Ch. 7 - The Woods

Jessica watched the young prince inconspicuously as he led them through some trees. Last night they’d left Tosh after getting some fresh clothes for Benji in one of the ransacked shops. They had agreed that Benji would lead them around major cities until they found a better disguise for him than just new clothes. Hopefully they would escape detection until they arrived at Darwol where they’d join up with the resistance.

Jessica’s lips flipped up at the edges in amusement as she watched Benji move sluggishly through the trees. Andrew had helped him to find some clothes to replace his blood-stained sleepwear. The shirt and jacket they had found were entirely too big for the boy. Although Benji had broad shoulders and a wider body build than Andrew, he was rather thin. His arms were toned, true, but there was not a lot of mass on him. The new attire hung off his shoulders and bunched over his belt, reminding Jessica of how she imagined a pillowcase would look had it been fashioned into a shirt. He wore trousers that cut off slightly below the knee, and they were so big even the belt didn’t stop him from having to pull them up every few steps.

Andrew trailed behind Benji with Jessica, and he swapped curious glances with her. “How long do you think he’ll last without sleep?” he asked. They had walked all through the night and well into the morning of the next day, never stopping and not eating. Benji was in front of them and they couldn’t see his face, but surely his eyes were closing with fatigue.

At that moment, Benji glanced over his shoulder and shot them both a grin. “Come on you two; we’ll never get anywhere moving at the pace of a paralyzed snail.” He turned around again and continued weaving through the widely-dispersed trees.

Jessica shot Andrew an incredulous expression. They both skipped a few steps and walked on either side of him. “Didn’t they teach you manners and social graces in the palace?” Jessica asked. Benji blinked down at her, a hint of glee peeking out of his bright blue eyes.

“Not at all. That’s what they teach the young ladies of the court.” Benji’s eyes returned to scouting the path ahead of them. “We didn’t have any of those.”

Jessica quickly asked, “If they don’t teach you how not to be annoying, what do they teach you?”

Benji stepped over a log without looking at it. He made a face that suggested he was trying to remember something. Jessica and Andrew stayed beside him, studying him closely like they would behold a strange bug. “Fencing…geography…writing…reading…certain fight techniques…folklore and ancient mythology.”

Andrew’s nose wrinkled seemingly of its own accord. “That sounds like murder by parchment. You’d never get me to do any of that.”

Benji sighed. “Wasn’t as if I had a choice. My mother had always wished that her son be well-educated. When she died, my father made sure that her wishes were carried out.”

The group fell into silence, for no one had anything to say to that. The path Benji created for them grew laden with trees and woods, and Jessica found they were soon so deeply submerged in a forest that she could hardly see the sky. Shade and shadow clung to the roots of ancient plants, cloaking portions of the forest floor in darkness. Damp leaves and grass on the ground muffled their footsteps, creating almost a blanket of silence that suffocated the woods.

As they continued, Jessica began to have an uneasy feeling. It was the feeling she got when she knew something was wrong. It was the feeling she got when she was being watched by hidden pairs of eyes. Jessica licked her lips nervously, her eyes scanning the bushes and shrubs for anything treacherous.

There were no animals or birds in this wood. Nothing broke the suffocating silence except for the three companions. It was like the whole forest was holding its breath. Andrew coughed behind her. The sound made her jump, and she whipped her head around to shoot him an irritated glare.

Benji turned to scrutinize them in the shady light. “You two alright back there?”

Jessica winced at his voice’s volume. In a softer tone, she stated, “I don’t like it here.”

Benji glanced around, not a lick of fear on his naïve expression. “Nothing to be afraid of here. No nasty beasts or fanciful creatures. At least, none that I’ve ever read about.”

Andrew blinked. “You mean to tell me that just because your palace scrolls didn’t mention any faeries or unicorns, you think these woods are entirely safe?”

Benji rubbed a hand over his chin, his eyes suddenly reproachful. “Well now that you mention it, maybe these woods aren’t entirely safe… I suppose with all the trees around we’d be more likely to get struck by lightning should it rain…”

The boys’ voices echoed in the empty wood, causing Jessica to grow more edgy and aware in case someone or something was listening. “How long will it take to get to Darwol?” Andrew was saying.

“No more than three days,” Benji promised. He studied the trees around him for a moment, and then made a continued walking, slightly to the left.

“Does anyone even travel this way anymore?” Andrew asked.

“You wanted the back routes; I’m giving you the back routes. No cities until we reach Darwol,” Benji stated. “Now stop complaining; that never got anyone anywhere.”

“I’m starting to wonder if you ever got anyone anywhere,” Andrew muttered. Jessica would have been amused at their banter, but she had long since stopped listening. Her gaze hadn’t wavered from studying a shadow blocking their path a few yards ahead.

“Guys,” Jessica almost whispered. They stopped, watched her, and then followed her gaze. The shadow moved. Jessica blinked. It was gone. Were her eyes playing tricks on her? “Did you two see a dog…?” she asked uncertainly.

Benji shook his head. “No.” He began moving again. Andrew stared at Jessica, whose eyes were still trained on the path of forest floor where she could have sworn she saw—

“Jess, are you feeling ok?” he asked, concerned.

“I’m fine…” she lied. “I guess I’m just tired…” Andrew wasn’t convinced but he made no other comment and wordlessly followed Benji. Maybe she was losing her mind. An edgy feeling made her peer over her shoulder occasionally. Was that a twig snapping she heard? How annoying…first her eyes mock her, and now her ears.

A flurry of motion to her right made her stop and gaze into the large, thorny bushes there. And then it was still. Her pulse quickened and her fingers nervously twisted one of her rings.

“Did you see that-” she began to ask, and then stopped herself. There was nothing in the bushes. The shadows were still. Obviously she was tired and imagining things. Her mind didn’t reassure her racing heart. The silence in the forest pressed down on them, convincing her that everything
was all right.

“Jess…” Andrew said, his tone a mixture of warning and concern. He stared at Jessica’s face and took a step toward her. Something large, furry, and in possession of large, dangerous fangs leapt out of the shrubbery and slammed into Andrew. Jessica gaped at the sheer mass of the creature before throwing herself on the beast and beating upon its back.

The creature snarled and lashed out at her. She jumped back, desperately fumbling for her closest knife. It leapt up at her, and for a terrifying second all she could see were rows of teeth and large claws preparing to slice down at her. Something barreled into its side, knocking it over. Benji had appeared, and Andrew was instantly at his side, armed with a dagger. The beast let out a horrifying yowl that echoed around the forest. It rolled onto its feet and melted into forest, whimpering and leaving the three panting and utterly confused.

As one, several shrieks and howls answered the beast’s cry, coming from all sides of the woods. Jessica’s heart almost stopped beating. Andrew, Benji, and Jessica stared at each other for what seemed like ages, each one of them wondering what had just happened.

“Follow me!” Benji shouted, suddenly running away from where the creature had disappeared. Without question, Jessica and Andrew sprinted after him, casting mistrustful glances at the shadows around them. It was like the forest’s one goal was to eliminate everyone trapped inside its wooden jaws.