"All right, let's pack up, we have a long journey ahead of us".

After packing up their things, their journey started. For hours they traveled not stopping to rest once.

Occasionally, the little white tiger-pheonix beast would jump into Astrid's arms. Other times it would jump on Jareth's head and play with him. Then when it was tired, it would go climb its mother's back.

And by the time they decided to rest, it was getting dark. Well it took Astrid a hard time to convince Mr Grouchy pants, Jareth.

"Jareth" a tired Astrid called out.

He kept on walking not sparing her a glance. She got angry and tired but she needed him to stop.

"Jareth" she called out more fiercer now. He simply turned to look at her.

"What?" He asked flatly.

"Don't give me that look Jareth"

"So my look is the problem huh? Well I ain't changing it, so get up your a.r.s.e and let's keep on walking."

"I am tired" she protested.

By now, What both mother and baby beast sat on the ground watching the two of them talking it out, well more like fight it out.

"I told you earlier on, if we are slow, it would take us six good whole days, not to talk of, we would be walking back down, so another maybe four to five days and you said we would be fast. Astrid, a day isn't even over yet and you are tired. At this rate, we would definitely reach there in six to seven days time."

She looked away from him after his little scolding and was pouting.

He heaved a sigh, as he gazed this big girl who behaves like a child most times.

"Hmm, Astrid" he called out but she didn't bother to answer him.

"Oh come on, you are the one I am thinking of. For crying out loud, you still need to reach the valley of lost souls and this would take days"

"Ohhhh, didn't know I was such a bother that you are itchy to send me away so quick" she cuts in on his caring speech.

This brought out a bit of an irritation from him as he hissed.

"Okay fine, do whatever you want. At least I am not the one in a hurry to go to my death" as soon as he said that he regretted letting it out.

She turned to look at him, "My death? What do you mean by I am not the one in a hurry to go to my death" she shouted the last part at him.

"It's nothing, came out wrong".

"You better answer me Jareth or else... "

"Or else what Astrid. What are you going to do? Sink me in the ground again? Send twines to fight me. Face it, without your powers you are nothing. Scratch that, without my help you'd be dead by now" he spat back.

There was a look of shock on her face but after some seconds, she composed herself and turned her back to him.

"Thank you for all your help thus far. You may go" she dismissed him.

Realizing what he had done and said, he walked up to her and place a hand on her shoulder, but before his hand could get to their destination, she shouted.

"I SAID GO. LEAVE!!" she screamed at him.

She walked further away from him and went to stand in front of the beasts.

"And foe your information, I do not need your help in bringing them home. I can manage on my own."

"But... " he stopped dead in his tracks and sentence as she turned her head and gave him a death sentence glare.

"Don't you dare".

He could have sworn, at this time her eyes changed colors again, a darker shade from their usual color change.

At this point he knew she was mad angry.

"How did all these turn out sour so quickly" he thought to himself.

"What have I done now. She's so mad at me. How do I apologize? I didn't mean it. I just got frustrated and arrrgghhh I really hate how she can bring out the ugly side in me" he thought again.

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Astrid's POV

I was so mad at him right now. I really really was angry at him. All I wanted was to rest and he started talking and complaining about my look and how I was hurrying to my death.

I was kidding you know, when I meant that he wanted to get rid of me so quick. I was trying to get him to talk and laugh and agree to rest but he lashed out.

So typical of him. What a pain in the a.s.s, Mr Grouchy.

"Is that what you really think about him?"

That voice.

"Yes?"