Chapter 27: Injured
Taranee and the others slowly made their way into the dark forest which quickly became very dense. "So Taranee, do you know how far we have to go or is it just going until we get to the end?" Irma asked her arrow glowing as blue and clear as water. She had to admit that the arrows are pretty awesome.
"All I've heard of this forest is that it's very long and that we may have to stay the night in here. However there are some very dangerous spots, such as the poisonous quagmire." The others stopped and looked at Taranee who then continued. "It's a bog or a swamp if you will." The others nodded and then continued on through the forest. "There are also Dark Elf huntresses and hunters who also work as security." Taranee said as an arrow whizzed by her head and through her hair which in turn, ruining a little of her hair. "Get behind a tree!" Taranee screamed to the others and the others gladly did so. Taranee leaned out a bit from her tree as an arrow came flying toward her and then retreated back behind it. "Everyone, be careful, these elves are crack shots." Taranee breathed in heavily and then held her breath as she turned the corner and quickly shot an arrow of fire and lightning in the direction that the other came from and then retreated back as an arrow sliced the tree and went past her. A second later and a scream could be heard in the distance.
Irma and Hay Lin were using the crossfire technique; the two shooting diagonally, their arrows going past each other however their shots weren't so accurate. Their shots missed their targets by a few meters each time. Both were a little to worried to stand out for too long in fear of getting hit. "At least Taranee has good aim." Hay Lin said shaking ever so slightly, frightened and cold.
"You cold too Hay Lin?" Irma said laughing a bit and Hay Lin just nodded not taking offense to Irma's chuckles.
Elyon on the other hand had decided to let the others do the fighting while she worked on a magical wall which should keep everything other then the arrows from getting through to them.
Taranee had taken out three in a few minutes but the guess was that there are probably eight or so. Taranee took in another breath and then turned the corner and shot down another elf and got behind her tree again when two screams were heard and then she heard Irma cheer. 'Five down, how many more of you are there?' Taranee asked herself taking another shot into the trees and hitting another but once again heard two screams. This time she heard Hay Lin cheer.
Taranee turned and fired another arrow and then got behind the tree again but not before an arrow sliced her arm from elbow down to her wrist. Taranee screamed loudly from the pain and leaned against the tree while sliding down it till she hit the ground. Blood flowed from the cut covering her arms in blood. Blood dripped down her arms and onto the ground which started making small puddles and then a horn was heard in the distance. Despite how much pain she is in, she could tell that that was a horn signifying retreat. Taranee waved the others over with her good but bloody arm. Soon the others were over and found Taranee holding her arm tightly above the cut trying to cut off the circulation to her arm.
Elyon knew that Taranee couldn't do much with just one arm. "Hold on Taranee." Elyon said tearing her robe and wrapping it around Taranee's arm. Taranee had tears flowing down her cheeks now but that didn't stop her from using her powers. Quickly she heated her hand up and then used that heat to dry the blood coming from her arm. Feeling dizzy from the loss of blood, Taranee fell unconscious.
They had all stayed by Taranee all day and yet she hadn't woken up yet but at least she is breathing and her arm had stopped bleeding. Elyon had used as much of her robe as she could to help stop the blood though Taranee's powers helped most of it; still however, blood soaked garments lay on the ground. "Ok everyone, I say we sleep here tonight." Irma suggested and the others agreed.
"I'll watch Taranee first." Hay Lin said sitting by Taranee and then looked at Taranee's arm. "Should we take off the piece of robe now?" Hay Lin asked looking at Taranee's now turning purple arm.
Elyon saw this too and then answered Hay Lin's question. "Yes Hay Lin, but take it off very slowly. We don't want her blood rushing to her arm so fast that it reopens the wound." Hay Lin nodded and loosened the piece of garment ever so slightly and could feel blood slowly flow back into her arm. It took only a minute before the piece of cloth came off completely. "Go to sleep you two." Irma and Elyon made a bed of leaves and then laid down to sleep. Hay Lin then turned to Taranee's arm and she frowned. "I wish I could do more Taranee."
That night each of them had taken two shifts, each of them feeling weird during some time during the night. The sun clearly rose but the forest is still dark just not as dark. Taranee had finally woken up to see the others asleep around her. "What happened?" Taranee asked and then looked at her arm and remembered. Taranee then shook her head to clear it of the painful thoughts of her arm and then flew up and over the trees and quickly back down. Taranee coughed a bit coming back down. "The air up there is toxic. I had really hoped that it wouldn't take this long." Taranee said looking around the forest. "We need to hurry." Taranee sighed and then sat back down on the ground.
Back on earth at Will's home, Will hadn't gotten anywhere with Astrid and because of that, she hadn't gotten very far with Hiccup either. She had had it, she was going to get somewhere with the two whether they liked it or not. Will had gotten bigger with the two and a half months that had gone by and her patience had finally diminished to nothing. "Hiccup, Astrid, get out here now before I come get you myself." Soon the two had come out of the rooms Astrid with her arms folded angrily. Lucky for Will, Matt came into the room. "Matt, take Hiccup and talk to him and I'll take Astrid." Matt raised a brow and then understood and took Hiccup into the kitchen. "Ok Astrid, time to talk. What's going on and don't give me the run around, I want straight answers." Will said forcefully but kept her cool enough to stay calm and collected but only barely.
"Fine, you want answers, ok. Hiccup hasn't ever been one to do things that he is told. He is disobedient but what can I say, if it weren't for him then we would still be fighting dragons. Anyway, I love him and we were more then ready to be married. Unfortunately, my father gave me away to someone that is a real jerk but I had to go. That's the rules; until you're married you do as your parents say." Will nodded, she understood that even if she wasn't the best at it but she had good reasons, most of the time. "Hiccup refused to let me go and so he followed me all the way to where I now live and actually fought for me. It was a sweet thing but he had no right to do that. He ended up killing the guy I married and now he wants me to go back home with him. He knows I have to stay where I am. I'm in charge and I can't just leave that." Astrid continued with her story while in the kitchen, Matt had started talking to Hiccup.
"Astrid left me to be with some jerk who doesn't even love her. She always has to follow the rules. She loves me still but she just won't listen to me. I ended up going to where she lives and killed her husband. I didn't want to but he slapped Astrid. I can't just do nothing." Hiccup said.
A few hours later and everyone had met up in the living room. "Astrid, why don't you just come back with me?" Hiccup started and soon an argument broke out again but this time neither Will nor Matt could break the two up. It was going to end sooner then they would think when Astrid started yelling back at Hiccup for the fourth time.
"Hiccup I swear. I bet your mother is glad she is dead just so that she doesn't have to put up with all the crap that you put people through!" Astrid screamed breathing hard and angrily staring until she realized what she said. "No Hiccup I didn't mean." Hiccup cut her off though.
"Fine then, go be miserable but don't ask me to watch." Hiccup said turning around and going the other way.
"Hiccup, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it." Hiccup was already gone though. "I didn't mean it." Will and Matt then glared at her as they walked away shaking their heads. Astrid fell to the ground. "I'm sorry." Astrid then broke out into tears.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter and please continue to review and thanks for all the reviews. More will be explained for the fast time periods.