Lester

Lester was torn between awe for all that was around him and terror for not knowing what was going on. But with the thunder far behind and the beauty all around, awe was getting more and more prominent. He knew beauty from going up to the big mansions, to where Jonathan lived, at the first light of the day and looking out into the land. But that was almost like a painting and being here was like walking into the frame. The sound of birds, of wind rustling the leaves and the smell of resin. It was easy to get lost in it. Lester looked around, not for blossoms and butterflies and birds, but for threats. He didn't want to be distracted, because he was starting to feel responsible for Jonathan. It was not his eyes that revealed the danger to him, it was his ears. A short rustling in the bushes, and with barely enough time to get his arms up, the kidnappers jumped out. Lester made a step toward the one with the hood, hoping that he had injured the other man enough for Jonathan to handle him. He ducked under the first punch, and grabbed the man's leg, making him fall and roll down the mountain. He stood again before Lester reached him. They both took small steps to the side, the man to try and change positions, and Lester to try and keep his. His opponent was the one to give it up and jump forward, with his fist up, instead. Lester took the pain of blocking with his arm and used the opening to land a punch into the stomach. The man coughed and leaped backward, almost falling again. Lester leaped after him and managed to kick him in the chest. This time it was his leg that got caught, and they both fell. They wrestled in the dirt hitting each other all over the place without making any serious damage. After a while Lester grabbed some twigs and pulled himself away. He stood and ran up the mountain to gain advantageous ground again. In front of him, Jonathan was running circles around a tree to avoid his opponent, when the little creature bit the long-haired man into his leg. He screamed, pulled the animal away and threw it. Jonathan caught it with a jump, which gave the man enough time to get to him. But again, the creature saved his partner by scratching and biting. Lester turned to face his own opponent. He was just now starting to walk back up to him. It was not hard to dodge or block the weak punches from below, and it was not hard to use his higher ground to get more impactful hits in. Lester started to notice the dodges getting slower, the attacks even weaker and after that all it took to make the man fall was one punch on the head. His opponent fell and rolled down the mountain until a tree stopped him.

Lester ran to Jonathan. His leg, that had gotten much better during their ride on the wagon, was starting to hurt again. But he kept on going up toward them, running and biting their way around a tree. As soon as he reached them he pushed the long-haired man against the tree head first. He went down and before he could get up again, the creature started singing and ran away, making them both follow. With Jonathan still out of breath and Lester feeling the pain in his leg growing stronger with every step, they didn’t make it far before they both just stopped.

»I…«, Jonathan said breathing heavily. »I can’t. I just can’t run anymore. Why are we running anyways?«

»That thing.« Lester made sure to not look into its big, watery eyes. »It's somehow making us. We have to ignore it. Look away. Walk away.«

Jonathan nodded tilting his head back a bit to force his eyes onto the leaves and the giant rock sitting between them. But the creature just climbed up the tree and locked eyes with him again.

»I get that, but it does seem to need our help.«, he said. Instead of answering, Lester took his head between his hands and turned it away.

»Let's just think for a second. Think about what we should really do here.« He paused. »We need to know more. We need to question them. Ideally the man in the robe. Where did he go?«

Jonathan shrugged. »No idea. But I am sure, that he would not tell us anything.«

»Well…«

»We are not going to torture him.« Jonathan looked at him with pulled together brows. »Him or anyone.«

Lester felt something pull at his pants and looked down into these enchanting eyes, which slowly moved away from him. It was only after his first step, that Jonathan pulled him away.

»You don’t want to set a trap then?« Lester asked, searching for a place to look at, where the little creature couldn’t get in his sight.

»I didn’t say that. We can trap them here. But we are not going to torture them.«

»Yes of course.«

But before they could even start to plan, they heard footsteps again, and saw the two men walking up the hill, leaning on sharp branches, shortly after. The man wearing the hood threw his improvised spear and while he fell from leaning his tired body to far over, the spear knocked on the rock to their side.

»Let's try to find something we can tie them to a tree with.«, Lester said, when a roar made hundreds of birds fly. It was followed by rumbling thunder, shaking ground and the rock beside them moving. Then a hand of stone reached around a tree, ripped it out of the ground and threw it toward the two men, missing them by inches. Without looking into the small creature's eyes, Lester and Jonathan started running up the hill again. The two kidnappers stumbled downward with the giant right behind.

When their lungs started to burn more with every step and the thunder slowly grew quieter again, a tall tower-like structure peaked out above the trees ahead. It was made of a silver material Lester had never seen before. The little creature was headed toward it, and they both followed.