The Waters Secret

Chapter 10 - Pt.2Friends of Diamonds

"Hey, Simon told me I wasn't very nice while I was out of it. I'm sorry." Tristan told her as she smiled at him.

"At least it wasn't personal. Besides I think you and Whylomie looked cute together." Raven told him with an evil grin, watching his stone face turned a bright red.

"What are you talking about?! Cute together? We are just friends. We hardly know each other and besides I am still made of stone remember?" Tristan rushed nervously as Raven chuckled.

"And? You won't be stone forever. Besides I am only teasing you to get back at ditching me for her. I thought you were supposed to be my guardian." Raven pouted grabbing his arm and pulling him over to stand under a tree. Tristan looked guilty as she moved him around. "Ok, now stay right there." Raven grunted as she climbed up his shiny façade.

"Um, what are you doing?" Tristan asked as she climbed up onto his shoulders.

"There is a moss up in the branches here that can help with healing. My mother taught me all about them when I went with her to gather herbs." Raven told him, finding her balance on his shoulders. She carefully peeled the moss from the tree, smiling as she added it to her bag.

"Are you done? You can just sit, and I will carry you back." Tristan told her as she giggled, sitting on his shoulders.

"I haven't done this since I was a kid. Hank used to let me ride his shoulders all the time." Raven told him as Tristan smiled.

"I like Hank. He seems like a cool guy. You think I will ever become a badass like him one day?" Tristan asked her softly as Raven nodded.

"But I think a different kind. Keep learning how to switch forms and fight and you will be your own class of badass." Raven told him confidently. Tristan blushed smiling up at her.

"Thanks. I am not sure how I do the changing just yet, it seems to happen on its own. I will try to figure it out though before I meet Hank again. I want to prove I am a worthy guardian." Tristan mumbled not sure why Hank's opinion of him mattered.

"Hey, you two ready to head out?" Simon called to them as he waited with the twins. Raven nodded climbing down.

"Thanks for the ride my friend. It was nice being tall for a while." She told him as Tristan smiled giving her the thumbs up.

"Any time." Tristan grinned making her giggle. She bounced over to Huxley, adding the herb bags to his pack.

"Alright let's head out." Simon told them leading the way. Raven walked with Whylomie as they gossiped about the road ahead. None of them had been to Welpion and were trying to use Simon's description of elves to picture the place.

After a while Raven suggested Tristan give Whylomie a piggyback ride so that she could rest her feet. Whylomie giggled as Tristan carried her around and her brother pouted. Raven wandered behind Simon as he led the way.

"There should be a river up ahead, we can rest for lunch there." Tristan told them as Raven smiled. The twins could use a swim. She paused listening for the sound of rushing water, only to frown when she heard... nothing. She stopped walking, suspicious of the forest around them, squeaking when Asir crashed into her.

"Sorry. Why did you stop walking?" Asir asked her tiredly. He was trying not to show how much walking was really starting to get to him. Simon and Raven looked like they could walk all day while Tristan didn't seem fazed in the slightest and he was carrying an extra person.

"Everything ok?" Simon asked coming up behind her. Asir shrugged as Raven nodded, then without saying anything, turned and walked off into the forest.

"I think you broke her." Tristan whispered at Asir as he watched her go.