Dark Side Of The Moon

Chapter 16: Chrissy

The Everfree forest was not known for its kindness. The wind bit at her bones through her threadbare cloak. The icy grass nipped her ankles. The trees themselves proved her presence unwanted.

They walked side by side in uttermost silence. Sombra had his hands in his pockets, his hair obscuring his expression. It was too quiet.

Snap! Chrissy stepped on a twig and it snapped like a bone under her foot. She gasped and hopped back, earning silent snickers from the woods. Even the leaves seemed to be laughing at her, rustling with glee.

Everything started growing thicker. The ridged trunks and spindly branches reaching out to trap them in a wooden cage.

"Ok, the easy part's done," Sombra uttered.

"The easy part? How much harder can it get?" Chrissy worried.

Sombra shrugged. "Only a lot harder."

This sucks. The forest is scary and my companion is miserable and I'm hungry. But surely she could do something to make it more pleasurable!

Obviously she couldn't dance, but she could sure sing. It always cheered her up. "If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends! Make it last forever, friendship never ENDS-"

"Can you shut up?" Sombra grumbled.

She did, but the birds sure didn't. They carried her lilting melody through their chirps for a good 10 minutes before finally settling down.

Chrissy just about managed to suppress a laugh. There. Nothing wrong with having a little fun!

They took a quick break, collapsing on tree stumps. Chrissy's throat was suddenly very parched. Water had never tasted so good. Now resting her head on her bag, she realized she was tired. So tired....

"BOO!!!" A voice called, causing Chrissy to jump a foot in the air. They were both up and scrambling away, screaming as they did so. They didn't stop running for a solid minute.

Hushed laughter echoed through the woods. But when they turned back, the woods were just as dark and just as quiet.

"What was that?" Sombra exclaimed, wiping his brow.

"I don't know. I guess I'm not the only one having a little fun," Chrissy whispered. Both laughed at that.

"You're right. Currently, we're screwed anyways. We can do what we want," Sombra added.

Snap! Chrissy stepped on a twig and it snapped like a bone under her foot. Except this time, it really was a bone. And that was when they noticed all the bones, scattered around their feet.

"Shit!" He exclaimed, then quickly regained his composure. "Um.....maybe we should keep going!"

Your wish. She wanted this. She wasn't gonna let a few bones stop her! She needed to be brave and do her best.

They ignored the branches that lashed their faces, the roots that barred their path. Then her cheek was lashed by fire and a spear landed beside her.

Five shadowy figures appeared before them. Dark masses broke off all of them, which shifted into spears. One, clearly the leader, wore a wreath of twigs and lime green flowers.

"The Night Tribe of the Everfree forest," Sombra murmured, hands shaking.

The Spectacalites had done a dance inspired by it a few weeks ago. "And they use dark magic," Chrissy concluded.

Fighting didn't seem like the best option. Her magic wasn't super strong. Sombra had no magic at all. And they were outnumbered. Then we settle this with diplomacy, Chrissy remembered Luna saying.