The four elements

Chapter eleven. Together is stronger.

Here it is: the long wait is over, new chapter. Trehundra läsare, wow. Tack så mycket. Jag vet att förra kapitlet var rörigt, men det klarnar nog snart. Tror jag... Tack alla ni som läser, kommenterar, och röstar.

We sit on a blanket in the snow, watching the stars. "Well, we managed to escape. That's great." I look at Jay. "But?" He sighs. "We don't know exactly where we are. And we probably have all the guards after us." I hit him friendly on his shoulder. "We'll be fine. We got Raven and Flame, and I can always beat up one or two guards." Jay starts laughing. "We'll see about that." I smile. "When?" "Hmm. Now!" Jay tries to get a grip around my wrist. I get surprised, but manage to make him loose his grip. Then I make a snowball and throw it at him. He gets it in his face, the snow melts away fast on his warm skin. I have already prepared another snowball, but I don't get the chance to throw it. I hear a sound in the distance: it sounds like a call for help. Jay also hear the sound. "It's an animal." I look where the sound comes from. "I sounds like it's calling for help!" I stand up and run towards the sound. "Elissa wait! We don't know what it is!" I hear Jay shout behind me.

I run as fast as I can towards the call for help, and get a chock when I see what it is. A raccoon has a rope-trap around its front leg. I sit down and try to help the poor animal, who seems scared. "It's alright, I'm gonna get you out of here." The trap is simple: a rope tied to a tree, and a snare that traps everyone who steps in it. "There you go." I hold out my hand, but the raccoon just sit there and stares at me with light brown eyes. "If you run to every sound you hear, we will be captured again." I turn around and see Jay, Flame, and Raven. "I know, but this little fellow needed help." I point at the raccoon. Jay looks confused. "I've seen that raccoon before, I swear." "Yeah, sure. I bet a bone you haven't seen it before." "Remember that, Raven."  Suddenly we hear a sound, footsteps. The moon is covered by clouds, the forest is dark. Out of the bushes comes tree shadows. I quickly get up on my feet. "Who's there?" Says one of the shadows. I recognize that voice... "Sylas?" The shadows comes closer, then one of the shadows run towards me and Jay. "Elissa! Jay! You're alive!" I almost fall when Darya gives me a bearhug.

"Darya? Is it really you? How could you find us? How could you survive? How could..." I don't get the chance to finish my sentence before Sylas interrupts me. "Calm down." The raccoon runs to Sylas and climbs up on his shoulder. "Bandit, where have you been?" Sylas looks at the raccoon on his shoulder. Bandit just shakes out the leaves from his fur and yawns. I can't hold back the big, relived smile in my face. "Raven..." "Don't say anything." Enlil comes out from the shadows. I gasp when I see his face. He has a big wound across his face, it looks like a knife cut. "How did you get that? What happened?" Enlil looks at me. "We got attacked by the guards who chased us, and as you can see: one of them hit me with his sword. But we got away, that's what matters." Jay takes a step forward. "We got chased by them too. And thanks to Elissa's bright plan; we got captured." I hit him on his shoulder. "This is not the right time for jokes." Jay holds up his hands and goes to get our stuff from the blanket. I look at Sylas. "How are we going to get back to your cabin?" Sylas looks up at the sky, where the clouds are gone. "We are going to use the stars as a map."

Yesterday when Sylas told me he would use the stars a a map, I thought he was crazy. Today I think it's amazing. We spent the rest of the night wandering, and now I'm starting to recognize the surroundings.  "Are we there yet?" Darya asks for the hundred time. Enlil sighs. "We are closer, but not 'there yet'." I gasp. Jay looks surprised at me. "What is it?" I look around. "I know where we are, the cabin is just over there!" I start running. "We're here! We did it!" I shout when I reach the cabin. I turn around and see the other comes running. Jay runs to me and hugs me, then he gives me a kiss. "Someone is in love, after all." "Remember the bone Raven?" "Shut up."

Later that evening I sit in a tree, watching the stars. Raven are with Flame, Zephyr, Bandit, and Misty. They are probably playing. I never climbed when I was little, the height frightened me. But now I've realized that it's not scary. "Elissa? Are you there?" I look down, and see Jay. "Yes, I am. Obviously." Jay starts climbing, and almost fall when he steps on a thin branch. I grab his hand. "You should be more careful, you can't put your feet on the thin branches." Jay smiles and sit down next to me. "You see Orion there?" I look at the sky. "Where?" Jay leans closer to me, and point at the star-filled sky. "There, three stars in a row is his belt." I look closer. "Now I see it. I've always wondered what he aims at." Jay smiles. "He's a hunter, so I guess he aims at an animal." I feel how Jay puts his hand on mine. Once again I think of how much and fast things can change. One thing is certain: I have to come up with better plans if we ever meet bad guys in the forest again.