A year later

One year had passed since Lacey had awoken on the island. She had gotten stronger, she learned how to use a spear and her dress had changed shape to a short knee-high skirt and half-length sleeves.

Silvia had made two new outfits out of hide for herself and one for Lacey, but Lacey still preferred to wear her dress. They had killed many more monsters which were all different in size and looks.

Lacey learned how to cook and clean up after herself. Before then she'd had a maid to clean her room and wash her clothes. Silvia helped where she could help her learn, but she mainly just watched and laughed. They had many a good laugh over Lacey's attempts at doing things.

Monsters seemed rarer to see in the forest now, and when they did see them, they took care of them. They had been planning to go up the mountain for a week now.

Silvia had made a backpack for them both and they had dried fruit, berries, and meat, and picked nuts for the trip. They had packed their bags and had everything ready to leave the next morning.

They left the tree with the backpacks on, they didn't know how long it would take to get to the top. When they reached the bottom of the mountain and started climbing slowly onto a small ledge, which was like a small shelf and then continued climbing.

They climbed for hours before taking a rest and eating a little food. Then they started again. The girls trudged along, as they went higher the air got thinner. After hours more of climbing the day came to an end.

As the sun began to set, they knew they had to find somewhere to sleep because they couldn't climb in the dark. "Look!" Silvia said pointing to the big hole in the mountain not far way from where they stood.

Lacey looked up from her feet to look at where Silvia was pointing at the big cave. They hurried to get inside so they could get camp set up before the sun went down.

As they entered the big mouth of the cave. "Be careful!" Lacey said, it echoed off the rock walls of the cave. Silvia nodded and led the way deeper into the cave.

Silvia took the wood off her pack that she had packed and lit a fire that was small in the inky blackness. "See that's why I packed wood, because there are no trees in a cave!" She joked.

Lacey Laughed, "Yeah, Sorry I questioned you!" She remarked, Silvia giggled and set down by the fire, Lacey sat too and pulled out a piece of dried meat.

After eating they pulled out their bedrolls that were made from monster hides and set them up around the fire.

Every sound they made eoched off the cave walls. Both of them had learned to sleep with one eye open, so Lacey and Silvia soon fell into a light sleep.

Nothing came near or attacked them as they slept. Lacey awoke at the first sign of sunlight coming in through the cave opening, she woke Silvia. They packed up again and started on there way up the mountain.

Thy soon began following a small faint trail which looked like it was made by some sort of animal. It seemed to go on forever.

As they took slow steps on the small shelf they had began climbing across, suddenly Lacey's head jerked up at the loud squawking noise.

She shielded her eyes as to see better in the bright morning sunlight. A big shadow flew overhead, making loud squawking noises, as it flew above them, circling like it had found food.

"What is that?" Lacey called to Silvia, she had stopped too and pressed herself up against the rock wall behind them, she moved to look at Lacey. "A flying monster." She shouted over the loud cries.

Lacey looked up again at the big bird-like creature that had spotted them and circled again. Then Lacey watched as it dived straight toward her.

It hit the shelf they were on and Lacey lost her footing as she shook in fright and fell. Her hand, grabbing for anything to slow her down.

A scream left her as she fell, closing her eyes tight. The wind around her as she fell made her hair fall loose from its band.

She hit hard, knocking the breath out of her. She opened her eyes, which widened in fright. She was on the back of one of the many bird-like creatures in the sky now.

It was flying high above the trees. Lacey held on the best she could but the beast balked trying to get her off its back.

She held on for dear life but soon lost her hold and with another scream, she fell towards the ground. She fell through tree branches on her way down.

She closed her eyes again, knowing she was going to hit hard and probably die. Suddenly she stopped with a hard and fast lurch. She slowly opened her eyes. She was hanging in a tree about ten feet from the ground on a small branch by the skirt of her dress.

Lacey let out a breath in relief that she had not hit the ground, but then she noticed her skirt was ripped where it was caught on the branch. As she moved the skirt ripped even more so she stopped, she would fall if she moved anymore.

She would have to wait for Silvia to come help her, if she was still alive. She let out a laugh, Silvia was to smart to die now.

Silvia tried to grab after Lacey as she fell but pulled back as another big bird came for her.

"Of course it was not going to be that easy to climb a big mountain, without a couple big things that would try to kill them." She thought jumping over the gap that Lacey had just fallen off.

She couldn't see where Lacey had fallen to but she hoped she was still alive. She ran along the small shelf as fast as she could, her pack weighing her down. She couldn't lose the stuff she had so nicely packed.

The loud squawks the big bird made had alerted more of its kind which came circling too. She looked out over the trees far below her and saw the hint of yellow on the back of one of the big black birds,

she would have to get down the mountain fast if she was to get to Lacey before she was killed and eaten.

It had taken them a day and a half to get this far. She watched as Lacey fell off the birds back and heard her scream echo off the rock wall she was beside.

She ran even faster but she would still take a day to get down even if she hurried. She just hoped she could get to Lacey before she bled out or was eaten by the big birds, she was sure they could smell the magic of her dress.

To be continued-