Ark - Survivors Lost In Time Book 2- Time of Thieves

Day One

I opened my eyes, I was naked laying on my back in the underbrush, above me climbed wild trees covered in vines, tall spires of rock towered in the sky overhead. I sat up, I had not woken up before the upload, where was my tribe, where was I supposed to meet them. Which Ark was this, I rubbed my head, trying to clear the fog of cryo sleep. I took in my surroundings, think I told myself, think tropical jungle, the screeching of insects and small dinos filled the air, moist humid air filled my lungs, the tall rock spires, not the towering red woods of the Island or the orderly mountains, this was the Center, the floating islands, the dangerous active volcano, and the tumultuous ocean, this was not some place I wanted to be alone. Where did we go when we came here? I shook my head to clear it, the crescent island of the Tropical South, I climbed shakily to my feet, brushing the leaf litter from my back side and my shoulder length white hair. I tried to figure out where on the Ark I was, but all I could see were trees. I had to find open air to see the obelisks. I followed the sun, at least if I was heading north or south I would not be getting any further from my goal, just no closer. I hoped I was heading south, north would be more dangerous terrain, as one got closer to the volcano on the east coast the animals became more dangerous. I was judging from the temperature that it was late morning, and as such I was headed south, oh I really hoped I was headed south.

I trudged through small creeks and thick underbrush, I picked berries as I went and only stopped long enough to get a drink from one of the less mud filled streams. I finally found a real river and some open air, I looked up river, I could see the mist shrouded floating island far to the north, that meant I was not far from the tropical south. Excitement filled my heart, was I really only a dangerous swim away from home. I looked south, my heart sank as the multitude of little islets filled my view, I was in the Jungles North, as far from my home as I could get, I could see the Half Burnt Island to the north, and Tropical North Island beyond the Eastern Islets, the Shadow Knights would be setting up their base their soon, if they had not already gathered there. I looked south, I had to cross their river, the Jungles Mid, another river and make it along the beach to prepare for the swim from Jungles South the Tropical South.

I stood there on the river bank for a while, I stared at the water I would look back at the jungle, I could see the smoke for the volcano rising over the trees and spires. I looked back at the swirling waters of the river, the Center Arks were known for having waters full of predators, I had survived the Jungles North, naked and unarmed, hopefully I could continue to survive. First things first, I had to make it across this river, I could follow the relative safety of the coast after that. I took a deep breath and dove in. I wanted to turn back the moment I opened my eyes in the river, three mega piranhas had heard my splash and were headed toward me, I kicked as quickly as I could, but the other shore looked so far away. I could not risk looking back I had to make it. I closed my eyes, and focused on kicked, blue eyes stared back at me, I opened them, Cradix, his death still haunted me, even on the new ark. My fingers scrapped sand, I pulled myself desperately onto the shore, the piranha jumping and snapping in the shallows. I sat there bare naked in the sand, gasping for air, amazed I had made it to the shore.

"Firefang?" A female voice came from behind me, I spun, a woman small in stature stood in the trees, three men behind her, they all wore hide armor, and carried primitive bows in their hands, a small group of dilos trailed behind them, hissing and chattering to each other. Vixxy was a short woman, only coming up to my shoulder, her ample chest stretched the limits of her hand made armor, as did her hourglass wide hips. What she lacked in height she made up for in attitude, she was the leader of the Shadow Knights for a reason. Her mate Raseth stood menacingly behind her, his head held high his eyes alert for any sign of an attack. To his left was Sneaky, he had earned his name as a thief back in the early days, but now he was a sword for the Shadow Knights, and on his right was Antonio a onetime Nomad turned Shadow, he smiled at me from over Vixxy's head.