Red was not what she truly seemed to be.

Ella made a mental note of that. She didn't mean it negativity, but Ella wondered. She was more than a peaceful woman living a peaceful life in a peaceful magical valley. It was strange how she had wolves that bent to her command, and that her own husband was a werewolf. Did no one find this unusual? Was she the only one who was thinking normally?

"This is the shortest way out of the Glen. And safer too," Rhydion said as they followed him on foot towards a tunnel in the hills.

Ella peered over his shoulder. The tunnel was dark, and unwelcoming. She shuddered. The dark wasn't really someplace she'd be of use to anyone. She felt a hand grip hers, and she looked up to see who it was. Lucas gave her a confident nod as he held her hand firmly. A miniature flutter passed through her stomach. She didn't know what it was, but it made her feel jittery. Ella assumed it was the fear of going into the dark, damp and suffocating tunnels.

"Safe from what exactly?"Cora asked.

"From the creatures of the woods, of course! You didn't think they would be as friendly as the ones in the Glen, would you?" Rhydion answered.

Cora shrugged. Red patted her shoulder and turned to face the three.

"I'll be walking in the front, while Rhydion will be right behind you. You three will walk in between both of us. It's safer that way. Who knows what other living creatures want your heads. If Maleficent knew you were here, then it won't take long for the other to know as well," Red warned.

Ella gulped. She was completely fine with Red's plan.

"What other living creatures want our heads?" Lucas asked curiously.

Rhydion put a heavy pat on Lucas' shoulder.

"The list is almost endless, your Majesty." He said and walked behind them.

Lucas rolled his eyes in annoyance, but no one seemed to pay any attention to him. Red lit a fire on an unlit torch Rhydion had been holding, rubbing two stones together. The torch lit up instantly, and the flame sizzled and flickered. Red took the torch from him and walked up to the front.

"Let's go." She said slowly, and disappeared into the tunnel.

Ella stood rooted to the spot. A familiar feeling of nausea washed over her, and she tried to keep it at bay. Goosebumps formed on her arms. She couldn't. No, she didn't want to. The dark tunnel stared back at her, mocking her. The more she stared at it, the more it kept changing. Slowly, the darkness moulded itself into a pair of eyes, pupil less, and only the whites of the eyes, gleaming at her maliciously.

Ella began breathing heavily. She wanted to run. She wanted to hide. Those eyes......those terrible eyes.........
Her arms and legs felt paralyzed. She could see nothing, feel nothing. Only those eyes, eyes that looked right into her very soul, sucking out every ounce of it. Shadows danced an eery dance, a soft and menacing tune playing to their movements. The shadows took form of a man, a huge, burly man, his entire shadowy form flickering. Blue orbs stared at Ella, watching and observing her silently.

Ella tried to scream, but she found she had no voice. The man leaned forward, and his face was inches away from hers. She quivered.

"Help me." The shadow said, it's voice distant and almost unclear.

And just like that, the shadows dissipated away and sank back into the dark tunnels, leaving Ella in terror and anticipation. Now, she only saw  the mouth of the tunnel. She couldn't hear anything. It was like all sound in the world had been muted, except for the shadow's words.

Help me. The words kept echoing in her head. Again and again. And all of a sudden, all the sound came back, and she could hear Lucas's yells at her.

She opened her eyes, not realising they were closed. She was on the ground, in the dark. Inside the tunnel. Red stood over her with the torch, Rhydion holding another one. Cora was crouched near her face, unsure of what to do. Ella sat up straight. She didn't remember walking in to the tunnel.

"Ella! Are you okay?" Lucas pulled her face to look at her.

She stared at him in confusion, and then at Cora, whose face was almost colourless in the dim light. She looked around, watching the light thrown by the torches dancing along the stone walls of the tunnel. There was now sign of the shadow. She blinked several times before uttering anything.

"How—how did I get here? " She asked, perplexed.

Ella simply had no clue. Lucas stared at her with worried eyes.

"Ella, you walked in with me." He told her, in a as-a-matter-of-fact manner.

"But–but I don't–I don't remember walking inside!" Ella's yelled inwardly.

But she just made an o with her lips and began to get on her feet. Maybe it was just a hallucination, her fear getting to her head. Whatever it meant, she wasn't ready to tell anyone about it. It was no threat, and so she wasn't entitled to complain about it to anyone at all. It wasn't the first time she'd walked in faze and found herself somewhere bizarre.

"Maybe—its just the exertion. It's okay. I'm alright," Ella reassured.

Cora helped her up and gave her a confident, but weak smile. Rhydion wiped his forehead and exclaimed.

"Phew! Is it just me or is it getting really hot in here?" He said.

Lucas and Cora nodded their heads. Red walked up ahead of them.

"Let us move on. We need to find shelter before the sun goes down. Here," she handed an apple to Ella.

"It'll give you a boost."

Ella accepted it politely, and thanked her. Red nodded and continued to walk forward. Rhydion went back behind them, and followed slowly. Lucas still held Ella's arm firmly, and Ella was thankful for that. She didn't know when she would collapse again. She felt so drained. She always felt drained after a scare. Her mind wandered back to the shadow.

Surely, it wasn't true? Ella knew that. But a part of her felt like she knew it wasn't.

Shut up, Ella. It was just your fear. Ella thought to herself.

Ella chose to forget the shadow for the time being. If it was a relevant part of their mission, she knew she would make use of that knowledge when the time came.

Until then, they needed to find a shelter. Before the creatures came out.

_______________

*Looks at you from behind the wall and whispers*

Here's the next update! I don't know when I'll update next. I'm taking my time. I have so much work to do! But I also want to stay in touch with writing, so I'm not going on a complete hiatus.

What do you think? Was it just a shadow? Was it just Ella's fear? Or was it relevent? Also, you can point out anything that was a little strange. It could be anything, no matter how significant. Everything has a theory, you see. ;)

I changed the cover again. Coz I really don't what cover to do for it! It's so hard and disappointing. Anyways, the new one isn't so great either.

Well, that's all for now. Until next time,
Tutz.

❤❄❤❄❤