Nentarli [COMPLETE]

~ Fourteen ~

We travelled in the same formation, heading in the same general direction we had been when the storm had hit. Kayle said he could find us a way through the hills and back onto the road we needed. So he was at the front of our group, a little way ahead with his Slingers in hand. Blaike and Kaleb were at the side of us, as it was becoming their usual place and Merkell was right behind us. He seemed more wary than he had before and there was no light in his face, he was so focused he barely spoke.

A few hours passed this way and I turned to ask Blaike about a bird I had just seen, that seemed to have two sets of wings, when I noticed that puzzled look on his face again.

I knew I wasn't going to get the truth but I asked anyway, "Blaike, is something wrong?"

He shook his head and his expression forcibly lightened, "No, I just do not want to be caught off guard out here, that is all."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him, that might not have been a lie but it wasn't the cause of the look he'd had either. I decided not to push it, watching him turn back to the surrounding countryside, his expression was guarded.

I leaned closer to Emy, who was watching Kayle up front and muttered quietly into her ear.

"We should have stayed with Elandi, at least she gave us real answers and not cryptic cr-"

Emy cleared her throat and interrupted me with a look of bemusement. I knew I sounded like a spoiled child but I couldn't help it. We'd gone almost a week without a full nights sleep which made us irritable and every time I wanted to actually know something about this new life we'd snow balled into, the guys just dismissed it with some excuse.

I sighed and Emy's smile turned sympathetic.

"Once we get to this village, I'm sure we'll get all of our questions answered and it will most likely be from our parents. I can't believe it's been this long since we've seen or spoken to them." Her smile faded and she looked ahead to Kayle again, who seemed the most casual of us all.

I frowned and bumped her shoulder gently, "We'll see them soon and we can get this whole stupid mess straightened out."

She nodded but didn't smile, still looking ahead and I fell into my own thoughts. We weren't used to not seeing or speaking to our parents, usually we'd go see them at least twice a week and talked on the phone even more. However, that wasn't all that bothered me. When we see them again, they'll have their memories and identities from this world. I didn't know those people, I didn't know if my mum and dad would be the same people I had known my whole life, the same people who had raised me.

I was left to wallow in my depressing thoughts as we descended into near silence for the rest of the day and through the night. Nobody had anything to say it seemed. We stopped for a break in the early hours and had a drink of water with the treats Elandi had supplied us with. Emy and I stayed quiet throughout, lost in our thoughts and barely listening to the plans about where we'd be heading next.

Once they'd finished making the plans, the men of the group glanced over at us, probably surprised that we didn't have any questions or complaints. I could feel their eyes on us but I didn't look up, I didn't feel much like talking. All I wanted was to get to wherever we were going, I didn't care how that happened anymore. Exhaustion and frustration were gnawing away at me and I didn't want to take it out on them, again.

Merkell was the first to break the ever constant silence when he stepped over to us.

"A change of plans, we will be making our way closer to the Trading Road and then we will set up camp to rest a little."

Nobody responded, I heard shuffling and looked up to see that they were packing things up. Emy and I stood up to lean against each other while we waited.