Nature in Hiding

55- Shaken but not broken

Ahana and Gyaan landed on the clearing where they all had slept on their first day of forest. It was a middle ground that was slightly safe from both the humans and werewolves.

Wanting to fill her heart, Ahana kept looking at the unconscious Gyaan. She knew that it was going to be impossible to face him once he woke up. Her cheeks flushed remembering their kiss. However, the bubbles of love were soon popped as her eyes ran down his burned body.

It felt like someone was hammering on her heart as she was overflowed with guilt.

"Why aren't you healing yourself?" She questioned out loud, before ranting to herself, 'We have only one healer in our group, and he has turned himself into a patient. What a great luck! Moreover, we don't have access to doctors. And even if we did, I don't think we will be able to trust them again after the kidnapping episode.'

"Come on, Gyaan, wake up and start healing yourself. You have to wake up or else I am going to die out of guilt," Ahana pleaded.

When pleading didn't work, Ahana changed her tone to their usual bickering one, "You still have to apologize for kissing me without permission. And also confess your feelings. That is, if you have any...," she trailed off at the end as she grew unsure of the reason behind his actions.

"It's going to really hurt if the kiss was just to pull me out of trance and not because of your feelings," Ahana muttered, plucking some nearby grass, "But don't worry, I won't get angry even if that's the case. I understand the severity of the situation. So don't be scared and wake up. Although butthurt, I am not going to harm you for that action."

Ahana sighed when Gyaan didn't move an inch. Not that she was expecting much out of her talks. All these just worked in movies. But there was still a tiny, hopeless part of her heart that hoped beyond reason, for him to wake up after hearing her sincerity. That, and the fact that she was feeling too alone in the middle of the vast forest. Her voice was the only thing keeping her company.

She kept speaking about anything and everything. She told him about her struggles, and the good days in between those struggles. About the days she had almost given up and about the hopeful nights when she pushed herself to live yet another day.  She spoke about the family she found in the researchers and how their betrayal hurt. She also told him about how the unity of the five of them kept her going. She informed him about how his trust in her abilities had affected her. And she even blurted out her confused and unsaid feelings.

Ahana told him about everything that was buried in her heart. The secrets and the feelings she never shared with anyone else were all blurted out. On one side she desperately hoped that he woke up and heard what was in her heart, but the other embarrassed side of her didn't want him to hear any of it.

Ahana kept going until she looked up by chance and saw the silhouettes of Sameera and Avan. Her mouth was hung open at the sight of their flying or more like floating as they didn't have wings. Ahana stood up in a hurry as they both landed a few feet near her.

Although Ahana was beyond astonished by Sameera's power, her attention was on Neer, more likely at the lack of his presence. She looked left and right, before turning her face upwards at the sky, hoping that he was just lagging behind and would land soon.

"He was left behind," Sameera informed, as guilt clouded her entire being, "Our powers weren't enough."

"So you left him behind!" Ahana's voice thundered.

Avan immediately rushed and hugged her legs tightly, distracting her before she went into trance again.

"Didi, I promise that we will bring back Bhaiya safely. We just need to re-energize and make a plan."

Ahana took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. She didn't want to repeat what happened with Gyaan to happen with Avan.

"What are we going to plan? The one who makes plans is lying there unconscious. And the one who stops me from doing crazy things is trapped there," Ahana muttered, feeling helpless.

"Gyaan is the most intelligent person amongst us, but that doesn't mean we are stupid. And just because Neer always had your back, doesn't mean that you lack the power to control yourself," Sameera said in a stern yet gentle voice, while squeezing Ahana's shoulders. "Yes, our group has been shaken, but we aren't broken yet again. We are going to fight against all odds and we are going to survive."

"Yes Didi, we are going to survive!" Avan yelled, pumping his fist in the air with all his might.

Ahana chuckled looking at the oldest and youngest members of their group giving her a pep talk.

"Let's do it," Ahana said, with a new found confidence.

"First and Foremost, let's get Gyaan out of danger. And simultaneously think about a plan on how to save Neer," Sameera instructed.

"How are we going to save Gyaan? None of us have any knowledge in the medicinal field," Ahana muttered, scratching her forehead.

"We don't, but the trees do," Avan said as a small smirk formed on his face.

"Trees?" Ahana asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I spoke to each one of them on the way as we flew from there," he informed, but guiding them back to the days before the technology was built.

"We are going back to the days of herbs," he said with a toothed smile.

"Ahana, you go with Avan to find the herbs and crush them as he instructs, before applying them to him," Sameera instructed.

"Yeah sure," Ahana nodded, before questioning, "but what about you? Aren't you coming with us?"

"I am going back to the pack house to find Neer," Sameera said, earning protests from both Ahana and Avan.

"What are you saying Aunty? We were going to plan and work together," Avan said.

"Sameera, plan or not, we should go together. It's not safe," Ahana said. She was worried about Neer too, but sending Sameera alone was a risk she wasn't willing to take.

"I am not going there to fight. I am going there so we could make a plan accordingly. We need to know his situation, before running there blindly," Sameera said.

"Then let's go together." Ahana made a compromise.

"No, we can't. Your powers are down. You can't really fight. We all will be dead meat if we go there. Then Neer's sacrifice would go to waste," Sameera refused.

"Are you saying we should sacrifice you instead?" Ahana asked with a scoff, as even thinking about such a thing was not going to happen.

Sameera had a soft smile on her face as she saw Ahana worry about her even when her twin could be saved if she just let her go.

"Don't worry Ahana, I am going to be fine. They won't be able to even touch a strand of my hair, and I will be back safely before they even find out about my presence there."

"How are you going to do that, Aunty?" Avan asked.

"Yeah, how are you going to manage that?" Ahana spoke.

"They are werewolves. The animals who can shift, fight or jump."

"Yeah so?" Ahana questioned, a frown forming on her face as Sameera spoke in riddles.

Sameera shook her head as they still didn't understand. "They are the creatures of land. And I am an air elemental. There's no doubt about their strengths and powers, but those powers reside on the ground. They can't reach the air."

As soon as she said that, a bubble formed around her. Ahana and Avan saw her float in the air for a few seconds, before they hurried to gather the herbs to save Gyaan.