The sun had barely begun to rise when Jesika awoke the group with a loud, sharp whistle. Rowan groaned with the group as he sat up, looking at her through groggy eyes.

"Great, now the whole blasted forest knows where we are," Rowan complained.

Jesika ignored him, grabbing her bag and putting it over her shoulder. "Time to rise, my friends and person I tolerate. Rowan, you know who you are. We must continue on our trek; daylight waits for no one."

Rowan rolled his eyes as he stood, grabbing his own bag. "What a surprise. Something that actually doesn't have to follow your orders."

Rowan suddenly felt something sharp poke his back. He arched his back in reaction, looking back to see Jesika glaring at him, with her sword pointing at him.

"If you have a problem with me, I suggest you speak to me about it face to face in a respectable tone, Mr. Rowan."

He laughed, moving her sword down with his hand. "That wouldn't be nearly as fun, Your Majesty."

Her glare deepened, but he again ignored her, going to tend to Kronos. Darryn and Aquila watched the whole interaction, their expressions showing the confusion they felt at Rowan's boldness.

They prepared and started back on their way through the forest. All around them were varieties of sounds coming from varieties of beasts, letting them know fully they weren't in their own territory. They passed flying alicorns and heard the screeches of banshees. Every once in a while, a black-eyed being would peek around a tree, their soulless eyes spooking the groups' beasts.

After they had traversed a couple miles, around midday, they came to a bit of a crossroads. The mountains were still days away, and they had come to a spot in the forest that branched off in two ways, both leading to the mountains. One was a quick trail to the mountains, heavily forested and practically crawling with some of the most dangerous beasts. The other way was an easy-to-navigate path with very minimal danger; however, it would set them back several days.

This, of course, led to an argument between Rowan and Jesika as they tried to decide which path to take. They argued back and forth, Jesika sitting behind Darryn on Rocky, Rowan on Kronos, standing next to her.

"If we go that way, we are going to get ourselves killed before we ever get to the mountain range! Not to mention, the incline is ten times steeper than the other path!" Rowan yelled.

"If we don't go that way, we're going to get killed anyway, being out here for so long! We'll barely be on the path long enough for anything to harm us anyway! Besides, I'd like to say we'll fare pretty well against beasts with a griffin, phoenix and a flipping giant wolf!" Jesika yelled back.

Rowan huffed, jumping off his griffin to stand beside Rocky as he looked up at her. "Why'd you bring me with you? Hm?"

Jesika glared at him, hopping off also to stand nose to nose to him. "Because I figured your knowledge of beasts might be somewhat helpful!"

Rowan's eyes widened, his face reddening with frustration as he leaned even closer. "Exactly! Don't you think that if I've spent my whole life studying beasts and this freaking forest, that I MIGHT know something about how dangerous these beasts can be?! Some of these beasts can kill a weak-minded person with a simple look in the eyes!"

Jesika laughed, void of humor. "The only weak-minded person I see is yourself," she bit out, her eyes darkening.

Rowan stumbled back at her insult, his jaw clenching. "I'm weak-minded, eh?"

"Guys--" Aquila said, sensing trouble was brewing.

Jesika huffed, rolling her eyes, ignoring Aquila. "Yes. That's what I just said, isn't it?"

Rowan grinned. Then slowly laughed. The laughter started as a small, bitter chuckle, but soon grew louder and louder.

"What are you laughing at?" she asked through gritted teeth.

He shook his head, still grinning. "I just think it's funny you say that, considering why you don't have a more impressive beast."

"Rowan--" Darryn warned, his voice low.

Jesika held up her hand at him without turning away from Rowan. "No, Darryn. Let the man speak. He thinks he knows why I don't have a hybrid. After all, he's the beast expert, is he not?" she asked, tilting her head mockingly. "So, let's hear it, Rowan."

Rowan straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. "It is true... Very rarely does a royal get such a pathetic beast. However, it is not fully unprecedented. Let me begin by reminding you that beasts are destined to people by their nobility they have achieved, the good character and decision making they have learned."

Jesika nodded, seemingly bored. "Go on," she said.

Aquila shook her head. "I really don't think we should--"

"Hush, Aquila!" Jesika ordered.

Aquila reluctantly quieted.

Rowan's grin grew as he again stepped closer. "That being said, in the past when royals or citizens get pathetic beasts, usually what is to blame is their own selfish bitterness clouding their decision making, shallowing their relationships, and destroying their respect. After all, I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the rejection you were quickly met with by the people you looked up to. And all because you're so incapable of moving on that it's ruined you."

Rowan's analysis was met with silence, silence that spoke loudly. Jesika didn't glare at him like he expected her to, like the glares he was now getting from her two friends. Instead, the look he got from Jesika was a blank gaze, with a small hint of something broken hidden beneath the blankness. That small hint though was all it took to make Rowan's stomach twist with regret and guilt. She worked her jaw, clenching her hands into fists.

"I'm uh... Going to get a look at that forested trail to stake it out, see if it's safe," Jesika said quietly, before turning to walk off.

Darryn hopped off his beast quickly, grabbing her arm firmly. "Jesika, no. Not by yourself."

Jesika wrenched her arm free, pointing her sword at him, making him back up. "What did I tell you, Darryn? You're not my bodyguard anymore. I can protect myself."

"Jes--"

Jesika ignored him, leaving them quickly, jogging somewhat. Darryn turned on his heel and swiftly threw his fist, his target being Rowan. Rowan dodged it, just barely missing the hit across his jaw.

"For a scholar, you're a freaking idiot, you know that?!" Darryn yelled.

Rowan rolled his eyes, breaking out of the guilty state he had been in, to face him. "Thanks, Sir Darryn. What would I do without your unwarranted opinions?" Rowan said, his tone dripping sarcasm.

Aquila hopped off her phoenix to join them. "That was incredibly rude, Rowan. And now, because of you, she's going alone on that freaking trail," Aquila added.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"I'm going after her," Darryn said, turning to head into the forest.

Rowan shook his head, stopping him, gripping his arm. "Don't. She'll be fine. She won't go far, she just needs a moment alone," he said.

Darryn wrenched his arm free the way Jesika had, glaring at him. "What do you know about what Jesika needs?!" he shot back, his voice like a dagger being thrown at him.

Aquila shook her head where she stood beside Rowan. "Rowan's right. You know how Jes is. She just needs some space to get her mind back in order. Let's leave her be for a moment, she'll be back soon."

Darryn sighed, reluctantly agreeing as he dropped to the ground to sit and wait.

***

Jesika could feel the ache in her chest growing, threatening to devour her as Rowan's words echoed over and over in her mind. She went deeper and deeper into the forest, the chill of the atmosphere not bothering her as she fought the thoughts in her own mind.

She had damaged her friendships with Aquila and Darryn. It didn't take Rowan's blunt words to make that clear. No, she had noticed long before this evening how they had slowly begun to distance themselves from her, preferring to go to each other when something was amiss, excluding her almost completely. She had only been lying to herself up until now, trying to pretend the distance wasn't there, that the bridges weren't burning.

She realized now that by dragging them with her into this trip, she had only damaged their friendship even more, selfishly putting them in harm's way, demanding they help her with her own personal battles. Maybe she was better off doing this alone. Maybe it was a bad decision to ever force them into helping her. After all, though they loved her parents, this was in no way their own mission. They hadn't even agreed to go until Rowan said something.

As her thoughts continued to go in a self-deprecating, dangerous loop, she failed to notice that her surroundings were drastically changed. She stopped a moment, looking around to realize she was lost and had no idea how to get back. Unfortunately, she had also failed to notice the manticore that had begun to stalk her, following her from a distance, watching her every move. She didn't know of its presence until it was too late, its bellow reaching her ears, like the trumpets that sounded at her coronation. Hearing the bellow, she turned to be eye to eye with the nightmarish creature as it prowled closer. She held up her sword, eyeing its stinger that was risen in the air, poised to strike. She backed away carefully as it continued to slowly advance on her. It opened its mouth, showing its three rows of knife-like teeth, bellowing again as its stinger began to release its deadly poison. She screamed as the manticore began to strike, but the manticore's efforts were quickly put to a stop when an arrow hit its side. The manticore swung around and Jesika looked past it to see Darryn holding a bow, another arrow ready to slice through the air at the manticore, should it advance on him.

And advance it did. The arrow failed to stagger the manticore at all as it quickly sprinted towards Darryn. Darryn, without hesitation, threw down his bow, reaching for his sword. When the manticore pounced at him with its mouth open, Darryn struck the manticore, his sword going straight into its mouth, piercing through its insides.

The manticore fell limply to the ground and Darryn drew his sword out and stepped over its carcass, making his way over to Jesika. He slid his sword back into its sheath as he walked.

Once he had reached her, he placed his hand on her shoulder, his expression concerned and gentle. "Are you alright? Did it hurt you?"

Jesika shook her head, still trying to process what just happened. "Y-yeah... I'm fine. Thank you. How did you find me?"

Darryn's face got a slight pink hue to it, and he sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "I let you walk alone for a while but had a bad feeling, so I decided to follow you a few paces back."

Jesika nodded in understanding. "Where's the group?" she asked.

Darryn glanced behind him as if they were standing there. "They set up camp to wait for you."

She nodded yet again, starting to feel the tension from earlier returning. She hated tension and the only thing she hated more was feeling it.

"Come on, I'll walk you back. We'll rest for the night, then decide which way to go in the morning. Hopefully, this time, in a more civil manner," Darryn said, starting his way back, gesturing for her to follow.

"Okay..." she said quietly, following him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes, before Darryn finally broke it. "You know, what Rowan said wasn't true."

Jesika felt no comfort in his words. She could hear the hollowness behind them, the sweet lies meant to comfort her. "It is true, Darryn. You and Aquila would've never done this if it wasn't for me forcing you to come. I didn't think about how this would affect you two at all."

Darryn squirmed, uncomfortable with the truth behind her words. "Alright, so maybe you were kind of being selfish when you forced us to come with you. But, in a way, Aquila and I were being selfish by making you force us. This is something we can tell you really feel you need to do, and friends are supposed to help each other with things like that and stand by each other. So, you're not the sole person who's in the wrong."

Jesika considered his words, seeing the logic in what he said. Perhaps it was true, that the only place where she had been wrong was in her method of getting them to help her. "But what about what he said about my beast? Do you think that's true?"

Darryn glanced at her, then glanced away, shrugging. "I have no idea, Jes. That's certainly not my area of expertise. Besides, as genius as Rowan may be on the subject, there is still so much we simply can't know about beasts and the acquiring of beasts. As smart as Rowan is, all he said was a theory, that's it."

Jesika looked at him, her mind wandering to the friendship they used to have, the relationship it blossomed into, the heartbreaking end, then the way he had gone after her and saved her now. She didn't quite know what her feelings for him were, she only knew for a fact that she missed being close to him. She wondered: did he miss her too?

Jesika gripped his arm, stopping him. He turned to her, his eyes questioning. "Darryn, are we still friends?"

He smiled a confused smile. "Well, of course we are. Why wouldn't we be?"

Jesika shook her head, stepping closer, still gripping his arm. "I'm not an idiot. And I'm not completely self-centered, though sometimes I wish I could ignore the feelings of those around me. I have noticed the growing distance between you and me." Jesika thought about mentioning Aquila but decided it was best to stick to one friendship at a time.

Darryn's jaw clenched, and he averted his eyes at her words. "Okay, so, I must admit... Ever since... the fire and the breakup... I have found it harder to be around you," Darryn paused, looking at her once again. "But that's only because you can be so hard to read, and even more-so after your parents died." Darryn placed his hands on her shoulders, leaning close, gazing deeply into her eyes, wishing he could burn down the walls with a simple look.

"I know Aquila feels the same way. We only wish you would let us know what you're feeling every once in a while."

Jesika felt her heart ache again, but it was a different type of ache. A painful hope for things to heal. She peered up at him, wide-eyed. "You want to know what I'm feeling?" she asked.

He nodded.

"I miss you, Darryn. I really miss you. And I want to know if you miss me the way I do," she said, forcing herself to say the words she had been holding back.

His eyes saddened and he lowered his head to nestle on her shoulder, in the crook of her neck. "Of course, I miss you, Jes," he whispered, his breath tickling her skin.

She squirmed and moved away a little, bringing her mouth to his before he could react. Instinctively he kissed her back, bringing one hand to her face. He kissed her for a sweet moment and Jesika reveled in it, letting herself pretend the kiss wouldn't end, letting herself pretend it was five years ago again, that the fire hadn't happened, that she was still in a blissful relationship with him and that everything was well in her life again.

This all came crashing down when he soon broke away, gasping for air and shaking his head. Jesika felt reality sink in again at his absence. The reality that her parents are gone, that her relationship is over and that her beast is a CAT.

Darryn raked his hands through his hair, stepping back several times. "Jesika, I don't--"

"You don't feel that way about me," Jesika deadpanned.

He looked at her, paling at the blank stare on her face, the same blank stare she had given Rowan. He tilted his head, willing her to understand. "I'm sorry, Jes, but no. I don't. I love you, but not that way."

Jesika nodded, averting her gaze. "I know. I'm not sure that I feel that way about you either. I just--" she paused, looking at him, tears filling her eyes. She shrugged. "I really don't know how I feel about anything anymore, Darryn. I'm just really confused and lost," she said, her voice cracking with pent-up emotion.

Darryn melted at her brokenness, brokenness she rarely let anyone see. He scooped her up in a tight hug, comforting her for a long moment.

Finally, he broke away, wiping tears from her eyes gently. "I would hug you longer, but we have to get back. It won't be long 'til it's dark. And we don't want to be stuck in this area of the forest in the dark."

Jesika stepped back, nodding. "Yeah, I'm realizing now that this trail maybe wasn't the smartest idea. I admit, I was probably getting a little desperate."

Darryn grinned. "Alright, then let's head back."

They started back, a weight lifted off their shoulders, a weight that been there for years. As they walked, Jesika asked quietly:

"Hey, can we please not tell Aquila and Rowan about what happened with the manticore? It's kind of embarrassing."

Darryn laughed. "Yeah, I won't tell them."

"Thanks... And also, can we tell Rowan you convinced me to go on the other trail? I don't want to admit that I realized he was right, and it would infuriate him if you convinced me when he couldn't."

Darryn laughed even louder, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Sounds like a plan. He deserves it."

"He deserves it? Don't tell me you got mad at him after I left?!" she asked incredulously.

He nodded, chuckling. "I swung at him."

"You swung at him?!" They continued in their friendly banter as they made their way back to camp.