Jason and I trudged through the dark jungle, exhausted but exhilarated from our escape. The sounds of night creatures surrounded us, but I wasn't scared anymore. This place that once seemed so alien was starting to feel like home.
"Do you think we're close to the camp?" I asked Jason, pushing a low-hanging branch out of my way.
He nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "Should be just over that next ridge. Drea said they'd have someone watching for us."
As if on cue, a low whistle came from the trees ahead. We froze, then relaxed as we recognized the rebel signal.
"Over here," a familiar voice called softly. Zara, our combat trainer, emerged from the shadows. "Well done, you two. We were starting to worry."
"Sorry," I said. "We had to take a roundabout way to make sure we weren't followe
