When Madya woke up, Yora was gone. Madya looked around for the wolf, but there was no sign of her. As she sat up, she could see that her bag was open. As Madya looked through it, she realized that all of her berries were gone. Madya sighed, already knowing who the culprits were. She looked over at a tree, and saw a small group of thwaps munching on the berries.
"And now, I shall never sleep on the forest floor. Those thwaps." Madya sighed. After a few seconds, she returned her attention to looking for Yora.
"Yora!" Madya called. After a few seconds, Madya could hear barking nearby, coming closer.
"Yora?" Madya could see her wolf friend running towards her. In her mouth, there was a large fazzle dove.
Madya smiled. "You went hunting! Nice catch." She grabbed the bird from the wolf, and set to cleaning it. Once it was cooked and the girls had eaten breakfast, they kept walking. Madya thought back to when her cousin Janner had brought her out exploring in the woods. Kalmer, Leeli, her husband Thorn, Maraly and Sara had all come out too. At that time, Leeli and Thorn weren't married yet, and neither was Janner and Sara. Everyone had been a few years younger, but Madya remembered Kalmer teasing them all about getting married.
Madya teared up just thinking about her family. She then thought of her cousins children. Kalmer's young ones were about as crazy as they could get. Leeli's were known as the singers of Anniera. Madya thought back to a time when they all had gone exploring, with Leeli as a chaperone. She had told them stories of what it was like for her and her brothers growing up. It pretty much scared the children, but then gave them more respect for their parents and elders.
Yora stopped and growled at a tree.
"What is it Yora?" Madya asked.
Yora growled again, and stepped in front of Madya.
Madya drew her sword. She edged closer to the tree, which had a very thick trunk. As she did so, she could hear something climbing the tree. Madya looked up at the tree. She could see something in it, but couldn't make out what it was. Madya pulled her bow and knocked an arrow. She shot at the tree, and missed.
"Waste of an arrow." She muttered as she knocked another one.
She missed again.
"Ok, well let's just let it be. Come on Yora, it was probably a large bird or something. Maybe a large thwap."
Yora bounded after Madya, then walked beside her at a steady pace. Madya never saw anything, but she always had the feeling that she was being watched. It creeped her out, especially when Yora would randomly growl at something, only for nothing to be there.
THE SHINING ISLE OF ANNIERA: Same time and day as Madya's time and day
"Artham! Did you find her?" Arundelle asked as her husband walked in. He had been out every day looking for Madya since she had disappeared.
Artham sighed. "No."
"Where could she be?" Nia asked.
"I know she had been wanting to go exploring, but I told her not to. She probably ran away because of what I said." Artham said, tearing up. "Has Janner gotten back yet from looking for her?"
Sara looked down. "No. He left before you, and still hasn't returned."
Leeli sat next to her. "Janner will be fine. Remember how he used to run off for hours then return without a word?"
"Yeah but usually he would tell me where he was."
"Really? He never told us." Kalmer said.
Sara laughed. "Yeah because he knew that you two would follow him. He only ever told me."
"That makes so much sense now." Nia said.
"But," Arundelle said. "Why would Madya just leave so quickly?!"
"I don't know." Artham said, hugging his wife.
"I'm gonna take Hulwen out and look for her. Maybe I'll see Janner too." Leeli said, standing up.
"I'll take a houndrick around the island too." Thorn said,
Artham smiled. "I'll see you two later. Stay safe."
Leeli and Thorn smiled and left.
And that's when things started to spiral downhill.
The suspense is killing me lolš¤£