Chapter 8: The Trail
Everyone awoke at the sound of birds flapping their wings rapidly and yelling voices. Buffy sat up, looking around the dark room. A single ray of light from the sun fell through a small hole in the roof. Buffy looked at the door and saw that it was waving gently, as if wind had just touched it.
Jack cursed getting up and his hands went through his red hair. The rest of the group sat up.
The flapping of wings slowly faded away as the sound of voices increased. Jake stood and peered into the main room, to see a hot summer- like day shining over the room, which was filled with large birds in their cages. They were large and colored like an autumn tree. Jana, who was putting a bird into a cage, noticed him.
"'Lo Jake. Birds got out of control. Are the rest of you up?" Jana smiled. Jake nodded sleepily. "Good. Breakfast is outside by the campfire, better get there before all the foods gone. We start hikin' in about half an hour, so no more of the dreary look."
"Right." Jake said and turned to his group members. "Foods by the campfire."
"What are we having?" Jesse asked. Jake shrugged. "Oh- well then- where's the bathroom?"
"I don't think you want to find out *what* the bathroom is." Matilda said timidly. Jesse groaned.
The group got up and went into the main room. Jack froze. "Where- where did all these birds come from?"
"Don't know. They're cute." Matilda said, smiling at one of the smaller ones.
"I've seen them before. Their eyes- I've seen them." Jack said with undoubtedly.
"They don't look like any known species," Jesse said.
"Well, there are birds some of us might have seen that others have not." Harry remembered Faux, Dumbledore's pet phoenix.
"Their eyes look a bit familiar," Buffy said and smiled when she saw the apprehension in Jacks eyes. "But they don't look deadly."
"Yeah, but their eyes look exactly like the man that directed us to our room." Jake concluded. "Maybe that's where you've seen them."
"No, I've seen them before- before-" Jack said.
"In Britain?" Harry said, cynically.
"Well, you should have seen some while we were traveling here," Jana piped in. "The people we are staying with can turn into these creatures- that's why their eyes are the same. They're rare, near extinction and only live around here."
"I've seen them before," Jack said, his firm voice starting to weaken. "In another jungle..."
Jana looked at him. "Impos-"
"What is this place?" Jack demanded. "Where is this place?"
"Don't freak out, Jack." Jesse said calmly. "Lets get something to eat."
The group went out by the campfire where the man that had shown them their room was serving food. The group sat down on the log in one row and the man handed them some food while asking their names. After handing them the food he went over to a woman like himself who was pouring water. Matilda watched the man whisper to the woman and the woman immediately went over to their side holding halved coconuts that were used as cups for their water.
The woman handed each of them a coconut cup, and handled the last one carefully. "And the last bowl to you." she said to Jesse.
Jesse took it. "Thank you," He poured the contents into his mouth but immediately he spit it out back in the cup. The woman looked at him. "I'm sorry- it's just- that was- not water-" Jesse, and couldn't stop himself from spitting more out.
"Oh, maybe bit of coconut and spices got into it," The woman took it. "I hand you fresh one."
"Thanks," Jesse said watching the woman go inside with the bowl. "Spices that taste like dirt."
Jack raised his eyebrows and ate. He looked over at the man, who was talking to a small child like him. The man left into the house and the child dragged his skinny legs to the nearest log. He looked at Jack.
Jack looked at him. Feeling slightly threatened and annoyed Jack took out his pocketknife and carefully cut the fruits in small pieces. The child turned away. Jack smiled with satisfaction, and put his pocketknife away.
The group finished eating and Jana said she still had some preparations to make. So the group sat in a circle, talking like friends do. Matilda asked what Jake could morph into. Jake couldn't name all of them, but when tiger came up, Jesse dared him to turn into one. The group watched him go from human to tiger to human, impressed.
"Now I heard you are a genius." Jake said to Matilda, though Jake's tone was gentle and habitually used on little girls.
"Yes," Matilda said. "I take advanced classes. They're hard but enjoyable."
Jack said he didn't believe it. Buffy said no one cared what he believed or didn't believe.
"What is- the square root of 841?" Jesse asked.
"29." Matilda said automatically.
"I'm not sure if that's right, but okay." Jesse laughed. They were all laughing when Jack yelled "Hey!"
The group looked in his direction and laid eyes on Jack glaring menacingly at the small bronze child. The small child's hand was holding Jack's pocketknife as if he just slipped it out.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jack ripped the pocketknife away from the child. The child stared. "I said-"
"Jack-"
"No- no- the kid tried to steal my knife!" Jack said and his eyes made the ugly child cringe. "Do you want me to use this on you?" he asked him.
"Jack!" Matilda said.
"The boy fond of shiny objects," The man with the narrow eyes soon came to the child's side. The man put a hand around the boy. "We do not lack punishment here. Very sorry. Jana is ready for travel."
Jack growled, and returned his knife to its previous dwelling.
***
The League traveled through the forest with some difficulty; some of their somnolent and dreary eyes did not catch the tree roots or twigs that littered the floor. This happened so often, Jack did not even smile when it occurred anymore. Jana would occasionally warn them, but she found that it had little effect. There was more than tripping involved, including aching muscles and sweating. The trees' shade helped little.
"How much more?" Jack said, after an arduous two hours.
Jana jumped over a large tree branch. "We have more ways to go. C'mon, the sunlight is out and at it's greatest, look at your surroundings."
"My head is more focused to the ground," Harry said, who had just tripped over the large tree branch.
"What's there to look at? There are trees. Oh, and we just past some trees. And you know what's coming up ahead, let me guess, more trees." Buffy said grumpily.
"-And bugs," Matilda added.
"-And birds," Jake said.
"-And dirt." Jesse added.
Jana rolled her eyes. "We will meet the ends of these forests in about one hour. Drink up your water, and we'll stop for fifteen minutes."
Harry drank a little of his water, saving the rest when he really needed it.
"I didn't know it'd be this long of a trip." Matilda said looking at her low quantity of water.
"If you are in need, I have water to spare." Harry said, though had no wish to.
"Aw, Harry you're so nice," Matilda said, wrapping her arm around his. Harry at first felt tense, but then he found his fingers intertwining with hers comfortably.
Everyone took notice of this affectionate gesture, but it was not spoken aloud. Jana and Jesse merely smiled at this while Jack hit it with a scornful look. Jake and Buffy glanced at each other.
"I suppose there is good friendship coming from this." Jake whispered to Buffy as they walked together.
"*Very* good friendship." Buffy smiled and Jake returned it.
Another fifteen minutes of endless walking and Jana finally gave them a moments rest. Everyone used this time preciously. They sat on the ground, stretched against the trees and consumed large dosages of water.
"We've been making great progress. In short time we should make it to the deserts. We will eat and then make our way through to the nearest town and rest." Jana informed them. "From there, we should be able to make it to the mountains and to the Factory."
Everyone looked at her.
"Oh c'mon, in two days you will all be home in your own, separate worlds."
At this, Harry caught Matilda's eyes for a second but she turned quickly away, her brown hair hiding her face from this rather disappointing news.
"I have a question, why do we have to go through seas and jungles and deserts just to get to some stupid factory in the mountains?"
"Well," Jana said slowly. "There is a certain trail we must follow to get exactly where we want. Many have attempted to go to the factory by taking different routes but when they got to the mountains there was nothing there. We are not sure when this trail starts, but people have taken our route and entered successfully to the factory."
"Oh, now this tiring trip makes sense." Buffy said. Her head was against the tree under good shade.
"Few people know of this trail so we are hoping that some of the Dream catchers will get lost."
"Yes, hopefully." Jesse said just as the earth shook. Everyone stirred.
"What was that?" Jack asked, but Jana looked as surprised as he.
"Earthquake?"
"Too gentle," Matilda judged.
"Large animal passing by?" Buffy guessed.
"Too forceful." Jake figured.
"Perhaps, several- several- large animals passing by." Jesse said and everyone looked into his direction to see wild animals in the distant coming their way. Fast.
"Good Lord." Jack said, squinting to see better.
It was perhaps several seconds that they all lay there, tired, watching as this large stampede came closer and closer to becoming the cause of this group's brutal and horrifying death, until Jesse finally uttered sensible words.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
With several screams, everyone jumped into the bushes nearest to them. When Harry had landed on safety he searched for Matilda. It was Jesse that saw to it that everyone was out of the way when he finally jumped into the nearest bush.
The stampede approached them, loud, thumping and shaking like the deepest earthquake the group had ever felt.
*** Lol there was a reason for that.
Everyone awoke at the sound of birds flapping their wings rapidly and yelling voices. Buffy sat up, looking around the dark room. A single ray of light from the sun fell through a small hole in the roof. Buffy looked at the door and saw that it was waving gently, as if wind had just touched it.
Jack cursed getting up and his hands went through his red hair. The rest of the group sat up.
The flapping of wings slowly faded away as the sound of voices increased. Jake stood and peered into the main room, to see a hot summer- like day shining over the room, which was filled with large birds in their cages. They were large and colored like an autumn tree. Jana, who was putting a bird into a cage, noticed him.
"'Lo Jake. Birds got out of control. Are the rest of you up?" Jana smiled. Jake nodded sleepily. "Good. Breakfast is outside by the campfire, better get there before all the foods gone. We start hikin' in about half an hour, so no more of the dreary look."
"Right." Jake said and turned to his group members. "Foods by the campfire."
"What are we having?" Jesse asked. Jake shrugged. "Oh- well then- where's the bathroom?"
"I don't think you want to find out *what* the bathroom is." Matilda said timidly. Jesse groaned.
The group got up and went into the main room. Jack froze. "Where- where did all these birds come from?"
"Don't know. They're cute." Matilda said, smiling at one of the smaller ones.
"I've seen them before. Their eyes- I've seen them." Jack said with undoubtedly.
"They don't look like any known species," Jesse said.
"Well, there are birds some of us might have seen that others have not." Harry remembered Faux, Dumbledore's pet phoenix.
"Their eyes look a bit familiar," Buffy said and smiled when she saw the apprehension in Jacks eyes. "But they don't look deadly."
"Yeah, but their eyes look exactly like the man that directed us to our room." Jake concluded. "Maybe that's where you've seen them."
"No, I've seen them before- before-" Jack said.
"In Britain?" Harry said, cynically.
"Well, you should have seen some while we were traveling here," Jana piped in. "The people we are staying with can turn into these creatures- that's why their eyes are the same. They're rare, near extinction and only live around here."
"I've seen them before," Jack said, his firm voice starting to weaken. "In another jungle..."
Jana looked at him. "Impos-"
"What is this place?" Jack demanded. "Where is this place?"
"Don't freak out, Jack." Jesse said calmly. "Lets get something to eat."
The group went out by the campfire where the man that had shown them their room was serving food. The group sat down on the log in one row and the man handed them some food while asking their names. After handing them the food he went over to a woman like himself who was pouring water. Matilda watched the man whisper to the woman and the woman immediately went over to their side holding halved coconuts that were used as cups for their water.
The woman handed each of them a coconut cup, and handled the last one carefully. "And the last bowl to you." she said to Jesse.
Jesse took it. "Thank you," He poured the contents into his mouth but immediately he spit it out back in the cup. The woman looked at him. "I'm sorry- it's just- that was- not water-" Jesse, and couldn't stop himself from spitting more out.
"Oh, maybe bit of coconut and spices got into it," The woman took it. "I hand you fresh one."
"Thanks," Jesse said watching the woman go inside with the bowl. "Spices that taste like dirt."
Jack raised his eyebrows and ate. He looked over at the man, who was talking to a small child like him. The man left into the house and the child dragged his skinny legs to the nearest log. He looked at Jack.
Jack looked at him. Feeling slightly threatened and annoyed Jack took out his pocketknife and carefully cut the fruits in small pieces. The child turned away. Jack smiled with satisfaction, and put his pocketknife away.
The group finished eating and Jana said she still had some preparations to make. So the group sat in a circle, talking like friends do. Matilda asked what Jake could morph into. Jake couldn't name all of them, but when tiger came up, Jesse dared him to turn into one. The group watched him go from human to tiger to human, impressed.
"Now I heard you are a genius." Jake said to Matilda, though Jake's tone was gentle and habitually used on little girls.
"Yes," Matilda said. "I take advanced classes. They're hard but enjoyable."
Jack said he didn't believe it. Buffy said no one cared what he believed or didn't believe.
"What is- the square root of 841?" Jesse asked.
"29." Matilda said automatically.
"I'm not sure if that's right, but okay." Jesse laughed. They were all laughing when Jack yelled "Hey!"
The group looked in his direction and laid eyes on Jack glaring menacingly at the small bronze child. The small child's hand was holding Jack's pocketknife as if he just slipped it out.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Jack ripped the pocketknife away from the child. The child stared. "I said-"
"Jack-"
"No- no- the kid tried to steal my knife!" Jack said and his eyes made the ugly child cringe. "Do you want me to use this on you?" he asked him.
"Jack!" Matilda said.
"The boy fond of shiny objects," The man with the narrow eyes soon came to the child's side. The man put a hand around the boy. "We do not lack punishment here. Very sorry. Jana is ready for travel."
Jack growled, and returned his knife to its previous dwelling.
***
The League traveled through the forest with some difficulty; some of their somnolent and dreary eyes did not catch the tree roots or twigs that littered the floor. This happened so often, Jack did not even smile when it occurred anymore. Jana would occasionally warn them, but she found that it had little effect. There was more than tripping involved, including aching muscles and sweating. The trees' shade helped little.
"How much more?" Jack said, after an arduous two hours.
Jana jumped over a large tree branch. "We have more ways to go. C'mon, the sunlight is out and at it's greatest, look at your surroundings."
"My head is more focused to the ground," Harry said, who had just tripped over the large tree branch.
"What's there to look at? There are trees. Oh, and we just past some trees. And you know what's coming up ahead, let me guess, more trees." Buffy said grumpily.
"-And bugs," Matilda added.
"-And birds," Jake said.
"-And dirt." Jesse added.
Jana rolled her eyes. "We will meet the ends of these forests in about one hour. Drink up your water, and we'll stop for fifteen minutes."
Harry drank a little of his water, saving the rest when he really needed it.
"I didn't know it'd be this long of a trip." Matilda said looking at her low quantity of water.
"If you are in need, I have water to spare." Harry said, though had no wish to.
"Aw, Harry you're so nice," Matilda said, wrapping her arm around his. Harry at first felt tense, but then he found his fingers intertwining with hers comfortably.
Everyone took notice of this affectionate gesture, but it was not spoken aloud. Jana and Jesse merely smiled at this while Jack hit it with a scornful look. Jake and Buffy glanced at each other.
"I suppose there is good friendship coming from this." Jake whispered to Buffy as they walked together.
"*Very* good friendship." Buffy smiled and Jake returned it.
Another fifteen minutes of endless walking and Jana finally gave them a moments rest. Everyone used this time preciously. They sat on the ground, stretched against the trees and consumed large dosages of water.
"We've been making great progress. In short time we should make it to the deserts. We will eat and then make our way through to the nearest town and rest." Jana informed them. "From there, we should be able to make it to the mountains and to the Factory."
Everyone looked at her.
"Oh c'mon, in two days you will all be home in your own, separate worlds."
At this, Harry caught Matilda's eyes for a second but she turned quickly away, her brown hair hiding her face from this rather disappointing news.
"I have a question, why do we have to go through seas and jungles and deserts just to get to some stupid factory in the mountains?"
"Well," Jana said slowly. "There is a certain trail we must follow to get exactly where we want. Many have attempted to go to the factory by taking different routes but when they got to the mountains there was nothing there. We are not sure when this trail starts, but people have taken our route and entered successfully to the factory."
"Oh, now this tiring trip makes sense." Buffy said. Her head was against the tree under good shade.
"Few people know of this trail so we are hoping that some of the Dream catchers will get lost."
"Yes, hopefully." Jesse said just as the earth shook. Everyone stirred.
"What was that?" Jack asked, but Jana looked as surprised as he.
"Earthquake?"
"Too gentle," Matilda judged.
"Large animal passing by?" Buffy guessed.
"Too forceful." Jake figured.
"Perhaps, several- several- large animals passing by." Jesse said and everyone looked into his direction to see wild animals in the distant coming their way. Fast.
"Good Lord." Jack said, squinting to see better.
It was perhaps several seconds that they all lay there, tired, watching as this large stampede came closer and closer to becoming the cause of this group's brutal and horrifying death, until Jesse finally uttered sensible words.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
With several screams, everyone jumped into the bushes nearest to them. When Harry had landed on safety he searched for Matilda. It was Jesse that saw to it that everyone was out of the way when he finally jumped into the nearest bush.
The stampede approached them, loud, thumping and shaking like the deepest earthquake the group had ever felt.
*** Lol there was a reason for that.