"Hey, wake up!" Eleanor said softly.
"Hey!" She repeated, a hint of frustration creeping into her tone.
I'm going to push this idiot off this damned tree if he doesn't wake up, thought Eleanor.
"RYAN!" She nearly shouted directly into his ear.
"What do you want." Ryan said, slurred.
"It's your turn to watch," she responded, slightly agitated already.
"Yeah, yeah, okay, I'll look out."
Eleanor, without a moment of hesitation, turned away from Ryan, laid down, and cast "Somnum," upon herself, leading to a snoring sound coming from her direction.
She's kinda loud. Maybe I should wake her—nevermind, If I wake her up… she will probably chuck me off of this tree.
Ryan turned away from his loud compatriot and surveyed the ground. The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant calls of birds filled the air, creating a serene atmosphere amidst his not so serene situation.
Ryan stretched his limbs, feeling the stiffness from sleeping on a tree branch.
As he scanned the surroundings, Ryan couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that lingered within him. The events of the past few days had left him on edge, constantly wary of danger lurking in the shadows.
Lost in his thoughts, Ryan failed to notice a faint rustling come from the bushes below. It was only when the noise grew louder and more persistent that he snapped out of his reverie. Ryan gripped the branch tightly and strained his eyes to catch any movement in the underbrush.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the foliage, moving stealthily towards the base of the tree. Ryan's heart raced as he realised that they were not alone.
He immediately elbowed Eleanor, trying to wake her from her slumber.
"Eleanor, wake up! We've got company," Ryan whispered urgently, shaking her shoulder.
But Eleanor remained unresponsive, lost in the depths of her magic-induced sleep. Panic began to swelll within Ryan as the figure below drew closer.
Ryan cursed under his breath.
With no other option left, Ryan braced himself for confrontation. As the figure reached the foot of the tree, he grabbed the greatest weapon he could find, a twig.
His muscles tensed up, ready to strike. Yet, to his surprise, the figure halted abruptly, their features became illuminated by the faint moonlight filtering through the canopy.
It was a young woman… a human, her face was drawn and weary, with dirt smudges and twigs tangled in her hair. She held her hands up in a gesture of surrender, her eyes wide with fear and desperation. Ryan hesitated, unsure of what to make of this unexpected encounter.
"Please," the woman pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper, "I mean no harm. I'm—I'm just… lost."
Ryan studied her carefully, searching for any signs of deception or malice. Yet all he saw was vulnerability and exhaustion. Against his better judgement, he relented. Lowering his guard. "Alright, but no sudden movements."
"What's your name?"
The woman hesitated before replying, "My name is Lila. I was…. separated… from my masters during the night, and I've been wandering aimlessly ever since. Please, I need somewhere safe to rest, just for tonight."
Ryan glanced back at Eleanor, still sound asleep despite the commotion. He wished he could wake her up, but of course she had to have used a spell on herself.
Making a difficult, and dumb decision, he gestured for her to climb up the tree and join them.
"Alright, but be quiet," Ryan warned, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings, "and no funny business. We're…" Ryan looked at Eleanor, "I'm keeping an eye on you."
Lila nodded gratefully, her relief evident in her eyes as she ascended the tree with ease.
Now, up close, Ryan could make out her features. She had short blonde hair, light blue eyes, and bruises covering her body.
Something tells me she was "separated" from her masters, on purpose.
As the night wore on, Ryan remained on high alert, his senses attuned to any sign of danger. Lila, who was nestled between him and Eleanor, appeared to have drifted off into a fitful sleep, her troubled expression softened by the new companions.
With each passing minute, the forest seemed to come alive with whispered secrets and hidden threats.
Suddenly, the beautiful chirping of the birds came to a halt, followed by a low growl that echoed through the darkness.
Ryan felt a bone crawling chill creep up his skin.
His eyes searched the surroundings for any sign of movement. Beside him, Lila stirred, her eyes fluttering open with a startled gasp.
"What was that?" She whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.
Ryan shook his head, his gaze fixed on the darkness beyond. "I don't know," he admitted.
As if on cue, a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the shadows, their predatory gaze was fixed on the trio perched high above, probably attracted to the snoring.
Without a word spoken, he reached for his makeshift weapon, a sturdy dead branch lying within arm's reach. Beside him, Lila tried to wake up Eleanor to no avail, so instead, mirrored Ryan by picking up a twig, her hands shook with adrenaline and fear.
Together, they braced themselves for the coming fight, their eyes locked on the approaching danger.
With a sudden lunge, the creature sprang into the air, its claws bared and teeth gleaming in the moonlight. Ryan reacted instinctively, swinging his branch with all his strength while aiming for the creature's head.
The blow connected with a satisfying thud, sending the creature reeling back; it had little effect, unsurprisingly.
The wolf-like creature readied itself to pounce, but as it lunged for them again, Eleanor woke up, her multi-coloured eyes blazing with sleepless rage.
"Ignis pila, Ignis pila..." Eleanor unleashed a barrage of fire balls upon the creature, setting the creature, and it's surroundings alight.
It ran, howling in pain as it retreated into the darkness. The moment Eleanor closed her fist, the fire around them vanished.
Breathing heavily, Ryan fell backwards onto the support of the main branch, his hands were trembling.
Beside him, Lila let out a shaky breath.
"Who's she?" Asked Eleanor, turning to Lila.