The Rising of A Leader (Book 1)

Chapter 9 ~ Get The Supplies

"Bring my son back."

Star kicked her father under the table, lightly though.

Tala opened her mouth but no words came out.

"I-I can only heal wounds when the vampire or animal is still alive, but not when they are dead. The only way for that to be possible is for me to give my life." Tala whispered.

"Tala......" Star started.

"A life for a life. Sounds good to me." Star's father commented.

"Father!" Star screamed.

"He's just joking sweety." Star's mother said.

"Does it look like I'm joking?" Star's father asked.

"You wouldn't........"

Will and Mark were deciding whether or not they should say something. But thought best to keep quiet a little longer.

"Well?" Star's father turned back to Tala.

Tala felt her heart skip a beat again and suddendly felt really scared.

"I um.......I......well it sounds fair, a life for a life. My father did something horrible and he probably wouldn't care if I gave my life for someone else. If I do, promise me one thing, that you will forgive him." Tala offered.

"Tala!-"

"Agreed." Star's father smiled.
"You can't be serious!" Will nearly jumped out of his seat.
"Well it's probably my fault that this all happened, everything's my fault. That's what I have been told for the past 10 years, it was your fault your mother died, it was your fault you went to the barrier, it was your......fault." Tala trailed off.
Mark looked at her funny.
"You are really putting your life down for someone you didn't know?" Mark questioned.
"Yes.......he probably was a good person. Plus he has more to look forward than I do." Tala faked smiled.
"You're joking right?" Star started to tear up.
"I wish." Tala hugged Star.
"Hey! Stop getting all mushy! I was only joking! I wouldn't really ask her to do that!" Stat's father was laughing.
Star lightly punched her father.
"That's not funny!"
"Yeah it is." Will stated laughing a little.
Star stomped on his foot making everyone crack up.
"Ow!"
"So I don't have to give my life?" Tala asked totally confused.
"Heavens no child!" Star's mother cried.
"Oh okay." Tala said.
"I think we all were a little bit wrong about you Tala. You just prove that you're not like your father, right Mark?" Star's father nudged him.
"Hm?"
"Tala is okay, don't you think?"
"I guess." Mark answered quietly.
"I guess he still is thinking about whether your good or not." Star whispered to Tala.
"He needs to hurry up." Tala whispered back.
Two things went on in Tala's head. One, Mark hates me. And two, he will never like me as a friend, ever.
"Be patient."
"I'm not very patient." Tala said.
"I can tell." Star huffed sarcastically.
"Honey? Will you come with me?" Star's mother got up and her husband followed her out the door.
"Well......" Will started.
"Well what?" Star asked.
"I don't know.........so Mark have you made your decision about Tala yet?" Will asked very loudly.
"I thought so, but now I'm not sure." Mark looked at Tala studying her.
"Look, I have been thinking, what exactly do you want me to do? You can't just tell me something that open-ended." Tala looked right at Mark.
"Demanding are we?" He smirked.
"No, I'm asking." Tala kept her cool.
Mark seemed to think for a while. It was a REALLY long time.
"Your father stole some of our supplies that we need greatly. Get those back and I'll trust you."
"Well okay then........but I'll need help." Tala said.
"I'll go!" Star jumped up.
"Same!" Will said.
Will pulled Mark out of his chair and smacked him not the back.
"He's going too!"
'Joy!' Tala thought, (note the sarcasm).
"When do we leave?" Tala asked.
"Soon, but first you ain't going anywhere with that big hole in your leggings." Star gestures to the hole that Mark tore to see Tala's wound.
"Oh." Tala went deep red.
Star pulled Tala to another room and threw a pair of black leggings and a leather jacket.
"Change quickly, I'll be right out side." Star said, but before she left she handed Tala a brush and a hair tie.
"You may need this."
"Thank you." Tala smiled and Star smiled back.
Tala pulled off her ripped leggings and put on the other ones and put on the leather jacket. It was really warm. Tala brushed her long tangled hair until it was prefect then tied it into a side French braid (picture above).
Tala walked out of the room and everyone was ready to go.
"What is the quickest way to get there?" Mark asked coldly.
'I'm not answering until you change that attitude!' Tala thought.
"The way we came I guess."
"But I spaced out when the wolf bit me."
"That's alright, I think I remember the way." Star smiled.
Everyone grabbed some sort of weapon. Mark his bow, quiver and sword. Will just a sword. Tala her bow and quiver. Star didn't have anything but didn't want to hurt anything either so she was out of luck.
"Where are you going?" Star's mother asked.
"On a mission!" Star joked.
"Well you look like you're going to war."
But soon Star's mother gave in and let them go.
"Be safe!"
"I will, I've got Tala!" Star called.
"Hey!" Will looked hurt.
"I guess Will too, and Mark!"
"Alright sweetie have fun!" She called and went back inside.
It was a full moon and it lit the ground up nicely.
"How far?" Will asked.
"To the castle or the barrier?" Tala questioned.
"Both."
"3 to the barrier and 5 to the castle."
"10 miles in a single night! Why did I agree to this?" Will whined.
"Too late!" Star smirked.
'Yeah they like each other for sure! I bet they'll be great parents!' Tala thought and smiled to herself.
Star noticed her smiled and just HAD to ask.
"What are you smiling about?"
"You really what to know?" Tala smirked.
"Duh! Why would I ask you?"
"I was just thinking about how the both of you would make such a good couple."
Will and Star went deep red and stopped taking. Mark couldn't help but smile 'cause he knew it was true too.
The rest of the walk was silent except when a twig snapped and scared Star half to death.
The 3 miles went by real fast and soon the barrier was in sight and they slowed down.
"Well are we going to do this or not?" Tala walked in front of them all.
"I guess." Star picked up her speed and caught up to Tala. Mark and Will were taking about something but Tala couldn't hear them.

*
"You guys would make such a good couple." Mark made kissing noises.
"Shut up man!"

*
"You seem really tense." Star pointed out.
"I'm not tense! Who said I was tense 'cause I didn't say I was tense!"
Star looked at Tala trying not to laugh.
"Wow." Was all she was able to say before loosing it.
"I just feel like somethings is out there..." Tala grabbed an arrow and held it to her bow.
"Stop that you're scaring me." Star stepped closer to Tala.
The mist on the floor was warning them but no one listened.
"Hey Tala what's wrong?" Will asked noticing the arrow.
"Nothing." Tala called but lied, something was out there.
The purple barrier was soon feet from them.
"Well you guys ready?" Star shivered.
"I don't see why not." Tala turned to her.
Everyone walked through but immediately a wave of fear washed over them.
"This land has changed so much." Tala looked around.
There was a very, very eerie feeling to it and Tala didn't like it one bit. Mark had an arrow loaded too, Tala guessed he sensed something too.
"I don't like this Tala." Star looked petrified.
"Nothing is going to hurt......" Tala stopped walking.
"Tala why did you stop? Tala what's going on!" Star felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up.
"Tala...." Will looked at her.
"The wolves..." Tala had a tear in her eye.
They had come to where Tala had killed all the wolves, they had already started to decay and they looked unnatural.
Star grabbed Tala and wouldn't let go.
"Star? You okay?" Tala asked.
"I'm petrified." She managed to say.
"Hey Will, take her for me." Tala called to him.
Will pried Star's arms off of Tala and held her in his own to comfort her.
"For a sixteen-year-old you sure act like a baby." Will chuckled.
"Shut up." Star mumbled.
"Come on guys, we're almost there!" Tala tried to get their spirits up.
"Isn't almost good enough?" Star asked.
Tala walked over to Star and whispered.
"Almost is never enough, and you don't want to look like a baby in front for him, do you?"
Star shook her head and decided to keep going.
"That's the spirit!" Tala smiled.
"You owe me..." Star mumbled.
Tala smiled to herself and kept her feet on the path and made sure she knew her surroundings.
"This place is so eerie..." Will said.
"Don't remind me..." Star was holding onto him for dear life.
"How much longer?" Mark asked.
"Not much farther, I can see the tallest tower." Tala answered looking up.
"Okay."
The forest was always moving in some way, whether it was a bird or mouse, or what ever. It just made the place more alive....more scary.
"I hate this......I hate this......I hate this." Star kept repeating until Will started patting her head to calm her down.
Tala saw the edge of the forest mad a big rock to hide behind.
'Perfect!' She thought.
Tala hide behind the rock and took a small peek at the castle and her mouth dropped.
"What happened?"

A/N ~ Just so you know this book is coming to an end, and will be going onto the second book- Her Last Breath. I think there may be one or two more chapters. Thank you so much for reading I hope this made up for the last few days and the real short chapter. Thank you again!! :) ❤️