Day 17

Jessica Wildness woke up because she was cold. Her cat companion and its friend were sleeping away nicely.

Jessica shock Autumn and woke her.

Autumn gave her an annoyed looked. But it was time to get up.

The sun was raising and as the light touched the ground it froze. The sun did not bring warmth nor comfort. It was a cold light that only illuminated things.

Jessica shivered.

Chase yawned and stretched.

“Frost.” He said fascinated by it.

“It gets boring quickly.” Autumn said “I am so glad you came last night. We would both me dead if you hadn’t come.”

“I was coming to find you because of how the peace talks were going. We agree you are now our leader and everyone will follow you. But I was openly opposed by our own people.” Chase complained.

“Why?” Autumn asked checking how much food and water they had.

“They believe we need to prove we don’t belong in the mines. They feel the queen has been fair to us.” He continued.

Autumn stopped.

She wanted to be upset but she needed to know more before saying anything to Chase.

“I will speak with them when I return.”

“Thank you.” Chase said.

“We don’t have enough food nor water. I am injured and she can’t walk.” Autumn referred to Jessica.

Autumn saw how Jessica was shivering.

“The girl can’t stay warm by herself. She lost a lot of blood.” Autumn told Chase.

“We will finish the bread I brought with and when we run low on water I will run and fill it. You can stay with Jessica.”

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“I promised those beasts I will hunt them down and kill them all.” Autumn told him

“Will you help me?” she asked him.

“Yes, and I will bring others who want to fight. We will kill them all.”

“They killed the cubs not for food but for fun. Even the horses, it was because they enjoyed killing.” Autumn told him.

Chase and Autumn made a fire. Then they gave Jessica some bread and water.

Jessica wasn’t feeling hungry. She was sore and tired. The numbness had mostly worn off and she could feel her legs and her face and everywhere else.

Autumn could see Jessica was in pain. She checked the wounds and put a fresh mix on her wounds.

“We need to start moving. Your friend is not well.” Chase said.

“She is not my friend.”

Chase shrugged. “If you say so.”

Chase picked Jessica up. They walked Jessica didn’t feel good. She lay her head on Chase’s shoulder.

They moved slower than before. Autumn was slower due to her injuries and Chase was carrying Jessica. They walked for hours until they ran out of water.

“Stay here I will run and get.” Chase said.

Autumn examined her wounds.

Jessica looked at the cat people.

“Jessica.” She said looking at Autumn.

The girl was talking again.

Jessica pointed to herself and said

“Jessica.”

She pointed at Autumn.

She did it again.

“Jessica.”

Pointed at Autumn.

Autumn looked at Jessica’s wounds. They were numb and looking alright. No infection was setting in.

Jessica looked at the sky.

“I am going home.” She told the universe.

“I Am Going Home!” she repeated with determination.

Jessica watched Autumn waiting and looking for Chase to return.

When he did, he had two water skins and more bread.

“Looks like a storm is coming. It might miss us but I don’t want to take a chance. When I was on the outside of Point, I could see a storm brewing.”

“Can we get to shelter near Point or are we making one?” Autumn asked.

“We need better shelter than what we can make in the open.”

“Did you see anything?” Autumn asked.

She remembered she had seen something when tracking Jessica.

“I saw a small cave near the stream where Black Beard’s men camped.” Autumn smelt the air “This way.”

Chase carried Jessica and they headed towards some trees.

Autumn jumped over the stream and looked around.

“There it is.” Autumn pointed to a small opening cover by branches.

They squeezed in. The cave was more of a small hole in the side of the stream bank.

About one meter high and one and a half meters deep.

“If the storm comes, we can weather it out here.” Autumn said.

Jessica ate. She ate because she knew she needed too. Sitting was good. Chase wasn’t hurting her while carrying her. But the movement made her nauseous.

It was obvious to her that Chase and Autumn liked each other.

Autumn changed into a dark blue panther and licked her wounds. Chase made a small fire at the entrance and gathered wood. If the storm did hit them, he wanted to have warmth.

The storm did hit them.

The wind blew and it sprayed water into the cave. The fire in the entrance was extinguished. Hail fell making everything white as if it had snowed.

Jessica sat at the back of the cave shivering. It was cold in the cave. But at least she was out of the wind and rain. The fire had warmed the cave a little before the storm hit.

“It’s a big one.” Chase said.

The storm raged and lightning crashed.

Autumn moved next to Jessica.

“Hey cat woman.” Jessica greeted

“It’s a complement really, the name cat woman, she’s capable and sexy and has a good heart most of the time.” Jessica continued “Cat woman is always… eeeee” Jessica object to water splashing on her.

Autumn looked at the dirty girl who kept on talking even though she knew no one understood her. She admired how Jessica just kept on going. This bundle of trouble was not so bad.

The storm finally passed and they continued on their way. It was a long walk. But they made it to the castle. The sun had set and the air and sky were clear after the afternoon storm.

Jessica saw Drake sitting in the castle garden with a woman who back was to her.

“Drake!” Jessica called.

She pushed herself free from Chase’s arms and walked with great difficulty towards him.

Continues in the next Chapter Night Terrors.