Abigail slipped Lokeyia's watch around her wrist, slipped her sheath and bow across her body and surveyed the cool night. Not as a safety precaution but as a lookout, Abigail climbed high into a tree and surveyed the forest. A few metres away she saw some sort of tree rat. The two squirrels she shot yesterday were not going to last long, with four, hungry people. She simply watched it climb higher into the tree, higher than Abigail could go without risking her safety.
Abigail heard a distant hoot and remembered her mother's necklace. She slipped it out from under her top and wrapped her hands tightly around it. She stared at the beautifully carved necklace. She thought she saw the owl's eyes open for half a second, golden and bright. There was no way to be sure that what she saw was true, Abigail was so tired. For the next hours she climbed from branch to branch and when she finally got tired and felt warm, she checked her watch. It was already almost seven and Abigail was meant to wake everyone at six.
Abigail slid out of her tree and roused everyone, giving Lokeyia back her cloak and watch. Magda complained that Abigail could have roused her earlier and that Abigail had brought the whole team down by wasting travel time. Lokeyia was quiet and obediantly ate the cold greens and roots.
"You should have let me take guard." said Sara. "I was all right."
"No you needed to rest. Speaking of which, you look better rested than any of us, which is good." Magda replied.
"Yeah, Abigail no offence you look frustrated, surly and under rested." said Lokeyia.
After some squabbling it was agreed that if they survived today and didn't get separated then Abigail would get a whole night's sleep, Sara would have first watch, Magda would have second and Lokeyia would have third. Magda went gathering and found a strawberry patch along with some mint leaves to finish their breakfast.
"Come on! We'd better get moving!" said Magda as the four friends collected their belongings, arranged the clearing so that they left no trace of themselves, mounted their horses and departed.
YOU ARE READING
Escape from Cirices Part 1
Adventure[COMPLETE] When Cirices is threatened to be overtaken by a neighbouring, larger town, Merope, anxiety, panic and depression rises in Cirices. When Abigail's parents arrange her to escape Cirices, she has no choice but to if she doesn't want to be ca...
