Lucinda P.O.V

"You know, if I knew that getting this plant was gonna involve this much mud, I would have set Aaron" I shout as my little wooden rowing boat trudges through the muddy waters, enclosed by towering trees and reaching roots whos crawling branches and thick foliage block out a sun from what was once a hopeful midday.

"I know right, it's so bad" Y/n calls down, sitting with her feet dangling off one of the branches above the water.

"Oh yeah, and how would you know? Your paws are dry" I shout, making my frustration known.

"We could always swap?" Y/n asks, smug grin plastered ear to ear.

"Shut up" I mumble.

"Love you too" Y/n sings as she shifts back into panther form, continuing her path along the vines and branches above.

"Llab thgil" I cast, sending another small, snowball, of light to breach through the dark fog of this swap.

The boat continues its trip through the waters for a few more minutes as I internally curse whoever wrote the directions to this plant, calling this place a forest.

Thud!

And with that, the boat comes to an abrupt stop.

"Y/n!" I call out as I pick up my staff, readying for the worst.

Y/n climbs down and rests on one of the roots just next to me. "What's wrong?" She asks, after shifting back. "Did the spell wear off?"

"Yeah..." I mumble, my eyes darting round fur any signs of danger.

"Can't you cast it again?" Y/n asks, keeping a watch out herself.

"Y/n..." I say as I reach into the waters behind the boat, pulling on some vines that are tightly wrapped around the back. "...vines don't naturally grow like this"

"Where do you want me?" Y/n asks.

"Head up, try and get a birds-eye-view..."

"Ahhhhhh Shit!!!!!!" Y/n screams as she gets hoisted up into the air by a vine. A vine that she swiftly cut.

Slice

With her claws. She falls and lands on a branch, balancing herself with a, "woah woah woah"

She lets out a sigh of relief then smiles down at me. "I'm up!" She shouts with a toothy grin.

Before I can say another word, a monstrous faint plant drops behind Y/n. Three large, vine-y arms suspending it up in the air, with a forth arm holding itself up next to its he'd, almost staring at Y/n. The arms are attached to its head at about the neck, with the body dragging up into the tree tops above, out if view. It's head, if you can call it that as it's much more of just a mouth rather than anything else. No eyes, no ears, no nose. Just a large pit of teeth a slime.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Terraria/comments/gpi2or/plantera_fanart_oc/

"Hi..." Y/n mumbles with a little wave.

RRROOOAAARRR!!!

The creature bellows right into Y/n's face as she just stands upright on the branch, taking all the slimy salvia to her face. Keeping her eyes and mouth closed as the beasts scream nears its end.

"Wait..." Y/n says, whipping the spit from her face and turning back to look down towards me. "...how did it scream? Do plants have vocal cords?"

Before I can even sigh at Y/n's stupid remark, The creature flings it's free arm straight at Y/n.

Thud

Y/n gets caught in its grasp and sent into a nearby tree trunk.

Smash!

The wood splinters as the the creatures shell-like hand crashes into the tree.

But not Y/n.

Y/n pops out and starts running along the creatures arm in cat form.

Smash! Smash!

The creature sends two more of its arms at Y/n. Both of which she dodges.

But with the creatures new hold on the tree behind. It reels itself in, mouth gaping as it plunges teeth towards her.

She slides off one of its arms, diving down towards me.

Smash!

The creature breaks through the tree, the wooden trunking making no attempt to stop the creature as it turns round and starts charging towards the boat.

"Emalf!" I shout, pointing my staff towards the creature, roaring fires erupting from the tip. The creature pulls back in fear.

Y/n shifts back and dives to the back of the boat.

Slash!

She cuts the vines holding the boat now while I continue my attack.

"Now!" Y/n shouts.

"Drawrof" I cast and the boat starts moving forwards. The fire stops and the creature starts to chase.

"Oh shit, it's still coming. Wanna hit it with more fire?" Y/n calls.

"Considering all the flammable trees and plants around, I think we should use fire sparingly" I say. "Take my staff, guide the boat"

I toss my staff back and Y/n grabs it, facing forwards while I ready myself.

"How exactly do I do that again?" Y/n asks.

"I used the staff to cast a spell making it move forwards. While holding the staff you can control the direction, but if you want it to speed up, slow down or stop, you have to say the casting word" I say as the creature comes back into view, dodging a weaving between the trees.

"Sdrahs nirecylgortin nezorf" I cast, forming three frozen shards and sending them flying towards the creature.

It holds up one of its arms, letting the frozen shards stab into it rather than its head. The attack did nothing to slow the creature down.

Until.

"Etingi"

BOOM!!!

RROOAARR!!

The shards lodged in its arm explode, taking the whole arm off with a scream of pain.

"Whatever happened to using fire?" Y/n asks.

"It was sparingly" Y/n asks.

"Eyes on the water" I say as the creatures arm regenerates in just a few seconds, then continues it's chase.

"Any ideas?" Y/n asks.

"Stop the boat, I've got a plan" I say.

Third Person P.O.V

The creature holds its chase as it turns a corner and comes face to face with Lucinda. Standing alone in the boat, in the middle of a slight clearing.

Without hesitation, the creature plunges its free arm towards Lucinda. Leaving the other three to hold itself up.

"Y/n! Now!" Lucinda shouts.

CHOP!!!

The ferrous jaw of Y/n in her panther for crashes down into the vine-y arm on the creature, as she jumps from just out of view.

Continuing her momentum, Y/n carries the arm till she hits a tree, digging her claws into the bark, still holding the appendix in her jaw.

"Eci!" Lucinda casts, sending a large shard of ice into the creatures arm.

"Dnapxe!" Lucinda says, causing the icicle to grow and trap the creatures arm against the tree.

Y/n scrambles up the trunk and back into the branches while the creature sends another arm towards Lucinda.

"Dleihs enots" Y/n says, still with the same confident expression on her face as a large rock lifts out of the water.

Thud!

Deflecting the creatures second attack, sending the arm into a tree behind.

Lucinda repeats the same incantations as before, trapping the second arm as Y/n.

Slash! Slice!

Runs atop the branches the creature anchored itself to, cutting them.

The creature drops, sending its remaining arms  horizontally into the trees to hold itself up. The creature now sits with all its arms on the same level.

"Eci! Dnapxe!" Lucinda casts without hesitation, locking the remaining arms in place.

The creature glares, or well as well as one can when their face is that of a teeth plant mouth, at Lucinda.

Y/n, from above, dives down, shifting into human form and.

Smash!!!

Knocks the creature out with one final punch to its head.

The creature goes limb and falls, resting on the surface of the water.

"Ha! Let's see Aaron do that!" Y/n shouts, still on top of the creature.

"Y/n come on, I'm not sure how long it'll stay unconscious" Lucinda calls and without another word, Y/n jumps into the boat and the couple take off, deeper into the forest.

Y/n P.O.V (5 Minutes Later)

"Did we kill that thing back there?" I ask as I pull the boat to a stop. We've just reached the end on the forest, swap, whatever and we found a lovely, rooting dock to tie the boat to. Similar to the one at the entrance of the forest.

"I doubt it" Lucinda says as I tie to boat down and other out my hand to pull Lucinda out and onto dry land. "To kill something like that we'd need to cut it off at its source"

"It's source?"

"Notice it's body?"

"Besides that trail of vines that stretched out into the forest? No"

"Exactly, to kill that thing we'd need to follow that trail back to its body" Lucinda explains.

"Oh, well, where to now?" I ask.

"We're looking for a way into the cave system, just up there" Lucinda says pointing to the top of a small, but still big, mountain that stands alone before us.

"Come on then" Lucinda jokes, tapping me on the shoulder with a smug grin and playful chuckle.

Lucinda P.O.V (30 Minutes Later)

"Llab thgil" I casts, standing at the entrance to a cave that most certainly seems like the one we're looking for.

Y/n, in panther form, jumps up next to me and shifts back. "Ouch, my poor paws" Y/n says rubbing her hands. "I'm not a mountain, panther you know"

Without saying a word, I take one of her hands and kiss it, laughing at the adorable blush that forms on her check.

"Come on, the flower grows just down there" I say as I start to walk down into cave.

"Why exactly are we looking in a cave for this thing?" Y/n asks, following between me.

"The ZuZu plant only grows under intense, intense sunlight. The black fog that covers the forest that surrounds this mountain makes it so that all sunlight while a few miles hits the top of this mountain. So if there's a gap in the mountain, like a small crack of crevice, light is focused in and allows for the plant to grow" I explain, while barely focusing on my surroundings.

"So like, over there?" Y/n says, pointing to a small batch of grass that is being bombarded by a laser focus of sunlight though a tiny crack in the ceiling. The grass sits on the side of a wall on the other side of a large opening in the tunnels.

"Well if that doesn't look ominous, I don't know what does" I say as I begin towards the grass.

"Hey, that's my line" Y/n says as she runs up to catch me. "Is that the plant?"

"Yeah, looks like it" I say.

Y/n goes to start running but I place my arm in-front and hold her back. Without saying a word Y/n's eyes and ears begin darting around for any signs of trouble.

"Humanoid. But skinny. Slow pulse. 20 to 30. All around" Y/n says and the two of us go back to back instantly.

Then, just as Y/n says, a large group of humanoid, skinny creatures who I assume have a low pulse.

"Ghouls..." I mutter.

"What?" I ask.

"Ghouls, like vampires but less powerful, more bloodthirsty and pretty mindless. Basically a step up from zombies" I say.

"Great..." Y/n mumbles. "...let's do this then"

Third Person P.O.V

"Are they just gonna stand there all day or...?" Y/n asks.

SCREECH!!!

The ghouls all start charging at the couple.

Y/n runs out to meet some of them while Lucinda stays in the centre, using her staff and hand to cast spells at the same time, muttering off as many as she can. Sending shards of ice, balls of fire and a few axis of lightning at the undead around her.

Y/n jumps between foes, swiping at there heads and chests, making sure to cover Lucinda's blind shots. Which is much easier said than done since Lucinda is turning at all different angles.

One ghoul goes for a nasty swipe at Y/n, but she quickly shifts into cat form, runs up its leg, body and to the back of its neck, before shifting into panther form, crushing the creature under her weight.

Another stands behind Lucinda and takes a dive towards her. Lucinda kneels down, putting both hands on her staff and pointing it under the opposite elbow, right at the ghoul.

"Gninthgil" She mutters with a smirk. Releasing a bolt of electricity that hits the ghoul, connects with four others that were also behind her, sending the five of them into the wall with a.

Smash!!!

This leaves her front open as another monster reaches out for her. Mere inches from her face.

CHOP!

Y/n dives, in panther form, clutching the monsters arm in her jaw and flinging it with her, then up, and into the ground before releasing her grip.

"This isn't going anywhere, these things just won't go down" Y/n says, shifting back and running up next to Lucinda, taking advantage of the breathe moment to breath.

"See those rocks up there?" Lucinda says after running through all their other options, pointing to the few small stones and pebbles that are wedges around a rather large boulder next to where the light is beaming down through on the ceiling.

"You're not thinking of a very stupid and risky plan are you?" Y/n asks.

"I most definitely am. Get that boulder loose, I'll keep these things distracted"

"Irene, I love you!" Y/n says, giving Lucinda a rushed peck on the check before shifting to panther form and running to one of the walls.

"Oi vampires! Wait, sorry, you lot didn't quite make the cut" Lucinda calls out, getting most of the groups attention.

Y/n starts climbing the rocks, finding a makeshift pathway up.

Y/n darts around rocks and rocks, and well more rocks on her assent up. Trying to focus on her sprint and ignore the crackles if electricity, roars of fire and overall sounds of ghoul ass kicking as she shifts between both feline forms to make it.

A few ghouls notice her and start ignoring Lucinda and climbing the walls after her. All of whom Y/n dodges. All but one.

The one who bites down on her leg, digging teeth into her now human flash as they both hang from a large vine.

"Worra erif" Lucinda calls, sending five flaming arrows into the ghoul, loosing its grip enough fir Y/n to kick it off her.

Hobbling to her feet, she gets up.

Standing on the vine.

Clenching her fist.

Smack!!!

Her knuckles collide with the wall, sending a strong enough shockwave to knock the small stones free.

And the large boulder.

And the vine Y/n was standing on her.

All of which fall to the ground, plummeting towards the rocky floor.

"Y/N!!!!"

CRASH!!!

Y/n P.O.V

"What the hell happen?" I ask, eyes shut as I clutch onto the only thing I feel.

"Y/n? You alright?" Lucinda asks, cradling me in a bridal carry.

"Yeah, what happened?" I grunt out as I look around. The blue bubble around us fades to reveal the once mighty boulder, in pieces.

"I put up a shield" Lucinda says, huffing and puffing. I raise my hand to her check and rub off the sweat dripping down her face.

"Lucinda... you could have gotten hurt"

"And you could have been crushed"

"Promise me you won't do something so stupid again"

"Haha..." Lucinda says tiredly, still trying to catch her breath. "...you're one to talk"

"Lucinda"

"No"

"Lucinda..."

"No, I won't promise that" Lucinda says as she sets me down, rests on one knee as she cups my check. "I'll always protect you. I lov..."

Roar!!!!

Lucinda and I both look up to see the surviving ghouls surround us.

Ready to attack.

But, don't.

They all just stand there, none of them refusing to take another step.

"What's going on?" I ask.

"Look up" Lucinda says. I follow her instruction but have to look down immediately as the light of the sun hits my eyes. "They burn in the sun"

"Ha, take that idiots!" I shout.

"How's your leg?" Lucinda asks, looking down to see only a blood stained pair of jeans at the ankle.

"In pain" I murmur, only now becoming aware of the pain.

"Hold still" Lucinda says as she reaches down and cups the bite with her hands.

"Lucinda no, you've already used up a lot of magic..." I try to plead but Lucinda doesn't listen. Without hesitation, a white glow emanates from her hands and the pain quickly fades.

As does the light in Lucinda's eyes as she slumps over. I grab her, pulling her head to rest on my chest.

"Lucinda!?!?"

"So...soft...so...comfy..." Lucinda mutters, half asleep.

"You okay?" I ask.

"Just tired" She mutters.

"That's a pretty strong grin of a tired person" I say, prying her hand off of my breast.

"Get the plant" She mutters.

"Okay, stay here" I say as I lay her down, grab her bag and run over to the plant. I reach into the bag and somehow pull out a perfectly pristine pot. Not wanting to question the magic, I scoop up the ZuZu plant along with a handful of dirt, placing it gently in the pot. Then the pot, back in the bag. "Okay, now what? Lucinda?"

"Zzzzzzzzzzz"

"Great..." I mutter as I walk over, swing the bag over my shoulder and pick up Lucinda in a bridal carry. "I better get extra snuggles for this later"

Aaron P.O.V

"You're back!" I greet as Y/n and Lucinda walk through the door. Well Y/n does, Lucinda has her arm around Y/n's shoulder and is basically being carried.

Y/n walks over and sets Lucinda down in a chair in the back room. "How'd it go?" I ask.

Y/n stares back at me with a disgusted look on her face. "Just take your stupid plant" She says as she hands me the bag.

"What I am supposed to do with this? I don't know how to prepare..."

"Shut up. Let me sleep" Y/n says, before shifting into cat form, jumping up into Lucinda's lap and curling into a ball.

Lucinda P.O.V (The Lodge)

"Where's Y/n?!?!" I shout as I run out the car and over to Aaron, Aphmau, Kim and Garroth.

"She went after Zane" Garroth said. "She told me to stay here, luckily you all arrived at the same time or..." Garroth continues but stops as I speed walk right past him and into the lodge, swinging the doors open.

"Y/n..." I say, as I try to sense where she is.

"She's this way!" Aaron says, running past me with such certainty.

"Everyone stay together" I say as I follow him.

We head up to the second floor, turn a few corridors till we reach a violent scene. The walls are either scratched up or splintered. There's even a massive hole through the top of a door frame. I run into that room, look around to see only a few drops of blood.

I quickly kneel down, picking up the blood with two fingers and rubbing my thumb along the top.

"It's partly Y/n's" I say.

"And Zane's?" Kim asks, sounding like she's about to faint.

"I little bit. But it's mostly someone else's" I say.

"Who's?" Aphmau asks.

"I don't know!" I shout, losing my cool.

"Lucinda..." Aaron says, kneeling down beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "...we'll find her. We'll find them both"

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Hi PTH here,

So I wanted to get this out last Friday but I've had an ear infection that just got worse and worse, don't worry, it's getting better now. So as much as I want to apologise for the late chapter... I'm not going to cause it's more important that I take care of myself. I know it sounds selfish, cause it is, sometimes you gotta be selfish.

Secondly, I don't know when the next chapter will be out since finals are in 6 weeks and I wanna really focus on those. So don't expect a chapter for a while, this story is going on a little hiatus.

Finally, make sure you all take care of yourselfs. Don't do a me and wait four days till you go to hospital. Stay safe, stay well, stay happy but don't hesitate to cry it out.

Goodbye and goodnight
Thanks for reading