chp2

Chapter Two: Into a Land Unknown

Beware the Jabberwock my son
The jaws that bite the claws that catch
Beware the JubJub bird and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch
-The Jabberwocky, Lewis Carrol

Yuffie woke up. She had a terrible headache. She reached her arm out to turn on the light, it was really gloomy. But... the lamp wasn't there. Her hand touched something wet and sloppy. She brought her hand back close to her face.. mud? She sat up and rubbed her eyes with her clean hand. Where was she?

oh my god....

She looked around. She was in some kind of forest.. or something. It was really dank and gloomy and it smelt like mushrooms. Gee, at least she wasnt alone though, she could see Zell knocked out against a tree a few metres away. She sort of crawled over and shook him.

Wake up! Please please please wake up!

He groaned and frowned, putting his hand to his head.

oh my god my head... I must have the mother of all headaches....

Then he woke up properly and stared

Where the fuck are we?! Dear god please tell me this is a dream...

They suddenly both realised something and turned, wide-eyed to stare at each other at the same time, and spoke in unison.

Oh shit not that crazy mirror
You don't suppose it was that bloody mirror?
We fell.
You pulled me you bitch!

They sat in silence for awhile, shocked out of their skulls. Then Zell got up and walked a couple of metres, hesitated, turned around and came back.

Get up we can't stay here forever!

She got up. Your damn right. I refuse to. She walked a short way and soon overtook him. She walked cautiously but swiftly, her head turning in every direction on the lookout for danger. The ground was kinda marshy and the trees were grey. The light was green and there was moss around the base of the trees and in amongst the sometimes huge roots. The shadows sometimes seemed alive. It was like this the same for a long time. They had started out at an unknown time, but it must have been some time early in the morning. As the day progressed a little more light filtered through the leaves, but the forest still remained gloomy and oppressive.

Now it was getting close to dusk and the forest was fast becoming gloomy again, but to the two it seemed like they had been walking for hours. Their limbs ached, their feet were sore, their pace had slowed and they were hungry. Their hearts beat fast and hard too, because the forest was an unfriendly place when it got dark, and the overhanging aura of danger was starting to wind tendrils of fear around their throats.

Soon every rustle of a leaf or snap of a twig made them jump out of their skins. All through the day they had been the only things moving or making a sound and now a miriad of clicks and such small noises was waking up. A gentle breeze began to blow and soon there was the whistle of wind and rustling of leaves all around them. When a hand clamped firmly down on Yuffie's shoulder she let out a little shriek and whirled around, ready to fight. She saw that it was only Zell.

Don't you dare do that again she hissed between clenched teeth.
Hey look Yuffie, this is ridiculous. We need to find somewhere to hole up before we lose our minds. I mean, we're both fighters, why are we so afraid?

He was right, of course. She knew that. She was also wondering why she was so scared. She hadn't known that he was though, and she hadn't thought that hers was so obvious. She looked around for somewhere where they would be safe from whatever it was that was out there.

*note from author: HELP! I'm running out of ideas! lol just kiddding*

Suddenly Zell called out in a low voice, almost a whisper.

There... See that tree?

He pointed and along his line of sight she could see a huge tree. About 5 metres off the ground she could see a tangle of branches forming what looked almost like a nest, but somewhat covered over the top. It would be some climb as the trunk was smooth, but neither could see a better option. Yuffie walked over to the tree and looked up it.

um.. it looks kinda high..
Fine then Miss Fussy, you can stay down here.

Zell put his hand on the tree to try and climb up but jumped back almost as soon as he had. Yuffie looked at him quizzicly.

What? You look like you've been electrocuted.
The tree's bark. It's really strange. I've never felt anything like it except... on that weird mirror.
uh-huh. Sure. This bark feels different to other trees.

She rolled her eyes and put her arm out to lean against the tree, but as soon as her hand touched it she turned to stare at it.

Holy Shit... what is it MADE of?!

They both gazed up at the tree, but after awhile a loud SNAP! in the deepening gloom made them hurry to remember what they needed to do. It was getting very cold now. A clammy, sweaty sort of cold. Not the bone-numbing cold they were used to. An Evil cold. Tentacles of fog searched through the forest for life to smother. They began to climb. It was hard, the sides of the tree were smooth. The first branch was a fair way up.

Zell gave Yuffie a boost and she had to leap of his shoulders and make a swipe at the branch. She only just reach it. Her fingers started to slip but she just managed to hold on and pull herself up onto it. She looked down. How was Zell going to get up?

Look for a branch!

He searched the ground and eventually found a long branch. He held it above his head and she reached down to get it. She couldn't reach. Then out of the shadows behind him she could see a pair of red eyes and he turned to stare as a long low menacing growl was let out.

Jump Zell!! Jump!

He held the stick above him and propelled himself upwards as hard as he could as the creature leapt out at him. It looked like a sort of wolf, but huge. Yuffie grabbed desperately and just managed to get the edge of the branch. She gasped in pain as the weight of Zell and the branch so suddenly added felt like it nearly pulled her arms out of their sockets. Below the creature snarled in frustration, and leapt at a dangling Zell's feet. He kicked at it.

DON'T!! I'll drop you!

He immediately froze and pulled his legs up away from the creature. He looked up at Yuffie's frightened and sweating face as she strained to hold on. She knew she couldn't drop him. Especially not now as there was... She looked down.

Oh shit...don't look Zell

But of course he did. And now there were 3 equally hungry things down there, snarling and snapping and curling back their lips to show long sharp curved yellow teeth. She tried to pull the branch up, her muscles straining. She couldn't.

I.. can't pull you up! Climb! Quickly!

She braced herself and held on TIGHT to the branch so he would be able to climb up and he started to drag himself inch by inch up the branch. One of the creatures took a huge leap and nearly bit one of his feet and his desperation made him climb faster. Yuffie clenched her jaw and held on as if a life depended on it-which it did. Finally he made it high enough that he could reach the branch she was sitting on and pulled himself up, gasping over it. Yuffie dropped the branch and the creatures below yelped and scattered away from it, she sighed in relief.

Oh my god.... I can't believe that. Why did we not bring a couple of swords or something with us.

Um.. Yuffie? We didn't exactly plan to come here..

They looked around for the next branch. It was just a bit over to the left, and once they got on it they should be able to jump down into the nest-ish bit. Once again, Zell gave Yuffie a boost up. She reached carefully for the branch, knowing that if either of them fell it would be death, not only because of the drop but because of those...things. She leaned down and held out one hand, which Zell was only to glad to grab onto. They sat on the branch, looking down. One of the creatures had slunk away, upset that it lost an easy meal but the other two had set up watch at the bottom, waiting for them to come down. Zell shuddered

I don't particularly want to become aquainted with those...

He looked down into the nest'

hmm... looks ok... no things at any rate

He dropped down into it, being extremely careful to land in the centre where there was no chance of falling out. Yuffie followed suit quickly. The two looked around the naturally formed bowl. Nothing interesting. There was some leaf litter in the centre which naturally was starting to decompose, but there wasn't exactly a 5 star hotel next door, and it looked more comfortable than perching on the branches all night, so they made their way over to it. It was so much bigger from the inside than it had looked from below- easily 10 metres across. Yuffie curled up in the centre, wrinkling her nose.

We have to find somewhere better tomorrow...

Zell nodded, then grumbled around a bit as she had taken up the prime position. Eventually he settled for a spot near to the edge, where he could lean his back against one of the massive branches.

Goodnight Yuffie

Good? hmf...

**********************

Dawn broke upon two lost travellers, hungry, cold, damp and thirsty. The sun's early rays slowly began to bring a little warmth back into Zells bones, and he stirred. He opened one bleary eye first, then the other, and found himself staring up into clear open sky. He shook his head to himself. They were lucky it hadn't rained. He walked over to Yuffie and crouched next to her, shook her awake.

Hey... sleepyhead... wake up, let's get moving.

She woke to see to large, serious eyes over her face. Then she turned around and looked around the tree. Instantly she jumped up, Zell thought she had seen something bad and assumed a fighting stance, but she merely ran to the edge.

Yuffie! What're you do-

He got cut off short as she ran back and clamped her hand over his mouth.



She walked back to the edge and peered down, heaving a huge sigh of relief.

They're gone...

They both fell back against the tree in relief.

This time, lets make sure we've found a place to sleep well before dark.





Found? I'm staying HERE thankyou very much!

At that moment, Zell's stomach told him exactly what it thought of that idea.

Well... maybe not. Let's go find some food.



They climbed down the tree. As they were walking away, Zell paused.

Wait a minute



He went back to the tree and tore off some of the bark, then came back, picking up a long stout stick off the ground as he went.

What're those for?

He looked at her with an expression which clearly stated idiot.

Number one: We might not be coming back here. I want to keep some bark to see why it's so weird

Yuffie nodded.

Wow, a serious side to zell... I have no idea what i'm doing here...

Number two: I want a weapon.

Ohhh yeah!

She immediately started searching for a large stick. She saw an interesting pinkish rock too, it was sort of diamond shaped, and she decided she might as well take that, so she slipped it into her pocket. Presently she found a stick which was to her satisfaction and they continued on.

The forest changed a little around lunchtime, and became darker. This section of he forest was damper and the trees seemed a darker green. At the base of a particularly mossy tree, there was a clump of queer blackish mushrooms. Zell was reaching for one when suddenly Yuffie pulled him back. He jumped up, expecting to find some new danger but she merely motioned a little way off to where there was a dead bird... and a clump of the same mushrooms, one looking like it had been pecked at. The bird's body was contorted and it's tongue stuck out, blackened and swollen. Zell paled at the thought of the painful death he had just so narrowly escaped. He got up quickly and they walked on.

It wasn't long before they left this particularly shadowy part of forest, but though they were back in cheery-seeming sun dappeled woods, they were by no means any more happy. Neither of them had eaten in over 48 hours as it had been about this time before they fell through the mirror and they had not woken up till the next morning. And they were starting to worry as well. They were too far from their tree to get back before nightfall, and hadn't found a new shelter either. They began to focus their efforts on this rather than food, as a full stomach wouldn't help them fight, and while starvation might not kill them, those beasts might.

They had managed to find some water but NOTHING that could pass for food. Not human food anyway. There had been a couple of birds, but they flew away to quickly. A couple of snakes also. Another one was spotted up a tree a little way off. A black one with red splotches, that hissed and turned its evil yellow eyes upon the pair.

Hey Yuff... I've heard that some people consider snake meat a delicacy.

yeah, and i'm sure they also catch them for the thrill of it. Just to see whether they can avoid getting bitten.

He quickly agreed with her but she wasn't finished. She waved her branch menacingly'.

And DONT call me yuff! My NAME is Yuffie Kisaragi!

I know, I know... hmm.. kisaragi... how about kiss then?

He grinned evilly. He was pushing his luck and he knew it, but the temptation was just too great, so he pursed his lips and made kissing sounds into the air, however one look at her glare (if looks could kill...) and he quickly stopped. Perhaps the stick now hovering so close to his head had something to do with his decision as well.

As they wandered along, the daylights beams falling through the trees grew longer, and the shadows deeper. Thoughts of avoiding death pressed more and more heavily on the minds of the two reluctant travel companions. The sun was setting when they finally came upon a tree which appeared to be of the same species as the one which they had resided in the previous night.