how many there were and where they were. He knew that the creatures were very fast.
Galadel was running alongside Aerin, trying to protect her and keep her safe.
After a few minutes of desperate running, they finally reached a clearing. They stopped, panting and sweating, trying to catch their breath.
“What’s happening?”, Aerin asked again, still out of breath.
Pip looked at her, worried. “Scamanders,” he said, still looking around, trying to determine if they were safe. “They followed us.”
Aerin looked at him, shocked. “Scamanders?”, she asked. “I’ve never heard of these creatures.”
Galadel nodded gravely. “They are some of the sinister creatures that dwell in the shadows of the forest.” The elf then turned to Pip. “How many?” he asked, looking around with concern.
“Five,” Pip answered, still sniffing the air. “They’re close. We can’t stay here.”
Aerin looked at the two of them, scared. “What are we going to do?” she asked.
“We need to get out of here as fast as possible,” Galadel said, looking at her determinedly. “Come on, let’s keep running.”