Safe and Helpful

Chapter Eight: Follow The Leader

Camel's POV

I stared at the three idiots sitting at my table in my tent. A map was spread out in front of Ethan, and he was marking some of the sites where, apparently, his power might have fallen.

Kit was petting Simon, trying to heal him. He was better now, but chunks of fur were still missing, as well as an eye. One of his ears had been torn, and a few red scratches still remained on his flank.

Cassie had swam in, using the collection of tunnels Kit and I had built around the grove, allowing her free access to both of our tents, and many other locations.

Ethan looked up at me, waiting for a response.

I cleared my throat. "Obviously, finding your grace is a major priority, but I believe that the aftermath of the fall is too great for us to ignore. We should start by helping repair the damages and resettling the other people in the forest. We would also be introducing you to our culture, so you can better communicate with others. We will start searching as soon as we can for your grace, though." The leader-like position seemed too hard for me to fill, but I tried to keep up the appearance. Besides, Kit would freeze up and probably puke if someone asked her to be leader, and Cassie was more like a guider than a real leader.

Ethan looked upset, but he sat back and shut his mouth, staring at the floor. He seemed like he was used to being shut down, like he was ignored on a daily basis. Plus, with the story of the flinching Kit had whispered to me, it seemed like Heaven was a lot more shitty than the books let on.

"Ethan?"

He looked up, startled. "Um..." He seemed almost afraid to talk. "I just don't want... to be human."

"Nobody likes being human," Kit said, her attention still on Simon. "You've got all these choices, really no power, this giant imagination but no outlet, just everything piling up. Plus, diseases and doubt, and you kinda can't do a lot without thousands of people backing you up."

Ethan stared at her, bewildered. "Pardon me for saying so, but angel have done more for humankind than you've done for anybody."

Kit's eyes flashed red, her face calm and emotionless. I knew she was thinking of the people she lost, the secrets that had slipped between the cracks. "Then who put the lock on Pandora's Box?"

"There was no-" Ethan stopped, aware of his mistake.

"Anyway," I interrupted. "Ethan can stay in Kit's tent, since she's got all the extra blankets, and we can regroup in the morning."

Ethan nodded, and Cassie swam out. Kit set down Simon, and was about to leave when I stopped her.

"Based on our current situation," I told her quietly, "it would be wise to not agitate our guests." I let her leave, then sat down at the table.

Leader was no longer a role I wanted to play. I played it once, and I failed. I couldn't fail again,