Chapter 24 Desperately searching
Aloria
The trees loom tall and foreboding as we enter the woods, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers. Each step feels heavier than the last and my heart feels like it is not beating right. The world around me is a blur, a cacophony of rustling leaves and distant animal calls, but all I can focus on is the gaping void where River’s presence should be. It is weird how I thought Our bond was kinda weak, but now when it is gone it feels like half of me is missing.
Kellan leads the way, his body tense, alert to every sound. The search party follows closely behind, their faces set in grim determination. I can feel their concern, but it’s a dull echo compared to the raging tempest inside me. I scan the ground for any sign of him… claw marks on the bark, a broken branch, anything that could lead us to River… but the forest remains eerily silent, as if it’s conspiring to keep him hidden.
“Aloria, stay close,” Kellan calls back to me, his voice cutting through the air. I nod, but I’m already drifting farther behind, my feet carrying me forward on instinct alone. I can’t shake the feeling of dread clinging to me like a shadow, whispering that each moment we spend searching is another moment lost.
“River!” I call out, my voice breaking through the stillness. The sound reverberates through the trees, and for a fleeting second, I hope for a response. But all that answers is the rustle of leaves and the distant chirp of birds, mocking my desperation. “Where are you?” I whisper to myself, the words laced with a prayer I’m not sure I believe.
Kellan pauses, glancing back at me, his brow furrowed with worry. “We’ll find him, Aloria. Just keep your eyes open and your hope up.”
But how can I keep my hope up when every second stretches into eternity? The bond that usually connects us, the thread of energy that flows between us, feels frayed and broken. It’s like trying to breathe underwater, struggling to find air when I know he’s out there, somewhere, possibly in pain.
The search party splits into smaller groups, fanning out to cover more ground. Kellan stays beside me, his presence a comforting weight, but even he can’t dampen the rising tide of despair.
“Stop!” I hear one of the other pack members shout, and my heart leaps into my throat. We rush over, my breath quickening as I spot a flash of movement up ahead. But it’s just a deer, bounding away into the underbrush, leaving me feeling foolish and even more anxious.
“Aloria, keep moving,” Kellan urges, and I nod, forcing my legs to keep pace with him. But every step feels like a betrayal to River, as if I’m abandoning him with every breath I take.
The sun dips lower in the sky, shadows stretching long and dark around us. I can’t shake the chill settling in my bones, an omen of what might come if we don’t find him soon. “Kellan, what if… what if he’s badly hurt?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. I can see the worry etched on his face, and it causes my gut to twist.
“He’s strong, Aloria. He’s faced worse,” Kellan replies, but even his words feel hollow.
We push deeper into the woods, the underbrush thickening around us as if trying to swallow us whole. I can feel the anxiety crawling beneath my skin, a restless energy that makes it hard to focus. “River!” I scream again, desperation lacing my tone. “Please, come back!”
I close my eyes for a brief moment, trying to center myself, to reach out through the bond that feels so painfully absent. I summon every ounce of willpower, trying to feel him, to connect with him through the void. But there’s nothing. Just an empty echo where our bond used to be, a deafening silence that threatens to consume me.
“Aloria…” Kellan’s voice is gentle, but I can hear the worry creeping into it. “We need to keep moving. We’ll search until nightfall.”
Nightfall. The word sends a shiver down my spine. I shake my head, fighting against the rising panic. “No! We can’t stop. We need to find him now.” My voice is frantic, the wildness in my heart spilling over into my words.
Kellan steps closer, his eyes searching mine. “If we keep going, we might lose our way. We need to stay together. It’s the only way we can find him.”
I can feel the frustration boiling up inside me, the anger directed at the very trees that seem to mock my fear. “I can’t just stand here! I can’t do nothing while he’s out there!”
A sudden rustle in the bushes makes us all freeze. Kellan turns sharply, and I hold my breath, hope igniting momentarily within me. But as the moment stretches, the underbrush reveals nothing but an empty space, the silence returning to its suffocating grip.
“Aloria, let’s…” Kellan starts, but I cut him off.
“No! I won’t give up. Not now.” My voice is fierce, a defiance rising within me. I push past him, moving deeper into the woods. I have to find him. I have to!
“Aloria, wait!” Kellan calls after me, but I refuse to stop. I stumble through the underbrush, branches scratching at my skin, but I don’t care. Every step feels like a step toward River, and that’s all that matters.
The forest grows denser, the shadows deepening as the sun dips lower. I can feel the panic clawing at my throat, my heart racing with every crunch of leaves beneath my feet. It’s getting darker, and the last remnants of daylight are slipping away, but I refuse to turn back.
“River!” I scream again, my voice breaking as I push forward. “Please! Where are you?”
The darkness wraps around me like a shroud, but I can’t stop. I won’t stop until I find him. The fear that has settled in my chest feels suffocating, the weight of it almost too much to bear. I feel it closing in around me, and I know I can’t let it win. I can’t let it take him away from me.
As I move deeper into the woods, with no sign of River and no sense of direction, I feel the despair threatening to swallow me whole. But somewhere deep inside, a flicker of determination remains. I won’t give up. I can’t. I will find him. I will fight for him, no matter the cost.