Corianton walked back to the Mora caves, after about a day of slow travel. He could tell that something strange was going on, since the body hadn't shown any signs of decay yet. He was grateful, however, because at least he wouldn't have to deal with the decomposition. When he was still about a half mile away from the camp, Rune met him.
"Don't bring him into camp the main way. Use the back tunnel." Rune wasn't looking at Jayson's body, instead keeping his eyes locked with Corianton's. "I don't want Jade to see him yet."
"You weren't followed, right?" Timber came out from behind a tree. "I'm almost positive I wasn't, but I wouldn't put it past Lucas or one of the other Boka to have tailed us here."
"I know that none of the Boka know the mountain paths as well as I do. Besides, I accidentally caused a couple of landslides, so even if they wanted to find me, they wouldn't be able to." Rune sat on a log. "Just to be safe, I crossed a wide clearing before approaching the mountain, and no one was behind me."
"I'm not fully sure if anyone followed me or not. I was traveling pretty slow, so it wouldn't have been too hard for them to track me. However, I didn't hear anyone at all, and there would have been plenty of time for them to ambush me." Corianton placed Jayson's body on the ground, away from Rune.
"He probably wouldn't have sent anyone after you. That would have been too obvious." Timber sighed. "We should probably send someone back to tell everyone else to meet us here, but to take the least obvious ways."
"I'll go. You two stay here." Rune was quick to stand, beginning to walk out towards the tunnels. "You two keep watch to make sure that no one follows me or shows up out of nowhere."
As Rune walked away, his head was filled with many thoughts. He knew it was inevitable that one of his tribe would die in the war between the Mora and the Boka, however he had hoped it wouldn't have happened so soon. He also had hoped it would have been anyone except for Jayson, who had always been his closest friend and confidant. Honestly, if the Boka had any brain cells left, they should have left him alive and tried to get information out of him, although strategy was never really their strong suit. That was what made everything so difficult for Rune. While his people were strong strategic thinkers, they didn't have a whole lot of strength. The Bokas, on the other hand, had most of the strength of those who had been stranded. It wasn't like Rune wasn't trying to increase his tribe's strength; It was quite the contrary actually. When members weren't on border patrol, hunting and gathering duty, or building and improving their camp, he had them strength training. He knew that the Boka were doing the same, because strength was all they had. They lost their strongest source of strategy when Laila left and joined her friends again. Then again, Laila had betrayed them at the beginning, and then she betrayed the Boka. Who's to say her allegiance wouldn't change again?
I'll have to keep a closer eye on her from now on. Just as a precaution. He knew she was a loose cannon. He couldn't risk putting anyone else in danger because of her. He made it back to the camp pretty quickly, only to be met by Chaiia and Belle.
"Was the mission successful?" Belle's voice was soft. "Where are the other two? What happened?"
"Sokan knew we were there, mainly because I accidentally stepped on a board on the roof that creaked loud enough for him to hear. I didn't notice when it made the sound, otherwise I probably would have immediately ran. He tried to bait us out first before climbing up onto the roof and told us just to take Jayson's body because we were only caught by him because of the one slat on the roof." Rune stopped briefly to take a breath before continuing. "He said that he'd let us go this one time, but the next time he saw us on his territory, he'd kill us. We all took separate paths on the way here, and met in a spot about a half mile away from camp. I came back to get a blanket or something, and to tell the rest of the tribe to make a raft of sorts before joining us at the lake at the highest mountain. It was his and Jade's favorite place here. It feels right that we should lay him to rest there. They can't leave camp through any of the obvious ways though. Take some of the back ways, but only a couple. We have to leave some undiscovered, just in case Sokan or one of the others managed to track me back here."
"I'll let the others know." Belle walked away, and started spreading the word throughout the camp. Chaiia walked with Rune as he went into the supply cave, grabbed the largest blanket they had, and walked back towards the way he came.
"Do you want me to tell Kyron to escort Jade and Kyra to the lake?" She glanced over at him, worry and concern clouding her features. "Because if he leaves them, I wouldn't put it past Jade to take the opportunity to slip away and try to get revenge, and Kyra's still not fully… There yet, if you get what I mean."
"I know what you mean," Rune seemed to wilt a little as she said that, as if he were a flower that had gone without water. "And I fully agree with you. There's no way that Jade will go anywhere without an escort, and Kyra's still weak. I don't want to leave her, but I have to bring this to the others before the rest of the tribe gets there."
"I'll stay back with her, and I'll bring her when the rest of the tribe goes to the lake." Chaiia walked back to the cave where Kyron was standing, whispered something to him, and walked inside. Rune left, feeling more than a little bit defeated. He knew that if it wasn't for his stupid decision making, if it wasn't for him starting the argument with Lucas and Sokan the first week, that none of this would have happened. He wouldn't have to worry about Kyra's mental state and her personal safety. He couldn't even remember what the argument was even about, but it must have been something big for them to split into tribes about it. Come to think of it, how long had even passed here? A week? A month? He wasn't quite sure, as all the days seemed to blend together. Sometimes it felt as if one day was three, and that five were two. He knew once he got back to the camp after they had the funeral for Jayson, he'd have to talk to Jade and Ryuu about this. If anyone was to suspect something being off about the island, it would be them.
He continued to be lost in his thoughts until he arrived at the small clearing, seeing Timber and Corianton still sitting there, silent.
"The others are making a raft. We're to take his body to the lake on the highest mountain. It's always been his favorite place here." Rune knew that his voice was on the verge of breaking, a mere inch away from letting all his emotions out. "I didn't want the others to see him like this, so I brought this."
He handed Timber the blanket, and he got the message immediately. He took his time, carefully draping the animal skins over the body of their friend, silent tears falling down his face. Rune helped adjust it, making sure that everything was in place. He nodded to the others, and they all worked together to lift the body and carry it to the lake. By the time they got there, the rest of the tribe had already gathered, the raft being held to the shore by a rope. Ryuu was standing close by, holding a torch. Standing close by to her was Kyra, who was leaning heavily on Chaiia, Jade, and Laila. Rune also noticed that Kyron was standing close behind Jade, still keeping an eye on her while also giving her the space she needed. The rest of the tribe were gathered in a half circle around the lake's edge, their heads all bowed, and many of their faces had tears running down. Rune nodded to the other two carrying the body, who took it to the raft and placed it there gently.
"We have lost someone who, to many of us, was more than just a friend. He was a provider, a protector, a confidant. He never once thought of his own safety, only those whom he held most dear. Jayson may have been the bravest person I've ever known, one whose heart was in all the right places. He always sought to see the good first, and would only see the bad if provoked to anger. He was kind, caring, generous, and loyal. Loyal to the very end." Rune's voice broke slightly. "He gave his life to protect those of his friends, wishing only for their safety. He was used as a tool, in the end, to try and inflict more pain and suffering on us. I know that if he could choose to, he would make the same decisions he made a thousand times over if it meant his friends could escape. He sacrificed himself for us, and I know we will make sure his sacrifice was not in vain."
At this point, Rune couldn't continue. His voice caught in his throat as tears started streaming down his face. As this happened, Jade stepped forward and stood next to Rune.
"Jayson wasn't just a friend to me. He was my foundation, always there to support me when I seemed weak. When we were being held captive at the Boka base, his only concern was finding a way out for Kyra and I, even if it meant his own demise. He was the strongest person I knew, both physically and emotionally. I don't think that there has ever been, nor will there ever be, someone as selfless and caring as he was." Jade was sobbing as she said this. "If he were still here, standing with us, he would be prepared to do whatever it took to ensure we were all safe. He cared about everyone here on this island, even those who hated him most and those who had hurt the ones he cared for the deepest. I know that he wouldn't want us to be grieving over his death, and yet it's so hard to look at that raft and not think about the fact that we have all lost someone who was as brave and caring as all of us combined."
"If anyone else has any words to say, I know they would mean so much to everyone at this lake." Rune looked at all the members of his tribe, who all had tears running down their faces. After a few minutes of silence, Jade returned to Chaiia and Kyra's side, and Rune nodded to Ryuu.
"The Boka would wish to leave him hanging on the side of their fortress, a mere trophy for all to see. I won't allow that to happen. He was as brave as some of the oldest warriors I know of from the legends. He will be honored as such."
As Rune finished his statement, Ryuu untied the rope, coiled it on the raft, and placed the flaming torch on it. She pushed the raft into the water as the rope caught fire, and soon the entire raft was engulfed in flames as it drifted off into the middle of the lake. Everyone sat there, watching it as tears poured down all their faces. Kyra had buried her head in Chaiia's shoulder, sobbing, as had Jade. They watched the raft burn for about ten more minutes before each person began slowly walking away, back to camp. Rune stared out at the raft, unaware of the departure of the rest of his tribe. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder that he turned away from the lake.
"Rune, I know you'll be taking this hard, but you need to come back to camp." Neptune's voice was quiet, as gentle as the morning wind. "They'll need you."
Rune knew that he wasn't talking about the entirety of camp, but instead Kyra, Jade, and Ryuu. The three of them blamed themselves the most for his death. He walked back to the caves slowly, knowing that Neptune was quietly following him. Neither one of them knew what to say to the other, since they both knew Jayson in completely different ways. Neptune had known him as his teammate on the track team, and Rune knew him as his choir and theater friend, not to mention all the time they spent together outside of classes. Jayson hadn't been Rune's friend, but instead the brother he never had. It took them about 15 minutes to get back to the campsite, and by that point the rest of the tribe had already returned. Rune didn't waste any time and immediately headed to the cave where Kyra would be, hoping that Jade and Ryuu would be with her. He walked in, surprised to see Kyra sitting up, not crying but instead glaring at the wall with emotion he hadn't seen in Kyra before. It was by far one of the most frightening expressions he had seen on her face before. Jade and Ryuu still had some tears running down their faces, and their conversation abruptly paused as Rune walked in. He sat down quietly, not sure what to say.
"I'm going to kill him." Kyra spoke up, her voice barely audible. "I swear if it's the last thing I do, I'll kill him."
"Kyra, if you do that, you'd probably die too," Ryuu looked at her cousin. "I understand you want revenge. We all do. But sacrificing yourself for something that's very unlikely to succeed won't end well."
"She wouldn't be alone, you know." Jade spoke up from the corner, tears glistening on her face. "I want to see the grass stained red with his blood."
"As much as I'd like to see him dead, Ryuu is right. It isn't smart to go after him." Rune looked at the ground, almost ashamed of what he said. "Not if Lucas is still out there on the loose."
Kyra's head whipped over to look at him. "What do you mean, Lucas is still out there on the loose? Why wouldn't he be at their fortress?"
"When we were on our way to the Boka's fortress, we overheard Coron and Lemon talking. Coron mentioned something about how he hoped to find Lucas before we did, and this was after he and Sokan had gotten into a huge fight." Rune looked up. "I think that after Lucas directly defied Sokan, that he may have gotten kicked out of the tribe. It wouldn't surprise me if Sokan realized how stupid that was to do, so he's sending people out to try and find Lucas. Knowing Lucas, he probably-"
"Is trying to find Tiffany and Kyra, judging by the fact that those two are the two they'd want back the most?" Laila stood in the doorway. "Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me if he did that either."
Rune's face immediately became devoid of all emotion, and he went back to being stone cold. The three girls that had been in there noticed immediately, confused but not questioning it. Laila hadn't seemed to notice, however, and instead kept talking.
"What I suspect happened though is that Sokan probably banished Lucas with conditions: Lucas could return if he came back with either Tiffany, Kyra, or both. Kinda like when Zuko got banished in Avatar: The Last Airbender. However," Laila looked at everyone individually before continuing. "I wouldn't be surprised if he assigned Lucas this task believing it to be impossible. Sokan probably thinks that it'll be impossible to get Kyra back."
"You don't have to talk about me like I'm a freaking object or something," Kyra glared at Laila. "Especially when I'm right in front of you."
"You still haven't forgiven me, have you?" Laila's face fell as Kyra shook her head, still glaring. "Fine. I'll leave you guys alone. If you need me, I'll be in the cave with Belle and Chaiia."
"What was that about Kyra? What haven't you forgiven her for?" Ryuu looked confused. "I mean, she's your friend."
"She was also one of the ones in charge of my torment. I didn't think she was until I overheard her and Sokan in the hall one day. She was telling him what exactly he could do to further break my spirits. I don't trust her." Kyra looked at the floor, her eyes briefly glazing over as all the memories came back to the surface.
"That makes two of us." Jade and Ryuu looked at Rune in shock as he said that. "Belle and Chaiia both said that she seemed different when they found her. She was dating Sokan. Who's to say that this isn't some elaborate scheme for them to get more information from us?"
"As much as I want to say you're right, I don't think that's the case," Jade shook her head. "It doesn't make sense. If this was some scheme between the two of them, it probably wouldn't involve her attacking him. Lucas, maybe, but not Sokan. It isn't like either one of them."
"She did seem genuine when she attacked him." Kyra's voice was quiet. "As much as I don't trust her, I don't think that she was being ingenuine when she attacked him. She was truly trying to protect me."
The room grew silent as Kyra finished talking, no one knowing how to process this information. It was true, Laila was known to have been crazy in love with Sokan. However, if she betrayed him to defend her friend, wouldn't that also mean that she was truly on their side now? It was too much to take in and reasonably be able to understand. It wasn't for another five minutes that anyone did anything.
"Well, if we're done talking, I'm going back to my cave. Or cage, since you insist on keeping someone outside of it at all times to make sure I don't do something stupid. Or you don't trust me enough to not do something stupid." Jade threw a pointed look at Rune before leaving, with Ryuu close behind her.
"She's right. I should trust her more." Rune shook his head. "She doesn't think first though. She acts, driven solely by emotion, before realizing what her actions will have done. I'll probably take her guard away, just to show her that I have trust in her."
What he didn't tell Kyra was that he was taking her guard away because he planned on using it to keep Kyra protected while she finished recovering. When he looked up at Kyra, he saw that she was sobbing again. He moved over next to her, pulling her into his arms and letting her cry into his chest.
"I-I thought she was m-my friend," The words came pouring out of Kyra's mouth before she could stop them. "I thought she would have helped me from the start. I was wrong, Rune, So utterly wrong."
"It's not your fault, Kyra. She's blinded by her affection for him." Rune held her closer. "She'll see she was wrong eventually."
Somehow, he didn't believe his words to be true.
* * *
Back in the seaside cave, Lucas and Tiffany were planning their next steps on what to do and how to escape the situation they were in.
"I think Kyra might be the easier one to start with. If we go after her and take her first, we could probably convince her to help us somehow. See if she'd be willing to help out with our plan. Maybe while we're at it we can get Neptune as well," Lucas was leaning against the damp cave wall. "We also need to move away from here soon. The Mora know for a fact that this place exists. We have to try and find somewhere that we can't be found by either the Boka or the Mora."
"What if we went to the mountains? Not the ones by the Mora, but the ones on the other side of the range?" Tiffany looked at him expectantly. "If they don't have caves we can stay in, they'll almost certainly have some other form of protection. And we know that the Mora don't use those parts of the mountains."
"While it's a little risky, it might actually work with the first part of the plan. Also, I don't know if I'd call any of those mountains. They're just larger, rockier hills. The only one that might be able to be called a mountain is the one in the middle. That's not the point though. We know that the Mora have both of my knives, and we probably wouldn't be able to achieve any of our plans without them." Lucas sighed. "Sokan didn't have to kill Jayson."
"He really didn't. Jayson also didn't have to kill Carsan, but I understand why he did." Tiffany shook her head. "Jayson was a genuinely good person. He would have been good to use in our plan."
"No, we'd never have been able to get him on our side. He was too loyal." Lucas looked at the surf, crashing on the rocks below the mouth of their cave. "Unless we somehow convinced him that the ways each chief is leading their tribes are corrupted, which they are."
"What do you mean each chief? Isn't Sokan the only corrupt one?" Tiffany was confused. "I didn't think that Rune is that bad of a leader."
"I mean, I think with time and with better training beforehand he probably would have been. He doesn't always think his plans through before executing them, and it usually results in other people getting hurt," Lucas paused for a second before continuing. "I mean, it was his fault when Kyra, Jayson, Neptune, and Jade were taken."
"How was Kyra taken? Sokan never actually told me what the plan to take her was." Tiffany shrugged. "Although, if she was as easy to take as it seems, it probably wasn't really needed."
"Well, I had been watching the Mora camp for a few days just to try and find her beforehand. That's back when Sokan and Rune were always calling her the 'Love of the Mora' or something stupid like that. Anyway, I saw that every day, Jade and Chaiia would take her out of the cave she was in and to a more secluded area that got better sun. Then Jade, Chaiia, and Ryuu would take turns watching her. Whenever it was the shift change between Chaiia and Ryuu, there was always about 5 minutes or so where she wouldn't be watched." Lucas smirked, and laughed a little. "They got overconfident. They thought no one would find her where she was during the days, so Ryuu would spend some time collecting herbs on her way up to help keep Kyra alive or something. I think this was before she told the rest of her tribe about her knowledge of plants, so she was probably trying to hide it more.
"Anyway, Ryuu would almost always have the last shift of the day, and it was always starting to get dark at the last shift change. After I'd been watching the whole thing for a week, I figured out their schedule, and I told Sokan. He sent me and some of the others to go and get her before nightfall, and we did. If Rune had been thinking, he would have had whoever was on duty wait to leave until the next shift showed up. It was also due to his own ineptitude to plan that we escaped that night with her. He should have surrounded us first, and then he could have easily gotten her back. Instead they all attacked from the same side." Lucas finished his story and closed his eyes, lying down and resting his head on a rock.
"By the way, why did they ever call her the Love of the Mora in the first place? I mean, sure, Rune had a pretty strong crush on her, but they were calling her that before they even knew that Rune was the actual leader of the Mora." Tiffany had always been left in the dark on these things, so now that someone would actually answer her questions, she had finally decided to ask. "Also, why did they even call themselves the Mora in the first place?
"Well, Kyra was writing a book a while ago that she was super excited about. I think she was also working on it while she was on the plane. The book was called The Love of the Mora, and they knew it was something super important to her. Just as a codename at first, they'd call her the Love of the Mora, and they decided to call their tribe the Mora just because they liked the sound of it." Lucas was slightly confused why Tiffany didn't know any of these things before, but he decided not to question it too much. "Sokan didn't know about the book, so he suspected that because Rune had a crush on Kyra at one point, that he was actually the chief of the Mora, and that Kyra was called the Love of the Mora because of that. It was kind of like a right answer, wrong method kind of situation."
"That makes sense, especially from Sokan. Hey, did Kyra ever actually publish any books? I never paid much attention to her to know whether or not she did." Tiffany looked away, as if embarrassed.
"Yeah, she got one published under a pen name right before we left for the trip. It was just some short high fantasy novel though, not the one she has been working on for years." Lucas shrugged. "Also, you never told me why Carsan's death hasn't affected you that much. When you first heard about it, you were devastated, but now you seem like you could care less."
"Honestly, and I know this sounds awful, but I was only dating him to use as a kind of protection from Sokan, just in case he decided to turn on me. Before that, he had just asked me out to Homecoming and I thought why not?" Tiffany looked away. "I was considering breaking up with him on the senior trip, but then we crashed, and I saw Sokan's bad side, and knew that I'd need some form of protection. A lot of good that did."
"Well, no matter what, I have the feeling we'll all be fighting Sokan's bad side." Lucas sat up and looked outside of the cave again. "I'm going to go try and get some firewood or something, and see if I can catch a small rabbit or something. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."