You were both really quiet, sounds like nothing happened at all,” Triska commented. Specca glanced to her then looked up with a shrug.

“Maybe he muffled my cries of pleasure and ecstasy rather well, did you ever consider that?” she asked casually. Looking around she saw the other girls staring at her with wide eyes and open mouths. After a while of silence she giggled and shook her head.

“Relax, he was a perfect gentleman with me all night, we didn’t engage in anything like what you’re thinking,” she assured. The other girls breathed out in relief as Specca looked down with a gentle smile.

“We just read a book together,” she said softly.

“A book? That’s all you did, read a book?” Alyssa asked. Specca nodded and looked over to see Daniel sitting in the driver’s seat of the caravan, the boy looking around at the sights of the passing wilderness while his hair fluttered a bit in the breeze. The nixie smiled lovingly at him as she felt her heart beating faster with her growing love for the boy.

“Yes, it was the best book I’ve ever read in my entire life.”

Chapter 3

Gentle Monsters

In the world of Eden, danger lurks around every corner, even more so when traveling through the outerlands. Bandits and marauders were a real threat out in the wild, as well as the monsters that roamed the lands. A confrontation could occur at any time, a choice between fighting or fleeing may not always be an option, and one may need to rely on their instincts to survive the dangers they come across. However, not everything that seemed dangerous or evil really was, sometimes appearances could be deceiving. If one wasn’t certain whether they were facing an enemy or not, it was always best to choose what to do carefully.

After all, even those that were good in nature could still look like monsters.

*****

Flying up in the sky two butterfly girls were seen making their way across the outerlands, with one of them carrying a small human child in her arms. Emily clung to Luna tightly as the butterfly monster held her securely, the young child’s hair fluttering in the wind while she kept her eyes shut tight. Even though she was blind it was of course her natural reaction for being scared, and she had a good idea that although she couldn’t see for herself, she was very high up in the sky. Flying next to her sister, Falla was scouring the land below them in search for Daniel’s caravan, watching as they passed over the land with no sign of the travelers or their ride.

“Dammit, I hope they didn’t get too far ahead of us this time,” Falla muttered.

“You ok, Emily?” Luna asked as she saw the child keeping her face buried in her shoulder. The girl shook her head while holding onto Luna tightly.

“I don’t like this, take me down, take me down!” Emily cried out.

“But Emily, you’re safe up here, I promise, nothing’s going to hurt you,” Luna replied with concern. Falla glanced to the kid then looked around at the landscape below them.

“She’s right, Emily, down there you would be in more danger then up here, it’s much safer-” she started before looking back over and gasping with wide eyes, watching as Luna was spiraling around gleefully while holding Emily close, the young child now screaming as Luna was laughing maniacally with a twisted smile on her face.

“ISN’T THIS SO MUCH FUN? WEEEEEEE!” Luna screamed out as she laughed out of control, with Emily shaking her head wildly as she felt herself spinning around in the air.

“No! Please stop, stop! Please, Luna! You’re scaring me!” Emily cried out with tears forming in her eyes. Luna stopped and looked to Emily with a curious expression, the child then frantically trying to hold onto the monster as Luna had stopped her spiral so that she was upside-down in her flight.

“Scaring you?” Luna asked curiously.

“DON’T DROP ME! PLEASE!” Emily cried out desperately.

“Luna! Stop that, you’re just making this worse for her!” Falla yelled out.

Luna spun around to fly upright again with Emily crying and trying to push her away.

“Let me go! Put me down right now, you’re crazy!” she cried out.

“Crazy?” Luna asked with a hurt expression. Falla groaned then flew over and took Emily away from Luna, the human scrambling around in her arms while Luna watched her with worried eyes.

“Calm down, kid, she wasn’t going to drop you; she’s just got a little condition, ok?” Falla grunted as she tried to hold onto the human. Emily looked back towards the sound of her voice then over to where she could hear Luna crying softly.

“A little condition? She was laughing like a crazy monster,” Emily said nervously.

“I’m sorry, Emily, I… I didn’t mean to scare you,” Luna whimpered. Falla shook her head then motioned down towards a nearby wooded area, the two then flying down with Emily holding onto Falla nervously. They landed on the grass and Falla set Emily down before turning the girl to face her.

“I’m sorry about that; my sister… can get a little carried away sometimes. She can’t help it. Trust me, as ‘crazy’ as she may seem, she’s harmless,” Falla reassured. Emily looked towards the sound of Luna crying, the butterfly girl holding her arms around herself and looking away with remorse.

“I’m sorry, Emily, I didn’t mean to scare you like that,” Luna apologized. Emily listened to the monster crying then looked down with a worried expression. Falla looked between the two then up with a silent sigh before kneeling down behind Emily and holding her close.

“How about if I carry you, I promise not to scare you like that, ok?” she offered.

“Can’t we walk? I don’t like flying,” Emily asked softly.

“Flying is the best way of finding our friends, we can see further and travel faster while in the air. Plus it’s safer that way, nothing can get you up in the air when you’re with us,” Falla reasoned. Emily whimpered and shook her head.

“I don’t like flying, please don’t take me up there again,” she begged. Falla showed a dull expression and looked to Luna, the butterfly girl watching Emily with remorseful eyes.

“Way to go, Luna, you scared her from flying ever again,” Falla said flatly. Luna hung her head with shame while Falla stood up and looked around, only seeing the hills and trees nearby with no sign of any path or trail.

“Tell you what, how about we rest here for a moment, then we’ll see if you feel any better about flying, sound fair?” she asked looking to Emily.