The Clearing

<p>A sky full of stars greets us. More than could ever be counted, shining and twinkling.<br/>A red moon sits in the middle of the tiny lights, completing the beautiful canvas that makes up the sky.<br/>I could look for hours and never get bored.<br/>However, I force myself to look down and absorb the rest of my surroundings.<br/>We stepped out into a clearing coated with pine needles, muffling everyones footsteps. Pine trees circle the little clearing, rock clusters creating breaks in the tree line.<br/>Torches had been set periodically around the edge of the clearing, the flames flickering in the soft breeze.<br/>Looking back behind me, the large opening we had all walked out of is minuscule compared to the towering mountain it is apart of. A rectangular slab of rock lies on the right side of the cave entrance.<br/>'What moved it? That things got to weigh more than a few tons…'<br/>The last few people are stepping out from the cave, mouths agape. A very short girl with a bob cut dressed in jeans and a hoodie emerges last. Looking at the surroundings, she quietly darted into the crowd of people.<br/>Another person catches my eye.<br/>He's got black jeans and a black tank top on. A silver chain hangs from his belt loops and he's got a couple of rings on his ears and one on his lip.<br/>Some of the people around me are quietly talking, making gestures towards the cave and forest. A few people are walking around, asking everyone if they know where we are.<br/>There's a lot more than twenty of us. Maybe a hundred or so. And no one seemed familiar.<br/>"Ey, watch it!"<br/>Hearing the same sarcastic voice that was in the cave, I look in the direction it came from.<br/>I can see the guy with the buzz cut angrily looking down on a shorter, skinnier guy wearing a dirty hoodie. He's thin, rodent like face trembled in fear. Front teeth just a little too big for his mouth clack as his jaw shakes.<br/>"I-I'm sorry! I d-didn't mean to run into you."<br/>"Don't matter that you're sorry! You shoulda watched where the hell you were going!"<br/>The thinner guy cowered when the man in front of him raised a fist.<br/>"That is enough!"<br/>I recognise the serious tone of voice and turn to see him pushing through the crowd.<br/>Smoothly walking over in a pair of khakis and a navy blue cardigan, the torch light flashes off glasses as he steps between the two of them.<br/>Looking up at the seemingly new contender with a scowl, the hyper aggressive man pushed his already slicked back hair out of his face. It's steadily getting redder and redder, a vein popping out of his neck and forehead.<br/>Afraid that a fight is about to break out, I muster my courage and walk up to them, putting my hand on tomatoe heads shoulder.<br/>"Calm down, it was an honest mistake. He's already said sorry."<br/>He turns, directing the full power of his glare at me. Not backing down, I tighten my grip on his shoulder, meeting his dark grey eyes with my own.<br/>We stand like this, unblinking, neither of us moving an inch. People around us can see the tension, and are nudging their new friends.<br/>Seeing this, he shrugs my hand off his shoulder with a grunt and turns around, grumbling and rubbing his shoulder as he slowly walks away.<br/>I follow him with my eyes until I lose sight of him in the crowd.<br/>The boy who had accidentally started the encounter collapsed to the ground. After giving him a few seconds to compose himself, I offer him a hand up.<br/>Taking my hand gratefully, he manages to get to his feet, looking paler than a ghost.<br/>"Thanks" he squeeks after turning to look at me and the man wearing khakis, "I-I don't know what would've happened if he started f-fighting me. I don't think I'm very good in brawls."<br/>He gives a weak laugh then looks down at the ground.<br/>I chuckle a little bit, then pat him on the shoulder.<br/>"It's no biggie, don't worry about it. Besides, I think you could have laid him out."<br/>I give him a wink, then turn to guy who had joined the confrontation before me.<br/>"Thanks for stepping in. It's not easy to stand up to people as hyper aggressive as that."<br/>"As you said, it was not a big deal. By the way, I'm Matthew."<br/>"Nice to meet you, I'm Kairo."<br/>Surprisingly, I remember my name quite easily.<br/>"Kairo, huh? Interesting name. Oh, I'm Ratto! But you can call me Rat."<br/>I scratch the back of my head and grin in response to Ratto's comment.<br/>"Thanks, if remembered where I got it I'd tell you. Speaking of, do you guys have any clue what's going on?"<br/>Matthew quickly responds.<br/>"I am not sure. The only thing I remember is waking up in that cave and talking to that rude barbarian over there."<br/>He tilts his head in the direction the angry guy walked off in.<br/>"And now we are in a forest. There really does not seem to be-"<br/>My head snaps up and I make a motion for him to be quiet. Something feels different, but I can't tell what it is.<br/>I glance around and try to listen, but the conversations in the background are too loud.<br/>When my eyes search around the trees I realize what's wrong.<br/>"Where did the breeze go?"<br/>As soon as I said that, It appeared.<br/>I say It because I'm not sure what It is. Wrapped tightly in black fabric, there's no telling if it's male or female.<br/>I'm not even sure it's human. While not being all that big in general, I can still feel an aura around it that tells me it's dangerous.<br/>"So you guys are the new group, huh? You don't look all that impressive to me. Well, a job is a job. And who knows what threat you might be to us in the future…"<br/>The masculine voice coming from under a grey mask deepened as a sinister energy filled the clearing.</p>