In front of Astrila, Kyma reaches behind her. Astrila reaches out her own hand to grip that of her cousin's. She doesn't know what is going on here, but her magic is shouting at her to leave. Astrila sees movement out of the corner of her eye and she twists to look at it. The trees are moving. Not in the wind like Astrila would assume trees move; besides, there isn't any wind here.

The trees are moving toward them on their own. Reaching out, clustering closer and closer to the riverbank. She slips a hand into her belt pouch for the Ludeag's heart. If they get close enough, she'll use it. Astrila twists to look at the other side of the river. The trees are doing the same on that side. They have no choice but to stay in the river if they don't want the trees to get them.

But that's not a problem, they don't have a reason for leaving the river right now. Astrila glances at Kyma. The younger girl has her hand pressed against the grey pouch she has strapped to her side. She's ready to pull one of her daggers out of it if she needs to. Astrila leans forward to whisper in Kyma's ear.

"Is there any chance that you can make this boat go faster? I don't think these trees can get to us in the river, but I'd still like to be away from them as quickly as possible."

Astrila can see the tug on the corner of Kyma's lip as she frowns. "I can speed up the boat, but then we might not be able to maneuver around the rocks as easily."

"What's more important?"

"Speed. If we crash into a rock, the boat will block us from hitting it ourselves. And the boat is made of water, it can't break."

"So we speed up then."

Kyma nods. "Yes."

As she says it, the boat begins to pick up in speed. It's going the same speed now as the water rushing past them, despite the water pushing against them as it goes. If they were going the same direction as the water itself, they would likely be moving twice as fast. Kyma diverts the boat to the side to pass a lowlying boulder and it scrapes through the side of their boat.

It comes so far through that Astrila could reach down and touch it if she so desired. The trees around them are moving faster now, they seem to know that their intended prey is getting away from them. They're crowded right up against the edges of the riverbank, reaching out towards the center of the water. Astrila frowns. That might be a problem. They have less maneuvering room.

"Kyma . . ."

Her cousin snaps back at Astrila. "I know, I can see them!"

Astrila stands up a bit from her seat. In front of them, she can see where the rapids began. A smile blooms across her face and she begins to lower back into her seat. Just then, the boat swerves to the side to pass a boulder, bringing them close to the trees. Astrila's eyes widen when one branch passes right over her head. Her breath rushes out of her when all it does is pass over her, but then something snags on the hood of her pelt.

Her head fills with rage and her magic shrieks in her mind. The branch holding onto her pelt tries to pull her back and Astrila twists, reaching back to hold the Ludeag's heart against the wood. Shrieking fills the air, high and angry. The shrieking of the tree fills her with ice and Astrila can see Kyma shiver in front of her. The shrieking keeps growing louder and Astrila twists to look across to the bank to where the shrieking is coming from.

It seems to be centred on the tree that grabbed her and Astrila squints. The tree's trunk is turning gray and the colour is spreading over where the tree should be white. The base of some of the other trees is turning gray as well, the tres closest to the first. She looks down at the heart in her hand. Is that what did this? All the trees seem to be pulling back from the river, backing away from her.

The Ludeag's heart has to be what's doing this, otherwise why would they be so terrified? She frowns momentarily? Can trees be terrified? Are these even trees? She can't really say, she isn't used to trees so how would she know what they are actually like? Even on the other bank the trees are pulling away. They are afraid, there is no question about it now.

Astrila sinks back down to her seat, keeping the Ludeag's heart tightly clutched in her palm. If she puts it away, they might come back. Astrila keeps an eye on the trees even once they have passed the point where the rapids start. She keeps an eye on them until they aren't all the same type of tree and even past them. Not until Kyma rests a hand on her shoulder does she stop.

Kyma's voice sounds worried. "Astrila?"

Astrila shakes her head and looks at Kyma. The girl's dark blue eyes are filled with confusion and worry. Astrila gives her a small smile, tinged as it is with her own worry.

"I'm alright. What do you think those are?"

Kyma shrugs. "I don't- oh."

She glances down at her palm. She's wincing slightly, like something is hurting her. Her other hand slips back to her pouch and she pulls something out of it, a small book. Astrila moves closer. She's seen this book before, this is where Kyma had the first prophecy written down. Kyma flips it open to the very back and then frowns down at the page. Astrila leans forward.

"What is it?"

Kyma shifts closer to Astrila and holds the book out. "Look. I think this is what was going on with those trees."

Astrila peers closer at the book. It takes her a moment but then she begins to read aloud. "Ghillie Dhu. Malevolent tree spirits that take the form of birch trees. Those they capture are enslaved, even other Aos Sí. Even the world itself fears them, as nature quiets itself around these creatures. Little, if anything, scares them."

The two girls exchange a glance. Kyma frowns. "If nothing scares them, why have they retreated?"

Astrila looks down at the heart in her hand. "You remember the Ludeag?" Kyma nods. "I have its heart and when one of the tree creatures grabbed me, I touched the heart to it. And now they're turning gray."

Kyma nods. "So the Ghillie Dhu don't like the Ludeag. Good to know. Let's keep moving, because I'd like to be far away from these things as quickly as possible."

Astrila laughs. "I feel the same. Let's go."

The boat starts moving again and Astrila twists to watch the Ghillie Dhu as they go.
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That was close? What do you think of the Ghillie Dhu's reaction to the Ludeag's heart? Are they gone for good? What do you think is going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.