Rune Stealer

Planning

I woke up to the sounds of a crackling fire. I could feel the warmth of the fire to my left and other sounds among the crackling; it sounded like whispering voices. My mind was fuzzy as I tried to figure out where I was. I squinted through my swollen eyelids and saw the bottom of the tree canopy; a few yellow stars peaked through. Along with the fog, my skull ached dully like I was at the tail end of a migraine. All of a sudden, as I stared at the trees, all the memories came back to me. Jhestan.

I gasped loudly as I frantically shot straight up from the makeshift bed of blankets I was laying on. I instantly regretted the sudden movement as my body screamed back at me in protest. It wasn't just my brain that ached, but every muscle in my body. I squeezed my eyes tightly shut to block out the painful light that emanated from the fire.

"Saints," breathed one of the boys under his breath, obviously startled by me. I groaned and wrapped my arms around my head, wishing for the feeling to go away. It felt worse than the morning after I had one too many bottles of spirits.

"Laika," whispered a man's voice near me. I was so fogged up, I couldn't tell who it was and my soul radar was completely gone, which felt like I was blind and hard of hearing. "Drink this," said the same voice softly. I opened my eyes wide enough to see a canteen being held out to me by a pale hand. I snatched the canteen from the hand, tipped my head back and gulped half of the water in the canteen down before the pale hand pulled it away from my mouth.

"Careful now," the voice cautioned. "Don't want to get a stomach ache." The hand placed the canteen down next to me and then I felt the presence get up and leave. I moaned again loudly and laid back down as I rubbed my temples with my fingers.

"Where's Jhestan?" I groaned, pressing my palms into my eye sockets.

"Here," rumbled a voice to my right. I took my hands off my face and looked up to see the large shape of Jhestan looming over me.

"See," I chimed triumphantly to the boys around the fire as I pointed at Jhestan weakly. "Told you I'd save his ass."

A deep chuckle rolled out of Jhestan. "That you did. If not for you, these fools would be looking for a new captain." Nervous laughter bounced around the fire and quickly ceased, leaving us surrounded by the annoying buzz of silence.

Jhestan cleared his throat and glanced at me for a second. "How did you know how to do that anyways?"

I looked at Jhestan who was staring at the ground in front of him. "Well," I started with a sigh, "you spend enough time alone in the forest and you figure out a lot of things you can do if you get desperate enough." All the boys were staring at the ground in an awkward silence, all but Zyn. He was looking back at me with a blank stare, but it was almost comforting. 

"Alright," I grunted as I sat up slowly. "What have you boys been doing all day?" What time is it, anyways?" I asked curiously as I looked up to the sky to try and find the moon's position, but it was blocked by the thick trees.

"Around nine," Zyn told me quietly.

"Planning," boomed Jhestan, answering my first question. He stood up and turned around to help me up from the ground gently.

"Ooh conniving is my favorite thing to do," I laughed as we made our way to sit around the fire. I sat down on a rock in between Zyn and Jhestan and I stuck my feet out to be warmed by the fire. "You know what my second favorite thing to do is?"

"What is that?" inquired Jhestan cheerfully.

"Eat," I giggled. "Bringing you back to life has made me exhausted and famished."

"We thought as much," chuckled Brynley as he reached for a plate near his foot and passed it to me. As it neared, I saw that it was piled with freshly cooked meat that had already been peeled off the bone. I salivated immensely as I took the plate from Brynley's hand and brought it to my lap. My stomach rumbled noisily as I tore into the delicious mound of what I figured out was rabbit meat.

"How many rabbits did you catch?" I asked Zyn with my mouth full.

"Only a few," he said with a twitch of his mouth. I swallowed and smiled gratefully at him.

"So what's the plan?" I asked, looking towards Jhestan. Jhestan bent of and pulled a thick branch from the fire and waved the lit end over the dirt in front of him.

"This," he said as the light revealed markings in the dark dirt. "We had Zyn go and view the area and come back and sketch out what the fief roughly looked like," Jhestan explained. That much I could make out, but the rest was a bunch of lines and symbols that made no sense to me.

"And the rest of that is..." I drawled.

"Tomorrow's plan," piped Toril from the other side of the fire.

"Right," nodded Jhestan. "Kian tells us that we only have four days to do this and so tomorrow we'll get to work."

"Care to explain?" I asked, getting slightly annoyed.

"All you really need to know is that you and Zyn will be infiltrating the fief and trying to find the Lord," Toril told me with a smirk. "Leave the rest to us." I narrowed my eyes at the irritating boy.

"He's right," sighed Jhestan. "You just need to worry about finding Lord Plianne."

"And what do I do with him once I do find him," I seethed directing my glare at the captain.

"Talk to him of course," grinned Jhestan. "Persuade him to concede and if not, well, make him concede. Just do as Zyn says." I looked at all the faces around the fire and realized that the bastards still didn't trust that I'm on their side. I scoffed, shaking my head and stood up. Setting the plate of meat where I once sat, I walked over to where Story stood.

"Sounds like a plan," I called back to the boys. I sat down by Story with a huff.

Don't get mad, sung Story as I dug in my bag for an apple.

I'm not mad, I growled. I took a bite from the apple and held the rest of it up to Story.

They'll trust you eventually, cooed Story and she chomped on the apple in my hand.

I saved his life! I roared, throwing my hands up in the air. Story burst out laughing and her whinnies drew the glaring eyes of the boys around the fire as they whispered to themselves like cooks in a kitchen.

Just be patient, giggled Story. I moaned and put my head in my hands.

Patient, I repeated, looking back up at the boys. Patience is all I need them I can get back to my old life.

You'll take me with you, right? Story cried.

Of course, Story, I sighed as I met the ice colored eyes of Zyn who stood in the dark of the trees. Of course.