Away

Ch.5: Savior

Greyson saw the look of fear in Luke's eyes. "Everybody, run out of the forest, and hurry!"

He saw Ryder mutter something under his breath and raced out of the forest.

Probably, "I told you so."

Luke ran out, practically on Ryder's heels.

Greyson was about to race after them, but turned back to check on Rowan. She was looking thoughtfully at the purple trees and her left leg was twitching, like she was actually thinking about climbing one of those trees. She started running towards one of them and started climbing.

Are you serious?

Greyson climbed up after her and shouted "What are you doing? You're going to die!"

The others had noticed what was happening and had both come back, watching the horrific scene.

Luke cupped his hands around his mouth. "What's wrong with you people? You do know that's electricity, right?!"

Greyson's hand started burning from the trunk of the tree. "Rowan, just try to get off slowly, okay?"

She shook her head and scampered up the tree. Greyson's hand was starting to blister really badly, so he slid down the tree. When he stood with his brother and Luke, they saw that Rowan was picking off the brightest leaf and proceeded to eat it.

"What is she doing?" Ryder asked, looking up.

~

She started to sway, and Luke saw what was happening a split second before the brothers did. Luke ran towards the edge of the tree, his instincts telling him where she would fall. She swayed another time and then fell 20 feet down.

Luke had a sudden thought. Why was he doing this? Why did he even care? He was used to seeing people die, and it's not like he had to save her.

He then shook the thoughts out of his head and caught Rowan in his arms. He then laid her down on the ground, his hand on her neck, feeling her pulse. She started breathing at his touch, her brothers came around when she breathed in and opened her eyes. Rowan looked right at Luke. He never noticed the color of her eyes. They were green, and against her brown hair and pale skin, she looked like a soldier that didn't need camouflage.

Her brothers than cradled her head in their hands and asked her if she was okay and all the other questions. After all the required questions siblings asked, Ryder punched her in the jaw.

"Ow! What was that for?" She asked, rubbing her jaw.

Ryder ruffled her hair. "For climbing up an electric tree, eating a glowing leaf, and being an idiot overall."

"Which one?"

Greyson punched her in the arm. "All of the above."

They all laughed and hugged one another. Then they all got up and walked out of the forest, Rowan still leaning on Greyson.

Ryder stopped and walked next to Luke. "Thanks, for saving her."

Luke was surprised. "Uh, you're welcome?"

"Dude, I'm trying to thank you."

"Well, stop. It was an instinct, it wasn't like I cared." Luke thought Ryder would retaliate, but instead he looked puzzled.

"Why don't you care?"

"Cause she is a pest, that's why."

Ryder shrugged and went ahead of him. Luke fumed the rest of the way out of the woods and saw that they had gotten to a desert. Not the sand kind, but abandoned.

Rowan stood next to Luke and looked. "What happened?"

"You think I know?"

"It was just a question!"

"A stupid one at that."

"You guys!" Grayson interrupted. "Stop fighting, let's just get out of here and find our way home. Lead the way Luke"

Luke smirked and Rowan stuck her tongue out at him.

They moved slowly at first because Rowan kept slowing them down by falling or tripping or doing any other clumsy thing.

"Come on!" Luke yelled after the 5th time that Rowan had fallen.

"Well, I'm sorry your highness. That leaf gave me wobbly feet."

"Well, unwobble them and let's move faster."

Rowan muttered under her breath and started walking.

After a few minutes Rowan started whining again.

"What's wrong now??!" Luke asked turning around.

"I just don't get why we HAVE to follow these little silver wisps."

"What silver wisps?" Luke demanded.

"The ones we're following, idiot."

"We aren't following anything, we just are trying to get back to the city."

"Well, we are," Rowan pointed in the direction they were going. "They're leading to the docks, that's where we're going right?"

Luke didn't want to admit it but she was right. The docks were the safest spot to be right now, and they could get to the city in around 4 hours on boat.

"So, what? It's not like they might be right." He said.

Rowan snorted. "Okay, than where are we going?" She smirked when Luke didn't say anything. "Thought so."

Luke grumbled under his breath and reluctantly turned toward the docks.