I smelled fish and shut my eyes tighter knowing that when I opened them it would be gone. "Sky? Time to get up." I felt someone shake my shoulder and I opened my eyes to see Asuka looking at me.
"I-I went and caught some fish...With a little help.." I blinked and looked to see everyone else starting to get up and that Io was back. "*yawn* Thanks for doing that Asuka." I said sleepily.
I turned back into a human and went to join them. It seemed like all the stories were starting to be forgotten...At least I hope.
I wanted to make conversation but did not know what to say..."Ummmmm...So did everyone sleep ok?" I asked looking around. Everyone just nodded without saying any thing. I dropped it after that.
After we were done eating we set out to the mountains. I wonder how long it would take to get over them...Or if Harmony was even over the mountains. I was sure it was not..That would be too easy.
But I welcomed a good long journey.
continue?
Sky
I had just managed to doze slightly when I heard Ariel sit down beside me. It was no big deal though, sleeping usually meant dreaming which had the potential to get me down. I didn't need to be like that anymore. I sort of eyed Ariel until she fell asleep. Then I glanced around the cave and saw everyone else (except Gray) was also asleep. I had to make myself more useful to this group! I can't be the complainer that let's her emotions get in the way of things. With that, I got up and tip-toed to the cave entrance. I could feel Gray's eyes following me, probably trying to figure out what on earth I was up to. I looked at him, blushing a little, "I-I'll be right back." He nodded, I suppose in approval, and I quietly walked outside.
What a beautiful morning! The sky was a pale pink around the horizon and the mountains nearby reflected a soft lilac. Today would be a good day to learn how to hunt. I walked around in the woods until I found a long, fairly straight stick. I then used my foxcoon claws to sharpen the end to a point. I changed back to human form and eventually made it to a lake I had seen on the way to the cave. Standing on the shore, I gazed in. It was very muddy, I could barely make out the rocks at the bottom. I looked at my homemade spear, and then at the water. How in the world did I think I was going to pull this off!? I kept looking around hoping I'd see some fish. I had already walked a good ways around the lake before I saw any. They weren't too big, but they were good enough. One stayed pretty still for a minute. I took aim, then threw the spear with everything I had. It stuck up out of the bottom of the lake, but I had missed. I yanked it out of the sand, then poised myself to try again.
After about 15 minutes of throwing then retrieving my spear, I was exhausted. I hadn't even caught anything. Man, I thought, I can't return empty-handed, they'll be waking up soon and they'll want something to eat. I drew back my arm once again to continue my "hunt" when I felt a cold arm grab mine around the wrist. I turned my head, not sure what to expect. It was Gray. His face was like a rock, so stern and emotionless. All I could think was, great, he's going to kill me to avenge his becoming a half-breed. I winced a little when he took the spear from my hand. I was shaking, terrified. But then he walked a little past me to the area the fish had gone to. He turned his head as if to tell me to watch, which I did intently. Rather than lunging like I had done, he made his movement swiftly and less water splashed around. When he pulled the spear back up, there was a small fish on the end. I gaped in amazment, then blushed. How could I have been so rude? He probably could have told I thought he was about to kill me. "I'm so sorry," I spurted quickly. He handed the spear back to me and almost whispered, "Try it." I had to be bright red. Did he just not care that I basically accused him of intent to kill when he was just trying to help me? Oh well. I walked over and did as he had done. I caught a fish too! Excited, I turned to him and almost shouted, "Thank you so much! I just wanted to be useful!" He glanced away, a distant look in his eyes, "Dani would've wanted me to help you." Well that was understandable, he would do most anything for her it seemed. "You don't have to stay..." I began, "I-I can handle it from here." I must have been gone an hour already and I only had two fish. I needed way more than that to feed our group. I knew I needed to get busy. But almost as if he had read my thoughts, Gray was beside me again, this time as a bear, and was swatting fish out of the water just like the bears you see on tv. I was so impressed, but I needed to help, so I continued spear-fishing while he swatted.
By the time we were done we had a huge haul. Then I realized that Lucy (being a rabbit half-breed) may want some greens to go with her fish, so I picked up some edible looking plants on the way back to the cave. When Gray and I had returned he rebuilt the fire while I found some other sticks to set up a rotisserie for our fish. Everyone else was still asleep. Gray went back to sit beside Dani and I got breakfast started.
Continue?
________________
I wanted to post that because I want to start getting Asuka "out of her comfort zone" and also because I want her to trust Gray more. Sorry if I didn't get his personality luffysister!
I felt like crap. The scratches on my chest were annoyingly painful, but hey, it was what I deserved right. I looked down at Io, she was sleeping now. I saw her angry expression in my head, she seemed to forgive me now though. And Ariel too, she went to sleep also, clutching a journal to her chest. All of them had felt the prejudice of being a halfer all of them knew who I was before and looked at me with an expression of anger.
I sighed and rubbed my back against the wall, getting rid of an itch, I couldn't fall asleep at all, there was too much going on in my head. Nothing I could do would make up for what I had done, the thought just swirled around, repeating over and over.
I looked down at Io and Dani again, did those girls have any common sense? Sure they were two powerful animals but they were still girls.
Tomorrow. I hated the word, nothing good came about living another day. It was just a reminder that I'd have to face the same problems all over again.
I looked at the dying flames, tomorrow would always come.
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I know I ended kind of lamely but I really just wanted to say that I won't be able to post for the next eight days. I'm going to Tennessee.
I saw Io come back into the cave and walk over to Gray before she fell asleep.
What a night! Everyone seemed to have a sob story to share, not that I was much different, but I didn't know these people well enough to feel comfortable talking about my life; it seemed to me like it was my business. Besides, I wasn't sure how they would look at me. I wasn't here to be pitied.
Unable to sleep, I hugging my journal,as I processed the story Gray had given us. Not many people seemed to like it, not that I blamed them of course. Gray symbolized the very people we all dispised. He was who we had all been hurt by on numerous occasions.
Even though my first instinct was to hate him, I had to look deeper into the story. Hadn't we all done something we regretted? I did, on numerous occasions. I couldn't judge Gray on something that he had done a long time ago. He had changed and obviously didn't feel that way anymore.
I hugged the journal tighter. The journal was the only thing I had that connected me with my father and I felt more at ease when I held it.
Getting up, I threw my journal back on my pack and walked over to Gray, who was just kind of staring into space. Dani and Io were both sleeping, and I didn't want to wake them.
"Gray?" I said tentively. He mightn't even want to talk to me.
He tilted his head slightly to let me know he knew I was there.
"I just wanted to say that I'm here for you if you ever want to talk. I know you have Dani, but I just want you to know that I don't judge you for what you did. I don't believe you are the stupid little kid you used to be. You've changed; I can see that. Don't beat yourself up over it. It'll all be ok," I wasn't sure what to do with myself since he didn't answer.
All I hoped was that he was actually listening to what I had said. I went back to my area, careful not to wake Asuka who slept silently next to me. I glanced over at Sky. I wanted to talk to her too, but I felt I shouldn't wake her. Not after the night we had. She needed her sleep.
Dawn, I thought to myself, looking at the pinkish glow on the horizon. I'll be back soon.
I looked down from my flight and saw Sky entering the cave.
Took a walk, maybe? I wondered.
I landed, causing a tiny shudder in the Earth, and quickly became human. Twenty minutes later i was at the mouth of the cave.
"I'm back," I tried to call, but my voice had been lost from screaming across the land for Seth. I walked inside and found Gray awake, leaning against the wall, and Sky trying to sleep. I peeked around gray and saw Dani curled up next to him, asleep.
better not disturb her, I thouht.
"Hi Gray," I tried, but my voice was a whisper. he seemed to have heard, for he nodded his head. "Do you mind if I sit there?" I pointed to the spot next to him. He only shook his head. "I'm sorry for the way I reacted. You understand right?" a nod, "I understand your actions. Everybody deserves a second chance. So I won't judge you," my voice was nothing but a ghostly whisper.
I should wait for everybody to wake up before saying anything about Seth, I told myself. I slumped down on the floor, exausted from flight, and all I saw before sleep took me, was one glossy wolf-like eye, peeking over at me from the other side of Gray.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope that was good!
~HV
