The moonlit night completely replaced the receding glow of dusk. The air was chilly, and the deafening silence was unnerving.

"Tai...are you sure this is safe?"

This is definitely not safe.

"Yep," Tai patted her head, "now go on inside"

She gingerly stepped into a hollow branch they discovered while walking through the seemingly endless grass. It was the only habitable area they found amidst thorny bushes, moss-covered rocks and wide trunks of numerous trees. 

She squealed and ran outside as numerous bugs crawled out behind her, scattering in all directions. Tai didn't mind them though. His fear of bugs disappeared since that time he explored the sewers with his friends. Thinking of them made his heart ache.

He was reluctant to ask Tziporah of how she felt about their situation. She was even more pitiful than him and seemed to be stretched thin from what happened today.

Tziporah was currently using him as a meat shield, hiding behind him. If it weren't for the situation, he'd shove her in the tree branch and run away cackling. Instead, he stepped forward and inspected inside.

Mom did say I was mature for my age.

"Don't worry, they're all gone now," Tai said with mirth in his eyes. Tziporah blushed and hurried inside. Tai fished for dead leaves by the branch and used them to cover the entrance .

Tai and Tziporah huddled together in the absolute darkness. It was really cold. Seeing Tziporah curl herself into a ball, he wrapped his arms around her to give her warmth.

"Tai...aren't you scared?"

"Huh??? What do you mean…don’t I look scared?" He sure felt scared.

"No," she said immediately.

Tai sighed, "I was thrown into this forest and nearly died. Thankfully there were mushrooms here so we didn't starve, but...what about my family and friends? I'm alive—I don't need to care about myself. What about them?" He choked on the last word, the emotions and thoughts he's been trying to suppress all along threatening to erupt.

"Oh" Tziporah said. He couldn't see her face in the dark, especially since she's all curled up.

"This is the first time that I've opened up like this to anyone other than my family" he added, his voice barely a whisper. Tziporah didn't respond. 

The night became even frostier, and they huddled even closer. Not long after, he heard faint, steady snores from Tziporah. He wanted to sleep too, but couldn't.

As the night progressed, he felt colder and colder. His teeth began to chatter and Tziporah began shivering despite being fast asleep. As he started pondering whether or not to sneak outside for one of those dead leaves to cover themselves, he heard heavy, pounding steps of some creature outside, disturbing the silence he grew comfortable with. 

The monotone footsteps grew louder and louder till Tai felt vibrations that increased in intensity. The creature was surprisingly slow, and was getting even slower as the footsteps gradually became louder. Were they found? 

Tai's body tensed, and lightly shook Tziporah to wake her u-

Crunch!

Half of their shelter was crushed in half, missing them by a centimeter. The massive foot of the creature slowly raised itself and moved on as a chilly wind rushed in and slapped Tai in the face. Tziporah remained fast asleep.

Tai's eyes widened as he stared outside. Though it was nighttime, the moonlight was strong, so he was able to identify objects and vaguely perceive its color. And that's why...it's either his mind is playing games with him, or the grass outside was pitch black. The trees in the distance donned a shade of darkness, looking eerily different from daytime.

The book said no one who roamed the forest at night time ever came back alive. It never said why.

The ink-black grass, besides the ones flattened by the creature, pulsed like living, breathing organisms, and thick veins bulged from the trunk of the trees. Through the leaves' gaps, he saw the massive creature. Thick lacerations decorated its body and oozed a pitch black substance. 

The creature trembled and fell to its side with a loud thud. The forest was once again quiet. Long, thick limbs akin to arms without hands stretched out from the shadows and penetrated the animal through its lacerations. 

The limbs paused. 

Two glowing eyes blinked opened in the darkness of the shadows where the limb came from and gazed at the half-crushed branch, where Tai and Tziporah were.

He pressed his face unto Tziporah's head, not daring to look up or move. For a few seconds he struggled to breath as he heard weird wet noises from the direction of the collapsed beast. Tziporah attempted to shift mid-slumber, but he held her firmly in place.

Silence reigned in the forest once again.

Tai held Tziporah, unmoving, his face still planted on her head. 

...

Tai didn't sleep all night. The most he did was levitate between a state of slumber and awakeness while his mind was consciously active. He felt groggy and irate. Despite everything that happened, Tziporah was still snoring, and even smiling at that!

I can't believe this. 

The morning glow of the sun illuminated Tziporah's peaceful face as she laid cradled in his arms. A good while after the incident last night, he loosened his arms around her, then a punch greeted his face as she stretched and adopted a different sleeping position. He definitely tasted blood.

Now that it was daytime and he could finally see, he stared at her for a minute. If it weren't for her scar, she'd have been decent-looking. He really wanted to ask her what happened, but it really wasn't his place. 

He gently shook her then tickled her feet to wake her up. Tziporah eyes shot open as she flailed her feet around like a drugged worm. He wasn't so grumpy anymore. He grinned.

"Good morning"

She glared at him and huffed, not saying a word.

They set off once again, aimlessly. They sucked the morning dew drops from off leaves to quench their thirst and ate strange, juicy red balls they found that Tziporah called 'raspberries'. Tai never felt so sated in his life. 

It felt strange.

During their breakfast, he narrated what happened last night to her. She ate her food and said nothing. 

The chirps and coos of birds permeated the forest, bringing it to life. An animal called a 'deer' even sniffed them once. It surprisingly didn't terrorize them. The air was fresher too. He never knew inhaling could feel so refreshing.

Tai turned to Tziporah as they walked, "So...we have no idea where we are exactly, and where we are going. We'll look for a stable shelter first, somewhere close to food and water. As for what to do after that...we'll cross that bridge when we reach there. What do you think?" This was the best plan he had.

She didn't respond.

It's been hours since they woke, and Tziporah barely spoke to him or looked in his direction. She even refused every help he offered. Tai stopped in front of her and forcefully brought her to a halt.

"I'm sorry for tickling you awake this morning. I was wrong...will you forgive me?" He sincerely looked her in the eyes. He was quite fond of her, and he didn't want her to be upset with him.

"...that's not it," she looked away, her eyes watering. They stood there in silence. She seemed to have something heavy on her chest that she needed to let out, so he patiently waited for her to spill. Hopefully she didn't take too long, as they couldn't stay at one place for a long period in this forest.

"Tai...your friends, and family, are safe and in the Thumbling Kingdom. Your parents...arranged for you to die out here. I tried to stop them…and the rest was history."