From The Ashes [#NaNoWriMo16]

Chapter Twenty One - Arlo Ashryn

They started walking a little past midday, with Issey and Quin walking in the middle of the group because they were both injured. Arlo tried to convince Helio that his limp was realistic, but unfortunately, he was still stuck at the back, while Hallee walked up the very front with Ryia and Kida. Helio had taken place with Arlo, who wasn't happy with this at all. He wanted to walk with someone that he could tell jokes to, not someone who didn't know what they even were.

"I seem to misunderstand you," Helio announced finally, and Arlo shot a gruff look in his general direction.

"What?" he said. Helio frowned.

"I seem to misunderstand-"

"Yeah yeah, I got that part," Arlo interrupted. "What do you mean by it?"

"You are here, walking with the rest of us. Why did you follow Issobel here? Why did you not just return home? They would have accepted you back, I am aware of this."

Arlo shrugged, glancing ahead for a split second. "Yeah, I don't know," he muttered, dragging his stick behind him loosely. "I just... I don't want to go crawling back to them, you know? They kicked me out for a reason, and until I figure out how to fix it, I'm not going back to them. I can't."

"Is that why you are here?" Helio pressed, and Arlo shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know," he shot back exasperatedly. "I just... I want to do something useful, for a change. Instead of running around the streets with no idea of who I am." He paused, listening to his own words. "I want to know who I am."

Helio smiled. It was small, sure, but it was still there. "Is that also why you lied to Issobel about your wealth?"

Arlo glared at him before shooting a discreet glance ahead. Issey and Quin were having their own quiet conversation, which let Arlo loosen up a little.

"How'd you know about that?" he demanded, and Helio shrugged.

"Hallee and Issobel were discussing it earlier," he replied smoothly, which made Arlo's head snap to Hallee instantly.

"She was asking about me?" he breathed, and felt a hand collide with the back of his head. "Tanya awra!"

"Answer my question, Arlo," Helio sighed. "You lied to her. Why?" Arlo scowled, kicking at the dirt with his foot.

"I don't know," he grumbled. "Everyone on Ioven Island wanted to hang out with me because they knew I was rich. When I got kicked out, no one spoke for me. I thought the same thing would happen here, so I kept it quiet. Seems I was right; no one talks to me anyway, unless I say something first."

"It is because they are involved in themselves," Helio assured him. "Issey wants to help Quinton to distract herself from her father. Ryia is miserable because she can never go home, so she only talks to pass time. Hallee does not communicate much either, from what happened to her. Everyone has their own reasons. It is not you. Your wealth makes no difference here."

Arlo pursed his lips. "I guess," he murmured, but he wasn't ready to believe it.

It took a few hours for them to find their campsite for the night, but it was really hard to miss because it was kind of on fire.

"What the hell is going on?" Ryia shouted, jogging ahead as everyone's eyes widened at the burning forest. Arlo swore under his breath before running up to join his friends at the edge of the fire. It was burning through the dry grass and trees like mad, and threw a dangerous glow upon the rest of the forest, as if it was warning it that it would be next. It sent shivers up Arlo's spine.