Jared shifted back into the ogre form. When his 'plan' had first taken place, he didn't know why he chose an ogre form to shift into when he could've taken any form. But with the events that had been happening to them lately, he was glad that it was an ogre.
Now Jared jumped in front of Mina, taking a huge swipe from the bear's paws. Mina wasn't moving, she was frozen in fear and Jared didn't think she would move anytime soon. Angry and dangerous Fae she could handle, but not wild bears in the middle of the woods?
Move away from her, he thought as he began to push the beast back farther. They were too close together for the bear's paws to hurt him, but now he was closer to its teeth. He realized this as the teeth sank into his left shoulder. He heard Mina scream and he vaguely wondered if it was for his safety or hers.
He tried to punch the bear away, and when that didn't work he lifted it and threw her into the water. She climbed out and roared, trying to scare them away. He roared back louder, and the bear left. He saw the cubs and realized that was why they were attacked.
When he knew they were safe, he changed back to human form. Trying to not look weak in front of Mina, he smiled wanly but the pain in his shoulder was too great. He fell to his knees and Mina ran over to him. She pulled his Tshirt off to try to help him. Maybe she did care.
"I'm fine, it looks worse than it feels," this was half true, for he could not lie, but it did hurt a lot.
"Oh Jared, you could have been killed!" she looked around, trying to look for something to help him. It was his job to protect her, no matter what. "We have to get out of here. More bears could come back and we don't want to be here." She ripped of a strip of his- well now technically her- shirt and ran back to the water.
He tried not to wince as she cleaned the bite. "We will be fine as long as we don't make any sudden moves in the direction of that thicket."
"How can you be sure?"
"It was our fault. We startled a mother and her cubs when we fell down the embankment. The cubs were hiding in the thicket the whole time. She was just being a good mom." He gritted his teeth.
After a while he found Eros moss and immediately sighed when the pain was gone. He hated being in pain, it showed weakness. Pulling his shirt back on, they continued walking.
He decided to try to make conversation. "Do you like to climb trees?" He remembered the millions of trees he had climbed growing up.
She stopped and looked up. "Not really but I can try." He desperately tried to hold in the laughter as he watched Mina try to climb. When she slipped and cut her arm he stopped.
"Stay there, I'm coming up!" He took a step forward.
She shooed him away and started climbing down a few minutes later. Being small gave her an advantage, but she was still clumsy and not strong enough. It was funny to watch her struggle, sort of.
"So, what did you see?"
"A whole lot of trees," she grumbled.
"Ah," he said, not surprised at all. His mission was accomplished, almost. "Well lets go this way."
"How do you know where to go?" She looked around, confused.
He told her about the moss on the trees and she was mad again. Surprise, surprise. He ignored her for a while until human emotions came into play and she started to complain.
"How much longer?"
He didn't know. How was he supposed to know? As long as she was in danger from the reaper then he would keep going. Eventually Jared would have to leave her alone, he needed strength and to find where the reaper was. Mina would be fine, she wouldn't do anything extremely dangerous and he would always be aware of her in the back of his mind. But he was getting mad. Why couldn't he just get a break from these constant attacks? He would always be there for Mina, doing his best to protect her. But enough was enough. Some Fae didn't seem to get the message.
"How am I suppose to know?"
"Well can't you do any magic to make it go faster?"
"What, do you think I'm some kind of genie in a bottle that can grant you three wishes?" He knew it was wrong to be irritated at her, but he couldn't help his temper.
Her next words cut right through him. "Are you really that selfish that you can't help us out? If you can get us out of here then you should! It's your fault that we're lost to begin with, so don't you think you should try to get us out?"
It was true, he had gotten them into this mess. But it was to save her and eventually she would get that. But for now he was fed up. He loved Mina, but he didn't do complaining. "I'm not your beck and call boy! You don't tell me what to do!"
He headed to a cliff ledge, and she ran to catch up to him, apologizing. "... I'm tired and sore and I know that my mom is probably worried sick and desperate to hear from me. I just want to get home to my family, and I will do almost anything to get there. Do you have any idea what that's like?"
He cringed. "Yes I do know what it is like to desperately want to go home." Jared hated the human plane. His home wasn't that much better, but he couldn't help but miss it.
"Then why don't you just go back to the Fae plane?" Her voice was calmer.
"Because I am unable to cross over. I'm stuck here."
"But why? What happened?"
"It's none of your business." He snapped. Mina wasn't ready to know yet, and honestly he didn't know how to tell her. He had never interacted with a Grimm before. His thoughts were cut off as a scent grabbed his attention.
He sniffed the air and bit back a curse. The reaper was here. Now he would have to go find it and keep an eye on Mina to make sure they didn't meet. He would have to tell her.
"I have a confession to make. I did this on purpose."
"What do you mean 'you did this on purpose?'" Her voice was confused.
"I purposefully brought you out to the middle of the woods to make sure you got lost. I have to leave you here."
"Please, tell me you aren't seriously going to abandon me?"
"I have to. Something bad is coming and I need rest. Otherwise I won't be able to help you. Just promise me you'll be careful and stay on the path." He saw tears fill her big brown eyes. He tried to ignore them and pulled magic towards him. When she blinked, he disappeared.
He reappeared a few yards away, behind a huge tree where she couldn't see him. She called his name a few times. Finally she found the path and started to head down it. He followed her for a few hours.
The rain started again and Jared saw Mina was exhausted. Her feet were dragging and he almost reached out to catch her from falling. Her ankle twisted and she cried out in pain.
He peeked into her mind and was shocked someone so nice would have such evil thoughts about a boy. She hated him. He watched as she pulled herself farther down the path.
She suddenly looked up and he followed her gaze. Headlights were driving down the path. She tried to get the drivers attention and when that didn't work she started making her way towards the middle of the road.
Jared saw the car wasn't slowing down. It was going to hit her. He shifted into ogre form yet again and pushed the tree he was hiding behind. The roots finally gave up and the tree fell, just in time for the car to hit it instead of Mina.
He watched as someone climbed out of the car. He cursed as he realized it was the reaper. He probably didn't know who Mina was yet, and she had to keep it that way.
He closed his eyes and tried to influence her to lie. She miraculously listened to him and told the reaper she was Nan. He helped Mina to safety, but If he knew she was a Grimm he would kill her.
Jared couldn't interfere. It wasn't time yet, the tale didn't have enough power. There was nothing he could do but watch. Time passed too slowly for him but eventually people arrived to help. An unconscious Mina was lifted onto a stretcher by paramedics.
News reporters and cameras were shoved into her face and Jared wished they would go away. The stretcher was lifted into the ambulance, but that didn't stop him from hearing what she said.
"Jared." Mina said, still unconscious. She called his name? Why? He would have been happier if something more dire hadn't caught his attention.
The man who had found Mina, the reaper, was bending over. He stood up, holding a small leather-bound book. He opened it and flipped through the pages, smiling evilly.
Oh no... Mina had lost the Grimoire. And there was nothing Jared could do about it now, it was too late. This was very, very bad.
I am sooooooo sorry everybody! I know, I am a horrible person! June was really busy and I started this, but then I couldn't write more and time just slipped away from me. :( but coming wayyy sooner than last time is the ending of Fairest, starting from when Mina gets the Grimoire back. That will most likely only be a chapter , but it will be longer than this one. I'm sorry, again! Promise another update coming really soon!