Unexpected Feeling's

Her

My eyes flew open to the sound of chirping birds, the sun streaming through my window like nobody's business, blinding me in my moment of panic. I let out a hiss, reminding myself too much of a vampire as I finally adjusted to my surroundings. In the pit of my stomach lived a flurry of nerves, worry, and an unforgivable feeling of impending doom. A shaky breath was all I managed as my mind wheeled over the plans for today.

A search party was to be sent out as the sun rose, in attempt to discover the pearls that where the Merrywheather's only chance of success. Most other people would waste the day away with their usual daily routines, while people like Robin and I would head out as the sun hits the peak of the sky, to help in the search for security. Until then, Robin had plans to check his traps in the early morning.

I had planned going with him, but judging by the suns current position, I had slept through that opportunity. In fact, I had almost slept until mid-day. The sun was well on its way to be hanging directly above us and here I was curled up in bed with a measly tank top as my sleepwear, and bead head. Quickly jumping out of bed I rush around my little circular room for a corset and some pants to pull on. I barely had my boots on as I hopped out the door and scrambled down the damn wooden staircase into the main hall.

Sitting around the table were the few boys my age that I had grown close to sense joining the De'Noirs. Plopping myself between two of them and grabbing a roll I scanned the table and was not surprised to find that Robin wasn't there. No one really said anything as we sat, munching on the food that adorned the long oak table. The tension in the air was thick, all of us waiting in anticipation for what would go down as the sun did.

My thoughts wondered, gazing over potential topics to end the maddening silence that enveloped us, but nothing seemed worthy enough to do the job. So I waited, and waited, and waited, and waited, until finally someone got bold enough to break the silence.

"We should get going, the suns reached its peak." I was surprised to look up and find Daren as the one to have spouted the words, not a sign of his normal flirtatious manner in sight as he pushed from the table and stood. If Daren was serious, the situation had to be god. damn. serious.

Following his lead, we all stood and began to shuffle to the door opening it with hesitation at leaving the one safe place where the moon wouldn't be tauntingly hanging over my head. Stepping outside, I found it hard to even enjoy what could be the last breeze, the last tree, the last everything of my life. Call me over dramatic, but Robin, the boys, Coir, no matter how hard they tried, they could't shake me from the idea that we were all walking to our doom.

I was a little disappointed to find that Robin hadn't been at the edge of the woods waiting for me, but at the same time, I would never wait for his sorry ass, so I guess I could't be complaining. Wandering on the wide dirt road that was flanked by the never ending forest finally allowed a brief moment of relaxation, the boys solider like attitude no longer near by to influence me.

It was in my time of relaxation, where my senses weren't flooded with panic and frustration, that I heard the howl of a dog. The oh too familiar howl of a dog. I pulled a dagger from my belt and felt my feet carry me towards the sound faster then my brain did, but I was cut short. Bursting from the trees in front of me, was the one and only, Maria Merryweather.

Her eyes widened at the sight of me, my charcoal black hair tied into a messy bun and my clothes just as improper as when she first met me. However this time around I was sporting some actual visible weapons, on my thigh, my arms, my belt. Even the pins that held my hair together had an extra sharp point.

Her wide eyes finally met mine as she gasped my name, still panting from the sprint that had successfully placed her in front of me. "Isabelle, you...you're alive." My eyes hardened, she noticeably flinched. There had been no excitement of relief in her tone. All I heard was bare skinned regret. Regret that I still had my neck attached to my body.