The One Who's Fallen

Chapter 4

The next 17 days pass quickly. I made great progress, in my opinion. The pelts from the skinned animals make great blankets, and weaving the baskets were surprisingly soothing to do, if a bit tedious.

After spending the first night sleeping in the pod, I had the worst neck ache and I was so exhausted after sleeping so poorly. That morning, I vowed to not sleep in it again, even if it meant that I'd sleep outside with the cold and the bears (or whatever predators there are here). Luckily, I made a shelter, but it's proved unnecessary except for the wind and keeping out unwanted critters. I'm in a forest, so you'd think it would rain. Unless it's rained while I'm asleep, it hasn't so far. I've built storage into the pod that pretty much maximizes the use of its space, which is an accomplishment I'm pretty proud of.

The hardest thing I've made these past days is a bow. As in a bow and arrow. I did not think it would be as difficult as it was. It took a day of work just to build the wooden part (opposed to the string part). I'm not the greatest at shooting it, but it has helped me bag a deer, which was enough to feed me for a week.

The entire time I've been down here, I've felt like there's someone or something else here. Like it's watching me from the trees. I thought the feeling would fade at first, but it still hasn't.

I'm out hunting (and gathering what I can into a purse-like basket that took hours to make) when I hear something rustle. I immediately grab my bow from my back and load an arrow as I turn and point it at whatever's in the trees.

A head peeks out and I nearly drop my bow in shock. A person. Holy crap, it's a person. People survived. The person's eyes aren't on me, but on another tree. I lower my bow, but keep it loaded just in case. Something lands behind me and I'm turning again, aiming at... A woman? There's more?

It's a tall woman with long braided blonde hair and a stern expression that's impossible to read. She's intimidating to say the least and I lower my bow from being aimed at her face, but keep it pointed towards her.

The person I saw first darts to the tree the woman was in and drops down. It's a boy, younger than me but probably a teenager. He has long black braided hair (perhaps it's part of their culture? Surely they've formed some sort of culture after nearly 100 years).

The woman turns to him and speaks in some language but I can't tell what they're saying. I just watch them converse for a minute, both fascinated by this new language (that sounds like a new twisted version of English) and still in shock that there's people down here.

The boy nods to her respectfully and runs off. The woman begins speaking to me in their language.

I frown, "Sorry. I don't understand what you're saying."

"You speak Gonasleng." (warrior language, or English) The woman seems surprised, though it certainly doesn't show on her face. I can only tell by the way her voice pitch raises slightly and her mouth twitches. "Perhaps it is a sign. Come with me." She begins walking away from my pod.

"That's the wrong way to get to my camp." I point out.

"I know. Come with me." She repeats, looking unamused.

"Everything I have is back at the pod." I cross my arms and don't wither under her scathing glare. I'm not going anywhere without everything I've built.

"Very well." She relents. "Be quick. I will be accompanying you."

Of course she will. I immediately turn around and walk back to my camp, not caring if she's following me. On the way back, I mull over the possibilities. I could stay at my pod, or I could go with this... Grounder. Maybe there's more of them. Perhaps there's even an entire village, or an entire city.

I silently curse my curiosity, knowing I'm going to go with her. Hopefully she won't kill me on the way.

The footsteps behind me stop when we reach my little camp.

"You have built all of this in the time you have been here?" If I didn't know better, I'd think that she's impressed.

"Yes. Haven't you been watching me?" I ask as I begin gathering what I can carry.

The woman snorts. "Yes and no. My scouts inform me about you and your movements, but this is the first day I have come to see you for myself."

I pick up the pelts, brushing the dust from my prized possession, the fur of a panther. It came close to my camp, too close for comfort. I didn't like killing such a magnificent beast, but its proved to be quite tasty and the pelt has kept me warm better than any other.

I process what she told me. "Does that mean you're a leader?"

The woman practically puffs out her chest and it would be funny if it weren't intimidating. "I am a General under the Heda. I was sent here by the Heda herself when a scout informed her of your presence. We have not had anyone fall from the Sky since the first Heda."

I frown. That's a lot of information to take in at once. "What's a Heda?"

The woman bristles. "She is the highest leader of the clans. She is called Commander in your tongue. Speak ill of her and I will have your head mounted on a pike."

That's intense. Wait. There are clans? How many people are down here?

I must've voiced my questions aloud because the woman gives me that unimpressed glare again and turns. "Come. Everything will be explained to you at the village."

"Wait, I don't even know your name." I protest when I realize it.

"I am Anya."

Hopefully this isn't too bad, I wrote half of this on less than four and a half hours of sleep... I normally get a minimum of seven on school days, to give you perspective. Anyway, thanks for reading and stay awesome!