Legends of Darkstalkers and Nightriders

Chapter 19: Making Progress

Emma:

My brother and I sat next to the fire, amber flames whipping the air and swaying rapidly from side to side in an intricate dance. Sparks crackled and floated into the air, glowing like fireflies. Blaze held an apple in his hand and turned it over in his palm, staring blankly into the fire.

I studied his expression with a raised eyebrow. "Alright. Spit it out."

He turned to look at me. "Spit what out?"

"The reason you have grumpy-face," I replied, crossing my arms.

Blaze snorted. "I'm not grumpy."

I gave him a look. "Blaze, I know your faces, and that is not a cheerful one. Come on, out with it."

He sighed. "Okay... Well, I may have... looked through Sadie's saddle bags. I just wanted to know what she was hiding. And she caught me doing it...and, well, we had a fight."

"Shocker," I muttered.

"I just wanted to know more about her, Em," he said. "I just don't trust her."

I groaned. "Oh. My. Gods. If we have to have this conversation one more time, I will trap you in a soundproof force-field. You'll have your own personal bubble of pessimism and distrust while Sadie and I live in the real world where we respect each other." I smirked at him slightly to show him I wasn't really angry with him.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled slightly. "And this," he said, pointing to his face with a circular motion. "This is not my grumpy face."

I smiled. "Mhm, sure."

"What? It's not!"

I grinned. "Right," I said sarcastically.

I levitated his apple out of his hands with my powers.

"Hey," he said, trying to grab it from the air, but I jerked it away, giggling. He chuckled. "Knock it off."

"If you want it, you have to come and get it from me," I said, my expression smug as I stood up and levitated the apple next to my head.

Blaze rolled his eyes again and shook his head, smiling slightly as he got to his feet and lunged toward the apple, trying to grab it from the air. I yanked it upward and out of his reach before dangling it in front of his face.

"Too slow," I taunted, grinning.

"Oh, you are about to see my grumpy face," he said with a grin.

I laughed and ran away, levitating the apple beside me as my brother chased me, trying to snatch it. I used my powers to jerk it out of his reach every time, giggling with a laugh that must have sounded much like a child's.

Blaze laughed. "Prepare for pay-back, Emma. I'm gonna get you so good and you won't even see it coming," he said as he lunged at the apple.

I laughed and levitated it out of his reach again. I dangled it in front of his face once more and he glared at it before sharply grabbing at it. I reacted quickly and jerked it above his head and out of his reach, giggling as he grinned and jumped as high as he could repeatedly, trying to reach it.

Suddenly the apple was snatched from my grasp and tossed high into the air before being caught by Sadie who hovered above us. She smiled and her eyes glittered mischievously as she took a bite then tossed the apple to Blaze as she set down nearby, Stardancer not far behind.

"That's a good apple," she said.

"Hey," Blaze said, looking at the bite taken out of the apple. "I was really looking forward to that apple."

I laughed and high-fived Sadie.

She grinned. "Sorry, couldn't resist. If you like, I can get you another."

He smiled. "Yes, please."

She smiled and took off, reappearing a few minutes later with a fresh apple, tossing it to him. "There you go."

"Well," I remarked. "You seen to be in a better mood."

She nodded. "I am."

I smiled. "What's the occasion?"

She shrugged. "No occasion. I guess having a few hours to myself without having to worry about a certain someone look over my shoulder helped." She looked pointedly at Blaze.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, biting into his fresh apple.

I smiled slightly and rolled my eyes.

Sadie smiled and rubbed Stardancer's head. "So," she said. "Did you find anything interesting in my saddlebags?"

"Not really. I didn't really get a chance to before you busted me," he said.

"Good." She paused. "Can I trust you?"

Blaze studied her for a moment. "Yes," he said seriously.

She looked at him, meeting his gaze evenly. "I promised you that if I was ever ready to talk, you'd know. So I can trust you not to go digging through my things anymore?"

He sighed. "Yes. I'm sorry I did it in the first place, I was wrong."

She nodded. "You're forgiven." She paused again. "It's difficult for me to trust you." Her gaze moved to meet mine. "Both of you. But I want to and I am trying. It just takes time."

I nodded. "Then we'll give you time. And for now, you don't have to trust us with your past. Just trust us for the future."

She grimaced. "I'll do my best."

I smiled slightly. "That's all I ask."

"Thank you, Emma," she said with a slight smile. "Now. Who's for a game?"

"What game?" I asked.

"I'll teach you," she says, pulling some cards from Stardancer's saddlebag. "Come on."

I smiled and sat down across from her, Blaze following suit.

The game she taught us was fairly simple, but fun and we stayed up late into the night playing and laughing.

Finally, we grew tired and I yawned, leaning back against Nova.

Sadie grinned as she leaned back against her dragon. "That wasn't bad, Blaze. Could use a little work, but not bad."

Blaze grinned. "I try."

Sadie laughed as she tossed a pebble at him and it bounced off his head.

"Hey!" he complained.

I giggled and curled up against my dragon as she draped a leathery wing over me. "Goodnight, you two."

"Night, Em," Sadie said, leaning back with a smile.

Blaze smiled. "Goodnight." He leaned against Nova's other side and she draped a wing over him. Pretty soon, I dropped off to sleep.

The next morning we woke to find Sadie making breakfast. "Good morning, you two," she said. "Sleep well? I know Blaze did, since he snored almost all night."

I laughed. "I did too. I'm guessing you didn't since you knew Blaze was snoring?"

"I'm a light sleeper, but I slept fine after I moved to one of the trees where I couldn't hear him very well."

I smiled. "Good."

"You guys hungry? I made breakfast."

"Starving," my brother and I said simultaneously, our tones nearly identical.

She laughed. "Come help yourselves."

Blaze chuckled as we moved to get ourselves food and sat down to eat.  

Written by: xoxAnnee