Chapter 73: Shelter
Chapter 73: Shelter
They searched frantically for a place to take cover as the first raindrops began to fall, splattering against the leaves and ground.
Sable had been right—they needed to find shelter fast.
But as the rain began to pick up, it was clear they were running out of time.
This wasn't going to be an ordinary rain.
They could tell by the ominous rumble from the distant sky, like a hundred waves crashing on the shore all at once.
The forest around them grew darker and darker with each passing moment, as if night had decided to fall early, casting eerie shadows that seemed to swallow the light.
"Damn it! Where's the shelter?"
Maximus cursed, looking around desperately.
All he could see were tall trees and thick bushes.
Sable was riding ahead, searching for anything that might look like a cave or a hollow tree trunk.
But there was nothing, just more trees and darkness closing in around them.
Water droplets began to fall from the trees, soaking the riders and their steeds.
The horses were getting restless, snorting and neighing in discomfort.
Meanwhile, Kaisen couldn't help but smile.
Even in the dim light, he could see Sable's white shirt gradually getting drenched, clinging tightly to her body.
As she galloped forward, her breasts bounced wildly, the wet fabric making every movement even more noticeable.
The sight was mesmerizing, and Kaisen's grin widened with each bounce.
Even Alice was soaked through, her clothes clinging to her curves in all the right places.
Kaisen couldn't help but steal glances at her bouncing boobs too, the sight almost too tempting to resist.
"Over there!"
Sable's voice cut through the sound of the rain as she pointed ahead.
Maximus squinted, trying to make out what she was gesturing toward, but the darkness and rain made it difficult to see anything clearly.
Sable urged her horse forward, galloping through the rain until she reached a large tree.
She circled around it, scanning the area, before coming to a stop on the other side.
The rest of the group followed suit, halting their horses behind her.
"What is this?"
Maximus asked, his gaze fixed on a dark hole in the tree trunk.
It looked as though something had torn through the wood with a blade or some other sharp object, leaving jagged and uneven edges in its wake.
Sable hopped off from her Stallion and approached the hole, peering inside cautiously.
"Looks like someone or something made a makeshift shelter here."
She replied, her voice muffled by the rain.
"We might be able to take cover inside until the storm passes."
"There's another one!"
Elfie called out, pointing to a nearby tree.
It bore the same structure, a dark hole carved into its trunk.
"And another!"
Llyod chimed in, indicating yet another tree.
The three trees stood in a line, each with its own carved opening.
The design was such that the insides of the holes were obscured, making it impossible to see what lay within.
Maximus frowned, a sense of unease creeping over him.
"This doesn't look natural," he muttered, eyeing the strange formations warily.
"That's because it isn't."
Sable replied.
The rain intensified, the pressure of the water droplets pounding against their bodies growing stronger with each passing moment.
Kaisen surveyed the trees, his brow furrowed in thought.
"That one looks big enough to shelter the steeds."
He suggested, pointing to the largest of the three trees.
"And we can use these two for ourselves."
It seemed like the best plan given the circumstances.
It was the most logical solution.
The alternative, using the largest tree for themselves and the smaller ones for the horses, would just make things awkward.
Kaisen didn't want to entertain that option at all.
With the rain showing no signs of letting up, the others didn't hesitate to agree with Kaisen's plan.
It was the best chance they had at finding some shelter from the storm.
First, they made their way toward the largest of the three trees, which resembled a cave with its sizable opening.
They dismounted from their steeds, and as if understanding the situation, the horses trotted toward the tree and huddled close to its sheltering trunk, making themselves as comfortable as possible.
The group took a moment to shake off the rain and catch their breath, grateful for the temporary respite from the storm.
A bolt of lightning illuminated the sky, its brilliance casting stark shadows across the forest.
The flash was followed by a deafening clap of thunder that reverberated through the trees, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.
"Eek!"
Alice shrieked, her body trembling with fear as she instinctively reached out and grabbed onto Kaisen's arms for support.
Thunder had always been her greatest fear, and in that moment, she felt as small and vulnerable as a frightened child.
Kaisen's heart warmed seeing Alice's scared reaction.
He had no idea she was this afraid of thunder.
With a soft smile, he reached out and patted her shoulder.
The rain hammered down harder, turning the world into a blurry mess.
They could barely see a thing in front of them, just sheets of water falling down from the sky.
It was like they were trapped in a never-ending waterfall, surrounded by the deafening roar of the storm and stupidly large trees.
"Come on, let's get inside."
Kaisen urged, taking hold of both Alice and Llyod's hands before leading them in a swift run toward one of the smaller caves.
The remaining four members of the group followed suit, heading toward the other smaller cave.
Alwyn couldn't contain his satisfaction with the arrangement.
Sharing a space with Sable was more than he could have hoped for.
'Looks like that vermin only has eyes for Alice. Well, that's just fine by me. Now I can focus all my attention on this busty elf.'
But little did he know, someone in his group wasn't too pleased with this setup at all.
From an outsider's perspective, it seemed like Kaisen could have simply grabbed Alice's and Sable's hands and instructed Maximus to follow them, making things a whole lot easier.
So why didn't he do just that?