Leaving home

*POV* Cassy Iris Aleera

Mother came back about an hour later with my father on a buggy pulled by a black stocky horse with white stockings and long hair around its hooves. It was a pretty horse.

I got off the ground and walked to meet them. Fred also came up to meet my parents. I watched him closely but didn't stop him. "Mr. Alreea, you don't have to go! The people see you as family and we would love to help you rebuild."

I looked around and was surprised at how many men of the village had gathered to see us go or stay. My father clamped a hand on Fred's shoulder. "Although I appreciate that, we have decided to go live with my brother in lake view."

"Cassy good, are you ready to go?" I wondered how he had convinced uncle Reese to agree to us moving there. I glance at our dugout. Nothing was going to be able to be pulled out of there in time to take with us, so I nod. He gave me a smile.

He seemed excited to be going, my spirits lifted too at his laugh as he told Fred that he should come see us soon. Aria was beside me in a second. "I guess this is goodbye." I looked at her in surprise. "We never say goodbye, plus I thought you were coming!" She smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah about that.. I changed my mind." I watched her, she was looking at Fred and her hand lightly rubbed her flat stomach.

"You guys patched things up?" I questioned. She smiled. "Be safe Cassy- I hope you find someone just like me." She pulled me in for a hug, careful not to squeeze Sophie.

In just that moment her arms wrapped around my shoulders, a loud cracking sound came from the forest. The sound sent birds flying and a cloud of dust and debris flew into the air. I watched stunned as 2 treetops disappeared into the trees.

"What's happening?!" I asked no one in particular. Aria took Sophie from me. "You should go check it out, I think it might be your friends."

"Oh no!" I thought. "Clay had gone for a walk." I stared at her for a second before I sprinted off in that direction.

I reached the spot the trees had fallen to find Mink face down in the dirt, I ran to her and knelt. She didn't move, turning her over I looked into her dirty face, fallen trees lay around us. I felt her neck in a slight panic. "Was she dead?!"

Her eyes opened slowly and my pounding heart slowed its hammering. "Ughhh!" She groaned, bringing a hand to feel her head. "They have Clay." She took me as she slowly moved to get up.

My mind went blank at her words. "Who has him?" I cried, I stared around us as my fists clench. "Some dude." she sat up- "I didn't see them close up, but- ugh- we should probably go after him right-" she swore when she pulled her hand from her head and saw blood.

She looked around and we both saw the edge of her backpack where it was squished under a tree. She swore again, I was quite surprised. She stumbled a bit over to it and sank down on the log. She pulled at her pack and finally got it open. I wondered what she was searching for, she pulled a soaked shirt out with a tug.

"You won't have a healing elixir by any chance would you?" She asked me as I walked to stand beside her. "Nope." She stood and straightened her back wincing. "I guess we have to go without it, my head is killing me."

She stumbled off into the trees. I glanced back towards the village. My family was back there waiting for me to join them, but I had to go get Clay.

I had seen Mink send a messenger bird, so I cupped my hands and brought my lips close to them and blew. I wasn't sure what I should expect, I waited a second and nothing happened. "Are you coming!?" Mink shouted from deeper in the trees. I groaned.

This was my chance to get back at the king, so I turned my back on the village, my family and friends and I ran towards Mink's lingering voice.

She sat on a log waiting, when I reached her she stood and we began walking. "What's the plan?" I inquired. "Well we have to do this the old fashioned way because my head is killing me, so I guess we find their tracks. They will be much deeper than when they came because of Clay's added wait." She had her eyes on the soft dirt in front of us.

My eyes fell to the path. "There!" She pointed, rubbing her aching head. I looked at the large boot print that was definitely heading away from us. She eyed them for a minute before sighing. "It looks like about three of them, makes sense how they got behind me."

She looked up to the sky and groaned loudly, she pinched her eyes closed. "Are you okay?"

"If I wasn't afraid Clay would die. I would just leave it to him. But I think he has a plan for him." It didn't make a lot of sense but I nodded. "I could just go ahead." She stopped me with a hand in front of my face. "No, I am coming. I will just have to deal with this. I have had worse."

"You sure?" She pointed in the direction that the footprint led. "We go that way." Then she started walking, ignoring my question. Then I remembered the message. "Could you send a message to my family?"