Downhill

"Magic School Book, guide us and direct us to find our loved ones."

Once the words were heard, ink began to appear onto the blank pages in its response, feverishly wording out in detail directions to follow in the road up ahead. In her hands, Janette held the book open in display for their company to witness, remaining idle as the tiny dwarf lifted her head up high to catch view of its scribbling. Felix was at the reins looking back at the two, and he noticed that despite his friend lowering the book to her waist, Nyitzcha still required to be on her toes to view it properly. He was certain that if Janette realized this, she would not hold back from laughing.

"Aaah, I see. Not a bad thin', dat sure is. Still, we be trustin' a book for directions 'ere?"

Janette cleared her throat. "Not as simple, it copies the knowledge of the owner which presumably is whoever makes physical contact with it. Since one of the bad guys touched it, we now have the means to follow a trail to wherever they are taking the girls to."

Nyitzcha stepped back as soon as she heard of her discovery. "Ya mean to tell me this 'ere thin' steals what ye learn by touch? Could have used dat in my first marriage!"

Felix smirked but lifted his head, he had grown used to the sound of flicking leaves and twitching shrubs around them as they had been traversing through a forest for some time now. However, strangely enough he continued hearing something stepping lightly from plant to tree behind them, perhaps following them? It could be an animal, but accompanying the noise was a miniscule noise of clattering wood shaking or jumping together. He would best describe it like sticks in a bucket being rummaged and rattled around, somewhat.

Nyitzcha chuckled and went inside her carriage, presumably for a refill while Janette scanned the pages thoroughly. Stepping lightly to approach him, she began reading the novel out loud for him to hear.

"Five hundred paces north, followed by a sharp turn east for four hundred paces, then we go back north for the last two hundred paces before arrival. Wow, we're catching up and this even exclaims the waiting time until we arrive, interesting. You think this really does copy the mind of whoever touches it? If so, that kid must be quite stuck up and detailed, I've seen soldiers be less stuck up then this. Going to say this one was raised under strict parenthood, what do you say?"

She looked up to see him facing forward and appearing quite focused in his task. "Hey, are you okay Felix?"

"Huh?" He snapped back, blinking for a moment and shaking his head. "Sorry, just a lot going on in my head."

She sat beside him with the book placed on her lap and sighed quietly, having to adjust as suddenly they were now moving down from a mountainous path. Further ahead it seemed like they would be entering a dense thick jungle separating them from the forest they were in currently.

"Definitely relate. Listen, about the other night thanks for keeping me company there. I needed it."

"We both did, I'm here with you. We can snuggle up every night if it helps you sleep better."

"Well don't be getting any funny ideas." He snickered at her words. "I mean it, I'm taken now remember? I don't think Syri would approve."

Felix smiled. "That's sweet, and no I didn't think of it like that. Glad to hear you're considerate of her, just don't make any offers should you find yourself intoxicated in the future."

"What, drunk? You were fun, but not enough to warrant coming back for more."

"Ouch! I thought we were friends, aren't we supposed to lie to each other to help us feel better?" He chuckled, with her pushing his arm.

"We are, but women can do things that men can't compare to. Just saying." She giggled, shaking her head. "I'm messing with you, just in case you don't know. But also, kind of true. Some of it, I'll let you figure out which."

He nodded, seemingly amused. "That works, I'm glad you like her. You two look cute together, even though you're old enough to be her Mom." He chuckled, blocking the barrage of slaps that came his way. Each failed slap would result in him laughing even harder, until Janette had enough and huffed.

"Jerk."

His smile faded, there it was again, that noise. Janette looked up ahead while Felix turned around, feeling as though their privacy had been breached. Janette was speaking to him, but he wasn't there. He stared intently past her, behind a particular large tree. Of course it was unknown, but he felt strongly like he was staring directly into whoever was following them.

Janette stole the reins from him and pulled, forcing their horses to a halt. Both fell forward, catching themselves from falling by holding onto the guard rails. Up ahead, a large tree had fall over and collapsed onto the road, blocking their path. Felix looked up to catch Janette pressing a hand to her breast, breathing. The door bursted open with Nyitzcha poking out, canteen in hand.

"Wha's dat?"

"Felix!"

He held her hand looking forward, something was charging towards them. Suddenly a loud hoarse cry, their horses were screaming and rising up, kicking away and thrashing. They were stomping up a cloud of dust, making it impossible for any other to see what was coming. Janette felt Felix pull her away, climbing back up on the fancy carriage as something whistled by, and now their horses were let loose. Free from their binds, they were quick to run away, abandoning their owners and saving themselves from immediate danger.

"Oi!" The dwarf cried out, retreating behind the cover of her door.

Janette squeezed his hand hard, feeling her heart pounding her chest. Now they were trapped, with no horses to lead them away and retreat from, and no clear sight of the source of danger. Felix pushed her back, keeping her behind him as they stared up ahead at the front deck, waiting with anxiety filling them to the brim. Without the horses, their carriage was beginning to roll downhill, charging to meet whatever was approaching them head on.

CRASH!

Felix fell forward, holding onto the rails to stop from falling over. Janette was thrown over, sliding on her chest before her bicep impacted onto the guard rail. Feeling her feet swing over the deck, she hung from her arm fast and ignored the sharp surge of pain shooting through her limb. To her right was a great Grizzly bear, exaggerated in size as it seemed twice the build of a normal bear in her eyes. Then again, she had never been this close to a Grizzly before, enough to be able to graze its fur with the stretch of an arm.

Felix froze, witnessing this bear struggle with the weight of their carriage, supporting it against the downhill slope they were stuck in. Nyitzcha herself had her back pressed against the door, having shut it in time to brace for impact before, only to find herself trapped inside. Several objects struck onto each side of the carriage, grabbing her attention when an arrow pierced through the wall and clung onto it by impact.

This Grizzly was growling, paws extended for what looked to be several feet to either side of them before finding itself slip. It buried its hind legs down into the loose dirt, cementing itself and creating another pulse forward for all members trapped among the carriage. Felix was climbing to his side, reaching down and grabbing Janette.

"Hold my hand!" He called out, her hand grabbing his once he was within range. As he pulled, she saw to his side that there were arrows with rope sticking out from each side of their vehicle, pulling them against gravity in hopes of keeping them from falling.

Unfortunately, it proved to be a feeble attempt.

Snap!

Once Janette was pulled up, the first rope had snapped under pressure, losing the battle with the Grizzly breathing harder as more weight fell upon her. They tilted sharply to the right, knocking over several crates they had in stock. Nyitzcha kicked the door open, holding on and looking outward in time. To her surprise, their was a large Grizzly supporting them on the front deck when suddenly...

Snap!

Everyone fell back as the Grizzly could not hold them any longer, finding itself riding shotgun as they began rolling downhill.