Hope

Chapter Eight: Revelation

The last day we spent out in the open was also the day that I found out Zack's terrible secret. It was just a few more hours by wagon to reach the nearest of the cities on the coastline, but it was quickly growing dark and Stan didn't want to drive in the dark.

"It's too dangerous," he informed us as we quickly made camp. "I can't see my hand in front of my face, let alone the road. If we fall into a ditch or something, that could break an axle and then we'll be in serious trouble."

Tasha sighed, watching Rebecca as she lit the fire. "I know, Stan. I wasn't about to suggest that you go driving in the dark. I remember once when we were younger and rasher and we drove straight into a river."

Stan chuckled at the memory. "Ah, yes. But my night vision was better then."

"How about you, Zack? Do you want us to continue driving in the dark?" Rebecca asked, ready to make another sarcastic remark.

Zack looked up from the fire. "That would be dangerous unless I were driving."

Rebecca frowned, the statement catching her off guard. "What's that supposed to mean? Can you see better than us?"

But Zack declined to answer, which left Rebecca very confused. I was still in cat form, so I could sense the waves of anger coming off of Zack, though he hid it well. He was very mad about something. And I intended to find out what it was that he was so upset about.

Rebecca finally sighed and stretched her legs out so her feet were really close to the fire. "I'm tired. Can I argue with you in the morning when I'm ready to say something sarcastic?" I wasn't entirely sure if she were addressing Zack or the group as a whole.

"Sounds fine to me." Tasha's voice also sounded drowsy. "Zack gave us all a heart attack yesterday, so I suppose he owes us."

"I did no such thing," came Zack's clipped voice from the other side of the fire.

"Yeah, right," Rebecca muttered as she slipped herself into her bedroll. "I'm not talking to you until the morning, so shut up." With that, she rolled over and fell asleep almost instantly. She was soon followed by Tasha and Stan, leaving only Jing, Zack, and myself still awake. Jing and Zack just looked at each other for several long moments, my presence completely forgotten. That was fine by me.

"I'm sorry for Rebecca's attitude," Jing apologized. "She's got a chip on her shoulder the size of the continent."

Zack grunted. "She has a reason for her sarcasm. I suggest you go to sleep, Jing. You sound very tired."

Jing let out a huge yawn and chuckled to herself. "I feel like a cliché," she said, and then she went to her bedroll and fell asleep, leaving me and Zack alone in the light of the fire.

Fortunately, Zack didn't seem to notice me. He was too busy scanning the surrounding hillsides and the road. It didn't take a genius to figure out that he was planning to take off. This time I was going to follow him. He was endangering us all like I thought he might. His secret had to be learned for the good of the group.

Finally, he got up and left the protective glow of the fire. Silent and dark as the night itself, I followed him. My tribe had a talent for stalking in the dark, mostly because we lived in one of the darkest parts of the forest. My training in the tribe was now helping me navigate the rocky hillside he was crossing in order to reach the woods on the other side of this hill. I had seen a corner of it peeking out from behind the hill as we looked for a flat spot to make camp on. I knew this was where he would head.

It wasn't long before he reached the woods. Once there, he started inspecting the trees. He then reached for the branch of a tree and pulled it down, picking a handful of leaves. He then ate the leaves, one at a time, and looked at the tree next door. He pulled a branch from that tree down and gave the leaves one sniff and then let the branch go. I let the shadows enclose my dark form to make sure he wouldn't see me, and then I continued to follow him deeper into the woods.