Aelburn (WATTY'S 2020)

.three.°°

"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Frankenstein

December 1st, 2199

WILLOW

My boots sunk into the muddy surface beneath them as we traversed miles away from the gate that would lead us home. Aeraf and Lavender walked ahead of us, Lavender using Aeraf's shoulder for support as she balanced atop a moss-covered fallen tree, it's carcass damp and sagging beneath her weight, Aeraf's worried expression not completely unwarranted as a branch bent beneath her boot.

Jai walked beside me, the hood of his jacket pulled low over his eyes. He was stiff, shoulder about three inches higher than normal but his fingers were still wrapped tightly around mine. I was sure it was partially because he thought I'd freeze again but another part of me believed he needs some support himself after years of being trapped below ground. Squeezing his hand, I looked to Aeraf and Lavender, smiling softly as my sister asked Aeraf for help down, the quiet man placing his hands on her waist as she hopped to the ground.

Her smile was dazzling, curls hidden beneath the hood of her cloak as she reached down and plucked a blade of grass from the overgrown patch of earth beside her and tossed it above her. Eighteen years she'd been below and I knew she was just as excited as me.

It definitely helped that she was sharing it with the person she'd had a crush on for ages.

Aeraf turned to look at Jai and me, his ice-blue eyes piercing as strands of drenched green hung in his eyes. Despite wearing a hooded cloak over his thick jacket, he'd opted out of wearing the hood, reaching up a tanned hand to push his hair back from his face, his full lips forming a smile.

"You guys going to walk that slow forever?" Aeraf's voice held a teasing edge within its deep, raspy tone and Jai snorted.

"Willow is totally dragging ass. She's shorter then all of us remember?"

"I swear to Gods, Jai." I snapped and he smiled wide, yanking my hood down farther over my face before releasing my fingers and rushing forward. Lavender let out a squeal as his arms wrapped around her waist, a peal of laughter escaping her as the two of them fell to the ground. Lavender smacked his arm as she wiggled out of his grasp, Aeraf sighing as I approached him, raising an eyebrow. Hopping to her feet, my sister stuck her tongue out towards Jai as he splashed muddy water from a puddle in her direction.

The crack of a tree branch stood out against the pounding rain and every muscle in my body immediately grew taught, my hand reaching towards my bag were my dagger resided. Lavender stepped back, her fingers inching towards her bag at the same time as the boys readied their weapons, Jai having climbed to his feet and now wrapping his fingers around the handle of his gun.

A rabbit jumped out from behind a tree, shaking its head as a raindrop plopped down onto it, a collective sigh of relief leaving all four of us before the boys looked at each other.

"Mine!" Both of them yelled, Jai yanking out his gun as Aeraf loosed an arrow startling the rabbit when it sunk deep into the tree beside it. Jai darted as it took off and Lavender sighed, shaking her head as Aeraf followed shortly after.

"Men." She sighed as their two dark figures disappeared beyond the trees. A few moments passed before Jai's cry of celebration made me smile and my sister and I made our way after them, soon finding Aeraf crouching down and poking at the corpse, Jai bouncing happily beside him.