The True Meaning of A Warrior

Chapter Seven: Evacuation (STELLA)

"They're there-they must be!" a voice boomed louder than the thunder crackling outside. It was the commander leading the group of Dark's warriors; I could recognize the bellowing, roaring voice from before, at our very first battle.

They'd broken through the house looking for us! I thought in alarm.

The leaves and twigs underfoot crunched loudly as suddenly footsteps abruptly roared towards us. Through the trees blurred by pounding, bullet-like raindrops, I glimpsed a flash of brown. A sack.

Another squinted glance revealed the sack was filled with some lumpy shapes.

Our home, I thought bitterly, and my heart ached with a frigid cold, spreading-half from the rain, half from my inward pain. They're stealing every little trinket that has molded our very lives.

Tears stung my eyes; for the first time, I was grateful for the rain-it blended my tears with the storm wrenching behind us.

"Duck!" whisper-shouted Brooke as the footsteps grew louder, and suddenly, reality struck: the Dark were heading towards us. In a flash, we'd all fallen to our knees and struck the ground, lying down with our sides pressed against the cold, murky earth. Wet, cold mud slipped and grinded against my cheek as I pressed the side of my face onto the ground, and I kept my mouth clamped shut just in case it oozed into my jaws-ew.

Footsteps roared, growing noisier and noisier along with my heartbeat as the Dark approached our clearing. But a few moments later, they had faded, running straight past our clearing and missing us.

A few more seconds later, Zara whispered dully, "We can get up now."

There were the slightest rustles of movement as we rose, quietly as possible. I grabbed my elbows and in my hands shivered, shaking the slick, damp mud off my frigid body.

Phew, I mused inwardly. A second later, I hesitated only slightly, before speaking up. "...So, what's your idea? You know, your plan..."

"Our families have to go north," explained Zara briskly, her eyes twinkling brightly with radiating energy. "Just...you know, walk. We'll catch up in a second, after we rescue Eve."

"Um..." began Edera, and then clamped her mouth shut, abandoning her non-spoken words.

"You're getting all that excited about such a small plan?" I asked, genuinely confused, not trying to act mean or anything. Still, I flinched at how hurtful it sounded as the sound came out of my mouth.

Zara shrugged, apparently not allowing herself to feel hurt. "It's all we have, for now." Her words echoed ominously, and suddenly I realized how much at loss we were at.
"Okay-fine-sorry," I murmured, holding my arms in my hands and rubbing myself up for warmth, my teeth chattering like horse hooves smacking against cold pavement. "I'm just..." The rain beat down in my mouth and I forced myself to swallow the cold, powerful water droplets, but luckily, I recalled, I hadn't seen lightning or heard a lash of thunder in quite a little. And the rain was simmering down a bit, so we were much more...well, we were much more safe and less vulnerable.

"It's okay. We all are." Zara turned briskly back to our families and the Chosen Ones, fixating her gaze on them. "You guys are...okay for the plan? I know it has a lot of holes, but...it's...all we can do for now. The Chosen Ones can use their powers and our families can use their weapons just in case a monster appears...and you guys are all packed, right?"
Maple patted her soggy backpack, a light spirit in her eyes that I was glad was fading back after her brother's death. "Yeah-just everything's wet."
Mrs. Silverwell nodded, triggering trembles through her earrings. "Everyone's is," she agreed lightly and sympathetically, adjusting the soppy backpack on her back and batting the raindrops out of her long, curved eyelashes.