“Azareth, get up,” Jurah said. Azareth’s eyes opened and she groaned at the sudden brightness. She covered her eyes with her arm and heard footsteps coming over to her. “Get up now, we still have a long way to go.”

“Alright, alright,” Azareth said. She yawned and sat up slowly. She opened her eyes again, seeing that Jurah had both horses ready to move on. “How long have you been up?”

“Long enough to get everything ready,” Jurah said. He pulled himself up onto Foxtail and looked down at Azareth. “Are you just going to sit in the dirt?”

“No,” Azareth spat. She stood up and rolled up her sleeping mat. “What about breakfast?”

“Here,” Jurah said. He tossed a piece of bread at Azareth. She caught it and looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Eat and ride.” Jurah took off. Azareth groaned and tied her mat onto Stormlight’s saddle. After she had everything, she hoisted herself onto Stormlight. She took in the forest around her. The trees were thinning out the further they got from the city. The sun was bright and warm, slowly rising in the east.

“He’s so rude,” Azareth whispered to Stormlight. She clicked and Stormlight took off after Jurah and Foxtail. “Still following the river?” Azareth asked, seeing that the path was in clear view of the river.

“Yes, stop complaining about it.”

“Fine,” Azareth said. She remained silent as she pulled pieces off the bread. She was too tired to argue with him, but maybe after she woke up and had some breakfast.

The sun emanated a blazing heat. There were no clouds in the sky, the wind was only blowing hot air into their faces. Jurah refused to stop until the sun was higher in the sky, but Azareth could feel the sweat rolling down her back. There was a clearing up ahead next to the river, she looked to see what Jurah was going to do. She wanted to stop, she needed to stop or else she was going to become unbearable. Jurah could feel Azareth’s eyes boring into the back of his head. She wasn’t used to long journeys, he knew that, but he was growing tired of coddling her. Sighing, he directed Foxtail to go towards the clearing a few yards away. As he entered the clearing he could hear Azareth conversing with Stormlight.

“He’s stopping,” Azareth said, feeling her smile spread across her face.

“We’re only stopping for a short moment,” Jurah told her. “Just to water the horses and eat something.”

“Are you deluded?” Azareth snapped, as she dropped down from Stormlight. “I can feel the sweat on every part of me. I am going for a swim.”

“Azareth, it’s not-”

“Azareth, it’s not safe,” Azareth mocked him. “Does it honestly look as though I care?” she asked him, pulling her white shirt off over her head. Jurah snapped his eyes shut and whipped around.

“Seriously?”

“Yes.” Azareth was now stripped naked and dipping her toes into the river. The cool stream sent a shiver through her body, giving her the courage to leap in deeper. The sound of displacing water-filled Jurah’s ears. He pinched the bridge of his nose releasing a huge sigh. Jurah turned and saw the clear water was rippling where Azareth had dove into the clear blue water.

“Get out of the water,” he said. He turned and saw the horses drinking at the edge of the water. Azareth’s head stuck out of the water like a sore thumb, but her expression gave Jurah a sense of wonder. She looked so relaxed and pleased with herself. He watched as she ran her hands over the top of the water creating small waves.

“Jurah, come on. Can’t you feel the sweat beading down your forehead?”Azareth said, trying to persuade him into joining her. “I can see it glistening from here.”

“I’m fine, I’ll wash off later when we make camp for the night.”

“What a sad thought, riding all day sweaty.”

“Please come out of the water,” Jurah said. Azareth was shocked to hear the word please come from him.

“Alright, give me a moment,” she said.

Jurah turned and saw she was just ducking back under the water. He couldn’t believe she was listening to him, without another complaint. When Azareth came back up for air, Jurah turned away before he saw something he wasn’t supposed to. He listened as the water splashed as Azareth walked out of the river.

“You should dry off.”

“Don’t worry, I will,” Azareth said. “That’s how hot it is.” Jurah sighed, but let a small laugh escape him. Azareth pulled her clothes on and shook her hair out.

“Are you dressed?”

“I am.”

“Good, let’s go,” Jurah said. He turned around and walked over to Foxtail. He glanced at Azareth who was running her fingers through her wet hair. Jurah climbed onto Foxtail and turned him around to head back to the trail. Azareth huffed but pulled herself onto Stormlight.

“Here we go again, girl,” Azareth whispered to Stormlight. As they started back down the trail, Azareth looked behind them. She could have sworn she heard a branch snap not far from them, but when she looked around she only saw trees and bushes.

The pair of travellers had been on the road together for some time now. Azareth has been counting the nights, it had been five since she last saw her family. It was getting harder and harder to sleep at night. She was missing her parents and Sana, but more importantly, she kept feeling eyes on her. Jurah refused to listen to her again, but she kept reminding him she was right about the drogs. They were sitting around a small fire, keeping themselves warm. The weather was getting colder as they got closer to the foot of the mountains, giving them more reason to hurry through the day. The mountains were Orc territory, but if they kept to the road they were on, they would be able to just miss entering it. Jurah was sitting on a log and Azareth was leaning against a skinny tree. Azareth was pulling at some bread they were eating. She was still feeling uneasy and wasn’t in the mood to eat.

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“What’s wrong now?” Jurah asked, annoyed she was just picking at her food.

“I’m sorry, I just feel like we’re not alone out here.”

“Of course we’re not alone,” Jurah said, causing a force of panic to go through Azareth. “Listen to the sounds of the forest, birds, small animals, and the horses.”

“No, this is a different feeling. Like we’re being watched.”

“I’ll go scout around if that’ll make you feel better,” Jurah said, standing up. Azareth bit down on her lip and shook her head. She rather he was with her, instead of looking around in the dark. Jurah nodded and sat down again, a small smile playing on his lips.

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to panic or cause trouble,” Azareth said. She looked at Jurah across the flames. “I just can’t shake this feeling.”

“Could it be that you’re feeling this way because you miss your home?”

“Maybe, but there’s more I know there is.”

“Azareth, look I know I’m-”

“What do we have here,” A scratchy voice came through the air. Azareth looked to her right and saw a group of four Orcs standing at the edge of their small camp.

“We don’t want any trouble,” Jurah said, raising his hands up. Azareth watched as the Orcs pointed their weapons at them. She wouldn’t call them swords, but that’s what they were. Disfigured metal swords, matching the looks of their handlers. The Orcs’ dark grey skin looked greasy in the light of the fire.

“No trouble, eh?” Shouldn’t ya thought’ve that before coming into Orc lands?” The leader of the group asked.

“We’re not in Orc territory,” Azareth spoke up. Jurah hushed her and for good reasons. The leader of the Orcs began walking around the small camp. He wasn’t wearing shoes, but Azareth could see how rough and thick the skin on his feet was. He wore crude armour that was held together with strings. Azareth heard that the orcs weren’t a wealthy kingdom after the war, but everything on them looked scavenged.

“But you are, see we’re taking over,” the orc told her. Azareth glanced at Jurah who shook his head.

“How could you be taking over, your army is pathetic,” Jurah spat, trying to get the orc away from Azareth.

“Pathetic, big words for a lousy pair of elves.”

“You don’t scare us,” Jurah said. The orc was now walking towards him. Azareth was breathing harder and her palms were sweaty. What was Jurah doing? “You orcs are just wastes of space, who have travelled too far from their garbage home.”

“Why you little shit, I ought to string you-” the orc stopped talking. His body dropped to the ground and Azareth saw Jurah was holding a bloody blade.

“Get them!” another orc hissed.

Azareth leaped up from the ground as the three orcs began to run into the camp. Jurah pulled his sword off of his saddle and began swinging it at the first two orcs. Azareth only had her small dagger on her hip, plus her throwing knives in her boots. As the orc swung his make-shift sword down at her, she dropped to her knees. Her hand gripped the handle of her first throwing knife. The orc stumbled into the tree and Azareth took her chance to stand up and get away from him. She looked over and saw Jurah was being attacked by the other two orcs. She threw her arm back and sent it flying forward releasing her knife. Azareth watched as the blade dug into the back of one of the orcs. Jurah took its shock as he opening, running his sword through his stomach.

“You bitch.” Azareth heard from her left. The other orc got his footing back and was storming towards her. She started to walk backwards, not knowing where she was going. She just had to get away from the orc. Azareth let out a cry as her heel hit a tree root, causing her to fall to the ground. Looking up she could see the orc was standing over her now.

“Any last words?”

“Yeah, shut up,” Jurah said from behind the orc. Just then Azareth saw Jurah’s sword come through the front of the orc. She gasped, looking away from it. Jurah tossed the orc's body to the side. “Azareth, are you okay?” Jurah asked her. She nodded and looked up at him. He was panting and she could see the sweat was running down his forehead.

“I’m okay, I’m okay,” Azareth said. Jurah held his hand out to her, she took it and watched him wince as he pulled her off the ground. “Jurah?”

“I’m alright, just a small scratch.” Jurah stepped back away from Azareth.

“Let me see.” Azareth reached forward to look at Jurah’s side.

“No.” Jurah pulled away from her hands.

“Jurah, you could get an infection, please,” Azareth said. Jurah sighed and shook his head. He kept taking steps back away from Azareth, holding his right side.

“Not here, we can’t stay here.” Jurah’s words sounded slurred. Azareth began to wonder how much blood he was losing.

“Jurah, sit down. You look pale, if you keep walking around you’re going to-” Jurah fell to the ground and Azareth ran to his side. “Pass out.” She sighed as she pulled his shirt up over his ribs. She saw an uncomfortable amount of blood. She quickly grabbed her pack off her saddle and began rummaging through it. She knew her mother packed her some medical supplies in case something bad happened. Azareth never believed that something bad could actually happen. She pulled out the small pouch of supplies and saw a needle and thread. She pulled out some ointment and bandages.

“I’m sorry Jurah, this is going to hurt,” Azareth said looking up at Jurah’s unconscious face. She reached up and brushed a piece of hair out of his face. “You hopefully won’t feel it.”

Jurah started to wake up. Azareth was washing her hands off in the river, she looked over her shoulder when she heard him groan. Jurah looked around where he was, he saw that the camp was different. There were fewer trees than before and the log he had been sitting on wasn’t there. It was still dark and the stars were bright in the sky, he couldn’t see clouds above him. Azareth stood up and walked over to the fire next to Jurah. He tried to sit up, but Azareth gently stopped him and pushed him back down.

“What happened? Where are we?” Jurah asked looking up at Azareth.

“You passed out, I fixed you up and then moved us to a safer area,” Azareth said. Jurah groaned and lifted his shirt up to see his wound was bandaged up. He dropped his shirt and looked over at Azareth, she was packing up her medical supplies. He watched her for a moment, seeing the nervous expression on her face. He glanced down at her hands and saw them shake as she put the last of her supplies away.

“Thank you,” Jurah said. Azareth looked over at him and nodded her head.

“Next time, please just say something,” Azareth said. She stood up and put her supplies on her saddle. “I was scared.”

“I’m sorry, I should have been more careful.”

“No, just let me help you before you pass out,” Azareth said as she sat down next to the fire. She sat next to Jurah, so she could keep her eye on him. Jurah shut his eyes and took in a deep breath. Azareth was watching him, her palms were sweaty as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She didn’t want to take her eyes off him. Jurah opened his eyes and saw Azareth was looking down at him. Their eyes locked, Azareth felt herself getting lost in Jurah’s eyes. Green with little flecks of gold right around his pupil.

“I’m sorry for scaring you,” Jurah said. He could see the flames bouncing around her golden eyes.

“I’ll forgive you, this time,” Azareth said. She felt a small smile begin to play on her lips. Jurah snickered and rested his head back against his pack.