Spirit Animals: Saving The Evertree

Hope and Trust

Gone? How could the Evertree be gone? The tree of life can't simply disappear.

Abeke knew that. But that wasn't what made her stomach twist and churn. It as a question. If the Evertree is gone, then wouldn't they be to? The Evertree was the life of Eradas. If it's gone all life goes with it. So why were they all still here? And alive? Was the Evertree still alive? Was there still hope?

Abeke headed to the front of the deck to get a better look. And she too couldn't see the Evertree. Instead of a majestic tree with a silver trunk and golden leaves, was a decaying heap of rot and dead branches.

"Is that...the Evertree?" Abeke asked shocked.

"I believe so." Shane replied appearing next to her.

"I wasn't asking you." Abeke hissed at him steeping away to where Rollan and Tasha were. Rollan was watching her frowning.

"What." Abeke snapped.

"You shouldn't be rude to Shane." He said a small smile pulling at his lips. Abeke ignored his efforts to to hide his smile.

"He betrayed us." Abeke said. "And I don't see any reason to suddenly trust him."

"Well I do. He's saved us so many times that without him we'd be dead right now. And the least you could do is be a bit nicer to him." Rollan replied. His face serious. "He's changed."

Abeke said nothing. Shane had changed. But she still didn't trust him. She didn't want to trust him. She didn't want him to backstab them again and falling for it. No. She wouldn't fall for anything this time.

"Abeke, he's helping us!" Rollan nagged.

Abeke let out a exasperated sigh. "How do you know he might just..." she stopped. Not because she didn't know what to say but because Rollan had a smile on his face. He was smiling at this time? He bit his lip trying not to but it didn't work.

"What? You think this is funny?" Abeke hissed.

Rollan grinned. "No, of course not."

Abeke stared at him. "Then what's funny?"

Rollan's face went sad. His smile gone. "It's...it's, nothing." He said shaking his head as if trying to clear his head of something unpleasant. Pain and sadness etched on his face.

Abeke softened and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Somethings wrong isn't it?" She asked gently.

He nodded as a tear rolled down his cheek. He took a deep ragged breath and shrugged Abeke's hand off.
He took another shaky breath. "It's just...the Evertree...it's...dead...or close." He started looking down at his hands.

"And...Meilin...Meilin's down there Abeke!" He exploded tears streaming down his face. "And if the Evertree is this bad up here...then...then," he paused and took inhaled slowly. "Then how bad is it down there?" He finished quietly.

Abeke blinked. Because Rollan was right. Their friends underground were in danger. And she couldn't be busy worrying about a friend she didn't trust. Especially when he had changed so much. Rollan was right, Shane was helping them and was on their side. She would just have to put her own suspicions aside. They had bigger things to worry about and she could have been helping if she hadn't been worrying about herself.

"I'm sorry Rollan." She said quietly, tears stinging behind her own eyes. "We'll get them out safely." She reassured even though she wasn't sure. She hoped.

Rollan wiped his tears on his sleeve. "We need to get going." He said with determination. "We can't help them here." He walked over to a rowboat being prepared for them. Abeke smiled. Rollan knew how to handle this just fine. He knew how think of others and help them. He knew when others needed help. If only she could do the same. She had always underestimated Rollan's abilities.

The Evertree was a mess. They had gotten here with determinations and here they are feeling hopeless. With the tree dying and in a really bad state, Lenori no where to be seen and their friends still trapped underground, it all seemed so hopeless. They didn't have the faintest idea how to get past the heap of decay and get their friends.
"So." Rollan said breaking the tension. "How do we get them out?"

"I guess we start digging." Shane replied handing him a shovel that he brought from the ship. "And let's hope they're alive."

They all nodded. It was the least they could do.