The Awakening

Chapter 19 - Edited

*Edited January 16, 2018. (First published August 25, 2016)

I was right. Michael had indeed been more than happy to have one of his closest friends back safe and, for the most part, uninjured. The few scrapes and cuts he'd gotten had been treated during his journey back to us so that no blood scent would lead them to the camp. Every person there had breathed a sigh of relief at having their friend back. It didn't hurt that he was the best tracker the town of survivors had, something even the most closed off person had to respect in this day and age.

As for Lucas, as soon as we had gotten finished quietly celebrating his return, he had pulled Michael aside and had a quiet conversation with him. Whatever they had talked about had put a thoughtful look into our leader's eyes, a contemplative expression on his face that remained for the rest of the journey home.

We had left as soon as everyone had finished packing their things, the urgency we had all been feeling still there as we carefully wove between the trees, still avoiding the trails the wildlife made since we didn't want to have to worry about crossing their paths so easily.

Lucas had put me in charge of helping him cover tracks once more, saying that I'd done well while he was gone, leaving very little that he had to bother with. During the next several days he taught me a few new tricks to help cover anything the branches and leaves wouldn't take care of, also pointing out a few plants that were edible I hadn't known about before. It was good to know in case of emergencies, even if he did say they tasted horrible, likely the reason they hadn't been one of those known to me.

After all, other than someone like Lucas, who based his knowledge on survival in all kinds of situations, what person would bother to learn recipes for things that tasted bad?

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I turned towards Michael as soon as I heard him speak, meeting his brown eyes as he asked me to follow him for a few minutes. Getting up from my place around the small fire, I traced his steps out of the mostly enclosed crevice we had hidden in so they fire would remain unseen. I was mildly curious to know what he had to say that he wanted privacy for.

What I wasn't expecting was to see Lucas already standing at our destination, a smirk on his face as I was told of my chance to apprentice to the man, to learn everything he knew about tracking, hunting and surviving the wilds. I must have had a very strange expression on my face, based on the laughter they were both trying to muffle behind their hands.

"Sabira, you don't need to choose now. I will give you until three days after our return to make up your mind. After that, I will be leaving for a hunting trip to bring more meat to be added to the winter supplies. If you accept, you will be going with me and the trip will be turned into a lesson for you." Clapping a hand on my shoulder, Lucas gave me another smile and turned away, giving a wave to Michael before heading back to camp for some of the stew that was heating over the fire.

"If you agree, even I have to admit that you would likely make an even more formidable tracker than Lucas himself in the long run. After all, how do you beat a tracker who does not need rest, food or water to survive? Let alone one who becomes even stronger when they have those available?" Nodding his head, Michael left me alone to begin thinking of what to do.

This was my chance to begin really choosing where my future would take me. The only thing that made the choice a hard one was... How do I tell Daniel I might not see him for several days, if not weeks?