*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera
"It seems they cut through the stream…" Mink sighed and pointed to where the tracks disappeared into the clear rushing water. "Now it's just a matter of whether they went upstream or downstream.?"
She stared at the water for a moment. "Let's split up, you go downstream, I will go upstream, we will meet back here in 10 minutes. Remember to look for anything that looks like someone getting out of the stream." I nod and turn the opposite way she did.
I had gone about 60 yards when I saw a spot where the grass was bent and the bank was broken on my side of the stream. I studied the ground in front of me as I continued walking when I saw the dampened down grass on the other bank. I knew I had found it.
I turned back and started walking only to see Mink stumbling towards me. She came to a stop beside me with a curse. "I was kinda hoping they would have just set up camp for the night here.!"
She sank to the ground. Her uplifting and bright demeanor was gone as she sighed heavily into her hands. "I am sorry." She says all of a sudden. "What for?" I ask.
"Nothing… we should keep going!" She moved to get up. "No, we should rest." She looked at me for a second. "Are you sure? We could still catch them tonight." I could see her fatigue, I sigh and sat down beside her. "You need some rest, maybe I can get Monique to go scout!"
Mink thought for a second then nodded. "Alright, you rest. I will keep watch." Mink laid back and closed her eyes. Glancing around us I noticed a lizard standing unmoving on a dry leaf at the base of a young tree.
I realized how quiet the forest was, the motionless evening was filled with the sound of my breath and running water. I stare at the small fish as they move so effortlessly under the clear surface.
My mind filled with the thought of how it would feel to swim like a fish. "Monique? Would you be willing to go take a look around?" she stirred. "Sure." She left me and stood beside me for a second before jumping the stream and disappearing into the thick trees.
I wasn't sure what I would ever do without her, she had become so familiar. I couldn't imagine living without her. A couple hours passed and the sun completely disappeared and the moon took up lighting the sky.
Monique still hadn't returned, my eyes started to droop closed. Soon I couldn't stay awake any longer and I fell into a peaceful sleep.
I clenched my fist in the warm fur that rubbed my cheek, I opened my eyes and looked around me. I lay on my side in the grass pressed up against something warm, Mink sat beside the stream. The paw that lay over my side moved, I sat up.
Monique's head came up and she moved to rub her head on my arm. I smiled, before looking back at Mink. She had turned around. "Good you're up. I am guessing that Monique went out, what did she see?"
Monique faded away and the warm feeling followed. "So I found them." Monique told me as she settled down. "You did!? Where?"
"About 5 miles ahead of us, there are 5 of them. I didn't see any elements but I wouldn't be surprised if they all had them." Relayed the information to Mink.
She stood and I followed. "Well this is good. We should be able to make good time." I nod. "How's your head?" She sighed. "It's throbbing but I will be fine."
I wanted to protest but I nodded. "Alright let's go." We crossed the stream and started down the path Monique pointed out. We walked in silence.
I had to figure we were somewhere in the forest east of my village, I had never been this far. We would probably reach the ocean soon. The uncomfortable sounds of my stomach soon became all I could think of.
"You should stop and eat." Monique said sleepily, I knew she was right but the need to rescue Clay was a bigger issue. "If you don't eat you will not be able to catch up to him, you will lose strength and pass out." My brain told me.
"Yeah but a human can go a while without food. I had water. I should be good!" My conversation with myself continued. "Yeah but it shouldn't be that hard to cook a rabbit or something. Right?" Mink stepped over a large log and I followed.
"Yeah but you don't know how to control your fire. You would probably burn down the forest." I glared at my right hand. "Ugh. This is dumb. It can't be that hard! I only ever did fire and air when I was really mad."
"Okay, stop! Quit beating yourself up, just remember one thing. If you die of hunger or any other way, I will die with you…" Monique's quiet works had me thinking even harder.
We went another 20 or so minutes before I sighed. "Maybe we should stop and eat something?" Mink flinched at my words but stopped. I wondered if she really was okay.
"Yeah, sure. Do you know how to hunt?" She asked as she turned to me. I stood surprised. "No." She smiled tiredly. "Alright, I will show you how to."
She stepped off the path, I followed, she stepped lightly. "The key is to be quiet and fast, and paying attention to everything around you." She stopped me with an arm across my chest. "Okay right there!" She pointed to a small bird as she whispered the words.
She then took a breath and whispered a spell. A rush of wind covered our faces as a tiny bolt of air flew at the target. It was over in a second, the bird fell. "Wow. That was so fast.!!" I breathed in awe. She chuckled. "It's nothing."