Thorn Pricked Love (Book 1) COMPLETED

Chapter Ten

Morris and Thryn had been in the forest for a while now. She didn't know which Kingdom she could be in now, I mean there were ways to sneak into the kingdoms to avoid the guards and this was one of them.

"I'm hungry." Thryn whined.

"I know. Me too." Morris said as she sighed.

"Do you have any food?"

"No. I'm afraid not." She said as she pulled Thryn off Hiyta. "Let's stop here and catch our breath."

"You mean your breath?" Thryn asked.

"What?"

"You're the one huffing and puffing." He said, bending his head down as if to look over the tops of glasses. Morris let out a dry laugh.

"Oh your good company Thryn." Patting her cheeks, she looked around her surroundings, it would be dark soon and the cold would set in. She saw a boulder sticking up in the middle of the forest, next she saw a tree that looked oddly familiar as it had weird carvings in it. She rose with her heart accelerating.

"What's wrong?" Thryn asked trailing behind her.

"It may be nothing, but it may be something very bad." She ran a hand over the carvings in the tree, yes, it was exactly like the ones she'd seen. Twice in fact. But each time she had thought it was different markings. Turning in a slow circle, she let out an internal scream, they had been going in circles. Morris scanned the forest for danger, trying not to tip Thryn off that something was wrong. She knelt before Thryn and undid the cloth around his nose and mouth.

"Thryn?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember how you got to the safe haven?"

"Yes, I do."

"Could you get us back to your home?"

"I think so. Papa says I have a good mind!" He smiled widely as Morris lifted him upon Hiyta again and she began to walk, holding the reins.

"I'm glad of that Thryn."

"Are we lost?" He asked in a I caught you tone

"Not lost... I just don't know this land very well."

"Oh. Well I'm an expert!" He said as he tapped his temple

"Do you know what kingdom we're in?"

"The third kingdom, it's where all zukis are born." He said with hurt in his voice. Morris's thoughts scrambled. She then remembered an old woman that she had helped once, the woman had a hut in the forest somewhere. Maybe she could take them in for the night, after all, it was not safe to be alone In the forest at night.

"Thank you. Uh Thryn? Do you know of the old hag that lives in the willow hut?"

"Maybe. Turn right here please."

"Do you know where her hut is? We shouldn't be out here alone."

"I might. But what could I get out of it?" Morris lifted an eyebrow, this was very typical for a boy to do."

"How about brothers to play with? And-and sticky toffee buns for a lifetime?" Thryn rubbed his chin

"Or how about a pound of Rugli?"

"What do you need with money?" Morris asked with a laugh

"For me to know." He said with a wink.

"Okay then." They walked in silence. Thryn spoke every so often to give direction. The Forest continued to get denser and denser. Colder and colder. Darker and darker. Something began to drip onto Morris's head, she felt her head and took her hand away to see a clear puddle on her finger. She sniffed the air and glanced upwards. Clouds were coming in as the smell of wet moss filled her nose, it was going to rain.

"How much further Thryn?"

"Not much, we have to cross the river." His statement had quite an effect on the sky as it started to downpour.

"The river!?" Morris shouted above the wind as Hiyta began to get agitated.

"Yes."

"You should have told me before Thryn! The river is very full right now."

"I know, I'm sorry." Lighting cracked down, it's tips touching a tree which illuminated in fire. Hiyta jumped on his hind legs, hooves kicking in the air, Thryn screamed

"Hang on!" Morris shouted as she grabbed him and moved out of the way. Hiyta snorted and stomped, his eyes wild. Then he was gone, fleeing from them. Morris sighed as the fire spread rapidly, right now her best option was to get to the river. They would be safe there. A sniffle reached her ears, looking down she saw Thryn crying.

"I'm sorry." He sobbed out. Morris squatted in front of him and clutched his shoulders. She looked him square in the eyes

"You have nothing to be sorry about." She pulled him close and held him . His sniffles soon receded.

"Will we be alright?"

"Only time will tell." She said rising. Then she lifted him up and carried him as they left the burning forest and headed for the river. Now all she wanted to do was to get home, but she wondered, as she approached the river if they ever would get home.

The river was deep and Morris did her best not to drop Thryn. He gripped her shoulders tightly as his lower half was in the rushing waters. Morris's own body was almost submerged in the water as it came to her hips. She began to shiver as the water pricked her skin. There was still a way to go and Morris began to get sleepy, her arms began to fall asleep.

"Oh Thryn,you're so heavy. And I'm so tired."

"Please don't let go." He whispered in her ear.

"I gotcha." She said before slipping, they plummeted into the cold water. To Morris the water felt good. It seemed to call her as she recalled a memory.

Morris and her mother sat at the shore of the river as Danker fished

"Mamma?

"Yes mein libe?"

"Why is the water so cold?"

"Because it is our source of life. It doesn't not want us to get comfortable with it. It wants us to be safe. For if it was warm, we would always want to be in the water and we would not have a life outside the water."

"But is that bad?"

"The river is life to sustain us. To quench our thirst and to feed us, to clean us and nothing else. The river can be your enemy."

"I will be careful."

"Good. But now you must wake up."

"Why mama? I am not sleeping."

"The river is not safe" She said as she faded from view.

"Mamma come back! Don't go."

"I have to, I will be waiting."

"Waiting where?"

"At the house Morris at the house. Find me at the house...."

Morris snapped her eyes open, the water stung her eyes as she looked about the murky water that held her captive. Her hair floated and her clothes seemed to drag her down. She opened her mouth to call out but water rushed in and she began to choke, kicking with her legs she broke the surface gulping for air

Thryn!" She shouted hoarsely."Thryn" she called again. Then finally further up the river, a body clinging to a fallen log. Swimming towards him she saw that his eyes were close as he clung to the log with his tiny hands. She touched his shoulder, he looked at her

"You said you had me." He sniffled

"I did. I promise I did. But a rock was slippery and I slipped. I have you now though." She reached out her arms and pulled him off, he clung tightly to her body. Her hair clung to her face and wrapped around her neck as she pulled them into the grass. She lay down and curled in a ball. She was cold and tired and all sense of living gone

"Peacekeeper! Please come back!" Thryn cried as he shook her body

I'm just going to sleep a bit. I'm too tired to go on." He cried out again but all Morris wanted to do was sleep

"I'm going to get help." Thryn's voice echoed. And then when the warmth left her, she left the earth.