The Silver Tree (Spirit Animals Fanfiction)

Chapter 16

Sorry it takes me so long to get chapters out! Don't worry I haven't stopped writing, I'm just a busy person. 

Conor was leading the group of Greencloaks uncertainly. He knew that they were on the right path, but he had anticipated reaching the docks earlier. Maybe the short cut wasn't such a good idea. It was turning out to be more of a long cut.

Conor squinted at the sun steadily sinking on the horizon and tried to see where the narrow, twisting path was leading them. Briggan padded alongside Conor's horse, enjoying his time out in the forest, but tired from his earlier play fights with Uraza. The big leopard was also out, staying with Abeke at the back of their group.

"Hey!" Conor heard a call from one of the Greencloaks behind him. "Are we setting up camp soon, or what?"

Conor replied without halting his horse. "We're almost at the dock, Oliver, just hang in there."

Conor faintly heard a soft chuckle from Abeke at his sarcastic response, but Oliver didn't seem to find it as funny. The young Greencloak hadn't stopped questioning Conor since they left Trunswick that morning. Conor didn't know what his problem was, but his constant commentary was really starting to get repetitive.

The rhythmic clomping of hooves on the dirt path was interrupted as Oliver pulled back the reins on his horse. 

"That's what you said last time," he pointed out, bitterness evident in his voice.

As much as Conor wanted to continue moving and leave Oliver behind, he knew that was the obvious wrong decision. The Greencloaks all needed to be united and if that meant dealing with Oliver's attitude, then so be it.

"You're right," Conor admitted with a slight catch in his voice. "I misjudged how long it would take to reach the docks," he turned to face Oliver. "Happy?"

"I'd be happier if we weren't in this mess at all," Oliver mumbled after a moment's pause.

"What was that?" Conor asked.

"I said no, I'm not happy! We've been running around the last couple days without having any idea what the hell is going on! Just blindly following orders! And you know what? I'm getting pretty tired of always being told what to do and who to follow. Because clearly"—Oliver gestured to Conor—"the people giving those orders don't know any more than I do."

"You're right, I don't know what's going on because, newsflash, nobody does!" Conor yelled, finally losing his temper and jumping off his horse

"Well maybe we shouldn't waste our time running around aimlessly when our families are in danger!"

"You think I don't know that?!"

"Hey," Abeke had dismounted her horse and walked to Conor's side. "No one is doubting your leadership."

"You're damn right I'm doubting your leadership!" Oliver leaped out of his saddle. "We've been off on a wild goose chase while the entire bloody world's been coming to an end!"

"You know that's not true," Erik said from atop his horse.

"Do I?," Oliver refused to calm down. "I don't ruddy well know anything anymore!"

Conor brushed off Abeke's grip on his shoulder. "Well maybe, if you stopped complaining for two seconds you'd see that we're all in the SAME POSITION!"

"Yeah? Well maybe if you'd just shut your—"

"Hey!" Everyone turned to see Anka seemingly appear out of thin air behind Conor. "If you kids are done your pointless argument, I think we can still get the boat started before dusk. I scouted ahead and the docks are just around the next corner."