Girl who Speaks to Birds

Chapter 53

I glanced at Phred's dead body, and the knife - the knife that I had wielded - that had ended his life. Sure, I may have had to do it, to protect the shifters, but he was innocent. Wasn't he?

"Sometimes, Madelyn, pressure and threats can bring out the worst in a person, and cause them to do horrible things that they would have never done in other situations."

"I know." I thought back to fifth grade, when the passcodes to the computer accounts were a simple birthdate, and Trinity had been pressured into going into her crush's account. It was true. Pressure made people do horrible things. "Do you truly think that Phred was evil?"

"It is hard to say. But chances are it was pressure that made him do all of those things. Pressure and the feeling of being under constant fear."

I felt Tyler place his hand on my shoulder. "Madelyn, it's alright. He was going to hurt us all if you didn't."

I sighed. "And I know that. But if he had been given the chance to talk and let us know the truth, then this could've been avoided."

I looked back at the shifters. Hushed murmurs ran through the crowd, but I didn't care.

"He could have lived if we had talked it out," I said "It wasn't his fault."

Tyler looked me straight in the eyes. "We'll get through this. But remember; this proves that not all of the hunters accepted their job willingly. There are good hunters, ones who are on our side but are too afraid to speak up."

"Do you think they'll help us when the battle happens?"

Ashlea and Tyler spoke at the same time, both saying 'yes'.

We got to work, with the rabbit shifter making a large hole, which we buried Phred in. I looked up at the willow tree that marked where Phred had been buried. He hadn't been saved; I had killed him. But maybe the other hunters wouldn't have to suffer the same fate.

Over the course of several weeks, many, many people came to Haines City, willing to help. The majority of them were adults, and most knew how to use a gun. I hoped it wouldn't come to all out shooting; that would be horrible.

We continued with raids, stealing their supplies in the night. If they were weaponless, they'd be less likely to attack, and more likely to surrender, and sign the peace treaty.

Speaking of the peace treaty, it was being safely held at Jeff's house, out of the way and hidden. When the time came, it'd get signed. Whether it was in my lifetime, or another person's lifetime. Like Ashlea said; feuds can't last forever.

Practice for battle was going on at camp, every shifter and every person working hard to become as skilled as the hunters. The hunters had powers now, thanks to the scientists. It wasn't going to be easy. But I didn't need easy. I just needed possible. And this was possible. We were going to persevere, and we were going to win.