Sienna continued to comb the grassy moors for any sign of her sister. The campfire remains, together with the scarf, had re-galvanised her hopes of finding Aria safe and well. Maybe the campfire remains were just coincidence, but hardly anyone came round here, even a lost tourist, as the moors were bare and devoid of any worthwhile sights. So logically the only people who would have been this way were Aria, The Mountain Queen, and now herself. Well...... Apart from the boy that Sienna had seen camping a few miles back, who had sparked a sense of recognition. He had been tall, with jet - black hair and icy blue eyes. He had smooth, tanned skin and exuded an aura of confidence that hung around him like a veil. Now Sienna sat down on the dewy grass and picked a blackberry from the bush nearby, breaking it open to reveal the fresh, fruity juice. She cupped her hands and scooped up a mouthful of cool stream water from the spring bubbling nearby. Thank goodness for the small blessings such as food and water out here on the moors. Without it she wouldn't have a hope of finding Aria.....
Aria awoke on the cold stone floor of the cave, her whole body aching and protesting at a night spent on hard, bumpy rock. At first she glanced around, confused at where she was. And then the harsh, ice-cold reality washed over her like a wave. The journey...the friendship....the cave....Lilian's betrayal. She got up quickly, flooded with fear and adrenaline. The most important thing right now was to get out of here. Both Lilian and the Mountain Queen knew that Aria was here, and that could be dangerous, life - threatening..... Not for the first time since she had been taken, Aria wondered if Sienna had come to look for her, or if she had just stayed at home. Surely not? But it was ironic that she, Aria, had been the one that had mocked the old Mountain Queen legend. Was it a coincidence that she had been taken that very night? She shook her head. No. First of all she needed to get out of here. As she gathered up the few possessions she had brought, her shoulders shook with fear. Whilst with Lilian, the Mountain Queen had seemed far away, unlikely ever to reach her. But now it was a subject rife with possibilities. Would the Mountain Queen kill her? Torture her? Let her go? The wind hit Aria's face like a wall. After the shelter of the cave, the barren moors seemed empty and cold. Aria glanced around, searching for any sign of human life, when something bright suddenly moved in the distance. She set off cautiously in that direction, keeping a lookout for the Mountain Queen....
Sienna collapsed onto the soft, mossy ground, exhausted beyond rational thought. Ten hours of travelling, and Inky must be even more tired. After a moment she lifted her head and glanced around at her surroundings. She was lying on a blanket of downy emerald moss, as soft as a pillow, gazing up at the dark, angry sky. The moors stretched in every direction, as far as the eye could see, the dull spectacle broken only by the sparse gathering of thin, spindly trees to her right. On her left was a deep cave, naturally hewn out of the hillside. The cave looked cosy and inviting, and Sienna dragged herself over to it, leading Inky with her. Inside, the cave was rocky and covered with a thin blanket of sand, but it was warm and dry. A narrow ledge stretched along one side of the cave, and a dark object was fastened to the upper right-hand corner. Sienna frowned and moved closer, hauling herself up onto the ledge to get a clearer look. The object was black and bulky, with wires running in and out. As Sienna watched, the object turned slowly to face her. A camera! Probably a naturalist's video camera, but no harm in checking.....
She twisted the camera round and rewound the film inside it. As she watched, an overwhelming relief swamped her, quickly drenched by dread. For on the tape was footage of the Mountain Queen, a young girl, and......Aria.
