I spent the morning tracking Cali with Lord Holden critiquing me at my side. I was not very good at it. At noonday, we switched places. Cali found me quickly at my first few attempts. Then I found a spot in a tree that I think Holden would like.
I found a wide branch that was about the width of my back. I nestled with my back against the branch and pulled my knees into my chest, resting them against the trunk of the tree.
Why does hiding make time stretch? Minutes tick by like hours as my back became more acquainted with the tree bark pressing into it. I guess my hiding place was better than I imagined. Or Cali is trying to be kind.
I closed my eyes and hugged my knees a little tighter to my chest. I hoped that maybe it would help pass the time. The bark just dug it's teeth further into my back making it impossible to rest. Or at least I thought so.
How strange. I generally thought the sun seemed brighter after closing my eyes. When I opened my eyes, the sky seemed darker. Was a storm coming? I could not see any clouds in the glimpses of sky I saw through the tree's canopy.
Maybe I had fallen asleep? What I could see of the sun, seemed to be in a similar position as before and nowhere near twilight. I suppose it is easy to lose track of time when you feel like you've been hiding for eternity.
I heard footfalls on the ground beneath me, and let out a silent sigh of relief. I would not be lost forever with only my mental map to lead me home.
I wanted to call out to Cali and let her know she won, but I also know that would take some of the fun away from her. So I continued to wait.
I'm glad I waited. I heard a few more footfalls. Then it sounded like something scrambled up the tree near me. A second sound of scrambling followed closely behind. Followed by more footfalls on the ground.
What kind of animal walks loud enough for me to hear, but also climbs trees? The footsteps sounded like a biped. The sounds of animal footfalls was a gap in Lord Holden's survival curriculum.
I finally found the flaw in my hiding place. I could see the grove of trees in front of me, but I was completely blind at my back without risking exposure. With my luck, I would try to sneak a peek at the unknown creature and fall out of the tree.
There was a slight rustling in the tree next to mine. I dared not turn to see what animal set me on edge.
"Did you hear something?" A voice said from the ground. The person was out of my sight line, but the accent was unmistakable. He was a Norad.
The rustling I heard in the neighboring tree stopped immediately. If whatever was rustling understood the question, then there was a high chance my unknown tree companion was a human.
My blood could have turned to ice. I was so scared. I abandoned Alina to go prove my worth and would most likely end up in enemy hands.
Another set of footfalls could be heard joining the first. The crunch of the first leaves falling from the branches breaking underneath human feet echoed in my ears.
"I don't hear anything!" Another man responded in the same unmistakable accent. This man's voice had some maturity to it that the first one lacked. "Stop being so paranoid."
With that the two men continued their trek. They slowly made their way into my field of vision. Scouts, dressed in black and green leather armor both with black hair ambled in front of me. Were these men just mapping the forest? They happened to be walking in the direction of the manor.
If one of those men was scared by the rustling, then whatever caused it must not be with them. I slowly turned my head to glance at my neighboring tree. Cali and Holden were both hidden in its canopy.
Cali was higher in the tree and could better see me. She put her finger over her mouth, telling me to be quiet. I guess the danger was not just those men. Holden's face looked stern. Closer to the mask he wore at court to carry out official duties.
I guess my hiding spot was not as expertly picked as I hoped, but for once I'm glad that my companions found me. A measure of relief passed over me. Somehow it did nothing to thaw that frozen feeling inside me and I shivered. I noticed Cali shiver as well. Maybe this wasn't my fear that made me tremble.
The day also seemed to be getting darker. A storm must be brewing. It seemed the only explanation that made sense.
I opened my mouth to ask my companions how long we should wait, but quickly snapped it shut. I could hear more footfalls. The scouts were not for mapping. They were for a crowd of travelers. More footfalls crunched through the leaves.
I could hear them getting closer and closer. I looked toward my friends and balled myself tighter, trying to will myself into invisibility.
The company started to walk in the path between Cali and Holden's tree and my hideout. I watched as a few soldiers, mixed men and women walked in front. Who would be important enough to travel with such an entourage?
A woman with a long black traveler's cloak trimmed around the bottom in green leather lacing that resembled spider webbing sat atop a stallion. She passed into my line of sight with a short man almost hovering at the horse's heel.
The man wore a tunic that looked like in a former life it might have been dyed a sunny yellow, but now looked as though it was thrown in a vat of green dye, neither color winning in the end.
"Halt!" The woman screamed. Turning back in the direction of her followers, I saw her face for the first time. The Autarch was in the woods.