Renew and Recoup

The trees thickened, their swollen arms stretching together to form a suffocating canopy; creating the illusion of eternal darkness.

Shyana stepped over a downed branch, never missing the sickly crunch beneath her boot. Her senses continually monitored the greatest threat walking not three feet from her.

Everything about Vikas screamed to destroy her and she knew it. Her mind fought to stay focused on the equally dangerous forest around her, but with every move he made, her fingers itched to cling to the hilt of her blade.

Akiem limped along with assistance from Revarian. The effort from releasing his inner beast seemed to have drained him. It'd been so many years since she'd last seen his animal form, that Shyana almost fooled herself into believing it didn't exist at all.

Occasionally Reuk released a frustrated shriek and flitted from tree to tree, never satisfied with any. The mighty hawk glided to a seemingly safe branch and stretched his wings to the best of his ability.

Revarian nodded at his companion's dismay. "I know, my friend, I know."

Akiem turned his eyes up to the forest walker. "What's wrong?"

Revarian helped him around a particularly large uprooted tree, which appeared to have been trampled by a much larger creature. "Reuk has never been in a place which so bound his movements. The forests of our home are spacious and provide sanctuary for his wilderness. This place binds his wings and my sight."

Shyana felt for the creature, she herself longed for the celestial light of Xhaia's skies, if just to remember the freedom which came with them.

Revarian walked ahead a few more steps, before stopping and turning his head to the left and then to the right, slowly. She froze in her steps, nearly bumping into the back of Revarian, while the forest walker brought his arm up.

The flustered hawk glided down to his master, his talons almost catching a hanging vine on the way. Revarian listened, softly nodding before he cleared his throat. "There is no danger right now. Let's take the opportunity to rest in this area. It's unwise to travel too much further into the night."

One of the Thurucalns looked about. "How can you tell if it is night or day? We haven't seen sunlight since entering this cursed place."

Revarian turned his milky eyes in the warrior's direction and pointed to his empty gaze. "I've never seen sunlight."

He quickly shut his mouth, forgetting the walker's blindness.

Revarian smiled at his ignorance. "Once you learn to see past your eyes, you'll realize there is so much more the world tells you. Even in a cursed place like this, I can still smell the night approaching. I can feel the faint change in temperature. Follow my lead and you just might survive, child."

Shyana felt a smirk play on her lips; it was so much more entertaining when Revarian wasn't correcting her ignorance.

Vikas scanned the area. "The trees thin out a bit there. We'll take the forest walker's advice and make camp."

The general raised her scarlet eyebrow. "I'm surprised you're so eager to follow orders, Prince Vikas."

He regarded her, his golden eyes holding as much scrutiny as her own. "I have no quarrel with the forest walker, princess. He has yet to become infected by Xhaian treachery."

Shyana's gaze narrowed. Akiem straightened, trying his best to look intimidating from his exhausting stance. "As if you all have any room to speak of treachery."

The heat between the two races rose before Revarian cleared his throat. "Really now, you all must stop that. The more hatred, the more the forest feeds from it. I shouldn't have to say that again. Now let's build a fire and make camp, before more of your foolishness brings every monster out of the darkness."

Both sides of royalty glared at each other, before ordering their specific troops to various tasks. It was clear Akiem was in no condition to do much physical effort and his health was a main priority to Shyana.

Revarian dipped him to the ground gently and climbed up a sturdy looking tree to commune with Reuk at the bird's level.

Shyana kept an ear trained to the Thurucalns, who made themselves busy with building a fire and unpacking small amounts of food.

She felt her own stomach rumble when she realized that no one in her group had eaten for over a day.

Kneeling down beside her advisor, Shyana reached into the inner pocket of her breast armor to retrieve the Depheri root, which was nestled away close to her heart. She broke it in half and handed some to Akiem.

He accepted it with a bit of a grimace. "No meat?"

Shyana shrugged her sore shoulders. "You've lost energy, the root will give it back to you much quicker than some dried-out meat."

She knew her friend had a taste for protein, but she was more concerned with his health than his appetite.

Shyana lifted the root to her lips and used her teeth to peel away the first two layers to reveal the purple core where all the vitamins dwelled.

Though it tasted bitter, this miraculous root would fulfill a grown man's nutritional needs for an entire day. It was a wonder more Xhaians didn't incorporate it into their normal diets, but their tastes had become spoiled with the plentiful the crops.

Akiem nibbled at the root, trying to hide his hatred of the taste. "You know, you and I have pulled some insane stunts in the past, but this is an entirely different level. The day when we would be not but a few feet from the leader of the Thurucalns without his head on your blade, is one I thought would never come."

Shyana rested a hand on her raised knee, nibbling at the root, her eyes trained on the Thurucaln prince. "Give it time."

Vikas felt her eyes on him, but that hadn't changed in the last few hours. With how much the general was staring at him, he found it amazing she hadn't tripped over her own feet. Then again, he couldn't blame her, he was just as suspicious of her.

The prince settled himself within the roots of a large tree, his whip resting gingerly on his lap, speaking a quiet warning to the Xhaians nestled across from him.

"My prince, would you like me to take the first watch?" Boran's gravelly voice broke his trance.

Vikas turned his attention to his warrior. "No, you and Zei get your rest while you can. I want to keep my eyes on the Xhaian vermin."

The warrior crossed his hand over his chest as a form of salute before turning to his comrade who was just finishing the temporary fire pit.

Shyana picked up a yellow leaf with a barrage of purple spots, that shimmered in the firelight.

Steadily, she began picking it apart, bit by bit, her fingers needing to do something, when Akiem asked. "Are you going to rest at all tonight? I could take over for you."

She shushed him, placing a gentle hand on his leg. "I need you to regain your strength for me. Your assistance will be needed when we continue tomorrow. I've got the situation under control."

He started to argue with her, until she raised a hand and rested it over his eyes. "All will be well my friend, rest now."

He let out a frustrated sigh, but followed orders and let his mind drift, knowing that Shyana would wake him if needed.

She felt his body relax before turning her attention back to the leader of the Thurucaln army, sitting not six feet away from her, his eyes catching the quickly growing firelight.