Once morning dawned, Seth who hadn't slept at all, slowly got out of Estella's embrace. Just when he thought she was still asleep she yawned and rose up, looking at him with a half-awake expression.
"Seth?" Her sleepy tone was not sure if she was seeing right.
"Yes."
"Good morning, Sethy," She greeted him smiling while rubbing her tired eyes.
'Adorable.'
"Good morning, Stella."
"Where are you going?" She asked.
"To get breakfast."
"No need, at least for now. I packed a few things." She informed him by pointing at her back, yawning.
He looked at her confused, then opened the bag searching. He came across some dried fruits,cake and bread.
"It isn't much and it mightn't even taste good but it should hold us up at least for a day or two."
'She's so considerate.' He thought.
"It should."
Seth divided the food to last at least two days. He took the share he divided for the day and gave Estella some cake while he ate bread.
"Is that all you are going to eat?" she asked concerned.
'He's a big guy, I mean look at those muscles it can't be easy to maintain. Did he even get any sleep last night? He looks tired. I felt bad, while I was dreaming away, he was awake while I hugged him all night. Did I make him so uncomfortable?'
"Yeah."
She frowned, and pushed her piece of cake towards him. He raised a frown.
"Eat it," She insisted.
"What? Estella, I'm fine."
"No, you're not, that piece of bread is nowhere near enough for you."
" Please just eat it, I don't eat much anyways." That wasn't a complete lie. She doesn't eat a lot but the amount of cake she ate was nowhere near enough for her.
He looked at her unsure, but she only smiled at him reassuringly.
'Should I? I mean, it isn't enough for me but I can't let her go hungry. I'm glad that she's worried but.'
"You said you would be at my side and protect me, right? How can you do that if you're hungry? Just eat it."
He sighed and gave in to her unknowing stubborn nature. When they were finishing eating, Seth packed back everything and they continued on their journey. Estella admired the forest while they walked.
The forest in daylight feels both vast and intimate, with sunlight filtering through the thick canopy above. Rays of light break through, casting dappled shadows that shift with the breeze, making patterns on the forest floor. The air is fresh and cool, tinged with the earthy scent of moss, bark, and damp leaves.
Birds chirp from hidden branches, filling the space with their lively songs, while the faint rustling of leaves hints at animals moving just out of sight. Ancient trees stand tall, their thick trunks covered in patches of dark green moss, while vines twist and curl around their branches.
The ground is a soft carpet of fallen leaves, pine needles, and the occasional patch of soft moss. In the distance, shafts of sunlight illuminate small clusters of ferns, and colorful wildflowers peek out from the shadows, bringing bursts of color to the subdued green and brown tones.
' It's a place that feels alive, vibrant yet serene, with the quiet power of nature surrounding every step.'
"You know, I've never walked through the forest during the day. It's beautiful."
'If this is beautiful for her, I can't wait for her to see the rest of the world.' He smiled to himself.
The sound of rushing water filled their ears.
"Do you hear that?" Estella asked.
"Yeah, there should be a running river near here." Seth pointed out.
Finally, they came across the river with an old bridge stretching to the other end. The river roars with a fierce energy as it rushes over rocks and past fallen logs, moving so swiftly that white foam bubbles up along the surface. The current is powerful, relentless, carving its way through the landscape with a determination that commands respect.
The water is a dark, reflective green in the deeper sections, hinting at hidden depths, while in the shallows, stones and pebbles flash under the churning surface. At the edges, splashes of water rise up against the riverbanks, wetting the roots of trees that cling precariously to the soil, as if holding on against the river's pull. The sound is a constant, low rumble, vibrating through the air and drowning out softer noises of the forest nearby.
Overhanging branches dip just into the water, shaking with the river's force, and clumps of tall grass sway wildly where they meet the bank. The air around it feels fresh and charged, filled with the scent of wet stone and the hint of something wild and untamed, as though the river is alive with purpose.
"Wow." Estella said in admiration.
'It's so pretty and fast.' She thought.
"This is the Chin-Chin River, not too far from here, there's a waterfall." Seth explained to her.
The river was too wide for them to jump over but thankfully there was an old bridge not far from where they stood. Estella looks unsure at the bridge.
"That doesn't look safe." She commented.
"It's ok, I'll cross over first," Seth explained.
"Are you sure, what i you fall in the water?"
"It's fine, I'm a strong swimmer."
She was still uneasy about the whole idea but she decided to trust Seth's jdgement. Seth took catious steps as he attenmpted to cross the bridge. Luck was on his side, because he made it safely across.
"Ok Estella, it's your turn. No need to be nervous just take your time and slowly walk towards me."
Esyella who blindly trusted Seth, took a deep breath and slwoly started to walk acroos the old, decaying bridge. Seth extended his hand out to her as a way of encouraging her to reach close enough to take it. Only an inch away from grabbin his hand, the wooden plank beneath her broke and dropped Estella straight into the rapidly, flowing river. Without a secnd thought, Seth took off the bag he was holding and dove in after her. She tried to fight against the water but her arms and legs were too weak.
Seth swam as fast as he could to catch up to her but she was still ahead of him. Finally, he caught her and pulled her into him trying to keep her head as much above the water as possible. Just when they thought things couldn't have goten any worse, they came to the top of the waterfall. Once Seth noticed that, he tried to get a grip onto the large rocks they passed but the rocks were too slippery. They fell off the waterfall, getting separated during the fall.
They both resurfaced at the same time, gasping for breath as they made their way towards land.
'Is Seth, ok?'
'Is Estella, ok?'
They both thought in unison and snapped their attention towards each other. Sethmade his way over to her, she instantly huggedhim which took him by surprise.
"Seth, I am so sorry. I should have been more careful. It's all my fault that this happened. Are you hurt anywhere?" She frantically apologized.
"Stella, it was no one's fault, the brige was old. And I'm fine, how about you?"
"I'm ok."
He stood up and smiled softly, and extended his hand out to her.
"Let's keep going, have a feeling we are almost out of here."
She took his hand and tey started walking. And boy was he right. Not long after walking they found a small village.
'Perfect,' Seth thought.
He looked at Estella who was amazed by the sight of the foreign place.
'Since, we lost everything to the river, it's bes to restock and replenish here.' He concluded.
So, they took their chances and walked to the small village.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
