As they traversed the jungle, Marguerite and John intentionally lingered a little behind the group, seizing the opportunity for a private talk.
Marguerite asked "What exactly is our plan here?"
John answered. "I don't trust them one bit. As soon as we cross the river, we'll look for the first opportunity to split from them."
"Okay, but how?" Marguerite inquired, seeking clarity.
"I don't know yet. We'll figure it out when the moment comes." John said.
This answer didn't deter Marguerite. Lord John Roxton had always been a man of decisive action, a trait that she had come to admire deeply. She found a sense of safety and security in his presence, knowing that no matter the peril, John's quick thinking and enduring resolve would guide them through.
Applegate, eyeing them with a hint of suspicion, called out, "You two okay back there? The way you're trailing behind, someone might think you're up to something."
Marguerite replied, "We have ten years of marriage behind us. Naturally, we have plenty to discuss, none of which is meant for your ears."
"I wouldn't dream of intruding on marital confidences." Applegate replied with a sneer.
They came upon a fast-flowing river and a decrepit wooden bridge.
Applegate shared his thoughts, "We believe the kids might have fallen into the water from this bridge. As for my men, one was definitely torn apart by a raptor, and the other one has disappeared, probably got swept away in the rapids. What we're certain of is that the girl, the boy, and my troglodyte made it to the other side of the river."
"But the cliff is so high and the river so swift." Marguerite said in concern. "John, I don't remember there being rapids on the Plateau."
John agreed, "Neither do I. This is yet another change. It seems the Plateau is becoming less of a rainforest and more mountainous."
"To hell with the Plateau." Marguerite cursed their luck.
Applegate suggested, "I propose we follow the river downstream. A bit further on, the water widens and calms, making it safer for us to cross."
William, Thalia, and the avatar walked quietly, the stillness of the jungle enveloping them. William carried Pip in his arms. The small creature was playfully tugging at William's shirt and suspenders which William didn't even notice.
"You seem lost in thought." Thalia observed.
"I've been thinking about my parents and how they can be overprotective sometimes. I guess it's because of their own experiences, all the dangers they've encountered. They've seen the best and worst the world has to offer. But it still bothers me."
Thalia, sensing the depth of William's thoughts, chose to listen rather than speak. She understood that sometimes, what one needed most was not answers or advice, but the space to voice their thoughts openly.
William continued. "I understand where they're coming from, I really do. But there are moments when I just want to make my own mistakes, learn my own lessons. It's tough when you feel like you're always under a microscope."
"But they let you go to the Zanga village with me, didn't they?" Thalia reminded him, trying to find a silver lining.
"Yeah, but we've been followed by this guy." William replied, casting a pointed look at Phoebus, who remained silent and unfazed by the comment.
William asked. "What do you think, Phoebus? Are my parents being annoyingly overprotective?"
"Parents protect. It's their duty." The Avatar replied. "But while love motivates protection, challenge fosters growth. You should embrace both."
"I figured you'd say something like that." William said, clearly amused.
As the small group made their way through, a sudden, chilling sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs set them on edge. Without warning, headhunters emerged from the shadows, their intent clear from the menacing looks in their eyes and the weapons poised in their hands. William and Thalia froze, caught off guard by the ambush.
Phoebus, however, reacted instantly. With the grace and precision of a seasoned warrior, he stepped in front of William and Thalia, his movements fluid and deliberate. He parried the headhunters' blows with his own weapon. Each attack was met with a countermove that was defensive yet non-lethal.
The headhunters, unaccustomed to such resistance, grew increasingly frustrated. Their attacks became more desperate. Finally, recognizing the futility of their efforts, the headhunters retreated back into the jungle's depths, leaving the trio unharmed but shaken by the encounter.
Catching his breath, William turned to Phoebus, confusion and adrenaline coloring his voice.
"What the hell, Phoebus? Why didn't you just kill them?"
"No innocent life shall be spilled unless completely necessary."
"Those were headhunters. They tried to kill us. They're hardly innocent."
Thalia suddenly realized, "He's been conditioned that way, to preserve life whenever possible."
"Conditioned?" William echoed. "Conditioned by whom?"
"By the old lady." Thalia said.
"Abigail?" William questioned.
"That's the one." Thalia confirmed.
"That old hen is really starting to get on my nerves." William grumbled.
They continued their journey and soon found themselves at the foot of a mountain.
Phoebus, scanning the terrain with experienced eyes, noted, "The Trog tribe is on the other side. The fastest route is over the mountain."
William remarked, "I don't think this mountain was here before. When my parents first came to the Plateau, mountains surrounded it from the sides, but there wasn't any in the middle. This must be yet another change."
They climbed higher up the mountain, following the path until it started to get dark. Along the way, they found a spring and took the chance to drink and fill their water bottles. A bit further up, they spotted a small cave-like dent in the mountain that seemed like a good spot to rest, especially with a huge, old pterodactyl nest sitting right in front of it, which Phoebus pointed out was probably abandoned. They were pretty high up by then, with a good view of the path they had taken. William dug out his binoculars from his backpack to take a closer look at the landscape below.
William caught sight of his parents way off in the distance, accompanied by Applegate, a woman with a hoarse voice, and another man. William recalled a raptor tearing apart one man before his eyes, leaving a fifth member unaccounted for. But then, something else far off grabbed his attention.
"Phoebus! There's a whole bunch of headhunters coming that way, and they're heading straight for my parents. They've got way more people than the ones who jumped us!" William exclaimed, urgency threading through his voice as he handed over the binoculars for Phoebus to see for himself.
After taking a quick look, Phoebus confirmed what William had seen.
"You have to go help them!"
"Negative. I'm tasked with keeping the children safe."
"We are fine. They are the ones in danger. I am ordering you to go!"
It took Phoebus a moment, wrestling with his orders and the situation at hand, before he finally nodded, accepting William's directive.
As Phoebus made his descent down the mountain, darkness had already fallen, cloaking everything in shadow. Through his binoculars, William could no longer make out any details, and the distance was too great for any sound to carry. Pip had fallen asleep in the pterodactyl nest, while Thalia had kindled a small fire nearby. She noticed William was nervous.
"Don't worry, Phoebus will save them. And your parents are no strangers to danger. If anyone knows how to survive out here, it's them."
William, taking a deep breath, managed a nod, finding comfort in her words. "You're right."
Seeking to lighten the mood, he turned to Thalia, a spark of an idea in his eyes. "Want to see something fascinating?" he asked, gesturing to the night sky above them.
William began pointing out constellations, his finger tracing the invisible lines between stars. "That one there is the Hunter. And over there, see? That's the Great Bear. And right there—that's the Swan, flying through the stars. They say it's the guide for heroes on their way to the next adventure, up in the sky."
Thalia followed his guidance, her eyes darting across the sky. "I never knew the stars could tell so many stories."
"Challenger taught me about every constellation, their names and how to distinguish them. All from a scientific perspective, of course. But it was actually my father who made me see them differently. He said that the stars are like old friends, always there, even when you can't see them. He told me we're never truly lost as long as we can read the sky. He said that whenever I'm away from home and feeling lonely, I should just look up, knowing he might be looking at the very same ones, at the very same moment."
Thalia smiled, touched by the story. "That is beautiful, William. Your father is amazing."
William's expression softened with pride. "Yeah, he really is. And so is Uncle Ned."
Thalia agreed. "That's true. Ned Malone has been a great father to me. He made sure I learned to read and write, and he's always shared stories about the outside world."
"It's great that you have such a close relationship. Back in my world, having an illegitimate child would cause quite the scandal. But not here... That's why I love the Plateau. It's free from all those silly rules that society sets. Of course, Abigail tries to impose her own set of silly rules, but those are morals of another kind."
With a mix of curiosity and longing Thalia said, "I would like to go and see the outside world."
"You can always come and be our guest." William smiled, genuinely pleased at the idea.
"Will you show me around?"
"Of course. First, I'll take you to our estate in Avebury. It's surrounded by rolling hills and ancient stones, a place full of history and natural beauty. And then, there's London. It's the capital of England, with so much to see and do. We'll visit the museums, take walks along the Thames, and explore places like the Tower of London and Buckingham Palace. In the end, I'll take you to my favorite place in the world—the British Museum. It's filled with wonders from all over the globe, artifacts and treasures that tell the story of human history. You'll love it."
Thalia listened, captivated by the promise of such discoveries and the world beyond the Plateau. She leaned against him, and William wrapped a protective arm around her. Together, they continued watching the stars, their heads touching in a shared moment of quiet connection under the vast, starlit sky.