There’s a room in front of me. I’m walking towards it, looking around to see if anyone can see me. There’s some evil power emanating from behind the door, and I try to stop my feet, to get away, but all my efforts are futile. I struggle, harder, but nothing happens. I try to move any part of my body of my own will, but I can’t. My hand reaches out to open the door and instead of my slender hand like I expect to see, I see a furry paw reach out instead. I’m not in my own body, I realize with horror. I’m seeing the world through someone else’s eyes. The person, whoever they are, walks into the room, and presses a button on a box, causing it to light up.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLGAvv31Vt
Within moments, the screen flickers into focus, and there is a small box in the bottom right corner, showing several sentences prefaced by sequences of letters and numbers that I can’t understand. They’re not in a foreign language, but I can’t make heads or tails of what they should mean. A message pops up on the screen, along with one of the sequences of letters and numbers. Mi5ty M0unt: Are we in position?1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6LJlHjarE
The person’s paws dash over what I recall Nuts and Bolts calling a keyboard once. With every press of a button, a new letter appears on the screen, in a box inside the box. With one last press of a button, the message appears in the larger box above. Blues: Affirmative. The “traitors” have all been listed and accounted for. They don’t suspect.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiR37eoSHLU
My mind races. Suspect? What could that possibly mean? There are more traitors that we don’t know about? The evil presence I’m feeling is coming from this room, I can feel it, but I don’t know what it is.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMbNy1xWuC
The screen shows another, new message. Mi5ty M0unt: Bring the Doomsday Piece with you. You will need it.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHDMh2zJpZ
They type a message in the affirmative and then reach behind the screen, and my heart drops when their hand curls around something that I can feel as well: a glass canister. Whatever is inside it is giving me this bad premonition.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mGQGgUCrf
There’s a traitor unaccounted for. And this problem goes deeper than any of us originally would have thought.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuOogcdpTI
I bolt upright in bed, and look down at my hands. They’re elven again, my own hands. I look around, and sigh when my body listens to what I want to do. Klef isn’t in bed next to me, and I swing my legs over the side of the bed and pad to the bathroom, where I hear a whirring noise. I open the door to find Klef inside, taking the hair dryer to my clothes. "Morning, Ride," he rasps. "I didn't expect you to be up this early. Are you okay? You're looking a little pale."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7OJ5FZJ8p
"Treble," I say shakily. "There's a traitor in our midst."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPnkIXJX6U
Klef looks at me funnily, with his nose scrunched up and his eyes squinting. "Ride, I just talked with Bobbi and Hibiscus. They said that they captured everybody on the list."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjoCj5mTKqJ
"The list wasn't the end- all be all of the traitors," I whisper. "I just had a dream. A new one. And I was stuck in someone else's body."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQVGxHyc9P
Klef stops the hair dryer and looks at me, his full attention now on what I'm saying. "That's never happened before," he says uncertainly. "Are you absolutely sure?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdbPCq2MTZ
I nod. "It was too clear to not be anything but one of the prophecies everyone wants me to have. And the only information it's bringing is that we have more trouble. I don't know who the traitor is, or what they want, exactly, but they have what they call a Doomsday Piece. Treble, if these traitors get their hands on it, it could very well mean the end of the world."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyAo1RFqZF
Klef sits down heavily, his hands shaking. "Ride,” he says uncertainly. “I don't like where you're going with this. Are you sure?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKM1jsAAFq
"One hundred percent," I tell him, refusing to back down from my position.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbUt33obpyC
Klef bites his lip. "We have to tell the others," he says. "They need to know that we might have a traitor coming with us."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYAaqMnesb
"We can't," I tell him. "We don't know if we can trust them any more. In my dream, whoever it was who I was in their body, had tannish fur and paws. And that can only mean one thing, which is to say that it could be a werewolf living here, trying to get at us."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgmaVe3M2iH
Klef looks at me in desperation. "Well we can't just keep this to ourselves! And for every werewolf out there we might be able to not trust, there are a dozen more who are more afraid of you dad than anyone else on Melisma! We have to say something!"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2r2ZztxzYW
I shake my head. "Klef, you know how I feel about telling everyone else, right? I don't know who we can trust, and until I do I'm not sure I can trust any of them. We can tell Ama, and Bobbi, and Hibiscus, but only if they promise not to tell anyone else, and not do anything about it until they catch the traitor. Ama has different fur color that the others, being a wizard, and her fur is naturally different anyway. It's coarser, rather than fluffy. So we know we can trust her. Bobbi and Hibiscus are humans, so they couldn't be the traitor. But I don't like the thought of them trying to do anything behind our backs to stop the traitor and let them know that we're onto them. And if they find out we're onto them, you know what will happen? They'll go underground, find a way to sneak this Doomsday Piece out to whoever needs it, and we're back at square one. We have a real chance to make this work, Treble. But in order to do that, we have to stop, not tell anyone, and be a little bit more cloak and dagger about everything. Think about it like sneaking into one of the rich's homes. We can't let them know that we're there, or in this case, we're onto them."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0pUIVmssR
Klef looks me over and sighs. "I still don't like the thought of not doing anything, but you do have a point," he concedes. "Fine. We can tell the others, but we'll make them promise not to do anything about it. Because I can't stand the thought of them not knowing. They could very well die over this if they don't know."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7soNQcMDmk
My stomach drops. That hadn't occured to me. "Well, then, we should tell them before we leave. Should I call a meeting in that secret room, or just bring them all here, or what?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2UyUYoXgy
LKledf shrugs. "This is your show, Ride. You call the shots."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLdV8zc0Uu
I let out a puff of air. "Right. Right..." I consider my options. On one hand, Dad would never have to know everyone was here, and they wouldn't have to know it was Dad's room, but it's one thing to use it when he's not there because it's safe, and another to hold a meeting here when there's another perfectly useable sleepable room. I don't think Dad would appreciate his room being used as a secret base, and besides, what's the point of having another secret room if you never use it? "Eh, let's use the other room. Everyone already knows where it is anyway, and I don't think we can really just explain away why there's a secret bedroom next to the cafeteria."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DUxPuRtww
Klef scoffs. "Are you seriously going to the other room purely because your dad wouldn't appreciate us using this one? Where was that attitude last night when we slept in his bed?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2kzXjRAvi
"That's different, that's for our safety," I say. "And we can't exactly sleep in the other room, now can we? Any regular suite could also be put under attack, and we don't want that. So this room was the safest option."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6t1EgdhgxV
Klef shakes his head. "I don't understand you, Ride. At all."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaP0bftmUZ2
I shrug. "I don't ask you to. The fact that you love me anyway is just really nice of you, especially considering if you don't understand what I'm doing."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwjLvWj5Gp
Klef shakes his head and smiles for the first time during our conversation. "I'll be right behind you if you want to call everyone together in your pajamas. Alternately, I think your clothes are just the slightest bit damp now, so they're ready for you to wear, if that's what you want to do."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiw6oZstWqm
I look down at my clothes. I had completely forgotten I was in pajamas. "I'll change first, yeah," I say, grabbing the clothes from off the shower rack. "You, shoo. I don't want you looking at me when I'm not wearing any clothes."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcQa0xC9I9
Klef holds up his hands and grins, walking out of the room. "If it's any consolation, I don't want that either. Go on and change, I'll be right outside when you want to find the others."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyl11J2kVQR
I nod and when he leaves the room, closing the door behind him, I change. I walk out of the room, giving a little spin when Klef looks over. He rolls his eyes. "You are aware you don't have to do that when I've seen you in those clothes upwards of 100 times?" he teases.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9k9aZpdI5r
"I am, indeed, aware," I tell him, jumping right into the teasing. "But when I don't like being stared at, then my natural response is to give them a reason to look over, so I feel less like a sore thumb."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX05j9fJNXV
Klef rolls his eyes and walks over, hugging me. "Well, whatever," he says. "You look gorgeous all the same.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2KFx22sdc
"Aw, thank you," I say, placing a hand over my heart. "That means so much to me, honestly, you have no idea."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHm642NGET
Klef gives me a playful shove and I laugh. “What are you, 5?" I ask. "No one shoves another person just for being sarcastic.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqQrtZISfo
"I do," Klef says defensively. "You're mean, and this is my retaliation."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzVXV8aRtJ
"Oh, so you are 5," I say, nodding. "Just making sure," I tease lightly. It's too fun not to.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAuCg70d97
Klef huffs. "Ride, you are just mean," he says.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6cHtzCmmm
I falter. "Wait, I didn;t really offend you, did I? I didn't mean to..."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNTKtdsXwMw
"Ride, it was a joke," Klef says. "Wow, we are a pair of messes, aren't we?" he asks.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6hNZQYh6b
"Yeah," I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "Come on, we have to tell the others about my dream."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGnlghhLyQ
Klef nods, and we leave Dad's room, closing the door behind us. I fold my hands behind my head and sigh as we start our walk. "Did you ever think the day would come that we might save the entire world when we first met?" I ask. "You are, after all, the one who remembers that day."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28GbFKiAL3
"I don't think either of us expected this," he sighs. "We played heroes in the yard, running around with stick for swords, laughing our heads off as your mom and my aunt fretted. But, no, I don't think when we played heroes we were expecting to actually BE them one day."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGK89Z3H3X
I shake my head. "It's a lot to take in. I don't feel like anyone special. I know I'm important to some people, everybody is. But to be important to so many people... It's daunting.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Tb6keyZcj
“I can imagine,” Klef sighs.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1OThe97nW
“I’m sure you can’t, but it’s nice of you to try,” I laugh.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHYrlZjT4dk
Klef smirks just a little bit and nudges me with his arm. "Hey, just trying to be supportive," he says neutrally.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡefcza6nHXB
"You're precious," I laugh easily, and the dark mood around us seems to dissipate the longer we talk.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIXTwGcRpn
Klef points. "Oh, look, there's Hibiscus and Bobbi. They must be ready to go to sleep. Should we tell them?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3mE8bLtlr
"Better to warn them now than risk their lives later," I reason, walking over to them and waving.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATXWpr9Wgk
Bobbi stops and nudges Hibiscus when they see me. "Hey, Rides," they say. "Something up?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNudziCUng
"Yeah, kinda," I say with a shrug. "Where are the others? It would be better to tell all of you at once."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaePC3qiBk
"Give me a minute, I'm sure I can find them," Bobbi says. "Where should I say we should be meeting?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHFxSvdTSp
"You know that planning room everyone was in yesterday?" I ask. "That would be a good place."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHBlR5JRst
Bobbi frowns. "Rides, is something seriously wrong?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwksv0JrMDe
I grimace. "Yeah, probably. I didn't want to worry you, but we need to talk. Everyone. And preferrably quickly."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjKfWcIgtw
Bobbi frowns and looks over at Hibiscus. "Could you show these guys where the war room is, Hibiscus? We need to meet in private, and I need to find the others."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRSf4DNPzu
The easy look drops off Hibiscus' face and they nod seriously. "Yeah, yeah. Please, right this way," they say, waving me and Klef down the hall with them.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJnPRPXjh4d
We don't say anything for a few minutes, as Hibiscus wrings their hands and Klef is practically bouncing on his toes. Eventually, Hibiscus turns to me. "Did you have another dream?" they ask weakly.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoujAeDC5Sw
I nod. "It's a pretty serious one, too. I need to let the people who I'm travelling with know first and foremost, and we can decide who we should tell beyond that. There's trouble brewing, and I'm not sure what it has to do with everything else going on, but it's worrying."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TMiFb86nU
Hibiscus swallows. "Great, just great," they mutter, shaking their head. "Um," their voice is strained. "I wish I could say something comforting, but I'm a bit busy worrying right now."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ560WmV9K3u
"That's okay," I say with a shrug. "I'm worried too. There's no shame in being worried."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FLGouDJJ0
Klef nods on the other side of Hibiscus. "Look, when I heard Ride's dream, I was worried too. It's not something to be taken lightly, and I think we all understand that. The gravity of the situation is just...huge. It's serious, and it's scary, and it's perfectly all right to not want to hear any of it. But it needs to be heard."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPB6CbGHnn
Hibiscus nods. "I'm just a strategist, I can't really fight. My best asset is my affinity for numbers. I barely know how to swing a dagger."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8L9c4xbXsX
“You’ll be okay,” Klef assures. “We have tons of fighters around here, and I’m sure they are more than willing to help you in a fight. You’re not alone.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfVMhYC4QE
Hibiscus smiles. “Thank you,” they whisper.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWLKhrgs6Jv
Klef smiles and shrugs. Hey, I'm here to cheer people up!" he chirps. "Really, it's no big deal. I have to deal with this one,” he points to me. “So cheering anyone else up is easy.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLm5kjEWwa
I shove him. "Oh my gosh, you are the worst," I laugh. "Why must you act like I'm the most depressed person in the entirety of Melisma?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hMO5Xtkye
"To give you a hard time, obviously," Klef laughs.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVM9PgEMob
I roll my eyes. "You are THE worst," I sigh.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4R8kgvgwlT
Hibiscus opens the door to the secret war room and we walk in. Klef turns on the light and I hop onto the table. "When do you think the others will be here?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mk9spQWpH
No sooner fdoes Klef try to answer than Flo and Rythe rush into the room. "We're here!" Flo pants. "We heard there was some sort of emergency going on?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTz6zAB9JI
I nod and Klef speaks. "Ride had another dream last night."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIXMlIbKpx
Rythe twitches and frowns. "Another dream, as in something with new information?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrh4sCP98I
Their voice is strained and Flo pats them on the arm. "Don't worry, Rythe, I'm sure this can be easily fixed."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApeZ8vzjrN
"I hope so," Rythe grumbles. "If not, we might have another attempted murder on our habds, or worse, a real murder."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1n5N74HZHM
I swallow. "That's… could we not talk like that?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RmH8cggYy
Rythe jerkily nods. “Right, sorry. My fault.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp4KdKC4kuD
I wave him off with a hand. “Don’t worry about it, just… try to keep away from talking about murder in the future.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcRjfZEUe6N
Klef licks his lips anxiously. “You know, I have a really bad feeling about this,” he whispers to me.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkwERBDtoL
“Everyone does,” I whisper back.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡET3lCxkqUC
Bobbi enters the room with Ama and we all look around at each other uncertainly. “What happened, Rides?” Ama asks.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkQBzztOICa
I swallow. “There are some traitors that we haven’t caught yet,” I say simply. “I don’t know who they are, but they’re working with whoever wants to take over the world.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZct7gea15Y
Rythe sputters, as does Hibiscus. “Wait, Rythe is our expert interrogator! How did he not get every traitor’s name?!”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqQlMOemKo
“It’s entirely possible that the gorgon didn’t know who he was working for,” I shrug. “These traitors seem to have made a network through the entire base, if not several bases. And there’s something that they are carrying called a Doomsday Piece, what I’m assuming is something that makes the rest of the device that could end the world work.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqgYIl4BFa
“Do we know anything about who this person is, even if we don’t know who they are?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKoHv1alqz
“They could be anyone with fur,” I say helplessly. “Maybe not a wizard, because I think the hair is coarser than wizard fur. But… they could be a werewolf, or a hybrid, or even just someone who happened to be wearing fur at that point in time. It could be anyone.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡePve3UZrhD
“We need to move you now, then,” Hibiscus says. “It’s too dangerous to keep you here.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YC7ir8rK4
“Agreed,” Ama and Bobbi say at the same time.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNe7apx1Ks
Rythe turns to me. “I… how do you know that there’s a traitor, but don’t know who they are?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvRbOgkOgb
I swallow. “It’s going to sound like I’m making my reason up,” I warn.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK9VaE6xKf
Rythe gestures for me to continue.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAFU1EykHO
“I was out of my body, and in theirs,” I say. “I couldn’t see their face, just the rest of their body when they happened to look at a part of themselves.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOujLkNn5cg
The room goes silent. “Has that… been recorded, before?” Bobbi asks.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeldg6x0tL
“I haven’t heard of such strong Sight,” Ama murmurs. “This is unprecedented.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡii0A2OO6lC
I wring my hands. “Guys. Can we talk about my Sight at some other time? Right now we have to figure out what exactly we’re going to do about the traitor.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYApbPLkzTh
“I’ll alert a few of the guards I know I can trust,” Rythe says. “They’ll be on the lookout here. I agree that we need to move you, though.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7dpeYEfxu
I worry my lip. “If we leave early, won’t that arouse suspicion?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkYKK98Vs8
“Not necessarily,” Flo says, mulling over her words. “If we say that you had another dream and we need to move you to a possible location as soon as possible to see if that’s where you were in your dream, no one would think twice. Everyone knows this is coming to a head faster than we’d like. So, really, if we play our cards right, no one would suspect.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbP8r4GbXF
Klef looks over to me. “Do you have anything here that you can’t go without? Because we can always get clothes on the trip, but I want to move you as fast as possible.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXplcluCOh6
“I’ll be fine if I stop to pack clothes, Treble, but because of the explosion, the clothes I’m wearing right now are the only day clothes I have.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj8oCklYKgz
Klef blinks. “That means I’m wearing my only day clothes too. I forgot about that.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf8n9ivpwgs
I roll my eyes. “You would.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIU7sjfHZpt
Klef looks annoyed, but does smile after a few seconds. “Well, we can move right away. Any suggestions for how we can travel, or does it have to be by foot?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVk8U4rxbm
“Well, considering we already reserved one carriage for the convoy later today, we can just take it now. I can follow you to it, and stand watch while the others pack some things. We’ll get some fresh clothes for you too, if you’ll give us your sizes.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr0tuPGdTW4
I nod. “Sounds good.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcOrYqYSUJ
Klef agrees. Before either of us can say anything else, Bobbi says, “I’m sure I can guess your sizes, I have an eye for that. You go on ahead with them, Ama, get the carriage ready. I’ll make sure that you have clothes as well as everyone else. And I won’t forget your staff.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQFB64pwrb
“You’re a lifesaver, Bob,” Ama says with a grin. “You two can come with me.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfJPfp545C8
I get off the table and walk with her and Klef to the front of the Crusader’s base. She opens the doors and waves a hand, “After you,” she says.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZOVz2lVMk
I grin and walk outside. The air smells like dew and the grass is still covered in water droplets. The sky is pale gray with overcast clouds. “Seems like a perfect day for travel.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpyhhSDCCvR
“You’re joking, right?” Klef laughs.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKARAA0Z53
“I never joke about travel weather,” I say seriously. “Maybe it’s not a perfect day at sea or whatever, but riding in a carriage over the countryside, rain possibly pattering softly on the roof… so mysterious. It’s kind of cool.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvOW7Jqfvo
Klef rolls his eyes. “You sound like you’re trying to write a book or something. Why must you always turn any weather positive?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrxkJEcygJ
“It’s the one thing I’m always positive about,” I shrug. “I thought you would be relieved that there’s something I’m actually enthusiastic about. The weather happens to be that thing.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcaxvhukOc9
Klef groans. “I just have to deal with you being perky when I can’t fly, and it’s annoying. I have to stretch my wings sometime, you know.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVTyvKOIaJ
“Stretch them now, if you insist, before it starts raining and you get wet feathers,” I say. “Just don’t whine about it when the setting is perfect for a mystery!”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQbFCodd0H
Klef groans and stretches his wings out from under his shirt into the air. “Gah,” he sighs. “I did not know I needed to stretch my wings out that much until now.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOOuarm33u
I smile. “Feel better enough to let me gush about the weather now?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqhtT3mhIff
“Mm… nah,” Klef laughs.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjZjKPjZt0Y
I roll my eyes. “So childish,” I sigh. “Ah, well. Whatever. I’ll go on about it if I want, and you can’t stop me, anyway.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbU0rFxCr1
Klef arches an eyebrow. “Wanna bet?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1KAhdLu4wY
I laugh. “Oh, so you;re enthusiastic now?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxHFMWKv3G
Ama looks between us and clears her throat. “COuld you stop being so blatantly flirty for the time being?” she asks. “I’m a little bit busy trying not to gag at the moment and you two being so sweet isn’t helping.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR09sFacKRp
Klef blushes and I smile sheepishly. “Heh. Sorry, Ama.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qkc3r0unl
Ama shrugs. “No big deal. I’ll get the carriage, sound good?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHvx7N3Qgd
Klef nods and I shrug. “Go ahead,” I say. “We’ll be here.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoCVds2LSa
Ama walks to the side of the base and walks around a corner. Klef walks over to me and kisses my cheek. “Can I just say that I’m really relieved you’re still alive?” he asks.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPJASc47CP
“Yeah,” I drawl out slowly. “But I’ll mock you for being so sentimental.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsZn5w0uD8
Klef chuckles. “Oh, Ride,” he says. “Why does that sound exactly like you?”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4JJdTHMin6
“We’ve known each other for 5 years,” I say, resting my forehead on his. “I guess we know each other by now.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8C533f8Zt
"I guess," Klef hums.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTqukAlmso
Someone clears their throat from behind Klef and I look up. Rythe is standing there, smirking. "Guys, I could have killed you where you stand and you wouldn't have noticed. Oh! Sorry," he says to me. "Point is, you might want to aim for being more subtle."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewkgWC9W9z
I shrug. "Eh, we're about to leave anyway. If everyone here knows we're dating, how fast would the other bases know about it?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtSvKc31m1l
"Pretty fast, actually," Flo says, walking out of the base's door to stand next to Rythe. "We've started up an electronic network to communicate with the other branches. It's a little crude, but it gets the job done."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv78MxiVCrJ
I frown. "How does it work, exactly?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5Euy44nhY
"We call it Instant Messaging," Rythe says. "You type what you want to say, and that sends electronic pulses through a machine that processes what those signlas are. When you have the message you want, you hit another button to send it to whoever you're communicating to. That's the gist of it, anyway," Rythe says. "I'm no expert."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1glgFL1Rl
The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. "That's… good to know."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwleRUym80g
Klef looks at me questioningly. I subtly shake my head and murmur, "later."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcryudmXEh
Bobbi comes out of the entrace with Hibiscus, each of them carrying 3 bags. Hibiscus drops theirs on the ground and pants. "Okay, here's 3 of the bags. Klef, Rides, I hope you don't mind but we're having you share one."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqHGeRkyUo
"That's fine," Klef says. "Which one is it? I can take it off your hands."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVigvtgpot
"What, and immediately give it to me?" I tease. "You're always the one who insists on travelling light. 'If it can't fit in my pockets, then it's not worth carrying', isn't that your catch phrase?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9JqaY4G63
"Shut up," Klef grumbles.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmReyWH4Gmt
I roll my eyes and laugh. Ama comes back around the corner, leading a horse by the reins, with another horse walking beside it. Behind them is a large looking carriage, with canvas covering the top and sides, and wood below the canvas holding it together. "Nice," I say. "We;re travelling pretty light, I see."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy985NptLoY
"Well, yeah, it'll raise less suspicion," Klef says in his best 'duh' voice.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoa0C6Fo0XG
I roll my eyes. "I'm AWARE, Treble," I say back. "I know exactly why we're travelling light. I just wanted to acknowledge it. Is that so bad?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eGFkM3FYs
"It's horrible," Klef says seriously. "Because that way everyone knows how we're travelling."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZQJnPCZP3
I shrug. "We're the only ones out here, Klef. Seriously, who's going to overhear and try to kill us all in the carriage?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpnVSXaS3M
Klef scowls. "Could you at least TRY to preserve your own life?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSf0WTFfwZ2
"I do try," I say, with some mild offense. "I just fail to see how hiding the way we're leaving the base is an improvement on saying it casually. Honestly, if someone wants to find out how we're leaving, then they could find out pretty easily, and not just because we're the ones talking about it. You have to sign these things out, you know. They keep an inventory."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvJQ2RUTajF
Klef grumbles. "I just worry. I know, I know, I say that a lot. But I have good reason to."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMbzT62e5N
I shrug. "Hey, I'm glad you've gotten more cautious over the years. But there's a line between being too cautious and being reasonably cautious, and you're toeing it from the wrong side."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwlfL2Asigc
Klef pouts. "Aw, c'mon, Ride..."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIpRmyEesbw
I roll my eyes and walk over to the bags Hibiscus dropped. "I'll take 2 of these and put them in the carriage, can you handle the other?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7lWlFzGVG
Hibiscus nods. "Yeah. My arms were just starting to ache from a bad position."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuYonLuaf0
I nod. "Yeah, that's completely understandable."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByALMxrtc5
We put the bags in and Bobbi follows suit. I look around. Everyone is here, but I still feel uneasy, like I'm missing something. It's probably just nerves, but I can't help but feel like there's something desperately wrong, and it's annoying.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFNxixZsgI
"Are we all set?" Ama asks.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCV614op0Wp
"I think so," I say. "Are you going to be riding, or whatever you do to lead the horses in the right direction?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR60LxS3GPf
"Uh, that;s actually going to be me," Bobbi says, waving a hand. "I'm pretty good at it, too."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuQFiRLZwQ
"Oh, that's cool," I say.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyjaJK5Ncmh
Bobbi grins. "Yeah, I could talk about it for hours. The word you were looking for is driving, by the way. As a coachperson, I feel required to tell you that."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8U7UKXIa0
"Okay," I say, laughing a little at Bobbi's obvious grin. "You are obviously very enthusiastic about being a coachperson, and I won't be the one to curb that enthusiasm. Go on and get ready, we'll get in the back."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCy1sUtyyp
Bobbi nods and walks to the horses, and I climb into the back of the carriage. It's bare save for the bags. There are no benches, no stools or chairs. It looks like this would be the kind of carriage you would use to transport good rather than people. The wind whips around without without warning and I turn to look at the sky from out the back. It looks like it will rain, rather than just be overcast today. But before I can think about what that might mean for our journey, everyone else is clambering into the back. Klef sits next to me near the edge, and pulls up a wooden railing that must be for preventing anything from flying out the back. "You okay, Ride?" he whispers.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡow8Zg8esLz
“Yeah, it’s just… that Instant Messaging thing, that’s what I saw in my dream.”1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nktBzOUS7
Klef actually looks nervous when he hears this, which doesn't reassure me. He kisses my forehead lightly and grabs my hands in his. "It'll be okay," he whispers. "We don't even know for sure if what you saw in your dream is what Rythe described. It's entirely possible it something else, or if that is what you saw, that the traitors made a different network. And I'll always be here to keep you safe too, all right?"1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHGcSAbHGQ
I nod, but my stomach twists uncomfortably anyway. I yawn. "I could have used about an hour or two more of sleep last night," I murmur.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgvPCsAVBU
Klef smiles. "Go ahead and rest then while we get on our way," he murmurs back. "I'll be here to make sure that you're safe."1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhHVuofGJG
I nod and lean back against the side of the carriage, which has metal beams going from one side of it up to the roof and then down the other side, closing my eyes. My mind has a hard time not thinking about the possibility of a traitor in our midst, but somehow, I manage to stop just long enough for me to drift off.1018Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnyusyk7GdC
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