Once Upon a Midnight: Wanted

Chapter Four

It was hot out that night. The hottest night of the year. The girls thought to beat the heat by going swimming. And by swimming that meant Raleigh swam while Aeryn sat on the edge. The fox had learned early on that Aeryn never learned how to swim. She'd tried to teach the other girl, but that lesson hadn't gone very well.

"Aeryn c'mon, let me try and teach you again!" Raleigh called.

Aeryn shook her head quickly, her hair bouncing in the process. She'd finally gotten it cut, so it fell just below her ears. "Not a chance."

"I promise I won't let you go this time!"

"I could've died!"

Raleigh gave an exasperated sigh, rolling her eyes. She swam over to Aeryn, sitting next to her and brushing her hair out of her eyes. "I wouldn't have let you drown. My hand slipped is all."

"Yeah okay." Aeryn fell onto her back, Raleigh following the motion. "I have a question."

"Hm?" Raleigh turned her head to look at Aeryn. Her hands were folded on her belly, her knees bent and ankles crossed.

"So you always mention the Council. I don't understand, what are they supposed to do exactly?"

Raleigh tapped her hands against her stomach as she tried to think of the easiest way to explain without confusing Aeryn. "The Council is basically our government. They get the top people from each city to form together. They decide how to run the cities, how to deal with humans, and human sympathizers. Each city has a group of four or five Council-members, and then they pick one person to serve on the main Council."

"There's more than one city?"

Raleigh laughed, shaking her head. "Of course there is. You didn't think Jyn was the only city in the entire world did you?" At Aeryn's look she laughed again. "Okay, I'm sorry. I don't know exactly how many other cities there are but yes, there is more than Jyn out there in the world."

"And humans are banned in every one?"

The Shifter shrugged. "I would assume. I mean it's the main Council who determines how to deal with the human problem." She turned onto her side, reaching a hand to poke at Aeryn's cheek, who immediately swatted it away. "Not that I think you're a problem or anything."

"No of course not." Aeryn rolled her eyes. "Just everyone else."

---

Aeryn sat in their usual spot, plucking blades of grass from the ground. It was just starting to get dark. Raleigh was late.

She hoped nothing happened to the Shifter. She remembered Raleigh telling her about Rakhtars coming out at night, and how dangerous it was for her to venture out. And if she was hurt she would have no way of knowing.

A glance toward Jyn had her furrowing her brow. She could try to scale the Wall but--

"Hi!"

"Raleigh!" Aeryn looked up startled from her thoughts to see the Shifter looking down at her curiously.

"What's up?"

"You're late."

"Oh yeah." Raleigh plopped to the ground next to Aeryn, scratching the back of her neck with a sigh. "Sorry about that. It's getting harder for me to sneak out every night. I had to create a diversion."

"A diversion?"

"Uh-huh~ You shoulda seen it, Rion screamed higher than I've ever heard a guy scream before."