“So, which way do we go?” Carla asked.
“I’m not sure.” Eliza admitted, “I haven’t been there in ages.”
“I believe this is your field of expertise Ms. Abernathy.” Rachel said bowing while winking to Hazel.
Hazel giggled lightly as Gabriel’s jealous glare went unnoticed by the twins. Once Hazel’s giggling fit was over, she took her dagger out and a holographic map appeared above the jewels.
“Rachel, what are you doing?” Ace asked whispering to his sister.
“I’m just teasing Ace.” Rachel reassured before she added with a sly smile, “And you know I like shy girls.”
Ace rolled his eyes at his sister before Hazel finally got the directions.
“We’re heading that way.” Hazel said pointing North.
“Let’s go then.” Gabriel said grumpily with his arms folded.
Hazel laughed lightly at her friend’s grumpy state before they started walking with Eliza and Carla in the lead. As the twins were conversing about childhood memories Gabriel was recounting his conversation with Hazel the previous night.
“What do you think the Council will do when our parents come back?” Gabriel asked as he watched the treetops.
“They’ll probably be on probation for a while.” Hazel replied as Phoenix brought her a stick in which she threw for him to retrieve.
Gabriel gave a small smile at this before looking at the ground, almost as if thinking hard about something, “Do you think we’ll ever have a normal life after this?”
Hazel gave him a look before she said, “Gabriel we’re Monster Hunters, our lives stopped being normal the day we took the oath.”
Gabriel sighed a bit before he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked up before he said, “I was just wondering. It is a nice thought though, no?”
Hazel chuckled a bit as Phoenix came back with the stick, waiting for her to throw it again. She smiled at the fox before she turned to Gabriel and waved the stick in front of him to catch his attention.
“You do know I’m not a dog, right?” Gabriel said noticing the stick that was a few inches from his face, “Seriously, stop it.”
Hazel laughed before she gave it to Gabriel and said, “Throw it.”
Gabriel hmphed before smiling and throwing the stick, making Phoenix give a loud bark, and chased the small piece of wood. The two laughed before Hazel checked her dagger again.
“Eli we’re taking a left in a couple of minutes!” Hazel exclaimed informing her older sister.
“Alright!” Eliza yelled back, “We’ll be passing over a bridge after that, won’t we!?”
“I think so, yeah!” Hazel shouted, “A waterfall too!”
“Great, we can stop for a little break!” Rachel joined in as Phoenix gave the stick back to Gabriel.
“We’ve only been walking for ten minutes.” Gabriel said turning to the black-haired girl, “I think.”
Hazel chuckled a little before Phoenix gave a raspy bark almost as if telling Gabriel to throw the stick again. Gabriel laughed lightly before he threw the stick once again.
“So, how long has it been since you’ve been to Cloud Mountain?” Gabriel asked watching Phoenix’s tail swish.
“Five years, I think.” Hazel replied, “Mom and Dad’s funeral was held there.”
“…So, your mom and dad are staying where their supposed graves are.” Gabriel said slowly, “With my mom and dad.”
Hazel turned her head to him wide-eyed before saying in a matching tone, “I guess so.”
The two looked at each other with the same wide-eyed expression before they burst out laughing, catching the attention of their other traveling companions. The other four hunters turned to the two brunettes who were still laughing before they smiled at the sight and went back to their own conversations.
“Those two look like they’re having fun.” Carla said smiling before she saw the anxious look on Eliza’s face, “You okay Eli?”
Eliza glanced at the blonde at her side before she sighed deeply and said, “What if they’re not there?”
Carla raised her brow in confusion before Eliza said in a low whisper, “What if Hazel answered wrong? What if this is all another one of Dark’s tricks?”
Carla sighed at Eliza’s questions before putting a hand on the black-haired girl’s shoulder and said in a calm voice, “Eli I get that you want to protect Hazel and Gabriel from getting their hearts broken but accepting loss is just part of life. I know that better than anyone which is why I’m telling you that it’ll be okay. Hazel is one of the strongest girls I know. She can handle it.”
“But what about Gabriel?” Eliza asked still anxiously, “He and Hazel get along so well, I don’t want him to have his heart shattered either.”
“Do you really think Hazel will just let Gabriel wallow in self-pity?” Carla asked.
“No.” Eliza said quietly.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Then there’s nothing you have to worry about.” Carla said cheerfully.
Eliza laughed lightly before smiling at her, “Thanks Carla, I needed that.”
But unknown to the girls, four pairs of eyes were watching them converse with great interest.
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Rachel asked whispering to the other three.
“I don’t know.” Hazel whispered back as Phoenix came into her view with something that looked like a folded piece of parchment in his mouth, “Huh?”
The four hunters stopped walking as Phoenix stopped in front of them and dropped the letter in Hazel’s outstretched hand. The four hunters looked at each other before glancing at their superiors. Gabriel was about to say something before they saw the wax seal on the front.
“You guys okay back there!?” Carla exclaimed seeing that the four friends had stopped behind them.
“Yeah, don’t worry about us!” Ace shouted back as Hazel hid the letter in one of her pouches.
“Where do you think Phoenix got that?” Gabriel asked whispering as they started walking again.
“How are we supposed to know?” Ace replied with a hint of sarcasm.
“That doesn’t matter at the moment.” Hazel whispered before adding, “You know what happened the last time we got a letter with that seal on it.”
*Flashback*
It was the first week of Spring. Hazel, Gabriel, and the twins accompanied by Phoenix were just sitting down on one of the roots of one of the trees surrounding the extinct volcano eating some muffins they got from the Mess Hall when an eagle owl landed beside Gabriel with a scroll tied on its foot with a moon wax seal on it.
“What’s that?” Ace asked.
“I don’t know.” Gabriel said untying the scroll before the eagle owl flew away.
“Look at the wax seal though.” Rachel said as the boys showed her and Hazel the letter, “It looks so cool.”
“Wonder what’s written on it.” Hazel said before Gabriel opened it.
“What’s wrong?” Rachel asked as Gabriel’s eyes widened.
“To whoever it may concern we have received word that a group of goblins has been harassing a small village 20 miles to the East.” Gabriel read aloud, “We suggest that you depart immediately.”
Hazel and the twins’ eyes widened before Phoenix gave a loud bark as if saying that they should go.
“Who sent this?” Gabriel asked before the seal glowed a faint blue before some tiny writing appeared on the lower part of the letter.
“From The Moonlight Society.” Ace read before he furrowed his brows, “Never heard of it. Girls?”
They shook their heads before Phoenix gave another loud bark.
That seemed to be the only confirmation Hazel needed before she slightly nodded, stood up, turned to her friends, and said, “We need to go and see if they do need help.”
“But what if it’s a prank?” Ace asked as they all stood up, “Especially since none of us have ever heard of this Moonlight Society.”
“Either if it is or isn’t we still have to see if they’re right.” Hazel said right hand on her hip, “We all swore an oath that we would protect the innocent no matter what.”
The other three looked at each other before nodding to her. Half an hour later the four of them plus Phoenix were greeted by the goblins raiding the village.
“Take ‘em down.” Hazel ordered as they all brought their weapons forward with Phoenix ready to pounce, teeth bared.
Three hours later they were standing in front of a pile of goblin corpses beside the villagers. The chief nodded to Gabriel who was holding his bow with a burning arrow nocked before shooting at one of the corpses and eventually lighting the entire pile on fire. Hazel, Gabriel, and the twins looked at each other before nodding.
*Flashback Ends*
“You think it’s another invasion?” Rachel asked.
“I don’t think so.” Hazel said pulling the letter out of her pouch, “Though at least we know that it isn’t a prank.”
The other three chuckled a bit before Hazel gently touched the cool wax.
“But why are we hiding this from your sister and Carla?” Rachel asked.
“Rachel you poor innocent soul.” Ace said smiling a bit.
Hazel chuckled a bit before saying, “We still don’t know what’s written on it. Eliza’s pretty determined about this mission, she might put this on hold and it might be urgent.”
“Agreed.” Gabriel said nodding, “Who knows what would happen if she knew about this.”
Twenty minutes after they took a left, they were now standing on top of a wooden bridge overlooking a beautiful waterfall.
“Now that’s a view.” Carla said dreamily.
“Agreed.” Eliza and Rachel admitted with Hazel only nodded, a smile on her face.
‘Definitely.’ Gabriel thought looking at Hazel.
“You’re staring Gab.” Ace whispered as he nudged his friend’s elbow.
Gabriel sighed with his arms folded as he leaned onto the railing.
Ace chuckled lightly before copying his friend’s posture, “You know she’s never going to fall in love with a stalker.”
“I’m not stalking her though.” Gabriel said turning to the older twin.
“You might as well be one if you keep staring at her like that.” Ace said smirking.
“Says the guy who can’t even put two words together when Eve Nevermore’s around.” Gabriel retorted with a smirk clear on his face.
Ace grunted before he sighed and said, “Touché.”
The two laughed before they turned to their female traveling companions. Gabriel looked at Hazel: the sunlight shining upon her features perfectly, he sighed before he looked down at his feet. Ace smiled at his friend before he laughed quietly.
“You should go for it.” Ace said looking at him, “You’ll regret it later if you don’t.”
“How would you know?” Gabriel asked turning to the black-haired boy standing beside him.
Ace chuckled lightly before folding his arms and turned to look at the waterfall, “Unfortunately, I’ve had some experience with your situation Gabriel.”
“Really?”
“Yep.”
“With who?”
“A girl from the Capital.”
“You’ve seen the Capital?”
“Rachel and I were raised and born there.”
“Wait, really?”
“Yep.”
“That’s so cool.”
Ace chuckled at Gabriel’s comment before the two of them sighed and looked back at their female companions who were still aweing at the waterfall. They sighed again both looking in a different direction but thinking the same thing.
‘We really need to get out more.’ They both thought at the same time.