Nickolas sat in the cave panting from his sprint through the forest. He debated hiding in the forest to allow Ann time to cool down she was probably furious at him. A short time later the shaking of the ground announced Ann’s return. She entered the cave stepped over him and laid down in her normal spot with her back to him. Nickolas stared at her back and images of her bathing filled his mind and flushed his face a bright red with embarrassment. “I can feel you staring at me please stop looking at me Nickolas,” She pleaded. Ann continued, “I didn’t want anyone to see me like that, especially you. I’m so huge and disgusting; I wish I was tiny and dainty like normal girls, but I’m not I’m a behemoth, I’m sorry.” Nickolas was shocked he had thought she’d be furious at him not ashamed of what she was. Nickolas got up and walked across the cave until he stood facing Ann’s face. When her eyes meet his he could see the tears welled up in them. “Ann,” he whispered then slightly louder he said. “You should never be ashamed of who you are, you’re gentle and kind and I think your beautiful.” The tears in her eyes fell to the ground and she gave Nickolas a slight push with her hand until he was pressed between her face and hand her index finger wrapped slightly around him. It was as close as she could get to a hug at her size. Although he knew she would never hurt him he realized how dangerous she could be at the moment. Nickolas estimated he was about the same height as her pinkie finger, he’d never felt so insignificant and so important at the same time.

As the sun woke Nickolas he turned over in an effort to avoid its blinding rays.  As he opened his eyes adrenaline rushed through his body as he stared into the face of a sleeping Ann only feet away. “I’m never going to get used to waking up next to a giant girl,” he thought. He concluded that he must have fallen asleep and she must not have wanted to wake him and simply let him sleep next to her. Some of her hair had fallen across him during the night and he had a bit of a difficult time getting untangled from it. Once free of the hair Nickolas left the cave to go pee and stretch his legs a bit. As he headed back to the cave something whizzed by his head and stuck in a tree behind him. As he turned to look he saw it was an arrow, and the next minute he was on the ground being held down by a big dirty looking guy. As he struggled a cleaner looking guy stood above him and pointed a sword at his throat and elegantly informed him that he would be killed immediately if he didn’t quiet down.  “Were here to kill a monster boy so keep your mouth closed and we might not end up in the belly of a beast,” the swords owner informed him. Nickolas defiantly looked up and quietly said, “Ann says there aren’t any monsters in these woods just dangerous animals, now let me go.” The swordsman smiled dangerously and nodded to the man holding Nickolas. The big guy twisted Nickolas’s arm until he hollered out, after he stopped Nickolas spit at the man with the sword. “You little peasant bastard,” raged the man as he lifted his sword and sliced Nickolas across the face below his left eye.

A roar of immense sound accompanied by a blur of motion crashed through the forest. A massive fist smashed into the ground the force of impact knocking the swordsman of his feet. When the dust cleared Nickolas saw a furious looking Ann crouched before him fist still imbedded in the ground. She turned and looked at the man holding Nickolas down and seethed, “Let him go right now.” Sheepishly the man let go and backed away from the angry giant. The swords man got to his feet and laughed out loud and looking at Nickolas said, “I told you there were monsters in this woods, I guess I didn’t realize that you belonged to one boy.” With that he turned and looked at Ann, cleared his throat and began to recite, “I knight Paul have come to slay the monster that resides in the Forest of Lost Souls on behalf of my noble lord. So prepare to be slain beast of the wood.” After delivering his speech he raised his sword and lowered it pointed directly at Ann. In a flash Nickolas’s world went dark as his eyes adjusted he realized he was beneath Ann’s cupped hand and he could hear the sound of arrows flying through the air and some making contact with their marks. “Ann! Let me out!” Nickolas hollered. A minute later Nickolas felt his world turned upside down and felt himself bouncing around in Ann’s closed hand and could feel himself moving faster than he ever had in his life.  After what felt like forever they began to move slower and Nickolas started to get bumped around a bit rougher than before. With a loud crash and a rough landing they stopped completely. Ann’s hand opened and allowed Nickolas to step out. Nickolas was frantic over what he saw before him. Ann was breathing in a heavy ragged kind of way, and covering her face neck and hands were strange looking arrows. Each arrow had a small container full of some liquid attached to it. Apparently the arrow was made to allow the liquid to drain into the tip and into the wound. Nickolas rushed to pull an arrow out but Ann whispered in a weak voice, “don’t I think there full of poison if you cut yourself on one it’ll kill you. They’re nearly empty leave them in I’ll pull them out after I take a nap. Were really close to a town so if you need anything head that way and go into town.” “Ann! Hey don’t go to sleep you need to stay awake! Ann!” Nickolas frantically shouted.