To the Sky (The Pack ff)

Chapter 9: 'Saviour or Redeemer'

"We massively underestimated the distance this journey was." Rob calls out from the back of the group.

They'd been walking for the whole day and though the sun was starting to disappear behind the horizon, Vikk marched onwards with determination to reach Aeronthorpe - or what used to be Aeronthorpe - without rest. He also was tired but he knew they were close, something in his subconscious told him they were near. Everything seemed that little bit more familiar and the odd memory played through his head though they were hazy and their location was unknown. He just knew.

Everyone was breathing heavily and taking occasional sips of their water, trying to make it last as long as possible in the circumstance that their wasn't supplies at Aeronthorpe.

Jerome was undoing his shirt from where it had been sat on his head all day and Rob had wondered briefly why he did it but mostly realised that his shirt was going to be clean. Well, at least it would be cleaner than everyone else's dirt and sweat stained shirts.

"We're nearly there," Vikk shouts back from the front as he stops and takes a quick look around, "I think."

"We're lost." Mitch mumbles, a slight tinge of fear creeping up his spine even though his words are nonchalant and calm.

Vikk doesn't say anything to him, which just confirms everyone else's suspicions.

He never was one for directions. He was a wanderer; he didn't care where he was walking to or where he was walking from.

"No, I recognise this place. A little bit. I just don't know exactly where it is." Vikk claims, running a bare hand over the bark of a near by tree as if it has some sort of significance and can convince everyone else that he does know where he is. He doesn't.

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"Rob, is there anyway you can calm this wind down? I'm freezing over here." Mitch shouts back to Rob, who is currently brushing a slow breeze through the trees surrounding the group.

The night sky had not cooled the heat wave that was currently plaguing the land and, even with the breeze, he felt as if his blood was boiling.

He had never experienced such heat, especially in the middle of the night and for some reason he has an uneasy feeling about it. It didn't feel natural at all.

"What are you talking about? It's so hot!" Lachlan complains, wiping a hand across his brow and somehow envying Mitch's coolness as he hugged Jerome's t-shirt - that said boy had long forgotten about - further round himself as a make do coat.

"I-I've got a considerably higher body temperature than you." Mitch shivers, wondering if he'd ever be warm without having to use his powers.

He had always noticed that he was cold and once he had figured out his powers, he used them to warm himself up, which is why flames spit around him when he gets angry or upset. He loses control over it.

The tiring journey had meant he had no energy to warm himself up and so he was left shivering away whilst everyone else removed layer after layer of clothing. Jealous was an understatement and he was very tempted to ask for the various pieces of cloth hanging over people's shoulders. He started to imagine Vik passing over his thick, warm coat but knew it would never happen. The kid never took that thing off.

Kid. He was far from a kid - probably the most sensible and mature (after Rob, of course) of them all - but he had a vague vulnerable side that could only be described as child-like. It was slightly endearing though Mitch hated to admit it.

"Why don't we just stop for a bit?" Jerome starts, Vik already stopping and turning with an annoyed look on his face.

Jerome continues, more to convince Vik than anything, "Then Mitch can get some energy back and we won't have to listen to his incessant whining."