Finding Home

Chapter Six

I walk quickly back to the Hidden Cave, fear pounding in my chest. As I approach the boulder a figure is crouching in the undergrowth, back facing opposite of me. My heart stops. I catch my breath and let my natural hunting instincts take over. I slow my steps and drop into the dense underbrush.

The head turns around and I hit the ground hard. The air is forced out of my chest. I look up over the long grass stems. I see that it's a young girl. She is clearly not an Amazon. She wears a strange suit of armor. It is long and thin and has frilly white stuff around the collar. I duck my head as she looks right at the clump of grass I'm crouching in.  I creep forward slowly.  She bows her head and stares into the earth. I pause my approach to study her features. Her hair is the color of the rising sun. It is tossed around gently by the breeze. Her eyes are a stunning blue. I wonder at how she got all the way up here. She is preventing me from returning to hiding, which angers me. I pray that no one is concerned. If only they knew I was just outside. I consider my next move. I could take her by surprise and have a clean kill...I stare at her. She looks so innocent. After all, it is not her fault that the captain of the ship she was on stumbled upon the island. I frown. She is still in my way. Maybe I can frighten her enough that she will run. I decide on this plan. 

I shake the grass I am in. I peek just in time to see her head whip in my direction. I stop. She glances around nervously. I rustle the grass a bit harder. She stares right at me. To my surprise, she begins slowly towards my hiding spot. I leap out of my hiding place, no plan in my mind. I whip out my sword and stand there, hiding my fear behind my blade. Her blue eyes widen to a shocking size. For a minute I let my guard down and almost laugh. Her eyeballs look as though they could explode out of the sockets! 

"Who are you and what do you think you are doing?" I snap at her, waving my sword around. Her eyebrows dip down low.

"Ha! You're the one threatening me with a sword," she says boldly. I raise an eyebrow.

"Yes. Keep in mind. I'm the one with the sword."

I point the tip at her throat.

"Chill. And put that down before you hurt someone!"

The level of shock goes up. A girl that is not an Amazon speaking to me like that, as I yield a deadly weapon? She has so little muscle. So skinny and pale of skin. Even I have a nice bronze from being outside so much. She must spend her days sewing. The thought makes me snort. From my lessons of humans and normal girls, the men spend their time outdoors hunting and fishing and doing all the things that we do, just with much less skill. The women and girls are nearly the slaves of the male species. They cook for them and clean for them and sit around sewing. Of course, these are the tales from years ago. I do not know much up to date. 

I slip my sword back into its scabbard. 

"Better. My name is Mia Smith. I come in peace," she declares, holding out her small hand to me. I stare down at it with disdain. She takes it slowly away. "No need to make that face. I'm not a pig."

I glare at her.

"Pigs are not a bad thing,  Mia. They are intelligent. Much more so than you appear to be."

"That was rude."

I pull out my knife. 

"How old are you?" I inquire. 

"Thirteen. You?"

"That does not concern you," I reply. I grab her at the elbow and turn her facing away from me. I press the knife against her throat. 

"Whoa. That was sudden," she mutters.

"Don't say a word and you may keep your life," I hiss, returning the knife back in its scabbard. She tries to twist away from me, but I keep an iron grip on her. I force her to her knees. I drag her to the boulder and find the entrance immediately. I shove her through the narrow opening. I release her hands and step into the upper room of the Hidden Cave. I don't bother wasting a torch and grope around on the floor until I find the trap door. I push her down onto the waiting dirt floor. I leap down after her. I grab her arm and jerk her to her feet. Just as I am leading her into the main room, Noah's voice comes drifting into my head. I pause.