Rank 1 - Mel and Eulalia

“We shouldn’t be here,” Eulalia whispered frantically to her adventurous friend. 

“It’s fine,” Mel insisted as they walked deeper into the swampy forest of Vitalus. 

Eulalia stuck close to Mel’s side as they wandered down the muddy path. Neither of them knew why this forest was off limits, just that it was. Their parents insisted they should never wander in here by themselves. Eulalia would always listen, except now she was a little older and she’s met Mel, who was much more impulsive than she was. He preferred to explore, break rules, and deal with the consequences later.

So here they were, deep in a dark forest. There were swamps on either side of them and the mangroves grew out of the water and around crystals. With roots and moss covering the crystals, there was very little light. The darkness added to Mel’s intrigue while it added the Eulalia’s fear. 

“Our parents warned us of this place for a reason, Mel,” Eulalia tried to reason. 

“Then go back. I didn’t force you to come,” Mel mumbled, mildly irritated with her insistence. 

“I’m not leaving you on your own,” Eulalia hissed back. 

She would rather them both do something dangerous than abandon him to his reckless ways. Eulalia knew that if something happened to him while he was alone, it would be a lot worse than if she were around to call for help. That was why she was always at his side, and admittedly, she hoped that she could talk some sense into him before they got too far in. 

The pair wandered further down the path. Eulalia’s long and light coat was covered in mud, but she hardly noticed. She focused on walking carefully so they didn’t draw too much attention. However, her actions wouldn’t help when Mel was crashing through bushes and stomping through the mud like a bull in a china shop. He wasn’t cautious about anything. It was like he wasn’t worried about all the predators that wandered around Vitalus.

“Mel, if we’re going to explore, please be quieter,” Eulalia whispered. 

Mel rolled his eyes and didn’t listen. Eulalia hissed under her breath as she followed him further into the dark swamp. 

It was only when a branch broke next to them that both young vayrons froze. They looked around them trying to see what it could have been, but it was too dark. The crystals were covered in moss, so they didn’t help. The pair squinted into the black shadows around them. When they couldn’t see anything, they moved closer together and held their breath. Minutes stretched on, but nothing jumped out at them.

Mel laughed, “There’s nothing there.”

Eulalia didn’t reply, she only stared into the darkness.

The pair started to move again. However, despite Mel’s confident exterior, his steps reflected caution. He mimicked Eulalia’s gentle steps so that neither of them made a sound as they moved through the mud. Eulalia was taking in the plants that survived in the darkness, while Mel was staring at the trees and veins of crystals that grew together. They both were curious about how things survived, but Eulalia was more curious about the living plants, unlike Mel, who was more curious about what magic must be in the crystals to help feed the trees growing around them. 

Something changed in the atmosphere around them. They hadn’t heard any birds or insects when they entered the forest, so the unusual silence wasn’t what tipped them off. It was the shadows. It was like whatever little light there was to lead them suddenly vanished. They were well and truly in complete darkness. The pair only knew where the other was because they were pressed together. 

Eulalia wanted to say something but held her tongue. This was what she was afraid of, this was the reason she never wanted to come in here. Mel noted Eulalia had started to shake like a leaf. He tried to maintain his cocky confidence, but when a pair of large green feline eyes flashed in the shadows, his confidence shattered. The pair whimpered quietly to themselves as the creature lurked and circled them in the darkness. 

The creature’s large claws tore into the bark of trees as it moved. The cracks in the bark allowed some of the crystals underneath to shine, giving the pair some light. However, the blessing turned into a curse when the pair spotted what hunted them. The light of the crystals reflected in the tusks of the monster. If possible, the two vayrons pushed themselves closer together. 

“Wh-what do we do?” Mel whispered. All thoughts flew from his mind. He couldn’t think of any plan to get them out of this.

Eulalia was too afraid to speak. She wanted to howl, to tell him she told him so, and for once, she wished she’d stayed home. However, as soon as the thought crossed her mind, she felt sick with worry just imagining Mel by himself. 

The pair watched as the zataro circled them. The monster’s thick tail weaved through the trees as it toyed with them. Every so often, the zataro would step closer, letting the light reveal more of its frightening features. The long whiskers with poisonous barbs at the end, or the thick horns on its head. Everything only added to the pups’ fear. Both hoped their parents would notice they were gone and come to their rescue. However, Eulalia knew they hadn’t been gone long enough for their parents to worry. 

“We have to run,” Eulalia whispered, surprised her voice didn’t quiver, “We’re smaller, so we need to hide until it gets bored or someone comes.”

Mel couldn’t think of anything to say to deny the idea, but he also knew his limbs were heavy with terror. He wasn’t sure he could make it a meter, much less race through trees against the monster before them. Eulalia could see Mel testing his legs, and she did the same. 

“I-I… I can’t,” Mel stuttered and quickly added, “I can’t move.”

There wasn’t time to answer. Eulalia spotted the zataro crouch as if it was about to strike. She grabbed Mel by his tail and yanked him out of the way. She moved blindly and quickly. Zataro rushed passed the spot they stood until it slammed into a tree on the opposite side of the path. 

“Run!” Eulalia cried as she let go of Mel and raced back toward the direction they came from. 

Mel and Eulalia tore down the path. Mel tried to howl or call for their parents as they ran, but it came out too weakly to have reached them. They could hear the zataro crashing through the forest behind them. Their legs and hearts raced as they could sense the massive creature gaining on them. Tears streamed down Eulalia’s face. Her legs burned and she feared she wouldn’t be able to keep up the pace. 

“Get down!” A voice ahead of them called. 

Mel and Eulalia didn’t think, they just dropped to the ground and their momentum sent them sliding on their bellies. Not a second later, a funnel of fire blasted over them to hit the zataro. The creature roared and quickly retreated without much of a fight. 

The pair of pups curled together when they heard steps racing toward them. Their parents rushed to them and, without a word, grabbed them by the scruff of their neck. The adults turned tail and escaped the dark swampy forest. The return home was silent.

When they reached the safety of their homes, Mel and Eulalia were dropped to the ground. There was no yelling, but their parents' anger was palpable as they paced in front of them. 

“I’m sorry,” Mel whispered. 

Eulalia nodded and gave her own apology. 

Their parents said nothing as they glared at the forest far behind them. There was a collective sigh before the parents broke off. Mel’s mother walked away saying she needed to calm down before she talked to him. Mel’s other parent urged him home. Eulalia’s parents had a different approach. They understood her well, so all they asked was that she was okay and urged her to be more careful. 

[1365]