-Roasted-

                                                        (continued)

They found themselves in a shallow pond. There was a whispering waterfall behind them and they were circled by soft, vibrant, grass. The breeze picked up, carrying the bitter scent of pine and the murmur of a new forest.

Marshall sat up on his knees and wiped the water from his face.“Ugh… my head hurts,” he said, shifting his backpack off himself and out of the water. Their clothes were only dampened despite being engulfed in water. Jaiden squinted to the sky and blocked sudden sunlight from his eyes. The same birch, maple, and twisted trees were scattered around the area but the sun was still out. Wherever they were now, it was only the afternoon.

Jaiden pulled himself out of the water, “Where... are we?” His eyes adjusted to the change of light. The strange whistling of a magpie echoed around, accompanying the swaying of leaves. The sky was clear and bright making the forest golden.

“We… Made it,” a smile of relief snuck across Jaiden’s face. “I can’t believe we’re here!” He took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs and he shuffled out of the water. “We might actually be able to fix this,” he said, looking at Marshall who was still rubbing his forehead.

“Huh, I guess the waterfall was the way to go…” Marsh said. He crawled out of the water and fixed his backpack over his arms.

“Okay, where do we go from-” Jaiden froze.

Marsh raised an eyebrow, “What is it?” He looked passed Jaiden.

Someone was there.

                                                             ◈◈◈

A stranger was staring at them intently with eyes that were much too big for his face. He had a piece of meat skewered on a stick and was holding it over a fire. The creature looked human for the most part. His pointed ears peeked out from under locks of green hair. Actually, it was not hair at all, but leaves. His face was clouded with dirt and his boots were covered in mud.

He gawked on, completely surprised.