Rebellion

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine~

I had reached the edge of the forest with the route and speed I had taken, and I forced myself to stop and turn around. This was the first time I had ever been this far away from home. The trees that marked the outside of the forest beckoned for me to return back inside, to stay within it's protective walls. I reached out and stroked the tough bark of a pine tree. This was my final good bye.

Suddenly, I heard something crashing through the bushes, and I turned and ran, my flight instinct kicking in. I didn't bother glancing back, for I very well knew what was behind me. I should've been more careful and kept to the shadows. I scolded myself internally as I continued running.

I heard something shout behind me. That was no Demon voice. That was human. I stopped and turned to face the person who had yelled. Before me stood Briss.

"I can't let you do this on your own ya know," He said, smirking, his eyes welcoming and forgiving.

Part of me wanted to embrace him, and thank him for coming with me on my journey to join the rebellion. But then, another part of me wanted to turn and run again. I then noticed the chain around his neck. The pendant was not a dragon, like mine, but rather a lion. Without thinking completely, I reached out and held it in my palm, my thumb brushing against it.

"Your grandmother gave it to me,"

"What...?" I whispered. How could she have my necklace and one for him?!

"She said I needed it to get into the rebellion. She said that the lion..represents me.."

I dropped my hand and glanced at the ground, thinking. I could not run from him. We've developed such a strong friendship, I cannot break it. I've trusted him with everything, and I know he's trusted me with a lot as well.

I looked back up at him and smiled. "Thank you. For joining me,"

He chuckled, "Of course. You do need some protecting after all,"

I playfully slapped his arm and embraced him. "Well I'm glad we're doing this as a team,"

He hugged me back tightly. "Yeah," he said. "Me too,"

We held one another for a minute longer then pulled apart. I turned then faced away from the forest. "Well. Shall we begin?"

He laughed then broke into a sprint, zipping past me. "HELL YEAH I'M READY!!!! ADVENTURE!!!!"

I couldn't help myself from laughing. His sudden outburst brightened my spirits and made me collapse with laughter, tears stinging my eyes. I had to force myself back to my feet and follow him. This is why I needed him. His personality made my own shine the brighter, and I needed that in my life.

I finally caught up to him and he threw me a side ways glance, smirking. I could tell in his eyes that he was happy. Finally happy. We were leaving behind a life full of hate and stress, and beginning one in a new environment, to join the rebellion to put an end to Their evil. To restore balance in the Universe once more. And best of all, we we're doing it together.

Briss glanced up towards the sky. He must have noticed the sky darkening. "We're going to have to set up camp soon,"

"Set up camp? I only brought a blanket, not a tent,"

"Good thing I thought of the things we would actually need then," He said grinning.

He crouched down and pulled his back pack off his back. I knelt beside him and watched as he pulled out a blank tarp looking thing. It was folded tightly, and looked nothing like a tent. He threw it to the ground, zipping up his bag once more. He then took the tarp and unfolded it. I quickly stopped him.

"Shouldn't we find a better place to put up a tent...?"

He looked around us and spotted a cluster of trees not far off. "You're right. We could go there. It would be better to hide ourselves,"

I smirked at him and helped him carry the tent. Of course I was right. We made our way to the cluster of trees by the time the sun had reached the horizon. Briss set up the tent, considering how I had never exactly seen one before in my life. He made it so it was flush against the trees, and it blended in quite nicely in the dark of the night.

When he was finished he opened the flap and gestured inside. "Here we are,"

I went inside, and let me tell you, a tent was nothing special. It was cramped and the air from outside made it cold. Briss shuffled inside after me and laid down next to me.

"Do you have a blanket?" I asked.

His eyebrows furrowed together and he grabbed his bag and scrambled through it, throwing some of the contents out by accident. He slouched down after searching the entire bag. "Shit," he mumbled.

I laughed then threw an extra blanket I had at him. "See? I packed well too,"

He let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you Neera,"

I chuckled then pulled out my own blanket and pulled it on top of me, using my bag as a pillow. I glanced at Briss and saw him glance my way as well. I rolled my eyes and turned my back to him. This was going to be awkward.

I heard him laugh softly. "Goodnight Neera,"

"Goodnight Briss," I whispered.

At first, I could not sleep. So many images ran through my mind, and I couldn't erase them. Mother's dying face, Amelia as she told me of Delst's true intentions, Grandmother as she gave me the dragon necklace, and Delst when he saw Mother on death's doorstep. These images were the ones that refused to leave me, and I hated them for that.

I turned to look at Briss, and I noticed that his blanket lay flat. "Briss?!!?" I whispered as loud as I dared.

I glanced to the tent entrance, and noticed the flap was open. I crawled to it on my hands and knees and stuck my head outside. I then saw Briss laying in the grass outside, looking up to the sky. I shuffled over to him and laid beside him.

"Couldn't sleep either?" He asked.

"No," I said.

I looked up too at the night sky and almost gasped at the stars that sparkled before me. There were so many, with different sizes and brightness. But regardless, they all shone in the dark, and they were all beautiful. The sight calmed my racing mind, and soon after my eyelids grew heavy.

As sleep was finally taking me, I rolled over, facing Briss, and he smiled at me, wrapping his arm around me as if he could protect me from any danger the world may throw at us. His warmth radiated to me, and sleep took me in a sudden rush, and I remembered nothing more.