Tales of the Trio: Unbroken

Chapter Three

In the following morning, the day is bright, full of chirping, and not to hot with a light breeze, it would be a great day if the events of the night before had not occurred. Maximus woke up first, later than he usually does, probably from the physical exhaustion and the beating. He feels rather sore and hungry, sleeping on the ground after a night like that was not the way to go. He decides to keep up his morning routine of exercising and stretching something that he's been doing for the last couple years, just because everything in his life has changed at least he can keep this the same. His thoughts keep drifting to last night, seeing fellow villagers dead all around, people he had gone to school with, the so called soldiers that trained him, his life, just gone. The same words keep going through his head "Is my family even alive? Over and over, the words keep going, he was coming back from a run before going to hangout with Dominic and Lela, then everything went to hell, by the time he got to his home his family wasn't there, no signs of blood or a struggle. He shakes his head trying to clear the words and selfishly decides to wake the others. He gently but firmly nudges Dominic awake, Dominic mumbles something about sleeping longer but then jolts up looking around frantically.
     "Hey calm down, we're okay, it's safe." Maximus said as he firmly grabs Dominic's shoulder. Dominic let out a deep breath of relief.
    Looking around some more, he closes his eyes and lets out another deep breath before looking up at Maximus and says "Thank you, really."
    Maximus pat his shoulder "Anytime, though if you want to return the favor, you can wake up Lela." Giving Dominic a grin and a soft laugh.
    Dominic only sighed and smacked Maximus's arm away. He scoots his way over to where she lay on her side and softly says "Come on Lela, time to get up." She didn't even so much as stir, so he tried again.
Maximus laughed "You're gonna have to try harder than that."
    Dominic glared over his shoulder "You know, I really hate you."
   "You know, just try what I did to wake you, it worked on you didn't it?" Maximus said still laughing.
     Dominic thought about it, it made sense but it was Maximus who said it, and he's laughing. "Perhaps I'm just overthinking?" He thought to himself. He decided to gently grab Lela's shoulder to nudge her awake. She quickly rolled over towards him pinning his hand under her with a fist raised to punch his face before realizing all was fine and it was only Dominic. She put her hand down and sat up so he could have his hand back, she quietly said "Sorry, but that was kind of your fault."
    Before Dominic could reply, Maximus came over "A good way to start the day that's for sure, isn't that right?"
      Lela only rolled her eyes and stretched her arms over her head "I was expecting breakfast to be served to me, Dominic."
    Dominic pouted at them both "Remind me why I'm friends with either of you." Lela stuck her tongue out at him. Their smiles faded after as the memories of last night hit them. Dominic couldn't get over the fact he got his family out to go to the rendezvous point just for that to be raided too didn't sit well with him especially the lack of knowing where they are now or if they're dead. "Shouldn't we try to find the others now that the sun is up?"
    Maximus shook his head "You saw that the orcs were following close behind them, the chances are the orcs caught up to them, the lucky ones ran off far away and won't be sticking around waiting for more survivors."
    Lela adding to Maximus's point "Besides, it would be easier for the Orcs to spot us as well in the daylight, I doubt the Orcs  they just up and left the area."
     This made Dominic a bit irritated and practically snap at them "So what? We can't make it out here, we don't have any food, supplies, or anything to help survive, besides our families are out there! They probably left the others when the orcs came after them and got away." He put a hand on his stomach as it grumbles. "Speaking of no food."
    Lela looked up at patches of sky visible between the leaves, and waved a hand at Dominic. "Hush, we aren't alone out here, who knows what's lurking, and we have no idea for certain if anyone else survived or where they went even if they did survive. We should head to the safety of the kingdom and see if we can get on our feet there and hope the others decide to go there as well. We can't make it out here like this as you've said." She turns and looks at Dominic directly "They have food there sweetie." She gave him a taunting smile, Maximus chuckled and Dominic muttered "I'm not a child don't talk to me like I am one" then he reluctantly agreed with Lela.