The Marked People

Senses come and go

Phoenix

When I wake up the first thing I notice is that it's dark. The trees overhead are dark blurs against the sky and I can hardly see the stars because of forest that block them out.

Once I've managed to figure out where I am, I feel my chest tighten. I was nearly home.

This human kept me from being rescued. If I ever manage to get home she would pay. Speaking of Indigo, I lift my head and in surprise see her head resting on my chest.

Keeping still I try to formulate a plan that will allow me to get away without waking her. Hoping that she's boasting about how acute her senses are I try to slide out from underneath her.

As soon as I move one, of her hands grab onto my arm, her palm skin warm against my own "I'm trying to sleep, don't move."

Her voice is low and thick from sleep but her grip on my arm is strong and I know that any chance of escape has vanished.

Suddenly Indigo lets go of me "Damn! I didn't realise it was night. Come on, we have to go."

I give a sigh "You were the one that wanted to sleep."

Indigo hauls me up and I stare, she still isn't wearing a shirt. She notices and shoots me a glare "As far as I know people don't need their eyes to give us information, I already took your gliding skins don't make me take you eyes as well."

Her threat is clear and I unconsciously feel along my arm, If I ever get home I swear I'll keep her in that glass box until she forgets what a tree looks like.

Indigo throws me my shirt, which is now dry and I pull it on as she does the same. Looking up at the sky I say, "What time do you think it is?"

Indigo grabs onto my arm and we begin to walk. "Well after midnight," she answers though she seems distracted.

My body is fine but my mind is mentally exhausted. I've be kidnapped, bashed over the head by a human, dragged around by another human who's been a test subject and now I've seen my only hope of rescue literally fly away before my eyes.

So I don't bother fighting as I walk next to Indigo. As we walk her grip loosens as she seems to realise that I'm not planning anything and neither of us talk, letting the nightlife of the forest fill the silence that surrounds us.

Indigo

As we walk I silently yell at myself, I should never have slept for that long. Demon will be worried and I don't want to keep him waiting any longer then he has been.

Ever since The tracker passed over us I've felt nothing but relief but Phoenix has been sullen and every now and then I see his marking flash yellow. In fact I'm certain I can almost feel the waves of fury.

We walk for about half an hour, the silence dragging on, only to be broken by the rustling of some rodent as if moves through the undergrowth. Owls fly overhead and my advanced hearing picks up their wing beats while phoenix walks on, oblivious to the birds.

Suddenly the world begins to tilt. I try to regain my balance, thinking that there's an earthquake but something's not right. I look behind me to see that Phoenix is looking at me with a curious expression and it's clear that whatever's happening it's not the forest that's moving but me.

I reach out for a nearby tree but my hand doesn't misses and instead I fall onto my knees. My fingers begin to tingle and suddenly it feels as if something's biting my entire body.