Ella’s POV
I breathed with relief as we walked into a clearing, glad that we were done with fighting our way through. It had been so dense I could barely feel my feet. I couldn’t even feel the others near me and was only conscious of myself and breaking through.
I was only worried about myself and feeling nothing about the others and it was then that I knew. This place was spiced with magic. It wasn’t much but was thrumming beneath the surface. I was becoming selfish and concerned only about myself within five minutes of being here and wondered how the creatures living here would be, having been here for long.
They would no doubt be without mercy. I blew out a breath as I realized that we were in for a long fight but I was ready. I wasn’t going to die here or go back home scarred. I was going to fight with all that I had and everyone was going home safe.
My chest swelled with energy as I anticipated our journey in the Guchemba jungle to get to the Arok tree and getting back home.
“Is there a problem?” Kevin asked, watching me.
I winced as his voice echoed all through the forest. Good. We couldn’t even talk if we wanted to. What was about this place and segregating its inhabitants?
“I’m fine.” I whispered to him as low as I could, hoping it wouldn’t echo. My voice was low that the tone was not audible but I knew that the men with me could hear.
One couldn’t be too careful in this place. Whatever was out there, I didn’t want them to find a way to get to us using our voices as a trail.
My voice had been low but it wasn’t until I heard no echo that I was finally able to relax.
“Your chest suddenly swelled up and it seemed like something was wrong with you.” He whispered back, taking my cue.
I smiled at him. “There is nothing wrong with me. The only problem here is that you worry too much about me.”
Kevin shook his head. “I don’t. I don’t even worry about you enough.”
Liam and Andre snorted at the same time and looked at each other in the eyes, sharing a smile.
Kevin frowned at them. “What was that for?”
Liam smiled. “Because she is right. You worry too much about her.”
“You are already planning against your alpha and picking sides with the Luna. Is that it? Is that right?” Kevin asked.
“No, never.” The men shook their heads, pledging their devotion to Kevin but I could hear the laughter in their voices.
I also joined them in laughing because I knew Kevin wasn’t as petty as the words he said had portrayed him to be.
“I don’t think we can eat anything here.” Andre said, looking around the trees. “They are not much trees with fruits here.”
“Even if there were trees with fruits here, I don’t think that we can eat them.” I said with a sigh.
The men turned to look at me.
“Why?” Kevin asked. “The old man said he fed on some of the fruits here.”
“And I guess that is why his scars didn’t heal properly and made a mess of his skin. The fruits here are poisonous. I sensed magic as we were walking in.”
“Magic?” Kevin asked.
I nodded, not bothering to explain how I could sense it. I guess working with creating illusions had given me the sensitivity to stuff like that.
“I’m thinking it was a ward for the jungle and to kill those who dared to enter.”
“Are we safe?” Damien asked. “We are in here.”
I nodded. “As long as we don’t eat or drink anything here that could weaken our bodies, we should be fine.”
“I’m glad we brought enough food. We wouldn’t have to look for fruits to survive.” Liam smiled.
Andre shook his head. “That is a probability. We only brought food and drinks for five days.”
“We should be out of here before five days or at the last day.” Liam replied.
“What if we don’t?” Damien snorted. “We might have to starve and we should prepare for that now.”
Andre nodded. “Damien is right. We should reduce our portions so the food can last for more than five days.”
“We would be out of here within five days.” Liam insisted.
“Are you a seer?” Damien chuckled. “I thought you were a werewolf.”
“You didn’t doubt when the Luna when she said she could sense magic.” Liam scoffed. “Why do you doubt me when I say you would be out of here within five days? Is it so hard to believe? Do you want to starve that much?” He hissed at them.
Andre sighed. “This is not about doubts and credibility. The Luna is a physician and dabbles with herbs, drugs and leaves. She could have touched a herb that opened her sensitivity to magic. That is one theory that is believable. You, on the other hand, are just telling us to believe based on faith without logic. The question is what if so we can prepare for it. How is that hard to accept?”
“I can’t accept it because we are likely to stay here for long if we plan to stay here for long. I don’t plan on staying here for long and I won’t plan to do so.”
“It’s unlike you to give motivational pep talks. Have you forgotten we are in a jungle? The Guchemba jungle talked in whispers and in fear among the people of the utopia town.”
“I think you are letting fear get to you.” Liam hissed.
I sighed as I listened to them bicker back and forth, wondering if they were naturally having a normal argument or under the influence of the magic here. I wondered if discord was part of what was tied to this place.
Liam was right though. The men were allowing fear to get to them and we didn’t have a reason to stay here for long.
The path to the Arok tree was straightforward based on the map and we might not need to stay here for more than three days if we were fast enough. It had taken the old man a week to get to the tree, clean his unwanted slave mark and make his way back home.
We were faster and stronger than the human old man. I was about to tell them that I supported Liam and believed that we would be out in five days when I heard the sound.
“Do you hear the sound?” I turned to the others.
“Yes.” Kevin nodded. “It’s the sound of a young girl crying.”
“Are you sure?” Andre frowned. “It sounds like that to me too but why would a young girl be here?”
“We are here, aren’t we?” Kevin asked.
“We aren’t young though.” Andre insisted. “It could be one of those scary creatures pretending to be a young girl.”
“You could be right and could be wrong.” Kevin sighed. “There is only one way to find out though. The sound is coming from the path we have to pass through so we will know if it’s a little girl or a cunning creature.”
We hadn’t walked for more than fifteen minutes before we saw the one who had made a sound. It was a little girl and she looked scared and shook with fright as tears poured out of her eyes
Judging from the distance it took from where we were when we heard her cries to where she was, I knew it couldn’t have been anything other than the echo that made us hear her.
I sighed as I stood before the pitiful little girl and felt my heart move with compassion for her.