The Raven

Chapter 13- 306

I watched the whole exchange between James, the young boy dressed in gray, and Mary.  I had been sitting between Ashley and Gabriel, making sure neither of them, being brother and sister, decided to do something they would regret later.  I admit I was a little startled as Elleya, as I recalled the girl saying her name was, and Mary leapt up from the log they had been sitting on and ran to follow James through the crowded cluster of huts.  That was odd.  James was a medic, but I knew for a fact that the boy, Alrien, was fine.  I'd seen him only an hour before, and his shoulder wound had looked fine, healing even.  Surely the boy wasn't so bad that James had to contact Mary, the most experienced healer?

I was lost in my own thoughts, and was startled as something jabbed me in the ribs.  Startled, I jumped a little before looking to my left.  Gabriel still had his index finger outstretched.

"Did you hear anything I said?"  His pale blue eyes held a little worry.  I always tried my hardest to stay interactive with him and his sister, and they knew when I wasn't on my game.  For the most part, I hadn't been on my game for the past few days, ever since the country siblings had come.

Gabriel raised his eyebrows up the the blond mop of hair that covered his forehead.  "Eh?"  He said, emphasizing his point.  "Sorry."  I said, massaging my side.  "I wasn't paying attention."  "We know."  Ashley piped in.  Like her brother, worry clouded her eyes.  "Is it the boy and girl?"  The woman's voice was filled with a something like jealousy.  She and Gabriel had been late comers to the little settlement in the woods, and were very protective over the few friends they had.  Or maybe it's best to say friend.  I was the only person willing to spend time with the siblings, possibly because they were always bickering or having a "playful competition".  They had lived with each other for their entire lives, all 19 years of them, on the streets of the main city until the guards had caught them stealing bread from the local bakery.  They had fled to the forest as an escape, and had been picked up by my friends here, where they had stayed ever since.

I was careful as I answered Ashley's question.  "I'm just worried about them."  I managed as the girl glared at my under thick eyebrows.  "They're young and I don't want to see them hurt."  At that, Ashley seemed to release her tension.  Apparently, Elleya and Alrien seemed no longer like threats to our relationship.  

"You're just scared that 306'll leave you in the dust and become friends with the other girl, eh dear sister?"  Gabriel taunted, a little bit of a mocking tone in his voice.  Ashley growled low in her throat.  "No way, Gabe.  I just wanted to know why 306 wasn't acting herself.  You know she always loves spending time with us, and she really wasn't into it."  I sighed under my breath.  Here we go again.  I hated being talked about and not to.

I blocked the bickering siblings out and tried to focus on what was going on around me.  Outside the special dome that protected the fire, rain was starting to fall even harder.  It bombarded the huts and the leaves of the trees, making a low droning sound.  Puddles were starting to collect on the forest floor, and people were starting to run for shelter under the nearest roof.  I hated days like these.  When it rained, and rained hard, it made everyone lazy.  Nothing got done, and it was days like these that I feared that our little village was fall apart, literally.  Mary could pretend that things were perfect, that there was food, and a roof over our heads, and better medicine, but the truth was we were still floundering.  It was true that I could now spend all my time here, rather than having to run back to the barracks every morning...  I paused at that thoughts, remembering the smoldering ruins that had once been my school, bed, dining hall, and shelter.  Was I really that glad it was gone?  Sure, no more Commander or guard duty, but also no more Foxy.  I finger his green ring on my finger as I thought of him, tears threatening to surface.  And now as I looked back with hindsight, even those "fights" with 502 seemed strangely endearing now.  I had secretly liked them, those sparse moments when I could really show my strength and reserve in magic.  What had happened to that boy?  I didn't dare think what had happened to all those poor children. Why was Foxy the only one I had found?  Was I the only one left out of all those children?  And what about that dragon and its connection to Alrien and Elleya?