Pick Your Path: Book 1

68

You glance at the group of half-breeds at the edge of the clearing. A girl with her blonde hair tied back was speaking to the group. You make your way over to join them.

" Everyone, I trust that you all will do your best to drive this loner out if our territory." her dark grey eyes lit with a fierce determination as she stood in front if the group with her head held high, " No matter what it takes, we have to get rid of the loner." the group of half-breeds muttered in agreement. " Will, Cassie, you two will search for the loner from the air. Abby, go with Ben and search the loner by where he has been spotted recently. Ellie, you can go search the cliffs and Meadow Falls, take another rogue with you. I'll go with Abby and Ben since they have the largest area to cover."

" Sure." a gazelle half-breed with silver eyes responded. She turned around as you approached. " Do you mind joining me, (Y/n)?"

" No, I don't." you answer, how did she ever know your name? Perhaps she overheard your conversation with Rose, Nan, and Sori? " I'd be happy to help." she leads you but if the camp, in the opposite direction if the rest of the group. " I assume you heard where we're going, right?" she asked as you too stepped out of camp.

" To the cliffs and meadow." you recite, " Where is that?"

" We go West." she explained, " The Meadows is the first thing we will come across. You spend a good two or three hours traveling before you finally come to the meadow. You try to memorize the path along the way, but have no luck. Everything looked the same, from the trees to the clearings. It was almost like you were going in circles.

" Alright, we're here." Ellie announced as you two emerged from the trees to an open field of grass and flowers. She bounds out into the grass, leaping onto a rock in the meadow. You dash after her, stumbling to a stop under the rock and sitting down. " You want to keep moving?"

" No.." you grumble. The sun had just set and it was getting dark. There's no point trying to search now, you'd probably trip over too many things when you and Ellie are trying to sneak up on the loner. You jump as she landed next to you with a thump.

" You're not scared of the dark, are you?" her silver eyes glowed as she sat down next to you.

" No. It's not that. it's just-"

" You're worried about alerting the loner when we're far away?" she interrupted, " Don't worry about that. You'll do fine. Let's keep moving." she grabs your hand and pulls you to your feet. She drags you across the meadow and up a hill. " Since the loner's not in the meadow. We check the cliffs." she stops you from going further. A sheer drop was less than a step away from you. A rocky wall lead the way down to a river.

" Wow.. Tha-"

" Shh!" Ellie grabs you and pulls you behind a rock jutting out of the ground. Her silver eyes widened as she peaked out form behind the hiding spot. " That's him!" she whispered. You peak out from behind the rock to see a light furred half-breed walking towards you. He stooped a couple of feet away from the hiding spot. He carefully took an orchid out of his pocket, holding it out as he waited for something or someone. " Guys.. We found him.." Ellie whispered to the air. " The cliffs, now."

" Ellie what are you doing?" you whisper. She turned around, holding a small, wooden whistle in her hand. She blew it, creating a nightingale sound. Then, she waited.. You hear a faint pair of wings, looking up, you spot two dark shapes soaring over the forest change direction and come towards you. One dove into the trees while the other landed silently at the edge of the cliffs, in the forest. A moment later, Cassie came running up the hill, sliding behind the rock next to you.

" That's the loner?" she asked quietly. You nod in response, studying the loner.The leopard spots held a hint of blue, maybe it was the moonlight? " Will's gone to get the others." you continue to watch until the others show up. The leopard leaped onto the top of a large boulder before turning his gaze to the forest in the distance.

" Everyone, on my signal." Pearl whispered, her hand counting down from three. The rest of the group nods, spreading out around the loner. You follow Ellie to the open grass near the boulder.

" Get ready.." she whispers to you, indicating where Pearl was, then.. You charged forward. The leopard jumps up as you and the group leap out. You reach the boulder first and immediately leap up to confront the half-breed.

" (Y/n)!" you head Ellie yelp before you slam into an invisible barrier. A pair of dark amethyst wings blocked you from moving forward. You stumble back, almost falling off the rock.

" Hey Purrincess."

" You're always stepping over the line , Alistair. Don't you think you've angered the rogues enough." the wings dispersed into a shimmery dust, revealing a dark furred half-breed. " You really shouldn't provoke them anymore.." she tossed a glance at the leopard behind her.

" Isn't it my job to protect the purrincess?" he purred, his tail swayed calmly behind him as he walked up to her side.

" Since when did I need protection?" she retorted. You hear the rest of the group clamor up onto the boulder, forming almost a ring around the two half-breeds. " I can take care of myself!" 

" Step aside, little princess, and let your prince do the work." Pear step forward, " This is between the loner and us. So stay out." you spot Ellie at the base of the rock, sneaking away towards the forest. She slid into the woods with one last glance at you and the half-breeds.

Follow her? Follow to page 100

Stay with the group? Continue to 101

Why must you always use the rogue's supplies, Alistair? You know they don't like it.. Can't you find some other source to use? ~R