Wild Tribe, Crystal Chen [ereader ebook txt] 📗

pit. I snuggled in my deerskin bed, sleepiness tugging at my eyes as they drooped shut, giving away to a peaceful slumber. Chapter 11

Thunder boomed, and lightning crackled, splitting the sky into two halves with a jagged flash of light. Dark cloud rolled in, and Mica flinched as a drop of rain splashed on her arm. She tried to concentrate on the game she was playing with Pepper and Chive, but he mind spun with questions. Why did Amber and her mom come? Did they come just to try to take her back?

"We'd better get back to camp." Chive's urgent voice broke into her thoughts. She was gazing at the ominous clouds, her playful smile vanished. Mica deflated inwardly with relief, and quickly said, before she could change her mind, "Right. Let's go."

The trio hurried along, hoping to arrive in the shelter of the teepee before the sky tore open in a downpour. Mica jogged as lightly as she could, not only with hopes to get out of the rain, but also to see what happened with Amber and her mom.

A flash of lightning cracked the sky like an eggshell just as they entered the clearing. A light drizzle was showering the forest with soft drumming. Mica's eyes darted immediately to the recover teepee, but all was silent. Willow gave the three a small nod of acknowledgment, dark circles under her eyes that indicated her weariness. Mica smiled and waved as starting toward the main teepee, eager to get out of the rain. Pepper trotted alongside her, obviously not bothered by the change of weather. The young warrior's mouth gaped in a sleepy yawn. "I'm off for a nap." she announced, rubbing her eyes as she ducked into the teepee. Mica followed, feeling Willow's hard eyes grazing her back as she entered the room.

"Excuse me." said Maple politely as she was just about to exit. Mica's heart lifted at the sight of her new friend. "No problem." she answered lightly. Maple didn't reply, and stepped out into the hardening storm.

Eyes drooping, Mica snuggled in the soft deerskin blankets, and her last thought before loosing conciousness was Amber, you will never get me to leave. This is were I belong.

A flash of doubt entered her mind as she saw Maple's friendly face, her lips moving as she had said, Willow doesn't plan to keep you here for very long. You'll find out pretty soon when that is.

*****

"I interrogated your mother and sister, Mica." declared Willow as we all sat down in the dewy grass, including the intruders. I stole a glance at my bow, propped up against the main teepee, only a few steps away.

"They have a good reason for coming back for you." Willow continued, her gaze sweeping over the family of three, who sat opposite of each other. Mica's eyes were downcast, her lips pressed together in an expression of dismay. "Your release date will be tomorrow morning, and we will send you away with your family. You must never come back. No kindness will be shown toward intruders in our territory."

"We won't." Mica's sister promised, her eyes glinting with triumph. The glimmer of tears appeared at the tips of Mica's eyes, but she gritted her teeth and blinked them away. I felt a rush of pity and something bitter as regret. Mica's mother remained blank and motionless, and when Willow had announced Mica's release, her mouth twitched upwards in the beginnings of a smirk.

Bitterness rose in my throat as I glared stonily at the two humans. But deep in my heart I knew Willow's judgment was just.

The meeting was dissmissed and with a wave of her hand Willow shooed us away. I swallowed hard and blinked rapidly to force back the upcoming flow of tears.

Breathing hard, I skimmed up the old oak tree, and in my heart I knew what I was going to carve in that open space on the ivory stag horn. I twirled the knife in my fingers and skillfully began to cut the stone hard surface.

Many times I glanced down at the camp, searching for the face I was copying, making sure that I got it perfectly right. Each curve in her face, the right position of her eyes, long lashes, whisky hair that swayed in the wind.

"Hey Maple!" Willow's voice drove me back to the oak, as I was drowning in the perfection of the carving's flawless eyes. "What are you doing up there?"

"Working!" I replied, tearing my eyes away from the beautiful girl I had just born of that empty space. "What's up?"

"Nothing really. I was just wondering if you'd like to go on a little hunt with me. You know. To stock up for the winter."

I felt an urge to leapt down the tree and agree. My muscles itched for a good hunt. "No thanks." I answered. "I'm working on something very important up here." I hoped my tone sounded light.

Willlow raised her eyebrows. "Whatever you say." she said. "I'll go fetch Chive. And let me have a look at that 'very important project' later." She disappeared into the trees, and I gulped a little, wondering what her reaction would be. Sighing, I looked at my work, almost finished, and pondered on whether I should just throw it in the river. So much hard work wasted. My lips pressed in a thin line. No. I'm doing this for her.

My heart tickled like tiny feathers were brushing the softest sections. In a way I felt giddy with excitement, but also sick with grief and worry. Teeth gritted, I carved the last part; a missing chin and ear, her forearm just showing on the screen. As I admired my handiwork, I noticed something was wrong. Where's her smile? I stared with disgust at the thin, grim line that worked for her mouth. I shook my head and tilted her lips upward, so that she showed just the hint of a wonderful, mysterious smile.

I smiled a little and placed both back in the crack. I slid slowly down the trunk of the tree and gazed around the camp. A freshly skinned rabbit hung over the fire roast. Willow's bow and arrow were missing from the rack. Mica's mother and sister were no where to be found, and even Mica herself was missing. Chive and Pepper left footprints in the muddy soil, their tracks leading far off, out of my view. No one was guarding camp. Except for me.

Fear prickled up and down my spine. I shuddered and tried to reassure myself, everything's fine. You are not going to be attacked. But just in case, I hurriedly grabbed my bow and arrows, one projectile notched and ready to fire.

Footsteps sounded just outside the camp. My blood turned to ice and I spun around, bow drawn and arm quivering. A slender arm pulled back the ferns, revealing Willow.

I sighed wih relief and lowered my bow. "The prey are disappearig already." groaned the archer. "All I caught was a mouse, and even that was a very clumsy catch."

A trickle of panic crept up my throat. "We have enough to sustain ourselves, right?" I asked anxiously.

"For now, yes." she replied. "But we need more if we are to survive."

"I'll go out right away." I offered. She merely gave me a nod, but I could tell something was up. I decided not to bother her for now.

I sprinted silently through the wood, the trees just a blur of green and black around me. I drew my bow and fired at the small scuffling to my right. There was a squeal, and all was silent.

My heart lifted with triumph and and I went over to retrieve my kill. I froze. Is that a wolf cub?

Chapter 12

Maple's voice carried over the camp, loud and alarming. "Willow! Willow! Come help!"

Mica rushed out of the main teepee, Pepper and Chive behind her. She abandoned the game of "Poison, or not?" they were playing, all her attention directed to the other side of the clearing, where Maple and Willow crouched.

"Please save it." Maple was pleading. "I didn't mean to hurt it! It's just a cub! It doesn't deserve to die!"

Willow was calming her down. "Don't worry. The wound isn't too deep. Let's go to the recover teepee to have a closer look at it." The two scooped up something dark and furry and raced to the recover teepee.

A head poked out of the tent, just after the two warriors had entered. Mica's eyes narrowed and she instinctively bristled with anger, all muscles clenched with fury.

Amber strode coolly over to her, stopping only a few feet away. "Soo..." she smirked, arms crossed. "Ready to come home tomorrow?"

Mica seethed with anger, eyes blazing. "Shut your big fat mouth, idiot. I'm never going back with you!"

Amber took a step closer, and it took all Mica's will power not to step back. "Oh yeah?" Amber sneered. "Didn't you hear what that dork Willow said?"

"I heard it." Mica balled her fists. "And she's not a dork!"

Amber grinned wickedly, ignoring her sister's comment. "Getting mad, are you?" she jeered. "Come and fight me, you weak little coward!"

A wave of rage swept over her body. Mica desperately wanted to claw that ignorant smirk off her sister's face, but she was aware of Pepper's wide eyes staring at the scene. Chive stood beside her, frozen with shock as she watched the quarreling sisters.

The tent flap opened and Mica's mother appeared. Mica blew a sigh of relief and called, "Mom! Amber's being a stupid dope!"

Suddenly the mother spun around, eyes blazing with fire. "What did you call her?" her mother demanded, storming over. "My daughter is not a dope!"

Mica felt her heart tear in two. She burst into tears. "How can I live with these people?" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes. "I thought they loved me! I thought they would welcome me back! I thought that at least I could live with someone that actually cared, someone with a warm heart. Oh, how precious love is. I never got any! Until I met Willow, Maple, Chive and Pepper, I never felt how life should feel like. From them I felt love and care. So far I've felt none of that from you. None!" She yelled the last word, glaring at her family. Her eyes were fierce as a tigers, burning with hate dark as death. Amber's eyes widened as she saw Mica's fists ball up. Her legs bunched for a leap, face creased with anger. Pepper almost stepped in to stop her, but Chive held her back. "It is a fight for her to