A week goes by and I'm now underground with the other females. I make my way over to Lily.
"How have you been doing?" I sit next to her and watch her sew elegantly.
"Honestly, I'm afraid. When the king took the mark off me he told me I would be going to one of his sons. I hear their mating is very rough and that's why Polly killed herself. I'm so scared I don't know what to do." Lily started crying after speaking.
"What if I told you I had a plan." Lily gave me a look of disbelief.
"Impossible. Why wait for more than two years to come up with a plan?" Lily sounded a little angry.
"At first, I was too scared to try. I kept hearing how the females that tried were tortured horribly. Then there are our people. I don't know how many of us survived the volcano eruption or if there was anyone at all. So I'm trying to consider the females that are here but the only ones I'll be able to get are the young ones and they're not fast or experienced which means I had other things I needed to prepare for traveling just in case. When you're doing everything by yourself it takes time. I'm sorry I couldn't let you in on what I was doing. I also feared if you got in trouble, you'd rat me out and all my plans would be ruined. The first night we are above ground meet me by the healers backdoor. I'll need your help to gather the young ones that will escape with us. I noticed how good you are at sewing. We'll need extra clothes and blankets so if you don't mind could you make some for us?" Lily nodded and we planned a little more before separating and playing with the young ones. My people were the last ones brought in, so there weren't a lot of young ones left. About twelve of us were left now. And no females have been born among the rogues and female slaves.
The day before they would go above ground Lily and Lyria met up again.
"Do you know where you're going?"
"Honestly no, that's another reason I was hoping you would come. See the forest is being attacked constantly by other clans but sadly no one has been able to get through. So we'll be going around them by going out from the side of the forest. Clans are always going on patrols around the forest but I've found the safest way out through a tunnel I've created. Before we go up I've got most of the things we'll need already at the end of the tunnel waiting for us. Did you make the warm clothes that I asked for?"
"Yes, all the young ones have a set of warm and cool clothing."
"That's great. How is Sam doing?"
"She's better now. It sucks we lost Pea last winter, and now Sam is getting sick like she did."
"Sam is strong I believe she will make it. Remember tomorrow night."
"Yes, meet at the healer's back door with the young ones an hour after curfew."
"Good now get some sleep. You're going to need it." We fell asleep all huddled together.