The next day, Ethan and the triplets set off at dawn. Their destination: the nearest town, about a week's journey away.
Their horse trotted along the narrow path, hooves kicking up dry earth. To their left, the towering trees of The Vale loomed, their leaves occasionally swaying with the winds.
To their right, vast golden grasslands stretched as far as the eye can see, dotted with distant herds of grazing animals. A faint breeze carried the smell of damp soil and wildflowers.
As they rode, James whistled a tune from an old folklore, Jared occasionally joining in. Hours soon rolled by and the heat of the afternoon sun replaced the cool morning breeze.
Ethan raised his hands as they passed a tree with a large canopy, glancing at the triplets weary faces. "Alright, let's rest a bit before we continue."
James sighed heavily. "Finally, my body was starting to feel like a log of wood."
Jordan smirked at him. "When do we start chopping."
James clutched his chest, "Betrayed! By my own brother!" The group burst into laughter, each getting off their horse.
Jared wiped sweat from his forehead, scanning the horizon. "We should be careful. Open plains like this—might be good for resting, but it's also a safe haven for predators as much as it is for travellers."
Jordan grinned, plucking a blade of grass and sniffing it. "Good thing we've got a beast slayer as a Chief, huh?"
As they sat in silence recuperating the minutes ticked by. Glancing around seeing them well rested, Ethan walked to his horse, climbing aboard.
"Alright let's get going, it's already a weeks journey to Davon the more we dilly-dally, the more time we spend on the road."
The triplet's nodded climbing their horses as they set off, the occasional chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves punctuating the silence.
After about three hours had passed, they sighted a resting merchant caravan.
Ethan's grip on the reins tightened as he glanced at the merchant caravan in the distance.
'I woke up in this world because my predecessor trusted someone and got stabbed in the back for it. I'm not about to let that happen to me.'
He turned toward The Vale. "Come on. We'll take our chances in the forest."
As they galloped through The Vale, James pushed his horse forward closing in on Ethan.
"Uhm Chief why are we going through The Vale."
Jordan added, "Yeah, this place gives me a weird feeling it's comforting yet uncomforting, it feels creepy."
Ethan slowed his horse. "Because in as much as The Vale is dangerous. Monsters kill you outright. Humans smile while they do it."
[Woah, I didn't know you had it in you to be wise.]
'Okay, now that's just cruel.'
Jordan felt a shiver run down his spine, mumbling as his gaze swept through their surrounding. "Something doesn't feel right Chief."
Ethan, followed his gaze, that's when he started noticing it. Most of the plants around were showing the same signs of wilting like the farmland."
[Warning: Natural Plant Essence Severely Depleted.]
[Cause: Unknown.]
They halted staring around warily, after about ten minutes Ethan gritted his teeth, "No need in waiting, let's keep going we'll find a cave and make camp before nightfall."
"Whatever is going on, I don't want to be out here at night to find out."
The triplets nodded, eyes still darting around cautiously.
Ethan took a deep breath, reigning the horse it neighed softly before moving.
The sun settled, painting the forest a subtle golden brown hue, while they rode Ethan had noticed more and more wilted plants, some trees had wilted to the point of browning, black spots running across their once vital surface.
They soon spotted a portion of the forest around a cave that still retained it's lush, a small water fall gently cascading from the top of a hill obscuring the entrance to a cave.
"Alright boys, we'll camp here."
Jordan looked back at the decay behind them then the lush greenery before them fidgeting slightly. "Are you sure about this."
James cut in. "Would you rather we find a cave in a decaying part of the forest? This might seem eerie giving the condition of the forest but it at least feels safer."
Jared nodded, gesturing forward. "James is right Jordan. I'll take this, over what's behind us any day, any time."
[Sure, go into the cave in the suspicious environment.]
[Your wisdom knows no bounds.]
Ethan grinned at the message as they approached the cave.
Jordan ran a hand through his hair, watching Ethan approach the cave. "I don't know guys, something about this place feels… wrong."
James groaned. "Oh come on. We've been riding all day, and you'd rather sleep out in the rot than in this?"
Jordan crossed his arms. "And what if the reason this part isn't rotting is worse than what's behind us?"
Ethan glanced over his shoulders towards them. "We don't have a choice. Night's coming. If anything happens… we'll handle it."
Jordan muttered. "I still think we should find a other cave, this place gives me the creeps."
James rolled his eyes patting him on the shoulder before walking forward. "Scaredy cat."
Soon a campfire lit up the cave, scattering shadows across the wall.
Sitting near the fire, Ethan noticed a flower near the cave mouth tilt toward him. Slowly. Like it was… watching.
Staring at the flower, he shook his head. 'Probably, lack of sleep or environmental stress.'
As they ate in silence, plant tendrils slithered across the floor, poking James lightly on his ribs, he turned around just after the tendril went limp. Not noticing anything amiss he shrugged it off, esuming his meal, thinking it was his brother.
Seconds later the tendril moved again poking him, he turned to Jared glaring at him. "What is it Jared, I'm trying to eat over here."
Jared turned looking at him confused, "What? I didn't do anything."
James growled. "Cut the crap I know it was you."
"That did what?"
James narrowed his eyes nodding, before resuming his meal. "Oh it's on."
The tendril moved once more poking into Jared this time. "Okay James, what is it with you. I said it wasn't me."
"I didn't do anything."
Jared cut him off, "Then who was it, you want to tell me a ghost poked me."
Ethan looked at them, "Okay guys what's going on."
Jared replied, "James poked me."
James shot back. "I did not, besides it was you who poked me."
Jared glared at him. "No I didn't."
Ethan sighed. "Look guys I know it's been a long day and we're all tired so why don't we get some rest."
Jordan looked around not noticing anything he nodded, "Yeah guys cut it off."
James huffed, "Fine, but he better not poke me again."
Jared ignored him, munching quietly.
After a few minutes of silence, Jared glared at James. "I dare you, poke me again."
"What the fuck, is wrong with you Jared. I didn't even touch you." James shot back defending himself.
"You did too."
After a few minutes of back and forth, Jordan cut into to separate them before they began fighting, although James still glared at Jared.
Ethan stood up raising his hand, his ears twitching lightly. "Do you guys hear that?"
Jared tilted his head. "Hear what."
Jordan placed his hands on his lips, "Shh."
A light giggle came from deeper inside the cave.
Jordan swallowed hard. "I don't like this, Chief."
Ethan exhaled. "Neither do I. Stay close." Making his way inside as they walked in cautiously the deeper they went the louder the giggles got.
Peering over a large boulder, they saw two children giggling their green skin wrapped in vines, with flower petals scattered across it.
Ethan's eyes widened in surprise. 'Cyphs…'