Chapter 28: Innocent
The forest was eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the distant rustling of the wind through the trees.
Dune walked ahead, his sword resting on his shoulder, while Nely followed a few steps behind, arms crossed.
The battle earlier had left them both drained, but the weight of what had happened still lingered between them. For a moment, it almost felt peaceful. Then, a scream.
Nely froze.
The sound cut through the stillness like a blade, sharp and desperate. It was distant, somewhere deeper in the woods, but it was unmistakable, someone was in trouble.
The screams were distant at first, carried on the wind, but when they grew louder, raw, broken and desperate, Nely didn't think much.
The trees blurred past as she sprinted toward the sound. Dune swore behind her but followed, moving fast.
When she reached the riverbank, she saw him.
A young man struggled against the current, his arms weakly flailing, his body twisting in the water. He wasn't just drowning, he was hurt. Deep gashes ran along his arms and shoulders, blood swirling in the river around him. His face was pale, terrified, barely above the surface.
"Shit," Nely gasped.
She moved without thinking, reaching for a fallen branch, but Dune's hand clamped onto her arm.