War Mantle (Dancing with Death part 3)

Recovery

Ali wanted to rip off her sling and chuck it into the Long Island Sound, but she knew she couldn't support the weight of her own arm, not yet. She sighed as she stared out over Camp. They'd made it. Despite everything, despite facing impossible odds, they'd survived. It was hard to believe.

"It's good to see you on your feet again." Ali turned to find Owen standing behind her, awkwardly hugging his arm tight to his side.

He opened his mouth to speak, but Ali cut him off. "Don't you dare apologize. This was my choice you couldn't have stopped me and if you had... you would've died." She locked eyes with him.

He couldn't hold her gaze. "Well... thanks."

Ali nodded. "Of course."

Baron came bounding across the grassy lawn, loping in an excited circle around Ali. When he finally stopped, he inches closer and sniffed her arm.

She stroked his snout. "Don't worry big guy. I'll be fine."

"Yeah. She's got the best doctor in town." Aubrey came up and leaned against Ali's good shoulder.

"And even if she does somehow lose the arm," Thomas walked up behind them. "I can easily replace it."

Ali glanced over her shoulder at him. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that." She turned back to Baron. "Looks like I'm not the only one who needs to stretch my legs." She patted his side to make him lay down and reached up, grabbing the fur on his neck.

Aubrey grabbed his shoulder. "You're not riding that thing."

Ali flashed a wicked grin. "I'd like to see you try and stop me." She hauled herself onto Baron's back and spurred him forward.
                                   *   *   *
Baron slid to a stop in front of Cabin 8, which glimmered in the rising moonlight. Ali dropped to the ground and walked onto the porch. Her shoulder aches from enduring Baron's bouncy stride for the last hour and a half, but it had been worth it.

She knocked on the door before pushing it open. Meg and Lydia were arguing and pointing at map while Lyra sat on one of the bunks and massaged her temples. Everything fell silent when Ali entered the room.

"What's going on?" Ali asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Lydia stepped forward. "We were discussing the best route for when we leave this place."

"Leave?" Ali looked to Lyra.

The twin nodded, standing up. "To find the rest of our sisters."

Ali sighed, meeting each of their gazes. "They're aren't anymore. We're it." She locked eyes with Meg. "When our father died, it broke Artemis' heart. She renewed her vow and she hasn't broken it since." She glanced at the twins. "The four of us, that's all there is. That quest is over."

"Then, where shall we go?" Lyra looked from the map to Ali.

Ali shrugged. "Why do we have to go anywhere? This is the only place we will ever belong. We won't fit in, but this is home. Maybe we should stick around for a while."

"So be it." Lyra agreed, obviously hiding the tinge of excitement in her voice.

Meg raced across the room and hugged Ali, making her flinch. She pulled away. "Sorry."

Ali grabbed her sister's shoulder. "It's okay."

Lydia sighed over-dramatically. "Well, I suppose it would be nice to take break from traveling."

Ali smiled. "Then it's agreed. We're staying."
                                       *   *   *
Ali rolled her shoulder. It still hurt sometimes, but otherwise it was completely healed. She walked out of the infirmary and watched the Legion as they packed up their camp. She gotten used to have the Romans around. It'd be weird when they were gone.

"Hey!" Tyler came running up the hill to meet her.

"Hi." She watched him approach. "What's up?"

He took a minute to catch his breath. "I wanted to say goodbye."

"Right." Ali cleared her throat. "'Cause you're leaving."

He looked back at the Legion tearing down camp. "Yeah."

They stood for a while just watching the legionnaires as they toted bags into a pile to take down to the caravan of black SUVs that would carry them across the country.

Ali finally broke the silence. "I'll... have to visit sometime."

Tyler nodded. "Same."

"Ali!" Percy charged into view. He skidded to a stop in front of her. "It's Ella. She uh... I gotta hear this."

He led them down the hill and through the chaos of the Roman's tear down to where Tyson and Ella stood in the grass.

Percy crouched before the harpy. "Okay Ella. Now, tell Ali exactly what you told me."

Ella cocked her head, confused.

"Come on." Percy pleaded.

"Percy," Ali asked. "What did she say?"

He sighed. "I can't remember it word-for-word." He turned back to the harpy. "Come on, Ella. Please."

"Let me try." Ali moved closer and knelt in front of the bird woman. "Hey, Ella. I hear you have something to say to me." She took a deep breath. "And I have a sinking feeling I know what it is."

Ella turned her gaze on Ali and tilted her head the other way. She blinked a few times then straightened.
"A bond forged by the fires of war
Together their power is so much more
A quest to test a fatal flaw
And journey into terrors maw

"Child of Moon and Spawn of Sun
Must go where crimson rivers run
There Dreamers wait, Enemy and Friend
Their rivalry must come to an end." She shook her head and ruffled her feathers as if nothing had happened.

Ali's chest tightened. Another prophecy. Only this time, she knew what it meant.

A/N
Hey guys. I had a really crappy day yesterday. My body woke me up at 2AM and then I had to work at 8AM. So I was super tired. On top of that I had a sore throat and the remnants of a headache from the day before. I managed to take a little nap after work, but then I went to help my dad at a worship event. So anyway, I slept 'till 10 today and feel WAY better.
Anyway, that was random. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. 😁
-Cheshire