Brynn's Perspective.
Brynn stormed through Frosthelm, teeth clenched, Elara's voice echoing in her head. "You never think things through, Brynn." She started walking faster, kicking up piles of snow. What did Elara know anyway?
What did any of them know? They all thought she was reckless, like she was a fool that they could all laugh at. But they are wrong. She knew more than they did, she felt more than they did. The forest was hiding something, Frosthelm was hiding something, and it was for her to find, not them. She wanted to know. She deserved to know.
No one else knew what they were doing. "The elders," she said out loud with a sharp laugh. They just talked around a table all day. They never even left Frosthelm. "The hunters," she said, her fists tightening. They were cowards, waiting for permission, like they were lost kids her age. They weren't the ones who would change anything. Brynn was. She would show them.
By the time she reached her house, her anger had subsided. She was still upset, but now she decided she was going to act. She sat on the edge of her bed, twirling her hair around her finger. As the day passed and the sun was setting, she was getting things ready. She already made a plan, and when the sun fully set, she slipped out. She moved quietly through her house where her mother slept, not that she'd care anyway. She snuck outside, the streets were quiet, but she stayed low to the ground, moving between buildings, making her way to Garrick's house. The sound of the wind and the mask of the snow in the air hid her movements.
The door was locked. But that was barely an inconvenience to her. Brynn was a master of locks. And in only a few moments, "click". The lock came undone. She slipped inside, moving slowly and carefully, and made her way to his room.
Garrick was a deep sleeper, and if he was woken too suddenly, he could lash out or scream. Brynn was well aware, this isn't the first time they snuck out at night. She crouched beside his bed, getting closer to his head, and with her best Hendrick impression said, "What do you think you are still doing sleeping, boy! The tanning don't tan itself!" She lowered her voice as low as she could make it and tried to make it sound rough. It took a second for Garrick's eyes to snap open and for him to jolt awake, sitting upright.
"Garrick, are you up for some fun?" Brynn was whispering to him, he blinked a few times, looked around and realised that once again it was only Brynn.
"Why do you have to wake me up like that?" He was ignored. She was already pulling him and trying to hurry Garrick up. "What do you want to do now?" He sighed. "The Forest," she whispered back. "There is something happening, and we will figure it out." Garrick slowly stood up, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure if they should be doing this, but he would say yes. He always did.
They moved quickly through the streets. Brynn told Garrick her plan, they talked about Thalos, but the idea of his father catching them sent a shiver up Brynn's spine. Maybe she could slip away and hide from others, trick whoever she needed. But not Eryndor, and she wasn't risking that, so that meant Thalos was out.
"What about Elara?" Garrick suggested behind her. She shook her head. "NO! Not in a thousand winters!"
Which left only one person, Orin. They both knew he would say no. He never agreed to go out at night; he barely agreed to do anything that Brynn found fun. But she knew if they pushed and tugged hard enough, he'd follow, she knew his biggest problem was never saying no.
They stopped just outside of Orin's door.
Brynn turned to Garrick, grinning. "Okay! It's your turn."
He sighed and rolled his eyes. "He's gonna to be pissed again."
But Brynn didn't reply, she watched Garrick make his way around Orin's house to where his window was. And waited. She could barely wait, she was spinning, rocking on her heels. Her excitement was reaching its peak. Whatever they were hiding, whatever they didn't want them to know, by the time morning came, she would know. Moments later Garick returned from the side of the house, following just behind him was Orin. He walked with his head down, already avoiding eye contact.
She knew this would be the hard part, but she could do it. She explained everything, how she wanted to learn the truth, and how Frosthelm is looking down on them. And they will prove everyone wrong.
Orin didn't laugh, he didn't smile. "You're insane! I am not sneaking into the woods!"
Brynn grinned. "Insane? I've been called worse. I am insane no matter what."
Garrick was shaking his head with a smile.
Orin turned to Garrick for help. "This is a joke, right? You know how dangerous the forest is. You've heard the stories."
Garrick didn't respond. He just put his hands up and gave a glance to Brynn. At that moment Orin knew this was Brynn's battle.
Brynn rolled her eyes. "Stories that are told to us by people who never even left Frosthelm!"
Orin wasn't backing down. "We shouldn't go, they know more than we do."
Brynn sighed, she had to change tactics. "Come on, Orin, please. We're not going far, just to have a quick look, we'll be back before anyone notices. For me, Orin?"
She saw it immediately. A moment of hesitation. He was thinking about it, she had seen this many times before. He wanted to say no, but he wouldn't.
She stepped closer to Orin, grabbing his wrist softly.
"Orin, you aren't going to let me go alone, are you? Her tone grew soft and concerned.
Orin remained silent until he tried to pull back from her grab. "Brynn, I said no!
An arm swung around Orin's back, Garrick had his arm over him, leading him forward. Smiling and laughing.
"Oh, stop being as stubborn as a Whitehorn Elk, we both know you're coming!"
Orin tensed and clenched his fists, he was getting upset with them. He was ready to throw Garrick off of him, spin around and forget this entire thing ever happened, but he wasn't about to fight his friends. He relaxed, took a few breaths, and sighed.
"See? It will be fine. We will be right back!" Brynn smiled, tugging him forward. She ignored his unease, his shaking, and his uneven breathing, because she was about to prove to everyone that she was correct.
They left the village behind them, even when they approached the treeline. Brynn didn't hesitate. Orin was protesting, asking them to turn around and pleading with them. Garrick's confident expression was dying, but he didn't say a word, and with no protest they disappeared into the trees. Brynn didn't let go of Orin's arm, she dragged him through the bush. Her heart was racing, Elara's words still playing in her mind, it almost sounded real this time.
"You don't care, Brynn!" "You just want to cause trouble, Brynn." The voice sounded mocking. That's right, Elara had always mocked her. She was always against her.
"Brynn's wrong. Brynn's Reckless, Brynn, you're just not that smart. Brynn, Brynn, Brynn…" The voice in her head was growing faster, repeating the same scenes over and over.
She started walking faster, pulling at Orin. Garrick was beside them, keeping pace. She started muttering and cursing under her breath. She hated Elara's tone, like she was so much wiser, like she was above her. Above her? No, that's not right. Elara didn't know anything; none of them did. They didn't understand.
Brynn's face was burning red with anger even in the cold. She would show them. She would make them all see. She was the one that deserved to know.
"We shouldn't be here." Orin's voice broke the silence.
Brynn ignored him.
"Brynn"
She tightened her grip on his wrist.
"We are already deeper than what you said!" Orin pulled back.
She snapped to face him, her voice was sharp. "Stop ruining everything!"
Orin's eyes opened in surprise. Garrick, who was silent, was observing what was happening.
"There is something in this forest that they don't want us to see!" She would show them all, no one ever believed her, and no one ever listened to her.
"Brynn!" Orin yelled, pulling against her grip harder. "You're acting insane!"
"Maybe we should turn back now, I don't see anything." Garrick added sheepishly.
"You both don't get it!" She was so sick of being doubted. "I'll find it. I'll show them all that I'm better than them, that WE are better than them."
The dark thickened. The wind stopped. Trees loomed endlessly ahead, and a heavy pressure built around them, closing in, and yet Brynn didn't let go of Orin's wrist, ignored his pleas,brushed off Garrick's worry, and dragged them deeper. And as Orin was pleading, his eyes looked up into the treetops. The first blue light flickered above, disappearing behind the trees.