The river's current was a relentless beast, tossing Leonotis and Low like ragdolls.A cluster of tangled branches, almost a makeshift raft, offered a precarious hold but was rapidly disintegrating as the river current quickened.
Leonotis gripped his root-sword tightly, but a rogue wave slammed into him, and the weapon was wrenched from his grasp, swallowed by the churning water.
"My sword!" he cried out, watching it disappear downstream.
Just as the roar of a waterfall grew deafening and the two spun violently towards the precipice, the water around them began to behave strangely.
It slowed.Then shuddered.And finally, stilled completely—
As if an invisible hand had pressed pause on the river itself.
Leonotis and Low found themselves suspended in the motionless water, mere feet from the cascading drop. They instinctively paddled towards the nearest bank, the unnatural silence amplifying their frantic movements.
As they reached the muddy shore and collapsed, gasping for breath, they saw the source of the aquatic miracle.
A young girl stood waist-deep in the stilled water, her arms outstretched, her expression one of immense concentration.
"Thank you," Low said, her voice hoarse. "You saved us."
"You're welcome," the girl replied, her voice barely a whisper, her blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Low, ever practical, was about to suggest they move on, but the sheer power the girl had just displayed made her pause. To stop a river, right before a waterfall… it was an astonishing feat of magic.
"What are you doing out here?" Low asked, her usual suspicion tinged with awe. "In the middle of the night? What is your name?"
"My name is Jacqueline."
"What are you doing out here by yourself?" Leonotis asked.
"I… I just escaped some bandits," Jacqueline said, her voice trembling slightly. "They… they were awful. I'm on my way North."
"Then we can travel together," Low said, a flicker of relief in her eyes. "There's safety in numbers, especially if bandits already came after you. We can stay in the forests to hide more easily. With any luck, they'll think we fell off the waterfall."
"Okay," Jacqueline said.
Leonotis suddenly felt a tickling sensation against his skin. He reached inside his damp clothes and pulled out a small, purple fish, still wriggling.
"Hey, look! Dinner!" he exclaimed, a rare smile gracing his lips.
Before he could even consider cooking it, Low's hand shot out, slapping the fish out of his grasp. It flopped onto the muddy bank. Then, she kicked it back into the water with surprising force.
"What was that for?" Leonotis asked, bewildered.
Low and Jacqueline exchanged dumbfounded glances.
"River fish?" Low said, her voice incredulous. "Most of them around here are poisonous! And this river itself isn't good to be in for too long."
Jacqueline nodded in agreement. "It carries… things. Unpleasant things."
The memory of her escape seemed to cloud her features again.
As they began to walk along the riverbank, Leonotis found himself falling into a familiar role. He initially walked slightly ahead, his senses on alert, scanning their surroundings.
I'm like Gethii now, he thought with a surge of pride. Protecting people.
Then, deciding they needed someone to watch their backs, he dropped into the rear guard position. He glanced back at Low and Jacqueline, a sense of responsibility settling over him. His gaze drifted down and he noticed a strange marking on Low's lower back, just visible above the hem of her tattered red shorts.
"Is that a birthmark on your back?" Leonotis asked, pointing.
Low's head snapped around, her eyes flashing with anger. "Stop looking at my butt, you little sneak!"
Leonotis's face flushed crimson. "Sorry! I wasn't… I didn't mean to…" He mumbled an embarrassed apology and quickly averted his gaze.
They eventually found a small clearing to make camp.
"I'll take the first watch," Leonotis offered, wanting to prove his worth.
Low snorted, unimpressed. "Just… don't do anything stupid while we're sleeping, alright?"
As he sat by the small fire, the image of his lost root-sword flickered in his mind. He doubted he'd ever find another one like it. Then, his gaze fell upon a tangled mess of roots near the edge of the clearing.
On a whim, he tugged at one of the thicker strands. It came free easily. He pulled again, and to his astonishment, he unearthed another root—this one even straighter and sturdier than the last, with a natural curve that formed a perfect hilt.
A surge of excitement coursed through him.
He stood up and began to practice the simple sword swings Gethii had taught him, the new root-sword feeling surprisingly balanced in his hand.
Then, a prickling sensation.
The feeling of being watched.
He froze, his hand tightening on the hilt, and peered into the dense bushes bordering the clearing.
A pair of eyes, glowing faintly in the darkness, stared back at him.
"Low! Jacqueline!" Leonotis stumbled backward, his voice cracking with alarm.