Treeline

Chapter 4

Capsi was at my side in an instant. "A little harsh?" She laughed.

I giggled in return. We both made our way to where Trout was lying on his back, groaning. I tugged his shoulder up and with the two of us we managed to help him into a sitting position. He didn't make any effort in helping me rid him of the leaf-stitched pack on his back which was the important part. It had been crushed under his weight but the dust wouldn't be damaged.

Slowly Trout's white eyes opened. He gripped his chest and grimaced in pain. "That was uncalled for, Treeline." I blinked at the use of my full name. Only Grey called me that.

"Aw, don't be like that," Capsi patted him on the back. She paused to scowl at her hand which was now sticky. "Anyway, we still have a job to do and time's a' tickin'." She crossed her arms and glanced around the clearing. "Nice spot by the way, Treel, couldn't have picked better myself."

I grinned back at her. "You did, Capsi. Thanks." She performed a low sweeping bow.

Trout pushed himself to his feet, hand still against his chest. "Have fun, I'm heading home."

I frowned, clutching the pack to my chest. "Seriously, Trout, I thought you were made of tougher things than that." After such a little thing would he really leave? Right when I needed my friends the most?

"I'm going."

"You call yourself my friend? You're no better than Rowan if you leave." The words spilled out of my mouth. Capsi took in a sharp breath.

Trout turned back to me. It was rare to see his face all screwed up. "Treeline." He started. I raised an eyebrow. "You wouldn't even go and see Rowan off. He's your best friend and he's about to be gone for months. Careful what words you start throwing around." His voice had changed texture. A side of him I wasn't used to. I shifted my weight to my other leg.

"Sorry Treel, I better make sure he's okay." Capsi's voice was hushed and full of concern. Trout was already slowly making his way up into a tree, made slower as he still kept one hand on his chest.

I shrugged. "Fine."

A grin once more splashed across her face. "Once he's settled I'll wait outside the Hive for you and your new husband."

I forced myself to grin back and she skittered off behind Trout.

It's not that I really needed them. It just would have been nice. Circle magic isn't like the magic built through us, hence the dust. It needs something else to cause it to grow. It needs to be fostered and woven in with other magics to strengthen it. It would have been easier with them. With Rowan. I took a deep breath and got to work.

As I guessed the dust wasn't damaged at all. Still dust. With one hand holding the pack I worked my way around in a perfect circle sprinkling the golden contents as I went. That was the easy part. I threw the pack aside and sat in the middle of the circle.

Once again the air flickered around me. I closed my eyes and blocked out everything else. It was only me and the magic. No Rowan. No Trout. No Capsi. No Grey. No problems. Everything became so much easier when it was just me. I grew less upset by the moment that I had been left. They'd see just how much I didn't need them and then that would make them want to spend more time with me. I'd be better than all of them. Which could say they had trapped a human and turned him into Fae? I'd be the stuff of legends. All these thoughts helped fuel the air that now shook around me.

I didn't have to look. I could feel the toadstools clawing their way from the dust. They tugged to be free of it. I didn't blame them as they had likely been trapped in it for hundreds of years. Few of the Ki-ath Tar had reason to turn humans or lure them into traps. They rarely bothered with us so we rarely bothered with them.

A large foot crunched on a twig. I snapped my eyes open. The toadstools screamed as their food source halted.

The hunter. I wasn't ready. He crouched just outside the circle. He was staring right at me. I had so much energy invested into the circle that I didn't have enough to hide myself from his gaze.

The hunter's face didn't look as soft and inviting as it had before. It had always looked hard but now there was a darkness behind his eyes. Extra lines chiseled into his tanned face. I gulped.

"H-hello," I said.

The circle wasn't ready. If he stepped inside it would do nothing. On and on the toadstools screamed, so loud even he must have heard them.

He didn't answer. He didn't answer. Surely he wasn't stupid? No. I remembered hearing him speak to himself before. He knew how to speak. He didn't answer. My gaze widened.

Rowan was right.

The pretty red dress tangled around my feet as I scrambled to stand.

I didn't even go and say goodbye to him. What kind of friend did that make me?

I turned to run.

I'm sorry, Rowan.

A net of fire descended upon my head.

Dedicated to paylorhamiltonfan for caring about Trout even when Treeline did not