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Chapter 3

As soon as those words left my mouth, my eyes widened in disbelief as I saw a dragon flying across the moon while I stood naked in the cold river.

I blinked my eyes, seeing unnatural things in front of my eyes, and just like that, there was nothing but a full moon in the twilight sky, telling me I was delusional because of a lack of sleep. I moved my head away from my thoughts and got out of the water when I felt the cold water freezing my skin.

I wrapped my used dress around my wet hair as I wore the other one. I went back to our small hut to find my brother still sleeping. I removed the dress wrapped around my hair and put it to dry while I let my still-wet hair down to dry on its own. Taking my small axe and rope, I started walking towards the forest to get wood before the sun rose. I need to be on the field before it, or else the head worker won't allow me to work for the day. They only hired me so they could make me work from the first ray of the sun to the last ray. I walked deeper into the forest to get the wood. The villagers didn't allow me to take the wood, which was easy to access. They told me it was theirs, and if I touched it, the curse would be put on rich lands of theirs. I know why they sent me to the depths of the forest, hoping some wild animal could kill me on my way back so they could get rid of me.

But the truth is, they didn't know animals never scared me, but humans did.

I sighed as I walked for hours with my bare feet. Sometimes small stones would get stuck in my feet, making me groan in pain, but I couldn't slow my speed because there was very little time left for the sun to rise. As I walked, I could hear the river flowing along the path I walked. No one knew from where the river Noyyal started. It flows from the depths of the Nemoria forest to the mile of massive land we live on. It has seen the fall and rise of many kingdoms. The legend of ancient stories says gods and demons both came to earth to drink the water of the river Noyyal so they could heal their wounds gained on battlefields. I was still walking when a cold breeze of wind passed by my ear, making my wet hair fly with it. I know what it means. It means I have taken the wrong turn. I don't know how, but it always happens to me, and the winds guide me. It ruffles in my ears as if she is telling me something. I took the right turn, and I had reached my destination.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in the musty air of Noyyal, which was filled with the smell of wetland and the distinct smells of flora and fauna that lived and bred here from sanctuaries in Nemoria. I have walked in the depths of Noyyal many times, but I still haven't memorised the path. It's like I walk as the wind guides me. Whenever I took a deep breath in this rich air, I felt a surge of power flowing through me, always trying to say something to me and guiding me. I shook that thought off because how can a forest make me feel like that? I opened my eyes and let them wander to find the wood I wanted.

Taking my small axe, I started cutting the trees enough for a whole week. The wood was still wet from the inside, so I had to cut it with both hands with more force. I was out of my energy when I was done cutting wood, which would last for a whole week. I gathered them all and tied them tightly with the rope so they wouldn't fall on my way back home. It has happened to me in the past, and I had to come back to the forest to get more. I picked up the stack of wood and put it on my head. It was heavy, making my neck strain as soon as I placed it there. Maintaining it with both hands, I started walking back down the path from where I came in.

On my way, more stones stuck in my feet, making them bleed. I kept walking as I shuffled the pain on either of my feet while clenching my teeth and groaning in between. The day had not even started, and I was already exhausted. Soon the sun will rise, and I have to be at work before it. On my way back home, I saw wild berry trees. Strangely, I have never seen them in abundance. They had lots of berries on them. My stomach grumbled as I saw red-black berries, and their sweet smell lingered around my nose. My mouth watered as I kept looking at them. I still have some time before work. I can have some and get some for Helio. He would love them. I put the stack of cut wood down, and instantly the pressure on my neck was lifted. It was still stiff, but I could bear the stiffness. It was nothing compared to the pain I was feeling in my feet. Forgetting it, I walked towards the small trees and started plucking them one by one.

I kept munching on some as I continued to plug them in. There were lots of them. Even some deer were eating them as I plucked them in from another side. A smile formed on my lips as I saw it. I always loved animals. I moved to pat her head, but it moved away from me, making the smile fade away from my face. Does it also see me as a curse? It didn't run away from there but kept looking at me with its big doe eyes as it tilted its head to look at me more. So I put my open palm forward with some berries in it. It looked at my open palm first with its doe eyes for a few moments. I was about to lose hope again, but it came towards me, and she started eating it. The smile on my face widened. I patted its head as he lovingly rubbed its head on my hand. How did I forget that humans judge, but animals don't? I put all the berries I plucked in the corner of my dress as I had nothing else to gather them. I put the stack of cut wood back on my head.

"Bye, my friend," I said with a big smile on my face while looking at the new friend I had made just now. She was looking at me all the time. She tilted her head once again while still looking at me. Giving her one last smile, I started walking back to my path. Instead of going back to the safety of the depths of Noyyal, it decided to follow me.

"Do you want to accompany me?" I asked her as she kept walking beside me. She moved her head as if she was saying yes, making me giggle.

"I would love it too," I said in my cheerful voice as I walked beside her.

"Should I give you a name?" I asked her with a deep frown on my forehead. I have to. What will I call her if I don't name her?

"Do you like the name Dea?" I asked with hopeful eyes, and as an answer, she moved her head as a snort wheeze, making me giggle again.

"Dea, we need to walk fast or else I will be late for work," I exclaimed as I started walking fast, even though my feet were protesting. I was following the same path when suddenly the air started to ruffle around me. Strangely, I remember taking the same path. I tried to ignore the wind and walk back the same path when suddenly Dea ran in the direction the wind was blowing.

"Dea wait. Don't go there!" I shouted as it started running towards the shore of the river, where all the wild animals came to drink water. That's the reason I never went there. I kept standing firmly in my place when I heard a loud cry from Dea, making my heart beat fast in fear. I put the woods down and ran towards her as if my feet had their mind.

"Please be safe," my mind chanted, as I didn't want my new friend to get hurt. If something happened to her, it would be because she met me. I gasped for air as my chest raised and fell when I reached the shore of Noyyal.

"Dea!" I shouted for her as my fear-filled eyes tried to find her in the moonlight. I found her near the shore, where she was nudging something with her face. I ran towards her with my limping feet. They were hurting so badly.

"Dea, get away from there. It will bite you," I said in horror as I saw a small wonder snake lying there. I tried to get her away, but she wouldn't budge. I looked at the sky, as not much time was left for sunrise. I looked back at her and then at a small black snake. It was wounded, and it even looked harmless. If I leave it here, some wild animals will feed on it. Looking at its wound, I could tell some animal had already tried to do it. Dea looked at me with her doe eyes, as if she were begging me to help. I know how it feels if no one helps you. I again looked at the sky and sighed in defeat.

"I can't leave it here to die."

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