To Stay in the Living Lands

Chapter Four, Part One

 Cassandra turned back to the path and lay down. She was sure there was no other way to find rest. She shut her eyes, and sleep took her immediately. 

When Cassandra awoke, she wasn’t sure how long she had slept. Something was shaking her shoulder, she leaped to her feet. 

It was a guardian. 

“Wake, Cassandra,” he said. 

“I- how long have I been sleeping?” Cassandra asked, worried. 

“Two days. Rest is fine, but indulging in too much is slothful,” he said, “Tonight is Nightfall, you must hurry,” Cassandra leaped to her feet. Two whole days?! She felt so rested. The sleep had energized her. At least, that’s what she thought. She hoped it was the sleep, and not the forest itself. The guardian spread his blood-red wings and flew above the trees. Cassandra stared at the empty spot for a few moments and then began to walk. Grandmother said the King gave talents to his followers, and some he appoints guardians. I wonder. . . if I were to bow to him . . .what would mine be? She shook the thought off. Was she crazy? There was no way she was ever going to serve someone again. She found herself hurrying at a faster pace. Who knew how long this path was? She needed to get out before nightfall. 

The strange thing about the path was the fact that it seemed to . . . move. Whenever she could see farther down -which wasn’t often- the path would seem to go in a certain direction. But when she got there, it would either be turning in the opposite direction, or not at all. 

Cassandra was wondering why on earth she wasn’t tired when she heard a scream. It broke through the still forest air like a whipcrack. 

Cassandra froze. Whoever was screaming was sounding desperate. But she shouldn’t get off the path . . . 

The scream sounded again, louder, and more urgent. 

“HELP ME!” without a second thought, Cassandra rushed into the forest off the path. What if it was that plant again? She picked up speed. The screams were louder and louder. Cassandra broke into a clearing. A woman was on the ground, she seemed unable to get up. A wolf was approaching. The woman screamed again, throwing a rock at the wolf. The wolf retreated a few steps but soon began to stalk toward her again. Cassandra grabbed a thick stick and held it defensively. She desperately hoped this worked. 

“Hey, you!” she called. The wolf looked over at her. Bad idea. “Uhm, you’d better get out of here because I’m going to wack you with this . . . . stick?” Not good, Cassandra, not good. The wolf growled and started towards Cassandra. Cassandra yelled as loud as she could, swinging wildly at the wolf. This is it. Here, I die. 

The Wolf yelped as the club made contact with his snout. He backed up a few steps, whimpering. Cassandra yelled again and swung hitting him in the nose. The wolf whimpered and turned tail, rushing out of the clearing. Cassandra sighed, and dropped the club, realizing how hard she was breathing. She turned to the woman. 

“Are you alright?” she asked. The woman nodded, clenching her jaw in pain. 

“Yes. . . well . . .no. The Wolf didn’t  . . . hurt me,” 

“Are you hurt?”

“Yes,” the woman said, gasping with immense effort, “I was so . . . hungry. I saw some berries, and I was picking . . .them. Then the wolf came. I tried to run . . . but I fell . . . I think my ankle . . . is broken,” 

“You were hungry?” Cassandra asked, confused. “I thought you didn’t get hungry here, rather magic hid it,”

“I . . .drank a potion, so I don’t feel the forest’s effects. . .  but I wasn’t given . . . enough food . . . I was so hungry . . . and they were so ripe,”
“I’ll come and help you back to the path, it’s just-” Cassandra broke off. She had gone off the path. But the guardians surely hadn’t heard this woman. She was helping. 

“I am not. . . going to the path,” The woman rocked back and forth in pain. Did she hit her head as well? She must be mad not to get to the path. The path is safe. Safe from the terrors of the forest. And safe from my Aunt. 

“Well I am,” said Cassandra, her voice far shakier than she would have liked. 

“Very well,” the woman said, her tone steady, and dark. Cassandra felt an involuntary shudder throughout her body and took a step back. The woman stood to her full height. Her black coak cascaded down to her ankles. She wore a blood-red dress, and her skin was whiter than snow. 

“You will find,” said the woman in a voice so calm it was creepy, “that it will be a lot harder to get back to the path than it was to get off,” 

“No,” Cassandra whispered, “It was a trick,” she took another step back. I’m trapped. 

“Of course it was, darling. Until you get to the King, you should not set foot off the path, even to help people. I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Too bad that it is far too late for you to put it into practice,” No. Cassandra leaped back and into a sprint, hoping to get back to the path before this mad woman could catch her. She heard the woman laugh from behind. 

“You can run all you want!” she called. She appeared in front of Cassandra, who skidded to a stop. “But you will never be fast enough,” 

“NO!” Cassandra screamed, turning heel and running. But the woman always appeared in front of her, smiling that serene smile, and laughing her horrible, empty laugh. 

Cassandra could barely avoid the woman’s long white fingers reaching for her. 

“HELP ME! GUARDIANS! SOMEONE! PLEASE!” she screamed. Tears streaked down her face as she ran. It was like a nightmare, but she couldn’t wake up. The woman blocked her again. 

“You will never make it back to the path in time,” she said, “you will fade, and become a shadow, like me, and you will serve the Dark Lord,” 

“NO!” Cassandra screamed and barreled into the woman. The woman gasped and fell to the ground. Cassandra ran as fast as she could. 

The woman appeared directly in front of her. Cassandra stopped, unable to run anymore.  “Enough play,” the woman spat. She drew a long pale blade. Why aren’t the guardians coming? Why doesn’t this stupid King do something to help me? The woman laughed and swung.