People of the Sun

Chapter 2: Moonwalkers Yue (ū-ay)

Chapter 2: Moonwalkers Yue (ū-ay)

Yue wondered why she would ever listen to her friend Selena. She did not want to meet friends away from the safety of underground. She wasn't a hunter riding a horse catching night beasts to feed her people. Nor was she a scout who either, collects and transports goods and delivers messages to other underground villages. She definitely wasn't a sleazy raider going out to thieve the crops above land. She knew she was a hypocrite every time she took a bite of fresh fruit. They were satisfying juicy sweetness but in her opinion not worth the trouble. Most moonwalkers did not feel opposed to the raids. Raiders were actually considered highly respectable, but she thinks it just fuels the endless war. It's the reason her brother Orion has to be a guard part of the day, the reason her father is dead. Orion hunts half the night then has to wake during the steaming hot day and protect the upper levels of the city from the sun monsters. The people of the sun killed her father in retaliation of raiders stealing an entire harvest. Three months of food in exchange of ten lives lost that day. People of the sun are savage warriors stronger than five moonwalker men. With black beady eyes and dark thick hide like skin. 

Yue knew she had no right to be out above ground. She had no reason besides Selena wanted to meet some friends. Selena had her eye on a certain young hunter Lei. They would bring some food for them when they were on their break. They would talk flirt for a few minutes and be back underground before anyone else noticed. Yue didn't want to come but she couldn't allow her friend to go on her own either, what kind of friend would. Her brother would be furious with her for leaving. He was already asleep since he had a day watch shift. Selena's brother Vesperus would be equally as furious with them and he was currently out hunting. Which might be what Yue was most worried about. You would think Selena would be more terrified of her brother than Yue but Selena was confident her brother wouldn't discover them. 

The entire walk Yue trembled listening for any noise. All she could hear was ice pelting all around them and Selena's steady stream of a one sided conversation. After a fifteen minute hike they entered the hunter's break area it was a clearing between the rocky terrain and the dense forest beyond their homeland. A large boulder and a few smaller trees served as a sitting area and a place to tie off their horses. The fog hung higher in the air due to the clearings sloping down and creating a valley allowing for a clear view of the whole area. The trees surrounding the boulder kept the rock protected from the ice. 

Yue was able to relax having made it this far without any sign of Vesperus and Selena's smile when spotting Lei was infectious. She was able to enjoy herself just a little bit. Her friend was able to flirt with the boy she liked and Yue was able to catch up with Kyler her childhood friend who happened to have his break with Lei. While sitting there she was even able to witness the ice letting up and the moon glowing through the fog. She doesn't leave the mountain very often and the crisp icy wind felt nice.  

On the way back their luck did not last. The wind had picked up and the light ice had become sharp shards pelting down on them. They both heard heavy hooves thumping the ground coming towards them. Selena and Yue jumped off the trail and crouched down behind a large rock. They laid there motionless as the thumping came nearer. Their large glowing eyes widened hearing, "You take the left trail and I'll go this way the beast couldn't have gotten far." They both recognized Vesperus' voice. They huddled down as close and low as possible. Yue held her breath and could hear her heart pounding in her ears. Time seemed to slow down as Vesperus bounded by his horses tail swishing against the rock inches from their hiding spot.  

"I knew this was a bad idea." Yue whispered she could breathe again but her body still pulsed her heart filling like it might break through her chest.  

Selena stood up pulling Yue up along with her, "Relax Yue he didn't see us." They both began brushing away the snowy blanket off their back and bottom when a rustling and cracks of branches sounded. Now branches cracking when trees have a strong armor to survive both day and night sets off several alarms. Behind them over ten feet tall thick grey fur and paws bigger than her head fangs illuminated by glowing yellow eyes of a monstrous wolf. Yue did not need to be told twice as Selena screamed "RUN!!" 

But they weren't thinking in sync when they took off in their fastest sprint. Because Selena took off along the trail that her brother had followed and Yue went straight in the direction of home. She didn't follow a trail just went straight in the direction it should be. As fast she could she ran. Sliding along the top of icy rocks, avoiding the sharp needles protruding off trees. The icy rain prickled her skin and her breathing was labored. A howl echoed across the night and she was moving faster than she thought she ever could. She didn't see the jagged rock that was sticking out of the ground at a sharp angle. Her foot caught on one side and her ankle wrapped around to the other twisting it around completely. She could feel the crack vibrate through her body up to her teeth. At the speed she had been running her body was thrown several feet in the air and she couldn't stop as she rolled and twisted bouncing along until a large stump of a tree stopped her. Flashes of light danced across her eyes and her head spinning. She laid there motionless trying not to let her eyes flutter closed. Her foot hung loose from her ankle more than likely broken, every muscle and bone ached. She couldn't hold her eyes open.  

When she came back to it took a few tries but she was able to stand on one leg. She tried to hobble forward but she couldn't locate any semblance of the trail. The rocks and trees were dense and hard to maneuver around. She was dizzy still and the cold was beginning to lift. She tried not to panic but she was lost, hurt and the sun would shortly be coming up. She didn't want to give up. At first she hoped her friends would find her but when the ice rain stopped and the fog begin to lift she knew no one could help her. She needed to find cover and quick but she couldn't move quick. Her hope waned she had no right leaving the safety of underground.

        Heres the second Part I hope you like it. If you do please vote and comment I would love some feedback thanx :)