[u][b]Empie- Forest Cave.[/b][/u]

She’d heard the bells toll and she knew what that meant, real trouble, the streets were alive with anger and fear and she used it to her advantage running through the streets and back to their secret hideout, soon it would no doubt be swarmed with people and so she had to be quick. Grabbing one of Avalon’s large knapsacks she packed the groups usual clothes within, Kucing’s yellow dress and shoes, the pretty ring Gid had got her too. She grabbed Sel’s things from his bunk and what she could find of Gid’s that seemed important. Then she stuffed her jewel bag inside, put on her pendant from Gid and grabbed a few waterskins, a couple loaves of bread, a few apples and some edible seeds that Avalon had sworn would make the difference between life and death if it got to that. She also grabbed one of Avalon’s research books, a length of rope, some string and a tinderbox he’d kept on his desk. Buckling the bag shut she leapt to her usual window and slipped out just as the barking got closer.

Stupid dogs, she waited for the shadowy Atropos to disappear before leaping to the ground and running into the streets. Grabbing up a fallen cloak she slung it around her shoulders and pulled it up over her face and eyes. She blended with the panicked crowd who were now between mourning and panic at what had happened. Avoiding the Atropos the best she could she picked her way from one stream of people to another, avoiding the sniffers the Atropos used wherever possible. It took her a while to reach the cities edge and longer as she leaned against a tree and steeled her nerves for the next bit. She always bragged about the street, about the things she’d done to survive, she hadn’t minded the life but to say she hadn’t been afraid every day, every waking minute of her life since realising what she was would be a lie. 

She wanted to hate herself, she was a monster, she’d had such pretty eyes when she was younger, all the boys had said how beautiful she was and her mother and father had loved her so much. Then every trace of warmth had been ripped away, every friend she had was gone, even her parents found her disgusting. She’d spent her first weeks crying on the street, her nights spent wide eyed in fear of rapists or murderers and her days so scared of being caught that she hardly ate. Then one day she woke up, it was okay to feel sad but what good was it doing her? It wasn’t and so she’d decided to not be sad anymore, even still she had to swipe at the tears on her cheeks now and still her heart. [i]Survive first, cry later.[/i]

She listened intently for a good few minutes, hearing only a small slither which she spotted to be a black length of scales, she had no idea if that was who she hoped but she chose to believe it was. Creepy snake girl had not though been intending to leave with them so even if it was her she could not follow her to the others. She had to think, red eyes scanned the floor finding residual heat traces leading off through thick scrub, with one last listen she dropped the cloak, balling it into a hole in a tree and kicking leaves and mud atop it. Then she broke into a sprint making for the scrub and not looking back, she ignored the way it threatened to rip her clothes or how it caught her fingers and cheeks and ploughed through, following the rapidly cooling spots until she came to a part where they disappeared completely. She felt hopeless until she heard, faintly, Avalon’s voice and followed it the rest of the way to the cave. 

Kucing was naked again, no surprise there, Avalon was speaking to a white haired boy, that made her feel a little less special but she didn’t care, slinking into the cold dank shadows she leaned heavily against a wall, held up one finger, put both hands to her knees and began drawing long deep breaths of air. She heard Avalon’s words come to a stop, no plan? She looked up almost shocked but tried to hide it, Kucing caressed his hair and said something to him before addressing them all. Empie had no reason to doubt Kucing, she was clearly more suited for forest living than any of them and so the little demon made no attempt to deny or oppose her. It was the only plan they had right? Not that it was very much of one right now but it was better than none.

Personally Empie had always hated these woods, when she’d gotten really hungry a few times she’d come here to hunt for animals, it all looked the same to her, trees were trees they didn’t seem different and she thought she’d get lost so many times. The wall against her back was cold and after all the screaming and violence she felt very small and very defenceless. Wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt she bit back the wobble in her lip and as quiet as she could sniff back the tears she wanted to shed. This wasn’t fun anymore and she just wanted to go home, not that she could, not that any of them could now. 

She bit her lip and briefly put her forehead to her knees, what was the use in being sad? She knew one way or another the home would never last, she had good memories there though right? The others probably didn’t feel the same, they’d probably leave too once they’d seen she’d got their things, or those she could carry anyway. She’d be alone again and it was terrifying but that was how life went and for now she was the happy one right? With a deep breath she let out slowly she forced the sadness to the back of her mind and bounced up to her feet as Kucing went to the mouth of the cave, “Well, I figure you all owe me big time.” The girl said, forcing the usual gleeful tone into her voice and grinning that wide smile of hers. Opening the knapsack she carefully dumped the contents onto the ground, spreading it out with her fingers; and sliding her jewel pouch into the back of her trousers, before glancing up at them all with that pixie smile of hers. “I’ll have you all know I was very tempted to keep all of this, well some of it, well just the shiny things really, I mean some of you have some really boring stuff, like Avalon, you know that book of yours, the list you were making? Boar-ring!” She grinned as she flipped through the book and casually put it down again.