Among The Mountains

Chapter 4

As the night settled into stillness, Raiden and Telka chose to savor some quiet moments in the living room of the house. Telka leaned comfortably against Raiden's chest, her gaze fixed on the view through the backyard window. The serene symphony of crickets outside provided a soothing backdrop as they relished this shared moment.

"It reminds me of home," Telka's voice was a gentle whisper.

Raiden's response was tinged with playful concern,

"Just don't get homesick again."

Telka responded with a light giggle, "I don't get homesick."

A smirk played on Raiden's lips as he retorted, "Well, you were pretty close to that line during the last trip."

In a mock gesture, Telka acted as if she was inching away from him, but his arm drew her back into his embrace. They held each other closely as Telka's gaze wandered to the upstairs hallway.

"Alara hasn't lived in the mountains since she was an infant," Telka spoke softly, her tone filled with tenderness.

Raiden reassured her, "She'll be okay here, trust me."

Faint noises began to emanate from upstairs, followed by the unmistakable sound of Avery's swearing. Adam trailed behind her, headed to their separate room that was situated away from the others. A mixture of exasperation and resignation escaped Telka's sigh, while Raiden responded with a roll of his eyes.

"This can't go on the entire time," Telka asserted, her resolve clear. "I already had a talk with them earlier."

"I'll make sure they stick to it. They won't spoil this experience, not for themselves, or anyone else," Raiden declared with determination.

"If they do, they will regret it," Telka warned, the gravity of the situation evident.

Meanwhile, in their respective bedrooms, Ember and Ruby were settling in for the night. Suitcases lay open on the floor, their contents spread out. Ruby reclined on her bed, engrossed in a graphic novel, while Ember lay on her back, her gaze fixed on the ceiling. Soon, Ember found herself immersed in a flashback of a time she and Ruby nearly lost their ranks, an encounter that was etched vividly in her memory.

It was a crisp day in mid October when she and Ruby rushed into the main house of the pack.

"What took you two so long?" Raiden's voice carried a note of inquiry.

"Ember's still battling that virus," Ruby replied, defending her friend.

Raiden gently lifted Ember's chin, his concern evident as he scrutinized her face and eyes. Her eyes were weak and watery with red replacing the natural color of her eyelids. She had a pale discoloration to her normally light olive skin tone and she was warm to the touch. Raiden decided to call in a medical expert to check for any lingering signs of the virus. The verdict was in: Ember had contracted a form of flu that was very contagious.

Following the diagnosis, both Ember and Ruby were sent home promptly, instructed to avoid contact with other members. This, unfortunately, meant that their duties would have to fall on the shoulders of someone else. With no one to do them properly, the whole pack was delayed with their schedule by a few days. It did not help that their leader had to be quarantined because he made physical contact with Ember.

Ruby's voice drew Ember's attention back to the present,

"Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, I'm okay," Ember responded.

"I overheard some arguing next door," Ruby mentioned.

"Yeah, I caught that too. Those two could become a real issue."

Ruby's words were optimistic, "Not if the big brother and sister have anything to say about it."

Ember's response was more contemplative, "Ruby, sometimes I wish you could see beyond the surface."

Ruby countered, "And how has that helped us so far?"

Ember remained silent, her thoughts drifting back to a time that felt like just yesterday. The frantic rush, the anxiety, and Ember's slight headache all stemming from the pressure of choosing the right vacation home. But looking back, she realized that if they hadn't chosen correctly, they might have found themselves in a situation similar to Avery and Adam's.