Chapter 3 – The hunt begins
Jess and Leslie were walking around Terabithia trying to find one of the many followers of the Dark Master. The only problem was that they didn't know how to find them. Leslie suggested that they might find something if they climb a tree. And so they did. They found the tallest tree in all of Terabithia and they climb it all the way to the top. They looked around hoping to find something.
"Leslie, look!" said Jess
He was pointing at something that was making the trees move. They didn't know what it was, but it wasn't far away form them. So they climbed back down and they ran towards it. When they arrived, they say that there was a war going on between 3 Scrogers and and a couple of Terabithian warriors.
"Jess, look at that!" said Leslie. "There protecting something."
She pointed at something that was hiding behind the Terabithian warriors.
"Well then why are we standing here for? Let's go and help them." said Jess.
He held his sword tightly with both hands and ran towards the crowd in from of him. Leslie picked up a couple of rocks and she too started fighting the Scrogers. Leslie was distracting them by trowing rocks and Jess was stabbing them one by one. After the first two Scrogers were dead, the third one changed his target from Jess to Leslie. The Scroger ran towards her at full speed. Jess didn't know what to do. He was scared of loosing Leslie again. When the Scroger jumped on Leslie, she fell to the ground with the Scroger standing right on top of her. Then Jess realized that the Scroger was running away from Leslie screaming with pain. He took the chance and stabbed him right in the head. He looked at the dead Scroger and saw that there was a big piece of rock in his left eye. Jess looked at Leslie who was now back on her two feet. She gave Jess a warm smile.
"Looks like we are victorious!" said Leslie.
"One thing I've learned about girls, never ever underestimate them." said Jess with a happy and a slightly shocked look on his face. He was thinking of how can a girl as sweet and gentle as Leslie do so much damage to someone.
"Well he was kind of getting on my nervs with his beeping" said Leslie.
The Terabithian warriors gave them there thanks and they left in a hurry. Jess and Leslie looked back to see what the warriors were protecting. It was a young Terabithian.
"Are you Ok?" said Jess
To his surprise, the Terabithian answered his question with a nod. Apparently, he was still scared from the attacking Scrogers.
"It's Ok" said Leslie "There gone now. You're safe with us."
"My name is...Toori." said the frightened creature "What's your name"
"I'm Jess"
"And I'm Leslie! Nice to meet you Toori!"
The creature suddenly looked at them with his eyes wide open. He had a really shocked look on his face.
"My Lords, I am sorry. I didn't realize it was you." said the creature and he suddenly bowed.
"It's Ok, you don't need to bow" said Leslie as she helped him get back on his feet.
"I will do anything to repay the great deed that you have done for me" said Toori
"Hey! I know something you can do! Do you know how to use magic?" asked Jess with a look of excitement.
"Of course my good King, everyone in Terabithia must know magic. If not, then they are not Terabithian." said Toori.
"Ok, then every time we are not in Terabithia and you find followers of the Dark Master, use magic to come inside my mind and tell me where they are and what they are doing. As soon as you tell, we will be on our way." said Jess with a big smile on his face.
Right after Jess finished talking, Leslie pulled him away from Toori and told him "Don't you remember your dream? The light said to only trust me and the warriors"
"Look at him, do you honestly think he is one of the Dark Master followers?"
Leslie looked at Toori. He was a really cute and small creature. Just by looking at him you can know that this little guy would never be part of any Dark alliance.
They walked back towards Toori who was watching them in a confused and worried way.
"But Jess, what if were in the middle of school?" said Leslie
Jess smile was imidiatly erased from his face and started thinking.
"I know! You can send for the warriors and they will hold them off while until we come back." said Jess
"As you wish my noble King" said Toori and then he vanished.
Jess and Leslie walked back home. When they reached the bridge, Leslie stopped and looked a bit confused and panicked.
"What's wrong Leslie?" said Jess
"Well, Jess in case you forgot, i have been missing for six months, how am i going to explain that to my parents and especially yours." said Leslie
"O, well we could say that you were lost during the six months and you only survived because there apple trees here" said Jess
"I hope it works" said Leslie
They arrived at Leslie's house. Apparently her parents were packing and they were going to move to a new house. Well i guess not anymore!
"Hey mom, hey dad!" said Leslie
Leslie's mom who was holding a box dropped and ran to hug her daughter. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Even though she was sobbing she looked very happy. Leslie returned the hug and her dad joined in on it too.
"B-b-b-b-but how? You have been missing for six months. How can this be" said Ms. Burk
"Well mom, dad, i went into the forest alone, the rope snapped and i was washed up at the end of the creek. I woke up i don't know how many hours later and i had no idea where i was, so technically i was lost. If there weren't any apple trees, I would probably be dead. Anyways Jess found me while I was asleep under a tree." said Leslie.
Ms. Burk let go of her daughter and went towards Jess. To his surprise, she gave Jess a big hug and kissed him on his cheek.
"Thank you, thank you so much for saving my daughter. I don't know how i can ever repay you for doing this"
"Well actually, there is one thing you can do" said Jess " You could not move!"
They all started laughing and unpacked there things. After they were done, Jess and the Burks went over to Jess's house to explain the story Leslie had told them.