Perception {Dreamnotfound}

8 | Black And Blue | 8

Important note:  At the time I wrote this, the issue with A6d hadn't happened. He therefore is in 2 chapters, but only as a background character. This chapter is the only one he really appears in.
He doesn't appear at all in the later books of this series.

Just thought that needed clearing up given the comments I've seen since.

~~~

-George's POV-

"So you're sure you want to go?"

"Yes Clay, I'm sure" I sigh, checking my compass as we navigate the forest. Clay collects some more flowers as we walk, all sorts of shapes and sizes. "I'm sorry for asking again, but I'm just worried. Techno could attack you at any moment, and I want to be there to help."

I smile to myself, secretly enjoying that someone worries about me for once. It's been a long time since someone has cared.

"If you're that bothered, you could just come with me" I suggest. Clay shakes his head, searching around the canopies for something. "I told you, I want to head to my old hideout. Just in case Nick is there."

From what Clay has said, Nick is the name of Clay's old friend. They used to be pretty close it seems.

"Alright. Then stop worrying."

As we edge closer to the city, Clay suddenly stops. "There." He points to one of the tallest trees in the area, a few wooden planks jutting out of the side of the trunk. I stare in horror at the unstable footholds which must be used to climb the tree.

"That's your hideout?!" I ask in shock, suddenly making new theories as to how Clay has so many scars. A fall from even halfway up that tree could kill.

"No. It's one of the old assassin camps. I'm sure you can see why they abandoned it a while ago."

It's not a great spot for an assassin's hideout. The wooden structure barely hidden beneath the canopy does stick out.

"Is there any chance there'd be any supplies up there?" I ask, wondering if there could be the medical supplies we so desperately need to properly treat our wounds.

Clay nods, looking to the wooden structure near the top of the tree and quickly looking away again. "Oh for sure. There's bound to be some valuable supplies kept in there. It may not be the best disguised place, but nobody is stupid enough to venture up there."

I smirk, looking at the varying paths up to the top. "You're wrong" I smile. "There's someone crazy enough to venture up there."

Clays eyes go wide as he watches me fasten my weapons tighter into their straps. "You're not seriously-"

"Aren't you supposed to be the reckless one! C'mon, I know it looks ridiculous but we are desperately in need of those supplies."

I run off before Clay can try to convince me otherwise, leaving him to follow behind. The tree appears to have more footholds than I thought, one of the paths up not looking too hard.

Clay catches up to me, shaking his head in disbelief. "There is no way I'm letting you go up there" he breathes, examining the tree more closely.

"I don't care" I retort. "I'm doing it anyway, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Suddenly, the crunching of leaves echoes from somewhere nearby. Clay grabs my arm, dragging me behind some bushes. We watch as two boys approach, one roughly my height and one a bit taller.

The smaller of the two approaches the tree on our side, looking at the same path up I was barely a minute ago.

Just a little shorter than me, tan skin and black hair. I'm not sure what colour his eyes are, but I can tell his clothes are all blue. There's an axe strapped to his back, a smaller dagger at his side.