Academy of Elements: Earth

Chapter 30: And From Seeds Secrets Bloom

I wake as the night slowly fades into day, the sky a sea of onyx fading into charcoal and finally into pewter gray. Quiet as possible I create a staircase down to the small cave I had left Nora and I's clothes in and get dressed, bring Nora's clothes up as well. Nora wakes up fifteen minutes later getting dressed and then climbing down some slippery makeshift ice stairs.

Nora and I don' talk during the first few hours, Jessie coming down an hour after the two of us had as I slowly kindle fire from last nights ashes. Once the fire is ablaze I grab the two legs of the deer and slowly sink my pocket knife under the skin. Crimson soon paints my hand, a mound of blood matted skin soon lying on the cave floor. I cut meat from the bone, going as far as to cut off some of the fat and lie it on smooth rocks around the fire. Leaving the meat for a second I head for the roaring waterfall to wash my hands.

The cool water numbs my hand, the pressure also assisting in doing so, but eventually, the blood from the deer is washed into the river and I head back for the cave and turn the slabs of meat over.

Eventually, everyone meets in the cave, John and Ella coming down just after I wash my hands, and Haley waking up last. I smile at Haley as she eats the game, her eyes once again filled with light, none of the emptiness or strain from using her magic left. Stepping outside of the smoky cave I sit on the ledge over top of the small pool the water falls into. I take a deep breath looking down the valley. The sun breaks through the clouds, casting waves of light throughout the glen, a stream of it landing on me, pointing to me like a beacon. From where I sit, I notice the small dancing specks of gold, cast from the small gaps in the thick canopy. The river breaks apart the forest, a pathway leading to a larger fjord. The river rolls over rocks, crashing violently through the forest, a small wild dog pack drinks from the river, their fur russet and bodies nimble.

Sighing I stand and turn back to the cave.

"We need a plan," I tell everyone. There were two options, we could either hunt for other teams and raise our chances of winning and earning more money, or we could stay here and focus on surviving. I state as much to the group.

"I think survival should come first, I just worry that if we go hunting we won't find this place again, it took us long enough yesterday," Brennen replies.

"True, but worst comes to worst Haley can make us shelter and we can hunker down for the night," John argues.

"If we hunt for people, we have no time to hunt for food. That deer isn't going to feed us forever." Haley counters. "We need to focus on being able to sustain yourself, and then focus on illuminating other teams."

"I agree." Nora voices.

"We could do both," Reighnen suggests. "Have a smaller group stay here and hunt while the other, larger, group hunts for teams."

"If we do that we risk losing each other, and a small group would be easy to take out," I tell him.

"So why don't you and Denen go and hunt for teams," Reighnen suggests. "You could bring Aira as well, you three can certainly hold your own."

"I'll come with you guys." Ella voices. "I'm not entirely useless without powers."

I nod. I needed to talk to Ella anyways.

Ella, Denen, and I head out an hour later, Aira deciding to stay behind. Walking behind the waterfall and up the steep bank of the valley, the tree's cover us from sight.

"It's so pretty here." Ella murmurs looking around at the moss covered tree's, the rich earth, and blooming flowers. "I wonder what it would be like in fall?"

I shrug. "Maybe we'll find out." February was slowly coming to an end, the tree's still green, however, and with that brought March and the promises of Autumn.