The Past

Chapter 3

We got to the river bed. I sent Eki and Ray to getting the water. Lucia said he'd be getting the fire wood. So Ethan and I are alone and setting up the tents.

"So Conan, how are we all going to fit into these two tents? Or will some of us sleep outside?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Uh well I don't know I was just-"

"Don't worry about it I have a somewhat of sleeping armament."

"You do?"

"Well um yes, since it is to dangerous to sleep outside of tents, you, Ray and Lucia will be in the bigger tent and Eki and I will be in smaller"

"Not that I am complaining but, why are you sleeping with the princess? Why don't you sleep in the tent with us?"

"Well the big tent is only so big. You three guys will fill the tent with not much extra room, let alone enough space for me. Besides someone has to and since I am a wimp and have less muscle mass then you, we will both fit in the tent with about as much room as you guys have to spare. However if one of you were to sleep with her, you'd pretty much be on top of each other."

"Oh" He turned slightly red in the face.

It was quiet until the others got back. Eki was carrying a bucket of water, Ray was carrying five fish, which was surprising but none the less food and Lucia had fire wood.

I made a fire quickly then started the cooking of the fish. While the fish was cooking I had started to put the bucket of water onto the fire. Ray stopped me, "What the hell are you doing. Heatin' up the water! It'll be to warm to drink!"

"Ray if you must know I was making sure that the water was free of anything that could poison us. I was heating up the bacteria, but if you'd prefer to drink this unsafe water..."

"No no, continue with what you are doing"

Hours after that, when it was at the tip of darkness, everyone fell asleep except me, I was watching the fire. Awhile I before I decided to put the fire out, I could hear Ray calling me a smartass and the Lucia was agreeing. Ethan however stayed quiet while the other two continued to put me down.

I went into the tent Eki was sleeping so I was quiet. I careful took my shirt off and put on a tank top for it was very warm in the tent. Then a faint voice asked, "Conan is that you?"

"Uh yes Princess"

She turned over, she was still asleep. Great, she talks in her sleep. Once I laid down on my side of the tent I feel right to sleep.

I was outside the guys' tent, "WAKE UP WE ARE LOSING DAYLIGHT!"

The three men jolted up and stormed out of the tent. My tent was already picked up. Already this morning I had filled the guys' flasks up with water and made breakfast for everyone, we were ready to start moving once I picked up their tent and when they finished eating.

"You guys have to eat. I'll pack up your tent and will be out of here in no time"

They didn't say anything but they did sit down and eat, for they knew I was speaking the truth.

Within the next few hours we were headed out again. Ray and Lucia were fighting about something stupid. Eki was pleading with them to stop fighting. I was getting a slight headache. Ethan was watching me and I was becoming flustered because of how he was looking at me, "Ethan must you stare at me?"

"Sorry I-I didn't mean to stare. You just look oddly someone I met a long time ago."

"Someone that you met long ago?"

"Yeah"

"Really who?"

"Well, it was a girl with really short hair. Kinda like yours" he grabbed a chunk of my hair and let it slide through his fingerers as he pulled his hand away, "I then had to move away, I didn't know how to tell her."

I started to laugh, "I remind you of a girl you met, just because of my hair? I am a boy for crying out loud. I am male; you are talking about a female!" I continued to laugh.

"Okay okay you can stop laughing now. I know it was a stupid thing to think but still..."

I could feel my face growing hot because of our conversation so I whipped my head away from his. With the three still bickering behind us, we started to walk into a forest. There was a root that I didn't see and I tripped over it "Damn"

Everyone stopped talking and looked at me. Ethan must have seen the blood on my hands from the fall, "Idiot!" he took my hands and looked at them, "Yo-your hands, there so small [he mumbled under his breath then loudly said] I mean they are bleeding! Did this happen when you fell?"

"U-u-umm well yeah" I ripped my hands out of his, "I'm fine I have some bandages in my backpack so I'll be fine. Let's just keep moving"

"You have a backpack?"

"Um, yes I have it under my cape" I reviled my bag.

Before I was able to grab the cloth to wrap my hands, or at least get them to stop bleeding, a sand tiger popped out at us.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Ethan yelled then pulled out his sword and pointed it at the tiger.

The tiger jump at him, slashing his arm, without thinking I pull the dagger out and throw it. Hitting its heart I run over to Ethan who is clutching his arm as his blood pours out of him. The tiger dies and I scream, "ETHAN" The others are now running towards Ethan. I throw off my backpack and took the bandages out and wrapped it around his cut as fast as I could while appalling presser to try and stop the intense bleeding. My voice was cracking cause I was almost in tears though I have no idea why, "Ethan don't worry you'll be alright I have managed to stop the bleeding. We'll be at another village in an hour or so then you can get more, real help"

"Conan? Are you all right? You seem like you are about to cry." Eki asked

"You should be asking if Ethan's alright!" Lucia said as he ran to Ethan's other side, "Are you alright? Can you stand?"

"How'd you kill the tiger so quickly? You're so weak and useless." We all looked at Ray, "And how were you able to stop his bleeding so quickly?"

"I have spent my childhood saving animals and helping my parents at the town's doctor shack, so I acted upon instinct. As for the tiger I have had a dagger in my left boot since we began this trip" I walked over to the tiger's corpse and pick up my dagger and put it back into my boot with all the blood still on it, "I'm not as weak as you think I am"

Ray started questioning me and all I did was help Ethan up and help him walk towards the town, which was now only an hour away. By four-five minutes into our walk they were all asking me question about what had happened but I just kept walking.