NORTH OF ILLYMAR

"Come on! Move your tiny legs already" Aika shouts over his shoulders to the two little girls following briskly behind trying to match his pace but failing while giggling with one another over talks that only their minds could comprehend.

"Aika you know we aren't allowed near the border. Lord Ustov has threatened to take us to East Illymar if ever we were to be caught again" whispered Boubou to Aika..indeed Lord Ustov wasn't one to back down from a threat..well he didn't really mean it though just something to make them scared and not do anything to bring trouble..not like they needed to know that.

For seven year olds they seemed rather daring.. Their mothers having being friends for years passed that unbreakable bond down to the children... little wonder they got along so well

Aika was the way leader in this little mischief they were planning. He was always that spark of trouble ready to explode. Leading the poor young girls into mischief they never bargained for.

Boubou was the shortest in the group and the most reasonable as well. That didn't mean she was without a tint of mischief in her soul

Muri looked around for any sign of the patrol guards. Seeing no one they continued on their forbidden mission. Unlike the others, Muri was a lot different. Although she loved a little adventure here and there she had always had a dream of seeing what lies beyond the border and what other nations were like. She was brave, smart and had just the right amount of charisma to get you intrigued.

"Don't worry Boubou when we get caught , we'd tell the guards Aika forced us here" Muri gave Boubou a reassuring smile

"Hey!!" Aika exclaimed pouting

"I always knew it was time we got rid of him" Boubou said laughing at the expression now on Aika's face

"Shhh!!! We're here" Aika was now crossing the wall acting as a border between the North and the forest around.

"Come-on Bou let's go" Muri spoke

"No! You two stay here while I go check the trap from last night... hopefully it caught something big" Aika said with a wide grin

"Just hurry before our absence is noticed " said Boubou now looking rather nervous.

"Are you scared Bou?" Teased Aika

"Oh shush and move now" replied Boubou with a smack to his head

The two girls laid down by the bush nearby to avoid being spotted by the guards on patrol.

"Muri I don't like this"Boubou said while adjusting her cloak as she shivered from the night's chill breeze

Their dresses were squished and muddy from walking on mud

Meanwhile, Aika finally spotted his trap with a grasscutter hanging of the trap. Poor thing!! No! He would not feel sad for the animal....he took the grasscutter in his hands..Atlas!!! His first catch. He was so excited but suddenly felt bad. Oh!! How he would have loved to show Mama his little catch but Mama's suspicious mind wouldn't rest till she knew how he came about the poor animal... there's no outsmarting her there cause everyone knows you can't find a grasscutter in the village.

Okay time to head on and show Muri and Boubou his catch. Maybe now they'd see him as a man and not a boy...oh!! The girls would be panicking by now since he's been gone a while now

Finally deciding to take the trap further in, he walked a little and placed it by a burrow below a tree.

There! Perfect!! He began walking away but stopped in his tracks due to rustling from behind

At the border, Boubou was panicking

"Muri should we go check for him? He's been gone for far too long" a worried Boubou said

"Just a bit Bou. I'm sure....."Muri stopped mid sentence seeing Boubou's eyes go round

"Bou?" She turned to see what Boubou was looking at

It was Aika but now they could see that he was running away from something, being chased by a dark figure

" Muri, Boubou let's go" Aika said gripping both their hands on reaching where they were and running very fast

The children ran not knowing what was after them.The grasscutter now forgotten.

But as they ran, Muri turned one last time trying to catch a glimpse of such frightful creature only to be met with glowing red eyes staring at her

And it seemed to be smiling??