Chapitre 30: The Forest

After saying goodbye to both Jaime and his mom, Linri went to ask others in the expedition for a bug repellent. The guy that he asked looked weirdly at him after seeing his bracelet but did not say anything and just gave some to him. This did not escape Linri's attention though.

He felt that there was more to this expedition than he knew. Linri knew that bracelet was definitely magic since Lyra gave it to him but the man looking at it weirdly when he asked for a repellent made Linri think he might know magic too. Otherwise why would he look like that. Maybe that was also why they did not mention a thing when Arkady brought his family with him. Who would refuse the help of a master magician when she came on her own volition.

This thought made Linri shiver in fear again. Just a simple expedition he mentioned in a few sentences turned into a magic expedition. Who knew what else was different from what he intended or didn't mention at all. He was also fearing the guys that joined it. Considering the whole Kitsune clan was searching for Arkady and Linri there was no way someone dealt with super natural community did not know them. Despite that his dad was willing to join the expedition. That meant he trusted them and also the guys here not fearing the Kitsune clan. So either they had a much stronger background or they were strong enough ignore them. Anyone of the scenarios was enough to make Linri's back cover in cold sweat.

He suddenly felt suffocated and did not want to stay in the camp any more. He was genuinely scared. Any one of the guys probably kill him with one slap. At this point Linri finally understood what ignorance is bliss meant. Sometimes knowing too much be harmful than beneficial like right now. He was not ready for this realization so he wanted to get away but he knew that he could not. That would make him draw unnecessary attention.

Linri then saw a high tree next to his tent and found his solution. He did not want to be close to these 'monsters' but he also did not want to leave the camp. He was also a teenager so probably no one would question it if he decide to climb a tree in the forest. That's why he just climbed the tree. He knew that this was probably idiotic but he needed time to digest this information he just learned. With his 1.5x above average agility it was not really hard to climb the tree and he sat on the one of the thick lover branches. Even if he fell as long as he didn't break any bones he knew that Lyra could fix it in a night. He also suspected that she could fix the bone as well but she would not be willing to do so as he was 'normal'.

Once he sat down on the branch he slowly calmed down. His father was right. There really were no such thing as a perfect plan. Unless you were omniscient you can not equate for everything and there was a possibility of an unknown variable. The problem was this variable was too much for Linri. He wondered how was he supposed to leave the camp with all these monsters watching. Now that he was calm though Linri felt like he was over thinking it. If he were to leave normally to explore the surroundings no one would suspect anything as he was a little teenager and it shouldn't be weird for him to seek his own little adventure. Since they were here there shouldn't be anything happening to him too.

At least that was what Linri hoped they would think. When he was still thinking about what to do Linri heard a rustles coming from below. Once he looked he saw Jaime coming out of his and Arkady's tent.

"You know, you can always knock before going in right? It would be embarrassing if you caught me shouting or something" shouted Linri. He was scared so he thought maybe messing with Jaime would make him feel better.

When she heard that Jaime blushed but Linri was not in the tent so she was also a little surprised. Then she looked towards the source of the voice which was the tree.

"What makes you think that I didn't? Also what are you doing up there it's dangerous come down!" shouted Jaime from below.

"Well I would have heard it if you did. Secondly it's not as dangerous as you think. Wanna come here and have a chat?"

"No! What if I fall? It's too dangerous."

Linri came down from the tree as quick as a monkey.

"Then I would catch you. Really though with your stats it should be as easy as eating pie. My stats aren't half as good and I am okay aren't I?" Linri was urging her to go up. The view up there was beautiful so he also wanted her to see it too.

"You would catch me?" asked Jaime doubtfully.

"Yeah of course I would but that's on the premise you fall and I doubt that happening" answered Linri trying to make her gain confidence.

Jaime started to climb the tree slowly. She was very careful about where to step since she was still afraid of falling. Seeing this Linri wanted to make a joke to make her.

"View down here is excellent. It would have been even better if you were in a skirt as always"

Jaime was in clothes Lyra lent her as she did not have any clothes suited for going to a safari. They were a little baggy but it did not bother her. Once she heard what Linri said she was frozen solid and blushing heavily. Then she heard a crack and the little branch under her left feed. The branch broke and she started falling.

Linri did not expect that but since he was already near the tree he didn't have to spent much effort to catch her with his speed and agility. Jaime fell down between his arms. She was in a princess carry position. She was shivering heavily and all the colour was gone from her face. She was like a little kitten in Linri's arms

"Afraid of heights?" Linri asked. Jaime did not answer him and just nodded her head slowly.

"Then we have to make you climb this tree no matter what. Fears need to be conquered otherwise you can't move on." Linri spewed some bullshit.

"No" answered Jaime trembling.

"I did not ask your opinion though. Don't worry If you fall again I can catch you again. No need to fear. This time try to go as fast you can. This way the branch under your feet wont have any time break. Just go as fast as you can I am here to catch you." said Linri and put her down.

Jaime unwillingly started climbing again. This time even slower than the last. Still with out any problem she was able to make it to the branch Linri was sitting on previously. She sat on the place where the branch sprouted from and hugged the tree unwilling to let go.

"Excellent! Now wait for me." Linri said and quickly made his way to the branch and sat down next to Jaime.

"Now that I think about it, why did you even climb in the first place it was not lady like at all."

Jaime looked at Linri as if telling him 'you made me! and now you say it's not lady like? Are you crazy?'

"Why are you looking at me like that? I never thought you would 'actually' climb the tree." said Linri laughing.

Jaime wanted to punch Linri so hard that his teeth would fall out but she was afraid to let go so just gave a death stare to him.

"Fine! No more teasing. I just wanted you to see the view from up here." said Linri while pointing at the forest in front of them. Once looked at this height it seemed like a magical place. The trees were shaking following the wind as if they were dancing. In front of the beauty of nature everything else seemed inconsequential. The Forest had a kind of beauty that could claim any men's hearth gazing upon it. It felt sacred, something they should not touch with their hands. It was ethereal like it could go away in a heartbeat. No amounts of words in the world could describe its beauty.

Now that Jaime looked at the forest she was captivated by it. She felt relaxed, at peace. She finally let go of the tree and started appreciate the magical scene in front of her.

"So why did you visit the little old me's tent?"

Hearing Linri's question Jaime got out of her trance like state.

"I wanted to ask if you were okay. We arrived at your destination right?" said Jaime while pointing at the temple. With her other hand she was holding onto Linri's elbow. It seemed like she was still afraid of falling.

"That's not exactly my destination though. It's somewhere close. I have to find it by myself."

"Are you sure? Can I come with you? Won't it be dangerous if you go alone?"

"No need. I have this" answered Linri while showing off his bracelet.

"What if it's not enough?"

"It will be. Also we do not owe anything to each other so I can't ask you to endanger your life for me." hearing what Linri said Jaime felt complicated. She did not know how to answer him. She wanted to help him but now that she lost his trust it was hard to regain it. Her mood died down because of it.

"Right we don't" said Jaime and nodded her head.

There was one other thing Linri did not say to her though. The real reason he did not want her to come. He was afraid that presented with another choice the deities might pick her over him and he was not sure if she would refuse it. Even if deities give one stone to him and one stone to Jaime he would still die. If he were to survive in this world he needed both of them and he did not want to leave anything to chance.

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