Aaron

Chapter 16: The Visitors

Aaron pov:
Dawn was coming and the sky was still gray when i woke up. The morning air was crisp and cool. My arms were around Eks body and my wing was acting like a blanket over us. Manasseh was holding Winter and Seth was softly snoring.

I carefully got up and walked down a small and gently sloping hill fallowing the sound of running water. I soon came up on a small creek about waist deep. Then i heard a sound and looked to the right of me. A doe with two fawns were drinking from the stream. I froze in place and slowly set down on a large rock behind me. I watched for a while, soon figuring out that the two fawns were young bucks only a few days old.

They played around their mother bouncing round and trying to nurse. The sun started to rise as they walked back into the forest. I got up and walked to the creek, taking of my t-shirt that was stained with blood. I waded slowly in to the frigid water and began to wash it out. Tossing my shirt on to a sun warmed rock, I open my wings and flew just above the deepest part of the creek and dropped my self in the water.

The water was so cold that it took my breath away, as I begin franticly swimming back to shore. I climed out and set on the same warm rock that my t-shirt was on. Quickly I grabbed it and put it back on. I jumped up and flew as fast as I could in a circle until I was dry. Landing, I started back to camp.

Manasseh's pov:

I had just finished cooking a breakfast of boiled wild onions and unlucky vole soup as Aaron walked back into camp. Ek was rebraiding her hair which had looked like a lions mane a few minutes before. Seth had woke up right after me and nether knowing where i was or what time it was had tried using is hands to guide him behind a large tree to relive himself. I was impressed at his stubbornness to be independent but it was kinda sad since he kept getting thorns in his hands. Now he was sitting beside me patiently waiting for the food.

"Hey, Aaron. Where have you been?" Ek asked. "Over the river and through the woods."He replied smirking
Then Winter jumped up instantly making us all jump in fright and sang, "...TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WE GOOOOO!!!!!!! Me, Ek, and Seth burst out laughing. After i had laughed until my sides hurt I went and grabed a spoon i had carved."Alright everybody..Come eat your "soup," I replied chuckling.

Eks pov:

After we finished eating, we packed up camp put out the fire and headed out. For a while every thing was great. The way the sun was shining through the trees and the dark, fertile soil beneath our feet. The trees emitted a soft aroma of musk and cedar. Manasseh was leading with Winter, making sure that Seth would not fall.

Me and Aaron were walking behind everybody and my hand kind of floated over to Aarons hand. He looked down at our hands intertwined together and smiled. A warm filling seemed to come from our hands and up my arm filling me with a feeling of a deep happiness and the day could not have been better.

But then a strong chilling wind whooshed through the trees as the sun was soon covered up with dark clouds. Manasseh quickly suggested that we make camp. It started to pour and we soon saw a large cave in the distance. Aaron picked up Winter and Manasseh grabbed Seth's shirt as we ran towards the cave.

When we finally got there, everyone was soaked. The bandage i had on from cutting myself with a knife had fallen off but it was mostly healed already. I looked over at Ek and her hand was over her stomach " You OK " I asked Ek. "Yes"she replied " It started hurting a bunch, but then it just stopped." "OK but you better sit down." I answered. "Guess I'll start a fire" said Manasseh as I set down Winter on a dry part of the cave. I guess it going to be a long night.

Seth's pov:

As Ek set down I felt another, stronger jolt of pain. So i hobbled towards the sound of rain and as the third shot of pain went through me the bile raised up in my mouth. I soon threw up all the soup I had eaten. The rain most likely started washing the puke down the hill.  I set down slowly as my back slid down the rock and i held my knees trying not to puke again.

Ek's pov:

A few seconds after I set down, I saw Seth puking up his guts. I felt concerned and for some reason felt guilty even though I had no reason to think that. As i looked over towards the inside of the cave Manasseh got the fire going. The hole cave exploded with shimmering gold pictures and some form of writing as the flames licked up the burning kindling.

I gasped and Manasseh was slacked jawed. Aaron took a hold of Winters hand and lead her to were the writing started, "What does it say?" he asked wide eyed as he felt the wall. "well....It says :
"Salve" its Latin for welcome...and i think the pictures are history records." she answered.   "Wow" said Manasseh as he finally closed is mouth. "If its a village or something they could help us get to our parents." I commented.

I then walked over to Seth sitting in the corner and helped him up " Come on, Seth, I think we found some not completely insane  people." I said smiling . Manasseh made a few torches and gave one to me and Aaron.

Then he put out the fire as we started farther in to the cave. The thunder was still rolling outside and the rain continued to fall, ....and I wondered how it was not flooding as the cave shook with the vibrations from another wave of thunder.

Aaron's pov: We fallowed the path of glowing paint through the cave, taking brakes every mile or so. The damp and claustrophobic paths got wider and wider. As the day dragged on, we saw a small trickle of water turn in to a underground creek.

"We should probable camp here to night." I said as I set down my pack. "Good idea." replied Manasseh. "Finally!"said Winter "I'm tired." We started to set up camp. Ek laid out the blanket and Seth started a fire.

 Soon they were all asleep except for me and Ek. We were sitting by the fire when Ek said, "Why did you kiss me?" I instantly started to blush. "Because you were dying....an...and I like you."  Ek's face instantly lit up with a smile as she leaned closer. "Well that's a good thing cause I like you too." Our faces were so close as I moved my hands to her face. I gulped and then I pulled her close.

Ek's pov: As our lips touched in the kiss the small spark of love grew. When he leaned back we both smiled and he got up, holding my hand "Will you sleep by me tonight?" he asked. I nodded so we laid down against  the stone wall and I soon fell asleep in his arms.

Darius' Pov:

"The storm has brought visitors. We must welcome them." said Tara, our leader. There is not much of us here only a small colony of a hundred or so. Archer, my brother and I had just been sent to fetch the new comers a few short hours ago.  I looked over at my bother only a year younger then me.

His shortcut and dark amber hair complemented his gold eyes but having a face that was still  of a boy. "We should reach them soon." I said realizing Archer was getting tired. "Good. What do you think they will be like Darius?" "Well, hopefully they are friendly because then we wont have to kill them." I answered as we rounded a corner.

"Look! Darius its them." he whispered seeing the sleeping people next to were the lights were leading. " Ok . Shoot them." I said, getting out the darts. They need to pass out so we can tie them up. "Fine." he answered obviously disappointed that we could not talk to them right away. But I was glad they were a sleep, it will be less painful that way.