The Silver Owl

16

It's been 4 days since I was bit by the Zäsacan. It scabbed over but 4 deep teeth marks are still in my leg. Thankfully it's not bleeding, but it's a dent in my leg, and that really truly bothers me.

Thank the heavens we haven't run into anymore, but I suspect the worst is yet to come.

"How's it feeling?" Zac asks me.

"How's what feeling?"

"Your leg. The one the Zäsacan bit."

"Oh," I feel stupid, "I don't really even notice it anymore. There are just four dents in my leg, kinda freaking me out, but I think it'll be fine."

I yawn, popping my ears, and I catch something blue nearly out of site, "Hey! Could that be- Oh my gosh!" I nearly started crying. It was Alexandra. The Alexandra River. We're here. It's almost over. I almost have what my dad wanted. I'm so close.

Zac and I sprint to the river. It's the most incredible thing I've ever seen. It stretches so far across, but all the trees around it are such a beautiful green. Hundreds of different shades of green. Different plants, different leaves, some even had fruit, and berries.

"I want to try some of these fruits so badly..." I think out loud, and Zac laughs at me, "Do you know if this is protected land by the government?"

Zac chuckles, "In fact I do, and it is not."

I'm stunned. Why would he know? What was he hiding again?

"How'd you know?" I question him, and I prepare myself to be mad or upset or stunned.

"Well, I do remember one thing from geography. That in Terragorra, they are required to make a 250 mile radius around protected land so no one can damage it by building. I saw a building maybe three of four miles back," Zac flashes a grin.

"I see..." I confirm remember learning this, "What do you say about trying some of the fruit here? No pesticides, right?"

As we run around, trying to decide what tree to pick fruit from, we decide to go with a fruit that won't kill us, or make us see stuff, you know.

"Hey, Lizzie! What about oranges?" Zac consults me, but I freaking love oranges, so it's not really an issue.

"I loranges!" I shout back.

Zac stares at me, "You loranges?" I feel my cheeks flush from embarrassment, but I decide to embrace it.

"Yes," I tell Zac as I walk over to the orange tree, "I love oranges so much, I can't get the words out fast enough." But ironically it's not my favorite fruit, but it just about could be.

Zac picks seven of the best oranges, two of which we eat, the other five went into my backpack, which he was carrying.

"That, was the best orange I have ever eaten." Zac states, "Man, I wish Jenny had some of this fruit to cook with, that would been.... Unimaginable."

"Amen."

Soon after, we struggle to our feet, and agreeing that swimming across the river would literally be impossible, considering neither of us are Olympians, or competitive swimmers, we agree to take a boat across, which just so happens to be north.

As we wait on the dock to tie my black converse, and mutter something in German, "Hallo. Wie geht es dir heute?" (Hello. How are you?)

Zac stares at me, as I watch the gear turn in his head, "Es geht mir gut. Wie geht es dir?" (I'm fine. How are you?)

I start laughing, German is such a lost language, I don't understand why we learn it. No one speaks German, anywhere.

Zac laughs with me, "Why are we attempting to speak in German?"

"I don't know," I shrug, "'cause we're bored and it's something we have to learn in school. Ich bin gut. Vielen Dank." (I'm good. Thanks.)

"Die Wolken sind ziemlich heute." Zac comments. (The clouds are pretty today.)

"The what is pretty today?" I don't remember what that word meant... Oops. This is why I try to speak German sometimes. It helps practice.

"Clouds, Wolken means clouds. Remember, unit four?" Zac reminds me.

"Oh right! Unit four, the sky, clouds, beach, and ski resort. I never understood why beach and ski resort were in the same unit..." Honestly, I question my German teacher's organizational skills more often than I should have to.

"I never got that either." Zac confirms that out German teacher should be more organized.

I force my tired muscles to stand up, every muscle hurt, every bone feels like it was complaining. I'm NOT ATHLETIC. As we watch the small boat arrive, I sigh, so so close. I can feel it.

I'm coming for you Leafcrossing.

A/N: Insane updates!!! Whoop!