Jiriel wouldn’t stop running around the house. She obsessively went through Oto's luggage and kept adding clothes, bread, and other things. The boy got a canvas sack with a rope used as a shoulder strap: an improvised backpack. He had provided a similar one for Nene, as her usual travel bag wasn't large enough. However, the Emissary showed no signs of calming down and was about to fill their luggage to the point of overburdening.
«Is this blanket enough? Food? You can't just eat dried meat and bread!»
«We will get something in the forest», he replied.
«What if there are no fruit trees or edible vegetables? You know you have to eat fruit and vegetables too! Does Nila know how to treat foot blisters? Oh no! What if… a snake bit you? We need an antidote!»
«My Lady, you’re going to scare him»
«Good! Maybe he’ll stay home then!»
Oto snatched the backpack from her and slung it over his shoulder. He took Jiriele by the hand, who was on the verge of crying again, and accompanied her to sit in her favourite armchair, in front of the fireplace.
«I'll be fine»
«We’ve always been together!», she whimpered. «What am I supposed to do?!»
«I don't know... Have fun, you always do. Go to the tavern if you feel lonely. You have many friends in town»
«Don’t wanna…»
Who was the adult in the room? Nene approached shyly. She didn’t want to interrupt them, but the three of them seemed more and more like a family in her eyes. She dared to put a hand on the Emissary's shoulder, who couldn't stop sobbing.
«Have faith in us. We'll be fine»
«When in doubt, run away. Nene, no “according to the Archangel” horseshit! Safety first, ‘kay?»
For the first time, the Emissary perfectly imitated her voice. Nene understood the discomfort it caused to those who had experienced it before her. After checking they hadn’t forgotten anything important, Nene nodded to Oto.
«We should go, the sun will rise soon»
«Yes. Bye, Jiriel»
The boy hugged the angel, who squeezed him so hard that he coughed. She repeated the process with Nene, crushing her in her arms and filling her with her unnatural divine heat. For an instant, Nene fell into her trap, into that irresistible feeling of peace that contact with the Emissary conveyed, and wished not to leave. She was not fooled and pushed her away. They then headed towards the door.
«Never leave Nene's side!»
«Yes, Jiriel»
«Also, don't eat too much in the morning. You know you get a stomach ache if you do»
«Yes, Jiriel»
«Love you…»
«Me too»
They finally managed to leave the house. The Emissary's protective instinct had become suffocating since Oto had offered himself as a guide. Nene breathed a sigh of relief.
«Have you never separated?»
«We've always been together since we met», he confirmed.
«How did it happen?»
«Oh, she… fell from the sky»
Nene laughed. She had read that corny phrase countless times in her favourite novels. Oto wasn't the literate type, so it was likely a coincidence, which made it even funnier. However, his expression seemed to suggest otherwise.
«Wait… are you serious?»
«Yes. I saw fire fall from the sky and went to check. I thought it was a star... I was little»
«A… star?»
«Yup… Then, I took her home. Grandpa tried to heal her wounds, but after a few hours, she was already on her feet without any help. Then she stayed with us»
«Was she wounded? Can the Emissary... get injured?»
«So it seems…»
Oto frowned. She was being inappropriate, so Nene changed the subject as they headed down the hill, towards the city. Their destination, the gigantic tree, watched over them. It was visible from everywhere nearby, so much so that it was impossible not to think about the dangers looming on the path. They arrived at the tavern where the two sisters were staying. They found Adanara sitting at the counter, arguing with the owner, Sevika.
«Wait a few days, at least!»
«My place, my rules»
The witch had given up her ridiculous sorceress outfit in exchange for the more practical local clothes. She was sitting on a stool next to which lay a large bag, similar to Oto's.
«I don't even know how long it will take!»
«Exactly. If you die along the way, what am I supposed to do? Keep the room empty forever?»
«No, but… Let's set a time limit, please!»
«Three weeks. No negotiations. The end»
Adanara sighed. She had met her match. Sevika was hosting her out of gratitude, she and Nila had nowhere else to go, so losing their place at the tavern would mean being homeless.
«It will do», she replied, distraught.
Oto approached the two. Nene hesitated, unsure if the witch was still angry with her. The boy made himself noticed with his heavy steps, and the two women turned.
«Hi», he said.
«Hey, Oto. Been a while. Are you leaving too?»
«Yes. We go to the forest to the northeast»
«So I heard. Bring the girls back to me alive, ‘kay?»
Nene made up her mind and approached Adanara. The witch pretended to ignore her. She continued to look straight over the counter with an indifferent face.
«Adanara…»
«Mm?»
«... I'm sorry about what I told you yesterday»
The witch snorted. Her insufferable attitude, however, did not show up. Nene, almost in disbelief, thought she noticed the hint of a smile as she stood up and collected her bags.
«Come on, let's move. Daylight is getting shorter each day. Nila!», she shouted.
«Coming!»
From the floor above, almost tumbling down the stairs, Nila came down. She also wore clothes similar to her sister’s. The two of them and Oto blended in seamlessly with the Kumhar crowd, unlike Nene, who stood out in her usual black cape.
«How long does it take? The brats are here»
«I-I was... Mind your business! We can go now»
«Come back alive!», Sevika greeted them.
«I bet you'd shed so many tears if we wouldn't…»
Adanara raised her middle finger and showed it to the owner, who did the same. Oto laughed at the gesture, unknown to Nene. Nonetheless, those two seemed to understand each other, somehow.
The group left the tavern and headed down the alley.
«So, Oto, which way?», the witch asked.
«The mayor said the ruins are dangerous», Nene intervened.
«I know the path in the forest», the boy explained. «They marked it with painted stones»
«B-but that will only take us to the hunters’ camp, right?»
«Yes. From then on... dunno?»
The boy shrugged. Their guide only knew half the path, which didn’t bode well. They went through the northern gate, past the chicken farms and the barn where Oo lived. Nene wished to stop and say hello, but she didn't want to waste precious time during daylight. She had instructed, or rather, the Emissary had granted her help: she would have taken care of feeding her horse in her absence. Hopefully, she had entrusted him to the right person…. Jiriel tended to get distracted and forget things very easily. They saw Vulaj, the hunter, collecting dried meat from the porch of his hut. He watched them pass but didn't say a word. He and his buddy were terrified of the forest, so they must have thought their journey was doomed from the very beginning.
The forest looked endless. The strong scent of resin covered Adanara's witchy smell. Nene was finally getting used to her presence. They walked for a few minutes in the flat and tidy undergrowth, along a small path dug in the earth, following Oto’s guidance. Nobody said a word. The nervousness was palpable, so Nene tried to break the ice.
«It’s easy for now», she said.
«Not for long, it’ll be gone soon», Oto explained.
«Don't jinx it, shorty!»
«What do you mean? Do you believe in omens? That’s silly»
«That’s rich, coming from the guy who lives with an angel»
They walked for a few hours chatting about this and that. Nila shared embarrassing episodes from Adanara's childhood, who in response did the same. Nene told them Elora's story, from when she had met her to the time of her imprisonment. Adanara criticised her for abandoning a friend just because she was corrupted by the Evil One, earning a rebuke from her sister. In truth, Nene shared her feelings and promised to herself that had she ever returned to the Principality, she would have looked for her old friend. For his part, Oto was being very serious, especially when the dirt path left room for only grass and shrubs. He searched like a hound for specific stones, about a metre high and covered in coloured paint, which indicated the way. After getting the hang of it, however, he let himself go, sharing his hunting strategies that only he seemed to understand. Adanara was able to keep up a bit, having lived on self-sufficiency during the period she had spent with her mother beyond the borders of the Principality. Nila and Nene had never had to get food with their own hands, so they pretended to understand what the boy was talking about. Adanara instead tried to chime in on the conversation, but it was clear that Oto was in another league, and on top of that he was having a hard time explaining himself.
They went on at a steady pace for several hours, taking only short breaks to drink water or eat something, when daylight began to fade towards pink, as the sunset was coming.
«We have to find somewhere to camp», Oto said.
«If we move away from the path, don't we risk losing it?»
«True. Let's continue a little further then»
They continued through the sparse undergrowth with almost no relief or rock formations. The rows of trees were easily distinguishable, unlike the dense forest around Dena. At first sight, that terrain looked practicable, but in reality, it was so monotonous it was very easy to get lost. The forest looked identical no matter the direction. As suggested by the two hunters, since autumn was coming and the people of Kumhar no longer visited that area, a massive number of birds could be heard chirping among the foliage. Oto explained that deeper down there were also wild goats and boars, which were very dangerous when they had cubs with them. He advised them to keep their distance in case they spotted one.
Shortly afterwards, when it was full dusk and visibility was beginning to decline, they reached a depression in an area crossed by a stream. The water meandered among roots and rocks, and not far away they saw some trees felled by axes.
«When the mayor banned us from coming here, everyone ran away, even woodcutters», Oto said.
«We can take refuge among those trunks», Nene suggested. «They give a little shelter»
Two large trees, by then withered, their branches cut off, were lying next to each other, parallel. It was a convenient barrier against the wind, ideal for starting a fire. Nene was no expert, but she had been taught a few things at the monastery, to prepare her for the travelling lifestyle of an Inquisitor.
They gathered their bags in one place. She and Oto explored the immediate surroundings, gathering branches to start a fire. Meanwhile, Nila took up the axe they had brought with them, reducing the smaller felled trunks into stumps. Before dark they had started a fire and spread their blankets around it. They were ready for the night. As soon as they sat down on the floor, everybody began feeling tired.
«Should we have guard shifts?», Nene asked.
«Good idea, go ahead», Adanara replied.
The witch lay down on the blanket and gave her back to her. Nila, finally tired of apologising for Adanara’s bad temper, picked up some moss from the ground and threw it at her, but she simply wiped it away and kept sulking.
The darkness of the evening advanced, the flickering light of their small bonfire danced with the shadows cast by the trees, and the sounds of the animals changed. Soon sparrows gave way to crickets, the roar of the stream and the night breeze. Nene sat down on one of the trunks they were using as shelter, to keep watch.
«I'll relieve you later», Oto offered. «In a couple of hours, okay?»
«Okay...», she groaned.
«Goodnight», Nila said.
She was alone. Or rather, she remained to watch over her sleeping companions, and she felt such. Her only company was the light of the fire. From time to time she threw some branches into the flames. She remembered her journey from the Capital to Dena, the nights spent by herself in the dark. She had longed for a travelling companion at the time. Actually having some made it all the more tolerable, still, spending two hours alone in the dark seemed like an eternity. Nene wasn't even sure how much time had passed, as she couldn't see the moon nor the sky covered by the branches of the trees. To kill time she began to fantasise about the day they would return. The mayor had said that with her guard's pay, she could buy properties. Would she have stayed to live with Oto and the Emissary, or would she have had her own home? Or rather, with Nila... The thought alone would surely have kept her awake, so she stopped daydreaming. That night was going to be so boring…
She opened her eyes suddenly, realising she had dozed off. The flame was still alive, so it was only for a few moments. At that rate, she would have collapsed. It was time to take turns with Oto.
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Nene woke up at the crack of dawn. The smell of ash and burning wood invaded her nostrils. The fire in the centre of their camp had been just recently put out. Not far away, sitting on one of the felled trunks, she saw Adanara, intent on chewing a large blade of sorrel, a sour-tasting herb used to feed horses. Nene sat up. The warmth of the blankets left her almost instantly, swept away by the cool morning breeze. The weak sunlight barely illuminated the surroundings, trees were still casting their faded shadows on the ground. She looked around and saw that Nila and Oto were still sleeping. Adanara was staring at her, so she waved. The witch ignored her, stood up and approached her sister.
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«We're late. Nila, wake up. Nila!»
Nila was lying extremely sprawled out, with one arm across her chest, her legs spread apart, the blanket twisted around her body and her hair plastered over her face. She woke up very lazily. The noise also woke up Oto, who was soon on his feet instead.
«Leave me be», the girl grumbled.
«Move! The sun is rising»
«The others?»
«They're already awake. Hurry up. Nene is looking at you and you look like a derelict!»
Nila sat up and pushed her hair from her face. Adanara moved far away, having anticipated her reaction, and dodged her attempt to grab her by the ankle by leaping backwards.
«S-stop teasing me! How do I look?»
«As always, in the morning»
The young woman tried to fix her hair a little and picked up her blanket with an angry look. Nene wanted to say something comforting but felt too embarrassed to go that far. Oto anticipated her.
«I also move a lot while I sleep. Once I woke up upside down»
«See?! It's n-nothing to be ashamed of!»
«You really said that? With that face?»
Adanara burst out laughing and ran away. For the first time, Nene saw a side of her she didn't know. She had already noticed before how the two sisters often teased each other, as a game, but to think that Adanara could try to be funny was something she never expected.
«Everything okay?», Oto asked her.
«I'm hungry», Nene replied. «Let's eat something before leaving»
The boy nodded. Nene gathered her things, packed her blanket, and then took a loaf of bread from her bag. She sat down on a felled log, next to Oto who was nibbling on a carrot. In front of her, Nila still looked offended and sat sulking, her hair unkempt, while Adanara, all smiles, was fixing it with bare hands. Nene instinctively touched her own hair. It was much shorter and neater than Nila's, and she had never paid much attention to it. No one except Elora had ever been taught to worry about such things, as she had to appear at meetings with the nobles who financially supported the Inquisition. It was one of the sad realities of her position as a Saint.
«Oto, I don’t think you move a lot while sleeping», she whispered.
«I know», he replied softly. «I just said it to make her feel better»
She felt like an idiot for having asked and for not having thought about it herself. Caring about others wasn't something she was used to. She had been raised to protect people, not to be considerate of them. Maybe she could have learned something from Oto, even from Adanara.
After breakfast, they followed the stream until they found the path of stones marked by the hunters. Oto took the head of the group and led the way. They marched again for hours, sharing anecdotes and stopping only to catch their breath and refresh themselves. Adanara turned out to know many things about plants in the forest, things that even Nila did not. She taught them about edible herbs, like the one she was constantly chewing, picking a new blade as soon as she had completely consumed the previous one. Time passed rather smoothly and pleasantly. Good company allowed them to forget the dangers that awaited and the unknown that lay deep within that endless sea of trees.
They camped for the second night near a rocky outcrop that provided a modicum of shelter from the wind. The air turned wet and cooler as they went deeper into the forest. That night it was Nila who took charge of the first watch.
It was also Nila who woke up Nene in the night.
«Hey, wake up», she whispered as she shook her arm.
«Uh? What's happening?»
«I saw something among the trees!»
Nene's eyes widened and she sat up suddenly. They were completely in the dark. Nila had put out the fire to hide their location, so they were basically blind. Nene got out of the blanket, picked up the sword she had left nearby and stood up.
«Wake up the others», she told.
Visibility was almost zero. The moonlight struggled to illuminate such a dense forest. She continued to nervously check the surroundings until Oto and Adanara were on their feet as well.
«What did you see?», the witch asked.
«I-I-I don't know, there was a light over there»
«A lantern?»
«Maybe…»
Oto yawned loudly, making their attempts to remain inconspicuous completely futile. He gave himself a good stretch, then bent over the extinct hearth.
«It's okay», he said aloud. «Have you never seen one?»
«Don’t!», Nene ordered. «If you light it up, they will see us!»
«Wisps are harmless, don't worry»
The boy began to produce sparks with the flints. Nene continued to search the area but saw nothing unusual. Until, in the distance, she noticed: a light, exactly as Nila had said, but not from a lantern. No lantern emitted purple light.
«Over there!», she said.
«It's a will-o'-the-wisp», Oto confirmed. «You really never seen them?»
«Stop talking like it's normal!», Adanara snapped. «What is that thing?!»
«I don't know, it doesn't look like an animal... But they're harmless. They are like lights that go around the forest. I tried to capture them once, but you can’t touch them»
The bizarre purple light floated between the trees at an irregular pace. It did not appear to have a source and varied in intensity erratically, much like a fire.
«Is it a firefly?», Nene speculated.
«Those are insects. Wisps do not have a body. Jiriel says they are… What did she say? I don't remember, she always speaks weird»
«Ugh, I almost had a stroke», Adanara complained.
«Me too», her sister agreed. «S-sorry, I... I had no idea, I thought...»
Nene put her sword away, then she took Nila’s hand.
«It doesn't matter. Go to sleep, I'll stay»
Nila's heartbroken expression turned into a smile. There was something strange tho: how could Nene make out her face so well, in that pitch darkness? It was then that she noticed a second light, white in colour, similar to that of the moon, floating above Nila's head. She stood astonished seeing the bizarre phenomenon up close.
«W-why are you staring at me?»
«Erm… Nothing»
«Oh shit! There’s one over your head!», Adanara shouted.
Nila looked up and was dismayed. The eerie light floated back and forth in an arcing trajectory, seemingly harmless as they had been told. In the meantime, Oto restarted the bonfire on the ground. He approached Nila and waved his hands at the wisp, which floated away, reuniting with the purple one.
«Man, I really wanna catch one. If I put it in a jar I would have a magic lantern that never runs out!»
«Unbelievable», Nene commented. «Oto, are there other bizarre things in this forest, things we should know about?»
«Dunno? Wisps aren’t strange to me. I already told you about wild boars, did I?»
«Yes, everyone knows boars», Adanara intervened. «Are there other fairytale creatures? Maybe if we know in advance we can avoid getting a heart attack!»
«I don't know, there are only animals and plants, as far as I know. I have never seen the fairies Jiriel talks about»
«I hope so»
«We should rest», Nene said. «From here on out I think we should expect more and more unusual and perhaps dangerous encounters»
«They are not dangerous», Oto repeated.
The rest of the night went on very slowly. Nene couldn't sleep, so she stood guard the whole time. She was sure that Nila and Adanara were also awake after that frightening encounter, but since she couldn't see their faces, she had no way of confirming. She spent her time observing those unnatural lights dancing among the trees. Every now and then one of them would come a little closer, scaring the heck out of her. Over time, however, she got used to their presence, even starting to find them fascinating. There were so many things she didn't know, which the books of the Church didn't even mention, and she began to wonder if there was a grain of truth in many myths and legends coming from the world outside the Principality, and if they were actually connected to the Evil One as it was commonly believed.
----------------------------------------
The following day was tough for the group. Oto was the only one who had slept well the previous night. They followed him at a slower pace than usual and made several stops. Nila, in particular, having spotted the will-o'-the-wisps first, was quite nervous. Nene and Adanara were no different, and all three were overreacting over and over to the sounds of squirrels running through fallen leaves or a snapping twig.
On the third night, they set up camp around a large tree. Not having found a more sheltered area, they suffered through the cold and wind. They also spotted other will-o'-the-wisps, many more than the previous day. Nene would have loved to stay awake watching them, admiring the variety of their colours and weightless movements, but she was exhausted and collapsed.
On the fourth day, the environment began to change. The forest, up to that point rather welcoming, was getting harsher to traverse. They crossed multiple rocky areas and a river thanks to a large boulder that served as a natural bridge. The undergrowth was thicker, bristling with brambles and marshes. The scent of resin gave way to a damp, foul smell. Despite frequent questions, Oto insisted that beyond the swamp there was the part of the forest richer in waterways and therefore more lush, where animals gathered, ideal for a hunting camp.
It was afternoon when they reached a clearing of very tall grass. It was almost up to Nene's face, so she struggled to move forward.
«We're almost there», Oto said. «It should be here»
«Wait!»
The boy was about as tall as she was and yet he had no difficulty walking, thanks to being used to the forest or his more robust build, but she was unable to proceed smoothly.
«A-are you trying to get piggybacked again?», Nila giggled.
«Help…», she whimpered.
«Let me go ahead», Adanara told her. «Follow my steps»
She did as she was told. Adanara smoothed the path just enough to help her not slow down the entire group.
«Here we are!», Oto exclaimed.
Amid all that thick, tall grass, Nene saw a roof made of branches. There was a rudimentary hut down there, the camp used by hunters they had heard about. They reached the building, surrounded by grass and in a state of abandonment. It was a large farmhouse about ten metres wide, built with intertwined trunks and branches. The hunters must have built it with what was available on the spot. Oto navigated through the vegetation and found the door, also covered by grass. They had to spend a few minutes clearing the way by cutting and tearing, but finally, they managed to open it. The interior was illuminated by the light that filtered through the rudimentary walls and especially the woven wicker ceiling, a terrible shelter against the rain. The building rested on bare earth, where some sporadic tufts of grass dared to challenge the dim light and sprout. Inside they found several rusty work tools, some old mouldy blankets and some wood that could still be used to light a fire.
«Wow, just as I remembered!», Oto said.
«Rain ruined everything», Nene observed. «Why didn't they insulate the roof?»
«That’s weird. It never rains here»
«Judging by the mud and rust, it sure does», Adanara observed.
«D-do you think we'll have to stay here long? Because if that's the case, w-we should sort it out»
«Do you know how to insulate a roof?»
«It depends. Oto, do you know how to?»
«Do what?»
Adanara sighed loudly. She dropped her bag on the ground. A slimy sound increased everyone's bad mood, except Oto’s, who was euphoric at the sight of a place from his childhood.
«Come, Nila. Let's see if I still remember how Dad did it...»
«What are you going to do?», Nene asked.
«Our father built our house in Dena all by himself», Nila explained proudly. «When there was something to fix, he taught us some of his tricks»
«Nene, light a fire outside, cut some grass and leave it near it to dry», the witch said. «Don't set the whole prairie on fire»
Adanara's manners were annoying as usual and the idea of following her orders made her seethe. She kept her emotions to herself, though, recognising that she had no idea how to solve their problem.
«What do I do?», Oto asked.
«C-could you look for a bucket and use it to collect some mud?»
«Mud?»
«We can use it to i-insulate the roof. It’s not pitch, but it will do»
«Okay»
The boy began rummaging through the rusty junk. Nene went outside to do her part, hoping her sword wouldn't lose its edge by gardening.
They spent several hours working. Nene took advantage of her assignment to free up space near the entrance. Doing as she was told, the grass dried into straws after a few hours by the fire. It had a much more pungent and harder appearance than the naturally dried one, so hopefully they weren’t about to use it to pad a mattress. Oto tirelessly carried buckets of mud from a nearby stream to the hut, where Nila, balancing precariously on an old board, smeared it against the wicker ceiling. Adanara did the same with the walls.
«That’s enough», the witch said after a while. «We're almost done»
Sunset was approaching and Nene felt like she had been cutting grass forever. She had lit a second fire to try to speed up the process, but keeping both flames alive was proving to be a challenge. She would have liked to ask Oto for help, but after the hard work he had done, he deserved some rest. He was drenched in sweat, sitting in front of the entrance, drinking from his leather canteen.
«Hey», he said, turning inward. «What are the straws for?»
«To cover the floor. Better than sleeping on crap»
The boy stood up. He approached Nene with a weary expression but found the strength to smile at her.
«I’ll try to bundle it. I've seen the guy at the stables do it, once»
He used some fresh blades of grass to tie the dried ones. Nene quickly imitated him. She had managed to clear an area of several square metres large around the shed, and without causing fires, but she didn't want to push her luck too much, plus it was getting dark. When the sisters had finished insulating the shack, they all together began to carry the straw inside. Adanara showed them how to stretch them to create a somewhat stable surface. As she herself had said, it was undoubtedly better than sleeping in the mud.
On the matter of mud, Nila was covered in it. What she had stuck to the ceiling had quickly dried out, but she had gotten a lot of it on herself in the process. Her clothes, her hair and her face were filthy, so much so that she almost looked like a different person, someone who enjoyed rolling in the dirt. When they finished tidying up the floor, Nene offered to help her clean herself but got the opposite reaction of what she wanted.
«A-am I that filthy?», Nila asked.
«Er, well, I was thinking... I mean, we all are, aren't we?»
She looked around for support, but Adanara pretended to be busy rummaging through the junk. Oto, on the other hand, was trying to operate an old oil lamp covered in rust, so he wasn't paying attention to them.
«Don't look at me!», Nila pleaded.
Making her aware of her condition had only made things worse. Nene needed an idea, but nothing came to mind. Oto suddenly rejoiced. The light of the lamp fell on them, and on Nila's face, who was about to cry.
«There is a stream nearby. Just follow the tracks I left. Here», he said, handing Nene the lamp.
Nene held out a hand to Nila, who hesitated a moment before accepting it. They went out at dusk, in the middle of the small clearing Nene had made in the prairie that afternoon. She set out in the direction Oto told her, following his trail as she had been advised. The lamp emitted a very weak light, but fortunately, they had found a couple of bottles of still usable oil, so they could have refilled it if necessary.
«Luckily you and your sister were there», she said. «I didn't want to sleep in mud and rain. In the condition the cabin was in, it would have been better to camp outside»
«Mud. M-mud everywhere», Nila whined.
«Don't worry, come on. A little water and you will be clean»
«What about my clothes? And my hair? Nene, be honest... do I stink?»
It was no secret that Nila cared a lot about her appearance, but for some reason, she was blowing things out of proportion. It was more than normal to get stinky while travelling. Taking a bath was a luxury that could not be afforded along the road.
«No», she lied. «Um… you still look pretty», she said.
«Liar!»
They came across the stream Oto had spoken of. The watercourse was reduced to a mess due to his excavations, there were muddy puddles everywhere. Nene advised heading upstream to find cleaner water. They reached a point where the river bed was a little larger, about a metre wide. Nila crouched among the tall grass, wet her hands and began to clean her face. Nene held up the lamp, although the visibility was still good. She crouched in front of her and lost herself in watching her face emerge from the mud and dirt. She realised she was staring at her a little too hard, but it was late.
«Am I still dirty?», Nila asked.
«Huh? No… No, I was just… Watching»
She felt the instinct to punch herself in the head for having said such a stupid thing. Nila obsessively rubbed her forehead once again, even though it was already clean.
«C-could you turn the other away?»
«Oh, um… sure»
Nene turned. She extended her arm, holding the lamp to provide light. She heard rustling in the grass and the sound of water. She forced herself not to imagine anything. To do so, she recalled the sightings of will-o'-the-wisps that had fascinated her so much. Suddenly, however, she heard another rustling in the grass, further away, and she started to turn around.
«Who’s there?», she asked.
«Don't look!», Nila screamed.
Nene's vision went dark. Nila threw some clothing to her face. She crouched and caught whatever was blinding her. Nila's shirt was in her hand, all sweaty to the point that it was difficult to ignore the stench.
«I am pixie… monster-thingy», Adanara replied. «I feast on little girls who get lost at night»
«Did you come to spy on your sister as usual?»
«What?! I came to wash myself too, idiot!»
«Ada, don't get your clothes wet, or you'll get sick», Nila recommended. «We can wash those tomorrow»
«Yes, you're right. Hey, watch out for the nun! I think she's the touchy-feely type»
«I’m not!»
«She's shedding light on me, she's being considerate», Nila defended her.
«Oh, how nice. Come and shed some light on me too, will you?»
«Fuck you!»
«Hey, do you think the tree is still far from here?»
The sound of the only male voice in the group came from a point in the grass further upstream. Oto was also there, washing himself. Nene was trying to be kind to Nila, but at that moment, finding herself being the only one crouched with a lantern in her hand, she felt like an idiot.
«Aren't you supposed to be the one who knows the surroundings?»
«I know around here a bit, but I've never gone towards the tree»
«Don't worry, Oto. F-from here on we’ll figure out»
Nene looked up towards the east and recognized the tree’s silhouette standing out among the last lights of the evening. In the depths of the forest, they risked losing sight of it again. Hopefully, Oto's sense of direction was enough to keep them on the right track.
«Tomorrow morning let's take note of its position relative to the sun», Adanara advised.
«It doesn't seem very far away, don’t you think?»
«I hope so. I'd hate to abandon this place entirely since we've worked our ass off to fix it up»
«Nene, would you... give me back my shirt?»
«Yes. Yes, of course, here you go»
«Hey, what are you doing to my sister?!»
«Nothing! She started it! It's all your fault!»
«You little thief! Clothes thief!»
After a few moments, Nila tapped Nene on the shoulder. She turned very slowly, to avoid yet another attack. She found her completely dressed, with soaked hair but definitely in a better state. The woman took the lantern from her hand and smiled.
«Thank you. Your turn now»
«My turn? Erm…»
Nene hesitated. In the Church, it was considered taboo to appear naked in front of anyone. It was not a teaching from the Archangel, but more a matter of pride and dignity. The cilice was a sacred rite for the Inquisitors, an act with which to show one's weakness and repentance to God. Undressing for other reasons was therefore considered unworthy, and the etiquette required doing so only in the most absolute privacy. With Nila next to her, Oto and Adanara exchanging jokes from both sides, she could never.
Nila turned the other way, hoping to make her feel more at ease, but to no avail.
«S-soon it will be dark. You should hurry»
«Yes, but... you know, we Inquisitors...»
«Nene», Nila said, her tone firm. «You stink. A lot»
Nene blushed. She was aware of it. Nila laughed, which made her realise she wasn't just insulting her for no reason, it was her way of spurring her, although pretty rough. There was no other choice, so she began to undress.