Forgotten Truths (Book One of the Forgotten Truths Series)

Chapter Thirty Nine

(A couple hours later...)

"We have arrived at the largest city in Droplet Tribe!" Atlanta announced, cheerfully.

  "Where is he?" Edge panted. She had hardly heard Atlanta's statement.

  A couple of hours had passed. They were a good distance away from their small settlement. Also a good distance away from where Drought had told them was "safe."

  'Wait— City?' The thought rammed into Edge.

  The ranking scent of fish (... and onions?) flowed to her. It made Edge crinkle her nose.

  As she let her eyes trail up, she blinked at the tall buildings. They weren't as tall as Breeze Tribe buildings, who from Thought were supposedly really tall. They were a good amount taller than the buildings back at that Leaf Tribe village, but were only a little taller than the Flame Tribe cities that her mother would take her and her brother to.

  "City?"

  Atlanta nodded, "Everyone who lives in this city usually have 3-4 dots under their eyes. Even the royals live around here... not right in the center of the city though.

  "They live on the more... Western part of the city in their enormous palace."

    "Huh... That's cool," Edge mumbled.

Droplet Tribe's dot system had always confused her. Why did they have these ranks— They couldn't even move up or down.

  It was determined at birth what you would be, like Breeze Tribe. Although even Breeze Tribe was beginning to relax. That meant that someone like Thought might be able to do more "pure" things as well.

  She only knew about this threw her father. He went in many trips across the four territories. Then, he got caught venturing into the "barren lands" where no life could survive. It was a grey abyss.

  He was arrested, and Edge never saw him again.

  Still, why couldn't the other tribes be more like Flame Tribe? Relaxed. Happy. No ranks— Mostly equal. You could work yourself up, but also risk falling down if you weren't as hard-working.

  There were also bonfires to build communities. It wasn't as... Secluded as the other two tribes.

  Although, living more in a Leaf Tribe style never allowed her to fully experience Flame Tribe. "Fire burns leaves," after all. —Not that she, or any of her family members, were Leaf Tribe hybrids.

  Edge's thought swapped back to Atlanta and the city. How did Atlanta know about the city when... Well, she was a lower rank?

  "Wait— How do you know so much about this place?" Edge suddenly blurted out her thoughts; not in control of them.

  She tried to soften her words, but it only made her statement worse. "You know, because you're a lower rank?"

  "Everyone knows of this place." Atlanta replied.

  "That's because the royals live around here. Everyone knows who the royals are, who are high ranked... Basically everyone who is important."

  "Huh..." She said, and then let her thoughts trail for a minute.

  'Strange ranks. I'm sure Drought would make a great king, and would fix this,' Edge thought.

  'Wait— Where's Drought?' It suddenly hit her.

  "Maybe we should get going. To look for Drought and stuff," Edge turned back to Atlanta.

  That worried expression, which was starting to become too common on her, was pressed onto her again.