The group of four, three demons, one human, flew high above the Great Forest, the trees passing below them swiftly, the clouds ever so much nearer.

Jyl marvelled at the sight, the likes of which she could only compare to the time she had climbed the rock formation far south of her village. Her grandfather had taken her there to celebrate their last hunt together, for he had finally decided to retire, his age getting the best of him.

She remembered staring absent-mindedly at the view, much like she was now, trying to imagine the beings living their lives far beneath her feet, and watching the clear blue sky above her head, reaching out as if she could touch it. That was definitely a day she would never forget.

Though this time she was even higher up, and she could see even further, the mode of travel left much to be desired. Being carried like this was not only uncomfortable, but also left her feeling helpless. So despite the wondrous scenery, she preferred walking on her own two feet.

Not that she planned on saying that to her companions. Especially considering how eager they were to get back to their homes. Flying was a lot faster than walking after all, despite taking regular brakes to rest.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

They would fly about two hours, then walk some time, before taking to the sky again.

Mirus seemed comfortable enough being carried by Arick. In fact, she suspected this was not their first time travelling like this. He spent the time talking about any topic he could think off, to the point the others had soon lost interest. Except of course, when he managed to swallow another fly, then Cecile would smirk at him, and joke how many he could catch before the next stop.

Luckily, they didn't encounter any flying beasts, not that there were many this close to the northern edge, and while travelling on ground Jyl would always keep a close eye on everything. Her companions may have learned plenty during their time with the hunters, but they were still far from being able to survive in this forest on their own after all.

It took five days for them to reach the end of the human kingdom, and from there on they travelled along the Endless Plains instead, as it was far safer. Though Jyl couldn't help but miss the familiarity of the forest.

The journey all together was pretty monotonous.

One evening, as the group had just finished setting up camp, and the summer sun had barely touched the horizon, Arick called out:

"Jyl, do you mind walking to the forest with me? I would like to talk with you about something."

She slightly narrowed her eyes at his words. He had used her name, instead of 'huntress', as he had taken to calling her since they had met. Whatever he had to say, it was probably important.

Nodding, she followed him down the hill and into the trees.