3 - The Save

At that I immediately wrapped my arms around the person's neck and swiftly we were off the ground and swinging from tree to tree with vines. My coward self is too scared to look at anything, I keep my eyes closed. The wind sent my hair flying back, I hope it'll dry soon.

Just when I starting to enjoy the ride, it comes to an end. I release myself from the hold and stand on the ground. I look down to see that I'm not on the ground, I'm on a tree, a very tall tree. "Ahh!" A scream erupted from my mouth. I fell backwards and off the tree. The tingling in my hand is back. I continue to scream. A bolt like lightning shot from my hand to the ground. I close my eyes anticipating a hard landing. It never came. I didn't hit the ground. Instead I land in something soft. Opening my eyes I see water below me. I'm not wet. I'm just sitting on it. To say I'm shocked is an understatement. "Who are you?"

I snap my head to the guy in front of me. He must be the one that saved me. Before I could answer, the water bed I was sitting on disappeared. I fell on behind. It wasn't a hard fall, just unexpected. "Ouch." I standing, but stumble a bit but gain my balance quickly. "My name is Zoey." I answer him while rubbing myself.

"Lupus." He said. His eyes don't show any emotion of anger. He actually looks shocked. "How did you get here?" I open my mouth to answer but he says, "Wait. It's not safe down here. Get on my back."

I do as I'm told, and he climbs up the tree we were on before my almost tragic fall. He does so with ease. Like I'm not heavy. The tree is tall but with the way he stretches his body, we get back to where were in a short while. I get off his back with caution. I learnt my lesson. I steady position myself in the the middle of the tree. "Now then, how did you get here?"

"Through the opening in the tree. What is this place anyway?" My eyes are wondering, scanning my surroundings. The trees here are all so big and tall.

"You are in Arcia. And excuse me you said the opening in the tree?" Arcia sounds and looks like a nice place.

"Yeah." I nod while answering him.

"What kind of tree is this?" Why is he asking me all these questions? What difference does it make if he knows what tree it is? And what happened when I nearly fell? That bolt that came from my hand.

"Oakwood tree." I was about to ask him about what happened when I nearly fell to my death but he exclaimed.

"No!" His eyes went wide shock and a variety of other emotions. I start to wonder what happened when I was about to hit the ground.

"Do you know what happened when I nearly fell to my death?" I ask while looking where the water bed was.

"Yes." He seems to has regained himself. "It's a pretty long story. But do you know the legend of the lost water warriors?"

I scratch my head. I never paid much attention during history. "Umm. No?"

"Okay so the legend goes like this. Almost six centuries ago, before much civilization, water warriors roamed this part of the earth. They were a reasonably sized group of warriors. They were led by the water goddess. She and her husband were the most powerful water benders ever seen. And of course with that much power wars are expected. So for every war they would give a portion of their powers to their small army. This was enough for them to fight and make it through to were ever they needed to go." He paused for some time, before he said. "Then came a time the water goddess fell pregnant with twins. A boy and a girl. Traditionally children are named by their father so he named them Alexandra and Rose. This was when industrial revolutions were taking place. He knew his children had to fit in."

"Fit in with what?" I interrupt him.

"With the times. Giving them traditional names would attract unwanted attention to the family. During another war, sometime later when the twins were older, in their prime. Some of the warriors wanted more power than their set potions. On of the people was Alexandra's girlfriend." He continued. "He was smitten and gave her all the power she asked for. During the war, Alexandra and his girlfriend were not present. They lost the war and the goddess had them banished. For the longest time it was believed they had died. Water warriors don't survive unless bonded with the royal covenant." He took a breath and looked at me in the eyes. "After those two were banished the water warriors died a tragic death. Alexandra and his girlfriend were the forever known as the lost water warriors."

"What does this have to do with what I asked?" I'm not stupid or anything. Just still in shock from everything that happened today.

He signed heavily and shook his head slightly. "When the water warriors died, nobody else has their powers besides the lost water warriors." Everything, although unbelievable, is starting to piece together. "Zoey. You are a descendant of the lost water warriors. The only one at that."

I shift back in awe and disbelief of what he said. "What do you mean the only one?"

"Many people have lived in your family's house before you. The forest has been dying and the tree has never allowed anyone in. It allowed you. A water warrior. You are one with this forest." His answer sets me off more.

"So the tree allowed me in to save the forest?" He nods and smiles. "From what?"

"The Ivy." He explains further. "A powerful plant whose roots destroy everything in It's path. It has been killing the forest slowly. But now, it is moving at a rapid pace."

"But I'm here to get Jewels." He looks confused. I take a deep breath and explain. "My father bought me a dog. I've wanted one for so long. He named her Jewels and I like it. She got herself sucked into the same hole I came in with."

He nods in understanding. "You hungry?" He stands and dusts himself as he asks that.

I nod and swallow loudly when I look at how tall this tree is. "Yeah. Food sounds like a good idea. But how are we going to get down? I'm not keen on riding on your back again."

"I want and need you to listen to me very carefully okay?" I nod like a small child taking instructions. "I'll go get some fruit, while I'm gone, you," He points to me. "stay put right here." He points at the spot I'm sitting on. "Are we clear?" I nod again. He sighs very loudly, his brows crease together when he does this. "Please speak. I know you can."

"S-sure. I can stay here alone, I'm not a little kid." He sighs again and abruptly jumps off tree. "Lupus!" I scream out for him, my heart's pumping so loudly against my chest I can feel its vibrations in my throat.

Even though we just met, I know I'd be doomed if I lost him. I start panicking, how am I going to go back home? How am I going to find Jewels? How will I survive here?

Seeing as I'm going to die alone, I should start saying my last words.

It wasn't until I heard him chuckle below that relief washed down on me. "I'm not dead." His voice reassured me even more.

"I never said that." I say to him.

"Sure you didn't." His body reappeared when he walked away from the tree, only to be covered again by the large trees and bushes.

I sigh heavily, I'm not going to just sit and wait for him to come back. I'm on a mission: 'Bring Back Jewels' and I'm pretty sure sitting and waiting for fruit will not help one bit. I look at my surroundings. The tree has very thick looking vines I could use to climb down and start my search. For extra assurance i turn it a little bit more, and braid three vines together.

I begin climbing down, unfortunately I don't get far down because; a) I'm not good at what I'm attemping and b) there are three wolves below me. "Shoo, move!" I'm sure they are working with the snake to get me. Thought I told it that I don't taste very good.

"I leave for five minutes and you already found yourself trouble." I release a sigh inwardly.

"Just help me you idiot!" My yelling doesn't make things better for me, the wolves start growling louder than before.

"I'm sorry who's the idiot?" I can hear the smirk in his voice every time he speaks.

My hands start slipping and losing my grin on the vines. "Lupus help me!" I'm sliding down the vines and itching closer to the wolves, and their growls keep getting louder and louder.

"I don't feel like it, l think I should rest for a little bit. I'm a bit drowsy." He says through a yawn.

"What do you mean rest? Help me!" I keep slipping.

"I didn't hear you say please, Zoey." I sigh loudly, why did Jewels come in here? And more importantly, why did I not listen? "This rock looks pretty comfortable." Why are the dogs after me only? Can't they go after Lupus? His literally a sitting duck.

I swallow loudly, both my pride and in fear. "Lupus please help me."

"And?" He asks further, Jewels owes me for this

"I was an idiot for not listening to your instructions, I'm sorry." I hope that did the charm.

He whistles a tune, like a secret code between him and the wolves. They howl, and some shame themselves, but eventually leave. "Let go."

"Excuse me?"

"I'll catch you, now let go." His been truthful this far, so maybe I should listen.

Hesitantly, without much contemplating- because my fingers are slipping- I let go. Seeing as I was already half way down the tree, the fall wasn't long. As he promised, he caught me and set me down.

"Thanks." I say when I recover my balance.

"Whatever. Here, I would have brought more but I sensed something was wrong, besides you being here."

I take the fruit from him. "It's okay, this will do." We sit on a large rock which is surprisingly comfortable.

"So. Your dog, why do think she came here?"

"There's a large oakwood tree in my backyard." I start. "Up there I guess? And it had some sort of opening, a portal looking ring like in the movies. Jewels got super curious, she's still a puppy and it's her first day here."

At the first bite of the apple, a sour flavour fills my mouth, perfect.

"I had taken her outside, because when we were in my room he wouldn't stop barking at the tree from my balcony." I continue. "He immediately ran to the tree as soon as we got outside. I followed him and saw a opening. Some type of weird jelly like contents spilled out but disappeared when it touched the grass. Jewels then got sucked in."

He releases a heavy sigh. Runs his hand through his black locks. This apple really tastes good. "The Ivy is growing."

"What does that have to do with the opening?" I ask him.

"It doesn't matter." He stands and I follow his movement. "I should get you out of here. It's not safe."

He reaches his hand out for me. I take at it. Did he not understand what I meant by my puppy is lost somewhere in here? "I'm not going anywhere." I take a step back.

He sighs rubbing his face. I hear a bark behind him. The bark doesn't come from directly behind him but a distance from him. "What do you-"

"Shh." I hear the bark again, definitely Jewels. "Jewels!" Dropping the half eaten apple and the other fruits, I bolt in the direction of the bark. "I'm coming girl. Hold on!" She barks again.

Large bushes brush my arms and legs. It'll probably leave marks, but Jewels is more important. I keep running, jumping over logs and avoiding sword like branches that are sticking out. Her bark starts to sound like a plea. "I'm coming Jewels." I stumble on rocks and nearly fall. Hearing footsteps behind me tells me that Lupus is either behind me or another animal that thinks I'm a delicacy is following me.

I run into a clearing, my breath is caught in throat. It's a cliff. My shirt is pulled from behind. "Are you crazy?"

I'm standing on a cliff. Sharp out pointed rocks could have easily sliced me had Lupus not pulled me back. I take a cautious step back. "I heard Jewels."

I turn to face him, his face is contoured. Confused? "The Ivy did that."

"The Ivy barked?" He nods in response, even though what I just said makes no sense what so ever. I raise my brow. "A plant barked. Barked exactly like my puppy."

"It's a long story." He says with a shrug.

"I'm not leaving until I find Jewels. So start talking." I told my arm.

It's easy to say he doesn't want to explain, but that's the only way I'm going to believe him. "Okay, but not here. It's not safe, let's go back."

That doesn't sound like a good idea. "I don't think s-so."

"What? Why?"

"B-behind y-you."

He turns around and takes cautious steps back.