Joey remembered what Roxy said about the scar.

"Amelia!" Joey called, running to catch up with her.

She didn't slow down. When Joey caught up, she turned and smiled at him.

Roxy was right. He should've noticed it long before. It was dark, wide, and deep. It ran from the middle of her forehead to the start of her cheek. It was ugly and jagged.

She winked at him. Joey thought she should be blind, it ran straight through her eye.

"Uh, how, how did you get that scar?" Joey stuttered.

She smiled even bigger. "Oh, it's nothing. I was fighting Marty Merlin, one of the most powerful wizards. Well, not anymore. I took his place at second best!"

"But he did leave me with this." She pointed at her scar. 

Joey nodded. "Where are we?" 

"We're in the Forest Wild. Where all the wildfires start. Don't touch anything, you'll die, probably." Amelia shrugged and laughed. 

"Why are you laughing at us dying?" Andy asked nervously.

"Isn't it fun, being in danger?" Amelia asked. Andy shook his head.

She shrugged. "Suit yourself. We'll run into some Piklers. Definitely."

"W-what are Piklers?" Holly said.

"They're mountain creatures. They're smaller animals. Huge claws, no fur, large eyes, small nose." Amelia kept walking. "And fangs. Long, thick fangs."

Holly trembled with fear. Andy consoled her while Joey asked about the mountain creatures.

"Most are shy. There are a lot, so I don't have time to explain them all. Just watch out for the Pikler. You'll know it when you see it." Amelia ran ahead, then slowed down. 

Toby didn't say a word.

"Why doesn't he talk?" Roxy asked, pointing at Toby.

"He's very awkward. Not great with people." Amelia stopped, turned and bent down to Holly.

"Hey, we're gonna make a little circle here, and you're going to be in the middle. Is that okay?" Amelia said softly.

Holly nodded. Amelia smiled.

"Everyone around Holly! I can hear a Pikler up ahead! Draw your weapons!" Amelia shouted cheerfully.

Toby drew his bow and an arrow. Roxy gave Andy a large stick she found on the ground and drew her pocket knife. Holly took out a sharp pencil, shaking hard. Joey grabbed his spearhead, which had been broken of the stick before.

Out of nowhere, an electric pink lightning rod appeared in Amelia's hands.

"See? What if she tries to kill us with THAT?" Roxy snapped.

"We'll talk about that when we're not trying to survive!" Joey snapped back.

They moved forward, quietly. They stayed in their tight little circle.

"Where is it?" Joey whispered.

"Don't know," Amelia whispered back. "I only heard it."

They didn't have to wait much longer to find out. 

A large, bearlike creature with pink skin so thin you could see its bones jumped out at them.

"You said it was small! It's as big as a polar bear!" Joey yelled.

"It is small! Did you see my droggon?" Amelia shouted.

The Pikler opened its mouth. No sound came out.

Amelia and Toby covered their ears and winced. Joey blinked at them.

When the creature closed its mouth, it charged at them.

Amelia struck the beast in the face with her bolt, then an electric whip popped into her hands.

The monster opened its mouth again, and once again, no sound came out.

Amelia and Toby winced and plugged their ears.

"Can't you hear that?" Amelia practically screamed.

"Hear what?" Joey asked as the beast closed his mouth.

Amelia stared. Then, a small smile crept onto her face. 

"You're hearing sucks! That's great! It's too high for you guys! Here, take this!" She threw her whip at him, and he just barely grabbed it by the handle without being scorched.

"Kill it!" Amelia said.

"What if it's endangered, or is the last one here, or is needed, or has a family, or..." Roxy grabbed the whip and rolled her eyes before he could finish.

The Pikler saw Roxy coming and opened his mouth. Amelia and Toby plugged their ears as Roxy lashed at his open mouth.

The Pikler snapped his mouth shut and took a step back. Anger flared in his eyes.

"Amelia! I need a sword!" Roxy shouted.

Amelia nodded and the whip turned into a sword.

"Thanks," Roxy said as the whip became a fiery sword.

Roxy climbed up a large rock and jumped, throwing her sword into the back of the Pikler, and twisting it.

The beast opened his mouth one last time before dissolving into flame.

Joey nearly threw up.

Roxy glared at him. "Get over yourself."

Roxy shifted her glare to Amelia. The weapon disappeared. "You made us fight this battle. You made us kill it. Why? Why didn't you do it yourself?"

"I would have stepped in, but you were doing fine!" Amelia snapped. "You couldn't hear it's one power. Without its power, it's weak. I didn't force you. You jumped in."

Roxy rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She pushed past Amelia.

"What's her deal?" Amelia muttered, pointing to Roxy.

"She doesn't trust anybody," Andy said.

Amelia nodded. "Well, you just met me. I was surprised you guys trusted me so fast." She winced.

"Roxy's right. I shouldn't have made you kill it. I'm sorry." Amelia looked down at her feet.

Andy shook his head. "You're fine. It was common sense. I would have done the same thing, if I were you."

"No, you'd be drinking," Joey snarked, earning a glare from Andy.

"Does drinking mean something different in your world?" Amelia asked.

"Yes. Well, no. You drink stuff called alcohol and once you drink enough, you lose awareness of everything and don't remember anything," Joey explained.

"Like getting high?" Amelia asked.

Joey shrugged. "Sort of."

"Where's Roxy?" Andy asked worriedly.

"My guess is she got to the crossroads and stopped there. Nothing to worry about, just a path." Amelia shrugged and walk down the road.

"Andy, do you think you could talk to Roxy?" Joey asked.

Andy opened his mouth to speak.

"My mistake, I'll do it," Amelia offered. She didn't look at them. She walked past them.

Joey and Andy exchanged glances.

They started their descent into the dark forest.