Things Lost and Found (a Waglington and Mianite fanfiction)

Chapter 53

Guys, if you search up Waglington on Wattpad, this book's at the top of the page now. :D In other news, I'm putting the finishing touches on my BIG semester project which is due on Tuesday. Hopefully this time I'll pass it. *fingers crossed*

The song for this chapter is "Falling In" by Lifehouse.

Enjoy! :D

*Killertom's POV*

I scanned the clearing we'd set up camp in, reassuring myself that the monsters just beyond the tree line could not sense us. We'd set up our protection spells the minute an unexpected blood moon started rising. It had everyone on edge to say the least. The usual buildup of negative energy throughout the day was stronger than that of the heretofore routine event; it was also weeks early. This was the first time I'd ever seen it break pattern in the year we'd been here. Phil and I briefly discussed a few possible causes out of ear shot of the apprentices, but none of the options were good. We'd investigate further once we were safely back to our tower.

I tried to dismiss my less than hopeful thoughts and focused instead on making sure the disheartened apprentices were settled in for the night. Most had fared alright with the pace we'd set, and after the initial scare we'd avoided the roaming patrols without any close calls. Kay was hypervigilant, trying to catch the faintest hint of pursuit with her powers; she had hardly gotten a wink of sleep since we fled. She was more paranoid than Matt when he claimed "a pair of goggles" had been spying on him, but she had steered us clear of danger thus far.

As I paused at the southern edge of camp, I caught myself staring at three unclaimed and unpacked tents set to one side. My heart fell as I thought of the missing girls, one of which had been our only remaining expert on healing magic. We'd be able to sort out the sick and injured when we got back to Wiztopia tomorrow and had more power, as well as Donella, to help. Thankfully there was only one apprentice in immediate danger—one of the young scouts had gotten an infected cut on his arm; he had broken with a fever earlier today and seemed to be worsening. Charlie would have had him right as rain in minutes, but Phil and I didn't know any spells to help with fever and infection.

Ilanna and Annika were also among the missing. Kay's impression from her visions was that they were dead. My heart ached at the thought of having to break the news to Matt; he and Nikki had been close. Phil and I actually had a bet running on how long it would take Matt to realize the elemental fancied him. I suppose we'll never find out now, I thought dryly. Maybe it's for the best he didn't know.

An involuntary shudder traveled up my spine thinking about how close I had come to losing Winter. Goes to show you shouldn't take those you care about for granted, I thought with a wistful grin. I lifted my head and gazed at the stars Winter loved so much, trying to pick out the constellations I knew to be there and forget our losses. Winter had described the arrangements to me in great detail in one of our rare talks before all this started, but I couldn't for the life of me see a hunter with drawn bow or a dragon curled about her nest of eggs. I just couldn't trace pictures in the dancing field of stars.

Slightly annoyed at my inability to see what Winter's youngest apprentices had no trouble divining, my thoughts turned from the stars to the stargazer as I began the walk back to my own tent. It was a clear night despite the red hue everything was cast in. When was the last time Winter was out of her tent? I bet seeing her old friends would make her smile, I thought. I had just decided to see if she was up for a short outing when I startled from my thoughts to find myself already standing outside her tent. It seemed my feet knew my decision before I did.

I cleared my throat, suddenly nervous. Maybe she's asleep. I should probably let her rest; she is still injured after all...

I'd about talked myself down from what I'd decided only moments before when I heard a cough from inside the tent. "Is someone there?" a sleepy voice asked.