The Prophecy

Reality

                 After the shots were fired the sound rang in her hears as she flung herself up gasping from the reoccurring nightmare, that’s haunted her for the past few months. The first time she had it, Peyton practically flew out of bed, she woke up her little sister, Amethyst, she actually woke Amethyst up the 1st few weeks of having it, but the 1st was the worst.

                 After hearing about the dragons, Amethyst has been extremely scared to sleep alone, every night and their father snores, not to mention the 1st year or two of Amethyst’s life they shared this bed room, sleeping with Peyton feels more natural. Amethyst wasn’t technically Peyton’s sister by blood, Peyton found her, took her in and saved her life. Really Amethyst saved Peyton, she loves her more than anything on this earth. Finding Amethyst felt like a gift from heaven at a time when she really needed it. She remembers that day like it was yesterday.

                 When Peyton was 14, on the morning of her mother’s funeral she was out hunting, really it was walking around the forest in the pouring rain with a bow wondering if it was true that she had in fact lost her mother. That morning Peyton didn’t want to be alive without her, so she wondered around trying to clear her head and prepare for the crying crowd telling her what she knew already, that her mother was the most amazing woman in Fells Falls and how she was too young. Peyton knew all of that, she knew 14 was too young to lose her too and she didn’t need to hear how she’s “handling it all so well” because she wasn’t she just knew her father, who was a mess, needed her to be stronger than she was so she hid it and cried with Hunter when her father wasn’t around.

                 As she was heading home a woman in a full-length ball gown and coat was running into the woods, she didn’t even see Peyton. Her weird choice of attire for the woods, in a storm no less, made Peyton want to follow her. Really, she felt like she was being pulled to follow the woman. The rain muffled the sound of Peyton running behind her as well as helping hide Peyton when the woman would look around. Had Peyton’s father not taught her to hunt she wouldn’t have been able to follow with the heavy down pour, even with it she hid behind trees just in case whenever she saw the dress spin around as she checked for followers, like Peyton. The woman was careless, she didn’t look for any animals or tree roots that could trip her, just looked behind her every few seconds, Peyton stopped hiding there was no point. Peyton wondered as she followed what she turned for anyway while she had to kill the few animals that were out ready to attack as they ran, completely careless and yet Peyton still followed feeling pulled along deeper into the wet muddy forest.

                 As Peyton got closer to the woman running beside her rather than behind, she noticed the woman holding something close to her chest, from afar she thought it was rags but now that she was closer, just keeping trees between them, she couldn’t help but realize it wasn’t just rags. It could have been a big pile of rags, but she doubted that, there was definitely something concealed in them and Peyton wanted to know what it was now more than ever. Whatever made her want to run into the forest like this must have been something incredible, or that’s what Peyton kept telling herself as she followed deep into the wood. As they reached the lake Peyton heard a small cry through the sound of the rainfall and stopped running for a moment realizing it was a baby in the rags. That was a mom holding her baby in the worst rain Peyton had ever seen it was stupid and reckless risking the baby like that and just like for the 1st time since she saw the woman Peyton remembered what that day was. She followed wishing she kept her mind off it for a little while longer, but she couldn’t forget again just follow until the woman stopped crouching by a tree next to the lake. Peyton tried to listen but heard nothing from the woman as the rain got harder and the baby stopped screaming for a moment. Peyton couldn’t even see her own hand anymore it was pouring so hard, it wasn’t until the woman bumped Peyton’s shoulder dropping a rag as she was running back to town that Peyton even knew she left the tree. Lucky for Peyton she was rushing and didn’t realize Peyton wasn’t a tree.

                 Peyton was about to head home disappointed the trip was over and that her distraction from this terrible day was gone, when she heard the baby cry making her turn back toward the tree by the lake. Without even second-guessing Peyton ran straight to the tree seeing the baby poorly wrapped in rags at the base of the tree starting to scream again as the rain flooded over its face eyes clenched shut it was crying so hard, she was worried it would choke on all the rain water falling. There Peyton was motherless, and she just watched a mother abandon her child in a storm left for dead whether it was from the cold, starvation or an animal attack. She never felt so much at one moment; hatred for the heartless woman, sorrow for the child as well as herself, love for her own mother for all the years of undying love. Still to this day Peyton can’t imagine how that woman did it, even after finding out the reason she did it, Peyton certainly couldn’t. Peyton took off her mother’s leather jacket and wrapped it around the infant holding it as close to her body as she could, feeling that this newborn was as cold as ice already so it can’t get even more wet or cold or it really won’t be able to be saved. Peyton ran back to town as fast as she could with a newborn in her arms. It was hard to tell for sure, but the baby felt and looked like it was born just that day, like how both of Hunter’s little brothers felt the day they were born so she assumed it was born that day. She had every intention of dropping it off at the orphanage, her father grew up there and he came out fine, the kids never looked very happy, but they were still alive and her father made it out great. Her every intention was ruined by one small act that was so powerful, just a silent moment when they stopped under some cover from the rain, the baby stopped crying and it opened it eyes looking up at Peyton. Its eyes were sky blue like Peyton’s mother, still are to this day, so pure and innocent, one hundred percent perfect in every way that Peyton made a vow she will never break. She swore she would protect the baby with her life, she would do whatever it took to keep it happy and safe for the rest of her life no matter the cost. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that this baby would grow old with Peyton there, no foster home, they became family in that small moment.

                 Peyton was soaking wet by the time she got home, it was a new home at the time, but it feels like home now, and Dr. Nikos started at her then the wrapped-up jacket. She thought for a moment the plan to keep the baby could have been ruined by the family that took her and her father in but all he did was take it from her to his home office. He checked the baby girl for everything from the looks of it. He took blood and test gave a couple of shots, not saying a word as Peyton watched him work. He wrapped the girl up in one of Keith’s blankets, handing her back to Peyton finally asking what her plan was exactly and she realized she didn’t have a plan. All she did was explain the story and asked if there was any way to keep her, which was when her father walked in and broke down seeing the baby. Peyton’s mother was pregnant when she died and she knew the baby reminded him that he’d never meet that baby, Dr. Nikos almost sent her away when Hunter stepped in. Before Peyton could say shed run away with the baby raise it somehow, he told his father he and Peyton would if it didn’t stay, he saved them both. Peyton still remembers their faces at Hunter’s seriousness, she was sure she had the exact same face as they did.

                 “If you will not let it be Peyton’s sister than we will say it’s our baby and we managed to hide her pregnancy, very well.” That was Hunter’s the winning argument, jaws dropped.

                  Peyton giggled a little bit, she was only 14 at the time, but his plan worked perfectly making them realize how important the baby was, letting her stay as Peyton’s sister. They told the town that Dr. Nikos delivered the baby just before the king arrived and forged a birth certificate. Hunter helped Peyton find a name, her mother’s middle name, a very beautiful name for a beautiful little girl. That’s how this 4-year-old Amethyst Lilly Quinn came to have a loving family. Every morning like this one when Peyton wakes her sister to move her into her actual room before a morning hunt, she remembers how they became family every time she sees Amethyst’s eyes.

                 She’s always been the 1st to get up every morning, even before they had to move in, after her mother was taken from her. She would have to walk from their old house over here to wake Hunter up, the alarm never seems to work, boys. It has been more helpful living just downstairs from him, but she would give anything to be at her old house her mom having breakfast ready for them before they left.

                 Her 1st stop after dropping Amethyst off in the bedroom she shares with the youngest Nikos, Keith, Peyton walked to her dad’s room. He was snoring up a storm pillows on the floor tossing them on the bed, he still won’t sleep on the left side of the bed 4 years later. She comes in picking his pillow up off the floor before nudging him to get him up. He just needs the one small touch before he shoots up alert and ready to punch something, probably from growing up in the orphanage. Hunter is the hard one to wake, she’s had to come up with some crazy ways, at least she won’t have to do it once he meets the right girl, that girl will have to do it. Some days he wakes up fast some days she has to pull the sheet out from under him to wake him up. As Peyton got to the stairs, she heard Hunter’s younger brother singing from the bottom of the stairs sounded more like whaling, add that with Hunter’s massively loud snoring and she was surprised that everyone was sleeping threw all of it. The fact that Hunter was still sleeping through Sean’s whaling made Peyton not want to walk up the stairs at all, but she did anyway. Coming up the round staircase made the noises get louder, really whatever Sean was doing in the shower wasn’t signing she couldn’t even make out a song it just sounded like noise. This is the first time this week that he’s decided to sing in the shower, he’s been learning from her father how to hunt this week, today must just feel like a good day to him, maybe he will actually hit something living today. Her father is the best hunter in town, if they approved of hunting and didn’t have to hide from the king’s men, her father would be the town hunter. Until King Seaton is no longer the ruler of, well everything, her father will always be a tree chopper, but Peyton knows his true job a teacher and hunter. The funny part is her father doesn’t look extremely strong or dangerous, he’s one of the deadliest men on earth but when everyone looks at him, he has muscles, not as much as Hunter or the dragon police, compared to them her father looks semi scrawny. Everyone tells her that she looks exactly like her mom accept her eyes she has her father’s bright green eyes. She never saw her mother in herself, she was too beautiful for Peyton to compare but she always saw her father in her they are so much alike in personality, he’s been training her to be like him since she was young, she just as dangerous as he is by now. Sean excitement to join them makes sense when she remembers how much she loved learning with her dad, so she’s had a lot of fun this week.

                 As she got to the top of the second floor she walked past to room where music died to Hunter’s room, the snoring was so loud because he left his door open at least he isn’t snoring so loud that it broke through the walls. He was only two months older than Peyton, but he looked older to her because he was so buff maybe or that some days he didn’t shave and left a 5 o’clock shadow on his face either way she felt like a child around him some days. He wasn’t bad to look at, in fact he was the best-looking guy in school, now that his best friend hutch was away in the dragon police academy. She can see decent features in Hunter light eyes that look like a very light teal color, it’s so rare and amazing, his dark blonde hair, tall muscular, she just never sees what the other girls do that make them all want to throw themselves at him. She never really looks anyone like that, no one catches her attention. Well Hutch did for a small moment after her mother died, but it stopped fast. It doesn’t bother her not having anyone like that, every girl at school seems to complain or cry about not having a boyfriend, it doesn’t make sense.

                 Every girl in school would want to kill Peyton – more than they already do for being Hunter best friend- if they knew she walked into his room every morning to wake him up when he only has his pajama pants on. They go absolutely crazy when he takes his shirt off at the lake or a pool, every girl is at every wrestling match he has because his outfits and Peyton seeing it every morning would make them go insane and claw her eyes out or some other thing girls do when they are crazy. No girls really like Peyton she never got why but it is nice having guy friends only, less drama from what she’s seen and heard from how the other girls at school act. At least she 18 and it’s the last year of school, in a few months she will be 19 graduated and able to do whatever she wants all on the same day not too far away. Hunter will find a wife eventually and every girl in town can give her dirty looks which she won’t mind knowing that Hunter is actually hers, it bothers Peyton more getting the looks because Hunter isn’t hers at all. She doesn’t want to have him ever and he doesn’t want her either people just don’t see how a guy and girl can be close friends.

                 Peyton looked in at Hunter sprawled across the entire bed face down, his arms falling off either side of the bed, his feet over the edge like always because he never sleeps near the top of the bed. The blanket was places over his hips and with his legs coming out the bottom, it looked like he might be naked, he never is but still she knew without a shadow of a doubt they would kill to see this. She seen enough of Hunter like this to last a life time, he really needs a bigger bed so he’s not half off all the time. It’s a complete shock that Hutch manages to fit in the bed with Hunter when they have a big hunt. Hutch is taller than Hunter and just as muscular as, or possibly more muscular than Hunter, looking at him now there’s no way they both could fit but they do, strange. Maybe one of them sleeps on the floor or feet to face, she’s never seen to know for sure what they do. Peyton bent down over the bed to tap his shoulder 1st to wake him up, wondering what seemed different about Hunter today, and Peyton couldn’t put her finger on it. Peyton touched his back pushing his back a little to wake him.

                 Hunter has been up for 30 minutes. Sean’s alarm clock went off 3 times before he stopped hitting snooze and finally got up, just like every day this week, yet Hunter still believes he can go back to sleep after. He did for a second, but his own snore woke him up. This week has been dreadful, not only has his annoying little brother been tagging along on their trips but Hutch, Hunter best friend since he was in kindergarten, hasn’t been coming, he’s had an advanced training at the dragon academy. They can’t kill dragons after the dragons are about a year, maybe, it’s hard to tell, but they need the police to push one out of town when it comes in. Hutch is the 1st rookie to get into the advanced academy most likely because of Mr. Quinn morning hunting lessons, Hunter can’t wait to graduate so he can join and beat Hutch’s scores. One good thing about his annoying brother coming along is the alone time with Peyton. She’s so amazing and they have a lot of fun now that they leaver Mr. Quinn with Sean and do their own thing. Now with her father occupied in the morning, Hunter gets Peyton alone all morning long, the she hangs out with him all day at school. Maybe he could look past the bad and focus on that, on extra time with her.

                 He’s been pretending to sleep ever since he heard the floor board near the bottom of the stair way creek so that she would still come in to wake him. He even added a few fake snores just because he loves that she is the 1st person he gets to see every morning with her hair un-brushed curly golden wrapped up in a messy cute little bun, still beautiful, pajamas on still, her sweet voice and gentle touch nudging him awake, he loves it. Hunter would love for her to be the last person he sees every night and the 1st every morning forever. To be able to hold her every day, kiss her, looking into her green eyes and tell her all of that hearing her say it back, it would be perfect but she’s completely oblivious to how he feels so this morning routine is fine for now, he’ll enjoy it until he can’t anymore.

                  He heard her pause at the door and realized the blanket pull his pants legs up and not putting a shirt on she might have stopped thinking he was naked, she should know better than that. Peyton started tip toing in making him want to laugh a little, what’s the point of tip toing when she’s coming in to wake him up?  She should be stopping in making loads of noise, he’s a heavy sleeper only his brother seems to wake him up fast. Well that just who she is and her charm, she’s gentle, sweet, and quiet unlike Sean. Hunter wants to punch his brother right now that noise he’s making in the shower is a disgrace to the song he’s singing, as well as rude to the whole family knowing the time and that everyone is still asleep. The sun isn’t even up yet.

                 Hunter thought of something funny to do to Peyton as she reached down to wake him up, really, he just wanted to pull her close just for a second and he knew she would just giggle at it. As her fingertips touched his arm, he could feel her fingers ticking his back as she placed her hand on his back, Hunter swung her arm up pulling her onto the bed as he spun around until he was leaning over her the sheet tangled around the both of them. She let out a tiny scream, if you could call it that, in the spin that he was laughing a little smiling at her giggling her hair spread out across his bed as the spun flung her hair band out, so beautiful. The moment went fast she pushed him off trying to untangle herself from his blanket. The she gave up for a moment leaning over him her curls falling by his face he could smell the lilies she’s always playing with in the field, it’s become part of her natural scent it seems.

                 “Okay Hunter we have to go I could use some help.” She giggled, sometimes when he hears her giggle like that, he lets himself believe she might actually like him too, but he knows the truth. He’s known ever since he realized he liked her just a month or so after she moved in and he got to see her everyday all day.

                 “Nah., I think I’d rather stay here now.” He said reaching for her face brushing her hair out of the way, smiling.

                 “And its reason like that why people think we are dating, you know? You say stuff like that at school makes girls give me dirty looks say we are lying to them, doesn’t it bother you?” she asked wiggling her legs out, he wanted to tell her the truth that the girls are jealous because she’s the prettiest girl in school they have told Hunter so as well as some of the guys, Peyton’s oblivious to everything. Instead he helped her untangle herself not saying a word. “Now come on get ready and get Sean out of the shower before he wakes the kids, if Amethyst wakes up, I can’t go, she won’t let me.”

                 “Okay okay I’m up, I’ll go pull him out.” He said sliding off the bed watching her leave before hopping off his bed storming into the bathroom.

                 Sean let out a slightly girl scream when Hunter barges in the covers himself. “DUDE!”

                 “The kids are sleeping and your fog horn ‘singing’ will wake them up, idiot.”

                 “I’m naked! Don’t just barge in like that!” He shouted

                 “I changed your diapers and I know there’s nothing to see. Stopping singing so loud and I won’t have to next time.”

                 As he turned to leave her heard the glass door open and Hunter doges his brothers attempt to throw a shampoo bottle at him mumbling under his breath, so Hunter didn’t hear “Shut up d**k-.”

                 “At least I have one.” Hunter smiled as he closed the door behind him hearing another bottle hit the door, making him laugh.

                 He was only 5 when Sean was born, he never actually had to change any diapers, or he has no memory of it but it’s always fun to pick on his little brother. They are constantly ruff housing, messing with each other as well as making messes around the house, but they love each other at the end of the day. When they do, that Hunter can see it clear on their mom’s face that she defiantly wanted at least one girl, she prayed Keith would be one only to find out that her and Mrs. Quinn would both be having boys. Amethyst and Peyton living here really made his mom happy he could see it once the sadness of her best friend dying went away slightly, they are closer than ever now, Peyton even took a job at his mom’s bakery after she moved in. Peyton keeps Hunter in line, mainly because he doesn’t want to seem to crazy or messy with her just in case, he just tries to impress her by playing with the kids and not being sloppy or not as sloppy as he used to be. He only picks on Sean when she’s not around or paying attention, though he’s sure she knows how they really act.

                 Once they all got out Mr. Quinn took Sean away so that Peyton and Hunter could try to get something today. Sean’s constant chit chat and managing to step on every branch and crunchy leaf they passed, how Mr. Quinn doesn’t go crazy is a mystery. Hunter is going to train his kids young because he can’t wait until they are 13, it’s too old, and they are already set in their ways, like walking. Without training they will end up stomping around like a dragon or won’t be able to hit water while standing on a boat like his little brother. His father didn’t let him train too early, but Hunter still learned slightly early, plus Peyton came up with a competition early on that helped him start earlier than his dad allowed. She has been learning since she was a baby so no matter how hard he tries, she always seems to beat him at skill, it’s hard to keep up. He can beat her with pure strength and speed but that’s it. He’d love to be as good as Mr. Quinn and Peyton, it’s like they always know what’s happening before it happens during the hunt or a “fight”, really, it’s amazing. He has some theories on why she always wins their matches; she’s so small and flexible she can get out of anything, he’s scared to use his full strength against her in fear of hurting her and the idea of being on top of her and not kissing sounds too tempting, he doesn’t trust himself. Hunter is positive she would still win if he could use his whole strength, she is that good a natural at everything she does.

                 Looking around the woods even at dawn he can tell how winter is definitely over, it’s already warming up, and today will be nice. He turned to her the rising sun’s rays shining on her hair he could skip the hunt all together for this, but he knows she loves to. “Hey, you want to hunt around the lake? It’s getting hot out we might find a lot of animals out there.”

                 He didn’t care if he was right or not about the lake, she always lights up when the lake gets brought up, she never told him why exactly, but it is beautiful it makes sense why shed love it. All he wants to know is how to keep that smile on her.

                 “Race you!” she laughed pushing him back taking off toward the lake.

                 “You’re on!” he shouted darting off behind her.

                 He’s much faster but he let her think she might win for a second, just to look at her, then he took off full speed passing her up. As he ran past her, he laughed over his shoulder happy he was going to win the race. Just then Peyton jumped on his back, probably to knock him down but he’s too strong with a great center of balance, he kept running holding her up. Peyton started shaking on his back until they both fell to the floor as he lost his balance, Hunter looked up to see her starting to run, she must have braced herself as they fell to land on her feet. Hunter laughed trying to trip her a little as she ran off, he jumped to his feet zig zagging threw the trees passing her up just before the opening of the lake. He turned to her half laughing half panting once he beat her seeing her run in just behind him.

                 “You cheated trying to trip me after I jumped off your back.” She laughed between pants as well.

                 “Oh, but jumping on my back and pushing me down wasn’t cheating?”

                 “Nope.” She smiled starting to set up a trap at the base of a tree. “Now get your head in the hunt Hunter we have to get back home in time to get ready for school.”

                 Doyle really enjoyed teaching but with Sean it seemed harder it’s like the kid can’t focus he just wants to do it but not learn how to do it. It’s making him a better teacher at least, learning to work with a kid like that. He seems like he should follow in his father’s footsteps not Doyle’s, Cameron is no good with a bow either. They have been scaring away more animals than they have been doing anything else, hopefully Peyton is doing better, and Doyle likes to contribute something to the house.

                 Cameron always says he doesn’t need to that they are family and he makes more money than he can spend, what with being the best doctor in town, but Doyle needs to work and contribute. After losing Lilly he almost lost everything and now that he has everything again well almost everything he wants and everything he needs, he won’t let himself fall apart like that again. No longer working or hunting, will make him crazy he’s never been that kind of person. His best friend just trying to keep him safe like Doyle did for him their whole lives.

                  They met in preschool, Cameron was the richest boy in school, his father was a doctor then too. Doyle was the orphan child whose parents left him at the door step without a care in the world. Some of the kids there with him were crazy and the 1st day of school they tried to pick on Cameron to steal lunch money or something it made no sense, but Doyle wouldn’t let that happen. At the time, what he did seemed crazy to him like he saw their attacks before they did anything and everything to get what they wanted, kids could be cruel. He fought for the 1st time in his life and won a 3 to one match saving Cameron from the bullies, the have been inseparable since. That fight made the bullies and tuff guys in school try to fight so they could say they beat him, but no one ever did, he still doesn’t understand how exactly he can always stay one step ahead but he’s thankful for it, if only he could have saved the one person who needed it most.

                 All of that is in the past, best to forget about things he can’t change and focus on the boy he needs to change if he ever wants to give the butcher something worthwhile, he misses the hunt already it’s only been a week. If Sean hadn’t had late classes after school Doyle would tech him then so she could hunt in the morning with Peyton, though he’s sure Hunter is enjoying himself all week. Because Cameron and Doyle are so close, he enjoyed watching Peyton and Hunter get as close, it wasn’t until Lilly died that Doyle notice Hunter’s feeling change making him worried the two of them under the same roof, not that Peyton even notices. She like her mother, neither see the beauty or attention they get, it’s the only way Doyle snagged Lilly in high school, and if she knew how adored she was she wouldn’t have been open to a guy like him not like she was. Knowing how he thought then, he loved her, but boys will be boys, Doyle isn’t too fond of the idea of boys thinking like that about his baby girl, though she’s far from a baby now. He’s sure Hunter isn’t the only one, but he can’t go around hitting every boy who comes along looking at his daughter, it just worries him, he hears the rumors for Peyton like he heard for Lilly. He can’t lose Peyton that way or anyway really, his daughters are all he has left.

                 The prophecy didn’t say anything about her being beautiful but to become a God she would have to be that’s why the king kills young girls every year that are 19 and beautiful. It can’t be Peyton, but the rumors fly still, at least she doesn’t hear them, Doyle doesn’t know what she would do if she thought she was the girl from the prophecy but he knows Peyton wouldn’t react in a good way. He doesn’t want to think about it.

                 Peyton loved hiking and hunting, it surprisingly calms her down. She hasn’t missed 1 day since she learned how to shoot her 1st arrow. If her dad has his way, she would have been younger when she started but her mother wanted a proper little girl not a Hunter, Peyton just showed too much interest. At least Amethyst hasn’t shown interest, 4 was about when Peyton started to really try to sneak out and join her father. Maybe her mother will get the proper little girl in Amethyst, even if her mom isn’t technically here to raise her Peyton feel likes she’s close by, helping. Hunting became a family event for the 3 of them, once Peyton started. She misses that, it makes her want to teach Amethyst but then she remembers the dangers of hunting and doesn’t like the idea, she is just going to wait and let Amethyst decide. As of right now her sister wants to be a baker like Mrs. Nikos, most likely because of that possibly also because it’s Peyton’s after school job.

                 Her father and Sean came to join them after about an hour while Hunter was collecting all their catch of the day. Sean was happily showed the inside of his bag with one small squirrel that had the arrow hold right in the center, the butcher won’t get anything good from that now. Peyton almost felt bad and wanted to stop Hunter from showing them their two full bags of useable meat. The butcher in town can only sell the kings overpriced, disgusting engineered animal meat, when the soldiers are out but that’s rare here, the rest of the time he uses what they bring in to feed the town, at least this is real meat. Peyton doesn’t know exactly what the king does to the meat, but she does know it has something to do with magically or scientifically making them fatter for more meat and it taste like sewage.

                 “You two were safe, right?” her father asked like always what is he scared of? They are trained to hunt, and he was the one who taught them.

                 “Of course, dad.”

                 “Don’t worry Mr. Quinn,” Hunter said tossing his arm over her shoulder “your daughter is safe with me.”

                 “Yeah more like the other way around.” She laughed pushing it off her snatching her bag from him.

                 Peyton hates to admit it, but she does feel safe with him on a hunt. He’s strong and an extremely fast runner which came in handy on more than one occasion, they’ve been in a risky situation and he will toss her over his shoulder and take off like he’s not carrying anything extra it’s amazing. When it comes to hunting skill, he is safer with her she never misses her target, on those occasions where he had her over his shoulder, she has killed an animal on the bumpy run. Everyone, except Hunter, laughed because they knew that fact forgetting Hunter’s qualities, but Peyton knew what was coming next and rolled her eyes already.

                 “Oh yeah, Peyton?’ Hunter said playfully pushing her “Let’s go then.”

                 “I would,” she lied he always holds back when they fight it isn’t as fun knowing he thinks she can’t handle it “but I would hate to embarrass you in front of your little brother.” She nodded to Sean.

                 “It’s too late for that he already embarrassed himself!” Sean laughed. “Plus, if he wins its only to you, and you’re just a girl.”

                 “Shouldn’t have said that.” Her father said pulling Hunter back with him not that he needed to Hunter learned the hard way as well not to say that to her.

                 “Just a girl?” she said pulling her hair back up into her ponytail then quickly pulled an arrow loading it and shooting it to just slightly cut his arm then another cutting the side of his neck just below his ear, could have pierced it if she wanted to. Sean fell back onto a tree looking at her with so much fear that she smiled a little, Hunter at least pretended to be brave when she did that to him.

                 “Is she going to kill me?” he asked looking over her shoulder at her dad and Hunter behind her.

                 “You really shouldn’t have said that dude” Hunter laughed leaning against a tree.

                 “No, I’m not going to kill you.” She said twisting her hair into a loose bun so when he started to lose, he doesn’t try that sissy move to pull it. “We are going to fight and when I win, I will gracefully accept the heartfelt apology you are going to give me as well as never let that phrase pass your lips again okay?”

                 “What do I get when I win?” he asked making Hunter laugh hard immediately.

                 “You won’t win” Hunter and her father said at the same time making her smile.

                 “No, no, no.” Peyton said making Sean flinch as she reached over him yanking her arrow out of the tree he was on “He’s right if he wins, he should get something like I do.” She could barely hold in her laughter at him beating her, but she did. “What do you want?”

                 “Hunter’s room.” He smiled looking over her shoulder at him

                 “That would put me in this, and I’d need something from you doofus, but fine. To be honest watching you getting beat up will be worth the risk” he laughed at that word Peyton has beat him enough for him to know Sean doesn’t stand a chance. “If Peyton is in you’ve got yourself a deal my room or your apology and promise not to say that again.”

                 “Deal.” She nodded reaching out for a shake. She hates betting things that aren’t hers but, in this case, where there was no way he would ever win she didn’t mind. “Let’s see if you can beat a weak little girl like me.”

                 The annoying cocky little smirk on his face will be fun to wipe off, she sure was angry enough to do it. While Hunter explained the rule of the match, she watched Sean hype himself up bouncing around like a crazy monkey person, Peyton just pretended to stretch looking as innocent as she could this angry. Anything goes match until someone is knocked out or taps out, Hunter repeated that to Sean sounding like he was trying to talk him out of the match before it even began, but Sean didn’t seem to care.

                 “Make it pinned down or taps out,” her father added from the tree “I don’t want your father to kill me for making Sean miss a day or two of school due to injuries.”

                 “I’m not going to lose!” Sean whined making Hunter laugh.

                 “It’s cute you think that. Okay pin or tap out, Peyton don’t knock him out just get close to it.” Hunter said holding back his laughter, Peyton nodded smiling not needing to say a word as Sean rolled his eyes ready to whine again. Before he could Hunter yelled out “Begin!”

                 Peyton stood there looking at him hop from side to side with his fist up, he’s never been a real fight, that’s clear. Sean did a few obviously fake jabs at her trying to make her flinch, all she did was yawn already bored of this fight. She kept her eyes locked on his as he started to circle her still bouncing, not moving her feet or anything really but her head. Once he was behind her he swung for her face, which she avoided just moving it slightly grabbing his writs twisting it around turning around slightly until he fell to his knees in front her, she didn’t want him to tap out so soon so she let him go pretending to check her nails as she walked away from him. Sean stood up, his body language let her know he was going to swing left then right maybe a kick after too, so she moved her shoulder dodging the 1st swing, dropped down for the second, sliding behind him as he kicked, pushing him forward forcing him stumble into a tree. He came back with a speed she didn’t think he had in him as he swung and tried to kick, all she did was keep up with his fast pace, which was extremely slow for her, blocking all his moves. She still has yet to make a move toward him, just defends herself tiring him out. Peyton felt bad that she didn’t even try to fight yet so when he swung again, she blocked with her right arm, locking his arm under hers as she lifted her knee into his chest, letting his arm go after. She may have hit him too hard there she was still mad, no one calls her just a girl it’s a horrible thing to say to any girl. She tried to hold back but he looked like he was in a little bit of pain.

                 Sean got up ready to fight faster than she thought he would still not be fast enough for her, she dodged and blocked everything growing tired of his attempts. They were so predictable, he swung his leg up to kick her in the face all she did was shove his leg down with her hands quickly slamming her palms into his chest throwing him into the tree so hard a branch fell off. He didn’t like that, it was clear, he lifted the branch up swinging it at her like it was a sword managing to hit her chest because she wasn’t expecting him to start using tools. That set her off, Hunter never wanted to cheat like that, but weapons weren’t prohibited, and they are fun. He swung again the same way cocky that he hit her last time maybe, but she grabbed the log easily pulling it from his grasp swinging it underneath his legs flying leaves up as his hit the floor with a loud thump. She crouched over him he looked unconscious she didn’t think he would from that it would have made her feel bad if she believed him. Peyton went to “check” if he was still breathing when he jumped up locking her head under his armpit getting off the dirt looking like he was about to try and knee her chest. When he tried, she grabbed his leg lifting hers back doing the splits almost as she kicked his face with the heal of her boot. He stumbled back nose bleeding a bit making him come at her with a fury swinging like crazy, some even hit her mid dodge. After a few shots of letting him feel like he might win she drop down spinning with her leg out hitting his ankles making him fall to the floor again where she put her boot on his chest to mess with him. Sean tried to twist her leg all he did was hold her down, so she had to step on him before he got to his feet. He came at her backing her into the tree by her dad, looking like her might try to kick her again so she reached for her bow leaning on the tree next to them lifting it up hooking his knee inside preventing the kick. Once Sean got his leg threw so she could stand she lifted it up almost hitting him- where she really shouldn’t hit men in a fight unless they are really attacking her- luckily, she missed it slightly lifting him of the floor a little bit. Peyton pulled the bow back elbowing Sean in the nose as the tip of her bow lodged in the back of his knee tripping him back. Quicker than even she knew she could move, she pulled his foot free from the bow putting it over his head yanking him back down the floor pressing the wood onto his neck pinning him down a bit then let it go, getting off him smiling as he looked defeated.

                 Peyton reached down to help him up he stupidly gave his to her, possibly thinking the fight was over, but it wasn’t. She lifted him up off the floor flipping him onto his stomach twisting is wrist behind him as she put her knee on his back locking him down to the dirt as she struggled trying to break free, if he tries any hard she will break his wrist the way they are locked in. she hasn’t been able to do this in a while, Hunter’s arms are too big and he got to strong and fast for her to keep trying this.

                 “It was over, what the heck!” he shouted trying to break free, she might have accidently sprained it by now, but he hasn’t tapped out with his free hand, she could give him props for that.

                 “Pin or tap. She didn’t stay there pinning you down and you haven’t tapped out yet.” Hunter laughed

                 “I’d tap soon or at least stop moving I taught Peyton that and you need your arm to hunt.”

                 “She’s going to rip off my arm!” Sean shouted tapping the floor a thousand times even after she already let go and got up “You were going to let her do that?”

                 “The worst she would have done was break it not rip it off don’t be a drama queen dork.” Hunter said tossing his quiver on his shoulder ready to go home.

                 Peyton reached down to help Sean up again but this time for real, he didn’t take it jumping up with a pout dusting himself off. “I could have won I just didn’t want to hurt a girl.” He huffed making Peyton swing up her bow into his nose making it bleed again.

                 “No.” Hunter laughed “She’s just better than you.”

                 “Shut up.” Sean cried holding his bloody nose when her father handed him a cloth for it. “How did you do that you’re just a…” Sean stopped as Peyton swung around ready to really teach him a lesson not play with him like that fight was. “You’re tiny you don’t even look strong enough.”

                 “Don’t judge by appearances.” She snapped at him feeling a slight wind start, strange for this time of year, it calmed as she did from feeling it. “Still waiting for your apology by the way.”

                 “You want me to apologize after almost ripping my arm off?” he shouted as Peyton just rolled her eyes, she didn’t need anything from him, she needed to get home to Amethyst and get ready for school.

                 “A deal’s a deal, just man up and apologize.” Hunter said, Peyton really didn’t like people fighting her battles she can fight her own. “You would have made me give up my room.”

                 He doesn’t need to apologize really, that fight was taking it easy, even fighting Hunter she holds back. Peyton’s father taught her out to break a bone in half with one quick punch, he told her the pressure points to knock a man out for a few hours and she always has a knife, or some sort of weapon hidden on her at all times in case of an emergency. If he is too much of a sore loser to not follow through with the deal then it’s nothing, she bigger than that. Hunter on the other hand is not, he can get very emotional, it’s refreshing for a guy, but it can be annoying when he won’t let the little things go like this.

                 They got a few feet back to the house when Peyton heard a loud thump on the floor and leaves rustling up along with Sean whine. When she turned around to look, she saw Sean face down on the dirt with Hunter on top of him one hand in Sean curly blonde hair and the other arm locked around his legs, pull them toward each other. Her father, the chaperone laughed at the sight, sometimes she forgets her dad is actually an adult. Sean started cursing up a storm at Hunter while Peyton fought back a few laughs until finally he apologized calling Hunter a jerk. Adding that was unnecessary but Peyton has seen people who don’t like to lose like that hundreds of times before, so she looked passed it. Her father laughed walking up to her rubbing her back.

                 “There you go sweetie,” he started “but next time don’t hold back, he needs to know how to fight.”

                 “That was holding back?” Sean shouted.

                 “Just be happy she didn’t pull the knife out.” Hunter laughed.

                 “Oh my god Hunter, one time that happened! You bring it up all the time.” She said remembering the first (and only) time she ever pulled out her knife, last week. Hunter was doing so good she forgot it was practice and pulled it out for two seconds accidently cutting his arm after he pinned her. She dropped it right after she scratched him, it wasn’t even deep. “Don’t get your panties in a bunch, you big baby.” She joked.

                 He laughed the lifted his arm showing a small scar that will go away in another week or two, giving her a funny face. Peyton laughed then grabbed his arm kissing it like he was a baby. “Better?”

                 Hunter laughed a little slipping on leaves hitting his head on a low tree branch as he laughed at her baby joke. Sean made some comment she couldn’t hear but it was enough to make Hunter snap at him to shut up. Her father started to pull her arm laughing a little as he said they all had to get to school. It felt like they all knew something she didn’t that made that funnier than it was.

                 Graham was going insane here! No missions just a useless team that he hasn’t even been able to test out because their mission simulator is down as well. When his father forces him to move to a new camp, he at least gets to run simulations with the new team so he comfortable on missions. For all he knows these guys are just as bad as the students in the class he has to teach, Fells Falls really shouldn’t have any camp the security doesn’t even patrol properly. The only thing good about this camp is the sorcerers, if not for them Seaton would have found them by now. There’s no point in this anyway, the king can’t lose ever unless that prophecy is wrong Graham can’t believe it any more. When he was a boy a prophet told him that his future was hard to read but he could see that Graham would do great good or bring great good he doesn’t remember now. His mother never let them touch him so reading him was hard and he forgot most of it, that one is the only one that stuck out, she wouldn’t be happy to know he spend most of his free time down here with this camps prophet but she isn’t here to scold him so what does it really matter? She’s why he has a harder time sneaking out to the cities now, his father is over protective since her “accident”. He has to find a way out, now, he wasn’t sure why, but he felt drawn to this town as much as he hated it here in camp, something about the town feels like he has to be in it now.