If you flee and leave everything you have and know behind, then where do you run to?
The small, densely populated village called Lone Town was situated on an island in the middle of a very old, very large forest. The Lone Town’s island was bordered on all sides by a deep ravine that had a swift river flowing at the bottom. This river was too strong to swim and the banks very steep. The only way to cross it was over two large, stone bridges that were guarded day and night. Lone Town was thankful for the natural defence the river provided, and together with letting the forest grow thick around the opposite bank, made the town nigh unreachable. In fact it made it invisible to the outside world. This was helped by the fact that the only people that were allowed to leave the town were the Nobles and they seldom did, since the war broke out.
A small group of Shargru Dwellers were now making their way carefully down the steep bank of the ravine. The water was dark and fast flowing. Firefly, or rather Fire, as her friends called her, slowly slid down the back after her brother. Dragon did not wait for her or even turn back to see if she was managing the task of descending the steep bank without falling into the water. He did not even flick an ear in her direction, as she stumbled down the bank.
Fire grabbed at a clump of grass to steady herself, kicking a small rock loos, it rolled and bounced down the bank passing her brother and landing with a load plop into the water.
Fire froze, holding her breath, had one of the island guards heard that? Dragon turned around and scowled at her, his ears pinned flat and his tail giving an irritated flick. She looked back with an apologetic expression, he just rolled his eyes and turn away from her searching the banks, looking for any sign that the island guards had heard. There was none. Fire breathed again. Dragon turned around once more, pressing his finger to his lips, then gestured for her to follow and continued down the bank. It was Fire’s turn to roll her eyes; he still treated her like a child. As if she did not know how important it was to be silent.
Butters gave her a small push from behind, to indicate that she must keep moving. Fire slowly and carefully reached the river’s bank and stood in silence, as the rest of their group made there way down to the narrow ledge that bordered the river. Butters stood beside her, Fire could see she was just as nervous as everyone else felt. Everyone, except Dragon.
Sometimes he made Fire so mad. Dragon, that’s what everyone called him now, he hardly acknowledged it anymore if someone used his full name; Dragonfly. Fire watched him now; he was quietly calculating the river’s strength. This was not a good place to stop. The moon was rising and soon they would be exposed, standing beside the bank like this.
‘Dragonfly, we need to move.’ Fire said and waited for her brother to respond. He did not. She silently cursed him, he was so over dramatic sometimes. Anyone can see that they had to leave right now or else risk exposure but he wanted to make a point of it being his decision and on his time! ‘Dragon!’ she whispered a little more loudly.
Dragon’s hand clasped over her mouth. Fire considered biting it, to teach him a lesson. ‘Sh!’ he said, glancing around once more. ‘Ok lets go.’ He removed his hand, and slinked silently and swiftly along the bank’s ledge, bent low.
Fire followed suit, rubbing her mouth, it smarted from her brother’s silencing. She could hear Butters behind her, breathing maybe a little too loudly. Fire held out her hand behind her, and Butters clasped it tightly. Fire smiled, Butters was just as delicate as a butterfly; the name suited her.
Fire gave Butters’ hand an encouraging squeeze; she knew that Butters was afraid, and so was she. Her brother lead them along the bank for a long time, Fire was becoming more and more worried. She could see the glow of the rising moon above the trees, soon they would be illuminated and then what? The guards patrolled the islands border and one was sure to come by soon!
‘There it is, up ahead.’ Dragon whispered in front of her. Fire straightened up a bit and peered over him. She could see the river bend and as it came closer a large stone bridge become visible, silhouetted in the darkness. Fire knew the bridge well; it had been her job to walk past it almost every day for the last week to make sure how many guards patrolled it. She had gotten in trouble for it too. One guard had threatened her and another took her constant staring at him the wrong way and had invited her to his lodgings. Afraid of risking exposure, she had accepted his advances and promised to meet him at the bridge again at full moon. Fire shivered, he was revolting, plumb and short, so not her type! The full moon was two nights away, but by then, if all went well, she would be long gone. If all went well?
They were almost at the bridge. Fire increased her pace, eager to reach the hiding place. She came right up behind Dragon. He stopped suddenly, causing Fire to almost bump into him. Slipping in the mud as she skied to a halt, she lost her balance and almost fell into the water, Butters grabbed her tail and Fire managed to steady herself. Dragon had thankfully not noticed. He flattened himself to the side of the bank, and the rest of the group did the same. A guard was visible on the bridge. His silhouette walked slowly, twirling his spear. Fire held her breath again, any moment now the moon would show them to be there and the bank would no longer hide them. The guard walked on and out of sight. Dragon ran and ducked under the bridge. Disappearing in the darkness of the alcove underneath. Fire followed, towing Butters behind her. The rest of the small group followed. They all hid under the bridge, safe for now and waited for their eyes to adjust to the increased darkness.
Near the water’s edge, a small boat was tide to a makeshift dock. It was used by the river guards, to patrol the river during the day, but it would be no use to the small group of Dwellers. The river was too strong and it would simply flow out from under bridge before they had managed to row it to the other side; the other side that they desperately needed to get to.
‘Oh if only Father was here, he’d know what to do, but he isn’t and Dragon is all we have!’ Thought Fire, looking over to her brother, who was testing the docks sturdiness. She watched as he took off the rope he had draped across his shoulders. It fell to the ground heavily. Dragon tied a knot in one end and made a loop, he was good at knots, and Fire was good at untying them. Dragon threw the rope across the water trying to loop it on one of the poles of the small, unused dock on the other side. He missed and it splashed loudly, but the fast flowing water muffled the noise. Dragon pulled the rope back through the water and tried again. This time he managed to toss it around one of the wooden poles. He tied the other end to one of the dock poles beside him. He tested the rope with some of his weight, it held.
‘Okay, I’ll go first. Everyone follow one at a time. Skylark, you go last and bring this end of the rope with you.’
Skylark again! Fire hated it; Dragon always gave the most unpleasant, dangerous jobs to Sky. When she had asked him why, he just said it was an honour and showed he valued Sky. ‘As if! He was probably jealous of Sky’s bravery.’ Fire thought, flattening her ears at her brother. She felt so sorry for Sky, he was really a good Dweller, always wanting to be helpful and her brother took advantage of that.
Dragon sat down and slowly slipped into the water, holding tight to the rope. Fire could see goose bumps forming on his bare arms, and she knew the water was cold. Dragon kept a tight hold on the rope and swam hard. It took him a long time to get to the other side and when he finally got to the other dock, he looked exhausted as he pulled himself out of the water and onto the planks. This worried Fire, Dragon was a good swimmer, and she was not. Butters grabbed her arm as if she was feeling the same way.
‘Okay, my turn.’ Fire smiled encouragingly at her friend and loosed herself from her grip. She walked up to the water and sat down, dangling her feet into the water. It was cold, very cold. Deciding it was better to get this over with, she slipped into the river and felt the current take hold of her. Fire flange out her hand and grabbed onto the rope, she had forgotten to hold onto it before slipping in. She could just think what Dragon would say! Not waiting for her heart to slow down, she kicked hard, pulling herself along the rope. It was slow work and the other side took a long time to come nearer. Finally, she gabbed hold of the dock, the wood creaked as she pulled herself out of the water, her arms felt weak but she managed it, her brother helping her. He grabbed her roughly by the arms and pulled her up.
‘You were really stupid, you could have been washed away or worse you could have exposed us!’ He glared at her, with another annoyed flick of his tail. Fire said nothing, lowering her ears slightly in apology, she really wondered if he hated her sometimes?
Fire sat in a sprawled heap on the dock, her brother knelt beside her, she could see him shivering. Butters was holding tight to the rope as she practically jumped into the water. Fire watched as she swam wide-eyed. Poor Butters, Fire felt fear for her friend. Butters was a bit of a push over and a bit fearful of everything, but a very good friend. Fire knew that she would try her best for her clan no matter if she felt the odds were against her. Fire crawled to the edge of the dock and smiled encouragingly at Butters again, she could see her friend was having a lot of trouble.
‘At this rate it will be morning before we all make it across.’ Dragon said with a deep frown. Fire did not say anything; she knew it would not help. The only opinion that counted to Dragon was his own.
Butters made it across, and Fire reached down and helped pull her up. Butters splattered and Fire could see that there was more then just water running down her face. Fire took her hand and they both went to sit beside the alcoves wall, while the others swam across. Butters rubbed her eyes and sat in silence. Fire was too on edge to sit still, she rung out her amber hair, and redid the plait. She checked that her small knife was still strapped to her hip and adjusted the leather straps around her feet. She wished she could take them off, as they would be horrible to walk in but she knew there was no time for that, and she would need them very soon to protect the soft parts of her feet from the branches of the tree paths.
Two more of their group made it across without incident, and then it was Skylarks turn. Fire could not help but be fearful for him. He had to cross the river without the stability of the rope being tied at both sides and without letting the rope trail behind him. Getting up, Fire walked to the edge of the dock and held on to one of the rotting posts tightly. She was fond of Sky, she really did not want something to happen to him, though she would never admit her feelings.
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