*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera
I awoke to a light touch on my forehead and groaned, my body ached all over. "Good morning, sleepy head." An unfamiliar young female voice said.
My eyes shot open and I stared unblinking at the girl with light brown wavy hair that framed her face, her brown eyes twinkled with laughter.
I wasn't sure I could do another Vivian/ crazy person waking up session right now. "What's going on?" I questioned her.
Her eyes blinked about 10 times in a roll before she smiled. "Aw don't worry. I ain't a bad guy. Mink said to let you sleep but I was trying to brush the ant off her face." She said innocently.
I moved my hands, they felt normal, not bound. "Where is Mink?" I asked as I sat up. The girl spoke more quickly this time. "Oh, she went off to brood. Her and Dixie went at it after we saved you guys." She grinned.
"Oh." I said, trying to understand what had happened. The girl beside me moved away from me and I looked around the camp. I lay on a blanket beside the fire that burned low.
"Why did you guys come help?" I asked her and she fiddled with a bag. "Destiny got Mink's note and she sent Dixie, but I wanted to come along. Plus my air magic helped us get here faster." She pulled a smaller bag out and pulled out a fruit.
She cut it up and handed it to me wrapped in the cloth. "I guess I am glad you guys came, I was pretty much dead."
The girl didn't look much older than me, I guessed she was my age. "Yeah, you were!! I couldn't believe how great you were though. I could see your attacks from a mile away."
I remembered why we were here and stopped my hand from placing the food in my mouth. "Did we get Clay?" She sighed and gave me a slight shake of her head. "No, Mink says that the last guy got away. We both searched afterwards, but we couldn't find any trace of them."
Her words made my heart sink. "Mink wants us to go back to Destiny and get a full search party. But Dixie says no! She would die before she left Clay alone." She smiled. "Everyone knows that Dixie likes Clay." She stared at me then blushed. "But you shouldn't worry…"-
"Worry about what?!" A woman's high monotone voice came from the left of the clearing. "Kristine, what did I tell you about running your mouth?"
Kristine's face reddened and she squirmed. "Sorry." She muttered. Dixie looked me over with an upturned nose. She was pretty with black curls that hung loosely down her back and cold light brown eyes. Her face screwed up in a scowl.
"Eat fast. We will leave soon." She commanded me. My eyes flicked to Kristine, she gave me a hidden smile before she stood. I wrapped the fruit in the cloth and got to my feet.
I realized how much I wanted to just crawl back into the blankets and fall back to sleep once I had stretched and yawned. I couldn't have slept more than a couple hours I figured.
A couple minutes later Mink stomped her away back into camp. Grumbling, she helped Kristine pack away their stuff, she gave me a hug, lingering to tell me that you were glad I was okay.
I felt alright. I was sure a lot more practice and mediation would help me keep up my energy. We made our way out of camp and started in the direction of the capital along the ocean's edge.
Mink's and Dixie's personality continued to clash whenever there happened to be anything up for discussion.
Only once had it almost come to blows when I was dumb enough to ask if Clay would be alright. Mink had landed a punch in Dixie's face before Kristine yelled at them to stop.
Kristine was pretty smart and not quite what I had expected Mink's sister to be like. She was quiet at times, but other times she babbled about anything that came to her mind.
We traveled four days before Mink approached me with the idea of sending Monique out again to scout. "We need some more information, we are just guessing at this point. Monique could catch the scent and point us in the right direction."
I wasn't sure I wanted to part with Monique, again but I nodded. Kristine sat beside us and watched in silence.
I let Monique out after a quick talk with her before I turned to Mink and sighed. Monique took off. We all sat in silence.
After an hour Kristine took the liberty to brush my hair, I couldn't really tell her no. But I didn't mind it after the big snarls were out. She took her time braiding it. Mink watched us as Kristine once again started talking a mile a minute.
I couldn't answer anything she said but she seemed to fill in both roles in her conversation. Dixie had left for a while but soon returned with a deep scowl.
I realized she scowled more than any other expression humans make. After about a minute of listening to Kristine she told her to stuff a sock in it. Everyone was on edge.
We waited. Kristine finished my hair and sat down in front of me and handed me the brush. I took it hesitantly and awkwardly started to brush, not sure how to. I brushed my hair all the time but I hadn't brushed anyone else's.
"Not like that.!" Kristine finally grew annoyed and took the brush from me and shifting her position she ran the brush through her hair. "You don't do girls stuff much huh?"
I didn't know what she meant. I did plenty of 'girls stuff' I cooked, I cleaned. I knew how to tend a garden. And even how to sew. "That's not nice." Mink chided her sister. "What she means Cassy, is. You don't usually do a lot of girl bonding stuff."
Kristine blushed and I gave her an understanding smile. I didn't take offense. Monique returned with soft foot falls.
Dixie was on her feet in a second and fire gathered in her hands with a whispered word. I stood quickly and glared at her. She stared me down. as Monique closed in on me. "You're crazy, that is a monster.!"
Monique vanished with a warm feeling. "Yeah I am, also she is not a monster!" I turned from her and stocked off a couple steps.
"What did you do that for!?" Mink instantly yelled at Dixie. They began to quarrel. All I wanted to do was plant my hands over my ears. "Don't bother with them." Kristine came to stand beside me. "So what did Monique find?"