Come Back Witch

Before they could even think, everyone on their own seemed to have already moved. In just the blink of an eye, they had already moved towards the entrance. Finley and Ami were left behind just a bit until Finley helped her up, allowing him to carry her outside.

Following just behind Dr. Cloves at the lead, David wasn't sure why he followed them; he didn't want to risk himself for nothing, and they spoke about Vinces being safe.

They should all sit down for a moment and talk about the situation, reducing his tempo, he walked just beside Finley and Amilie.

''What's up with everyone? Why are we running?'' His voice had finally regained his former grumpiness mixed with the tiredness of a man having seen enough in life.

"We won't let another die.'' Ami's answer didn't shock David, he could understand them. Having lost somebody, they don't want it to happen again.

"This youth... always so energetic," he mumbled to himself. ''It's dangerous to just run around with no preparation.'' Still, he continued to follow them, not daring to step in and stop their action.

Finally having left the cave, the smell of damp leaves and pine hit him as the forest opened up ahead. Shortly after inspecting his new surroundings, he noticed it had already started to become late. He had no idea what time it was exactly, but it was surely past midday.

The gap between them and the front of the group slowly increased as Finley didn't seem to be able to catch up while carrying Amilie, David still continued to walk beside them, barely jogging.

He couldn't do much to help them, there was also a tension between the youth he didn't want to interrupt. Instead, he simply kept on watching quietly.

They were heading an unknown route to him, just alongside the cliff where he had jumped off not too long ago. But instead of trying to climb it, the doctor seemed to know a different possibility.

''There is a tunnel going upwards roughly a mile from here.'' Cloves spoke, barely audible from their distance to each other. But hearing Finley repeat the same thing to him, David nodded in understanding.

Trusting his companions, they reached their goal in no time, as they arrived last to the already waiting group.

The professor seemed to be annoyed by their pace as he spoke first. ''We don't have time; you guys should hurry up.'' His eyes were still red from crying, but some of his coldness had already returned.

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David took a protective step in front of Ami and Finley. ''I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just run ahead and expect the wounded to follow in your pace.'' David's voice was filled with annoyance at his audacity, as if he were scolding a young kid.

But the doctor didn't seem to like his tone or disrespect as he stepped just in front of him.

''I don't care what you think, but I know they are strong enough to catch up, they just need to push themselves.'' Cloves' disdain could nearly be seen in the air as he shoved David back.

''You can be happy they saved you, old man; you're just a civilian. I don't have any duty to protect you at all," the doctor continued while trying to move past David.

But David stood tall, not letting him pass easily; he couldn't stand egotistical people like him.

''So you think a life is useless just because it doesn't belong to you.'' David answered sharply, robbing the doctor of his words.

''Or can you just not stand me? Somebody that doesn't follow your lead like he's on a lash?'' He continued slowly creating a dangerous tension between them.

Cloves nearly seemed to explode from anger as he grabbed the collar of David's shirt, but before it could escalate, a hand went between them.

''Both of you stop, we don't have time for this.'' It was the female teacher speaking, who had silently moved towards them, standing behind her was the giant student, remaining silent as always.

Cloves scoffed as he finally let go while turning away towards the tunnel again. "You're right, we should go now; we don't want any OTHER hindrance.''

David just let out a sigh, happy that this situation did not escalate; if he could, he wouldn't continue to follow him, but there was not other choice, so unwillingly he took a step inside the tunnel as the last of the group.

It was barely enough for him to stand upright, the cold stone wall close on either side; the taller members of the group even had to bend forward just to continue their way.

Only after everything around them had nearly turned entirely dark with only a small strain of light behind him and a head of them, he finally spoke quietly to Finley.

''Who's the witch? And why is Vinces safe with her?'' His question hung in the air, but instead of Finley answering, Ami did from his back.

''She's the warden of the forest, protector of the village, or at least from what I know," she whispered. "But something happened to her and since then the protections set around the forest had stopped working..."

Listening to her words carefully, David turned the information over in his head and got nowhere. ''How do we find her then?''

This time Finley answered. ''Most likely at her garden, but when we get close to it, she will notice us first, so that's the goal, I think." David could hear the strain of carrying somebody in his voice; he thought about asking to switch with him, but it made no sense to try it inside of here.

Continuing their ascent in silence broken only by their own footsteps and heavy breathing, the light at the end of the tunnel only grew stronger each minute until they finally reached it. Standing under the sun again, the group continued their way without resting even a second.

The forest seemed to be nearly identical up the cliff as the professor seemed to have found a way toward his goal. David didn't know how he was deciding on their route, but he wasn't going to question it.

The only thing that was bothering him was the steadily increasing distance between all of them. He could easily catch up to the front, but staying with the wounded kids felt better to him.

As cloves took another completely random turn, David nearly lost sight of him; even if he were to call out towards them, they most likely couldn't hear it.

Sparing a gaze towards Finley, who had only grown slower, David thought about leaving them behind. But he couldn't. How could he ever talk to his daughter after letting children in danger out here?

Still in, though he nearly missed something, a faint sound of thunder, just to the right of them. It wasn't storming? Where did this thunder come from?

Looking over at Ami and Finley, both their faces had darkened. ''We need to go there now!" Ami spoke as David stopped in his path.

''Why that? Shouldn't we try to follow the doctor? David spoke in a hurry as he had lost sight of the rest of the group.

"It's the sound of Lers lighting..."

''That means there is a mimic fighting over there...''

David stared at them for a second, the words not quite landing.

Then it hit him as finally connected the dots.

''That means there are humans fighting them too?''