Lizzie of the North (Yrsoreth Chronicles 2)

17 ◦❀◦ Animal Cries

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Sticky and pungent fluid from the Gibworm splashed directly on Lizzie's head and soaked her. Along came the chunks of something fell upon her.

She wiped her face, confused more than glad, and removed a chunk in her head, of what she assumed was citrus once. From the bright glow of the yellow eggs and the two moons, the chunks looked more like squashed fruits and some were still whole.

Ah right, Gibworms are herbivores.

But personally, even she was face to face with a monster, she would still never believe it.

No way it's a plant-eater.

Then it dawned on her.

Her blue eyes shook at the smashed fruit, her dress, the eggs, and then to the Gibworm who made a liquid "froo" sound inches from her. One of its tentacles rubbed on her face so gently.

Because her fluffy dress was the same color as the eggs, the almost blind Gibworm mistook her as its young, and its vomit was food once the eggs hatch.

She was relieved, but for the most part, annoyed towards the almost blind beast, who appeared scary, but somehow clueless.

Oi, am I that round to you?!

Another tentacle rubbed on her head, as if urging her to eat, then the fluid sound of 'froo' rumbling within its body.

—Bam.

The tree shook suddenly that Lizzie wobbled back in the nest's edge.

Then she fell.

Her world spun and the nest was farther away. And if not another branch with its canopy of leaves and vines that entangled in her body, she would have gone straight to a black creature's mouth below.

It resembled a wolf, but bigger and bones protruding to where its ribcage was supposed to. The creature had less fur, a wider mouth like an alligator, and more teeth, sharper and longer than the Gibworm.

However, it was not alone. Two from the pack had now stopped slamming the tree trunk and watched her dangling on the vines.

They growled, angling their body for a pounce. Like she was an ultimate prize, they altered jumps in an attempt to snap a piece of her.

Lizzie could not even move nor speak. Even as the Gibworm had now slammed one of the monsters against a tree and struggling to fight the other with its tentacles, one monster was left free in its endless jump to bite her off.

Her bread knife had long slipped from her grasp when she fell from the nest.

Every time the monster would jump for a bite, its snarl sounded closer. One vine supporting her leg snapped and her leg dangled lower. Lizzie raised it a fraction of a second the creature's wide mouth could tear it off and probably drag her whole body too.

The fighting between the Gibworm who was still viewing her as its egg and the two other monsters made a din of noise that would probably be waking up the forest.

There would be two sequences.

One, the weaker monsters hide, and the stronger monsters wouldn't.

Two, a moment later, they'd be flocking the area.

But what can she do? Lizzie racked her brain, bit her lips until it bled, and swallowed the scream back to her throat. Nothing gets better by screaming for help. No one will save her but herself... and the blinded Gibworm.

She took a deep breath. Gripped the vine that entangled her right arm, then followed by her other hand, she pulled herself somehow a little upright.

A loud bam shook the tree, the Gibworm was slammed by the wolf, while the other had torn off one of its tentacles with its teeth.

The impact caused the vines to swing including Lizzie. Another vine, the one her hips, snapped. Then the one tangled on her other foot. Until her only hope was one vine her arms has been holding on to.

Lizzie dangled on her last chance.

Her left shoe slipped and the monster caught it in the air. The other monsters joined the fray, ignoring the weakened Gibworm and its pungent wound flesh, even for predators like the black monsters.

The three creatures fought over her shoe as an advanced preview of what would happen if she falls. They stopped when they tasted nothing but thin metal, jewel, and hardened glossy fabric.

As if at the same time, they looked up at little Lizzie holding on for dear life. Their bright red eyes burned on her small figure like a hanging piece of meat. Although her thin arms hurt, she clung to the vine. She was glad she was small and short for children her age. For the first time, she was truly thankful for her light weight.

But how long will it last? More than the durability of the vine and her pained arms, the moisture from the Gibworm's puke was also a problem.

Her hands slipped for an inch, and a small panicked cry escaped her mouth. She could not even feel the bleeding of her lips from biting too hard to control a scream.

And once more, the monsters commenced the jumping frenzy. She folded her knees up. Along with growls of monsters and the deafening beat of her heart, Lizzie cried in silence. Tears rolled from her eyes.

She accepted her impending doom but refused to let go of the vine.

"Feliziia!"

Her eyes flew open from the voice. Then growls were overtaken with pained cries of the monsters.

Under the twin waning moons, the Black Knights, with their armor darker than the adversaries twice as big as humans, were clashing against the two remaining creatures with their swords. While one fell with an arrow on its eye and one more on its forehead.

But it wasn't what rendered her more speechless, but the duke, Devanti Norvillon, standing below her with his hands extended.

"Jump," he commanded, calm despite the battle around him.

But why...of all people.

"It's alright," he said. "I'll catch you."

The moon defined his piercing blue eyes, that complimented the sharp features of his face.

Yet, his words weren't so cruel.

And so, Lizzie, whose emotion she suppressed for so long, exploded and drowned her from within.

All creatures had their own cries for help, humans included. As for the child Lizzie, who lost control of her usual calculated feelings, her cries came out like it was the natural order of things.

"...pa... Papa!"

Then she let herself fall.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

H

ope you liked it! ❤

Twitter: @Ellena_Odde
Facebook: Ellena Odde-Page
Instagram: odd_ellena
Wattpad: Ellena_Odde
Website: https://ellenaodde.carrd.co/