Blu

Chapter Eight

  Honesty.  

       Obalie was the first to wake up and leave the tent where everyone was sleeping. When she noticed them, she stopped in her tracks, lifted onto her back legs slightly for a second, and made and expression that said 'Oh, don't worry! I'll keep it low key,' and she hurried over, low to the ground.

     "That just makes her more suspicious," Airibone observed.

     "Ya, I-" Maila agreed, nodding. But, she was cut off, when Obalie had reached them.

     "Whoa, you- Maila, you took her back! Oouger said to stay away from the..." she trailed off, gazing up at Airibone in disbelief. Airibone lowered her head to be eye level with Obalie.

     "Well, huh. I asked her to and-" Airibone said, interrupting herself. "Didn't you realize that crouching makes you more suspicious looking! That will just draw more attention then casually walking over!" she finished loudly. Obalie flushed and looked at Maila.

     "Can, can you-" she stuttered, twiddling her thumbs. "Maila, can you- I mean would mind if..." Maila smiled and Obalie seemed to loosen up. "Take me! I mean if... Please?" Obalie blurted, putting her hand down onto Maila's. Airibone and Maila glanced at each other quickly and looked back at the forest.

     "Uh, yyyyaaaaaaa." Maila said slowly. "Sure, j- just tell Orkijace first. Uh she- she'll wanna come, probably." Mail finished, looking at Airibone for counseling. Airibone nodded quickly, fakely beaming at Obalie. Obalie nodded back, and raced across the field to Orkijace.

     Maila knew what Airibone was thinking, What about Oouger? And that thing that summoned the timber wolves. It plainly said not to come back!

     "Well, maybe we can face it with four Gorisailns." Maila said hopefully. Airibone shook her head.

     "No, I- I really don't think we can. If we want to make it through," Airibone sighed. "We'll need Oouger." she finished, looking down at her claws. Maila sat down.

     "Nahh, we just need to be smart about it!" She countered. Airibone sat down to.

      "I can't risk their lives like that." she said. Maila ripped up some grass, and tossed it aside calmly.

     "Trust me Airibone," she said determinedly. Airibone finally smiled and met eyes. They were sitting there for a few seconds, until Airibone finally put her hands up.

     "Okay, I trust to Maila!" she said. "Just don't let me down. Don't let them down! Remember, they are nowhere near a powerful as us!" Maila stood back up.

     "Exactly!" she realized. "If we're so much stronger and faster now," Airibone used her to stand up as well. "We can just fend everything off! Protect them! You know?" Maila exclaimed. Airibone tilted her head away, taking a step back.

     "But, but that creature! It- it made short work of me. It got me like that!" She stuttered. Maila grabbed her shoulders.

     "But we weren't expecting it that time! We- we know it exists now, right!?" Airibone looked back at her, now with a joyful expression.

     "Ya," she said. "Ya! Alright! YA!" They grabbed each other's shoulders for a minute, before Obalie came sprinting over with Orkijace attached to her back. Piggy back ride, Maila thought with a single puff of laughter. She raised her eyebrows at them as they arrived.

     "So," she said, watching Orkijace slide off of Obalie's back. "Are you willing to risk your life to see a rock in the forbidden forest?" she asked Orkijace sarcastically. Orkijace just looked at her expressionless, and motionless.