Day One—
Racing frantically through the Questioning Heart Forest, the nine-month-pregnant Jiang Ling was heavy in breathing and paddled with scratches. Behind her, the sounds of hollering of men and the clopping of horses on the uneven ground struggling to navigate the pathless terrain resounded like thunder in her heart.
She found her legs weakening as she inevitably stopped, leaning against a tall oak tree while her breathing was heavy, gently rubbing her protruding belly while restraining all the rampant fear wishing to surface.
"Jiang Ling, you can't falter here. Not just for your sake…" She silently whispered as the vivid memories of her village's burning as billowing black smoke clouded the skies resurfaced. The smell of burning flesh, the tragic screams of her family, and the frantic urging words of her uncle-in-law as he gave his life to halt the pursuit of those responsible.
