Hunter or Hunted??

Salvation

With all the children safe and on their way to the warmth of my friend, I wasn't going to hold back anymore but I needed Ash and Ember to know that the children were safe. I needed more answers to what was going on. As I searched for my friends, I found many dead bodies but none of them were from my clan so where were my people and how did the children get gathered so easily. I searched for at least 10 minutes and found no one, I was at a point where I was wondering if they all abandoned us... and then I heard Ember scream louder than I had ever heard her scream before sending me right where I needed to be.

"Please! My daughter isn't here and she isn't coming back anytime soon! She left on a patrol right after our feast, I don't understand why you're doing this!?" my mother had been crying for a long time from the looks of it and her hands had blood all over them behind her back from the ropes cutting into her skin. Ember was laying on the ground next to her with blood surrounding her body, she was breathing but I wasn't sure where the blood was coming from. As I glanced around there were dead bodies piled in the creek and they were all my clan.... I looked a bit closer and realized that my father was in the pile of bodies which made me the chief and protector of our future. My blood curdled at the sight and as my mother fell to the ground crying I entered the opening from the trees without a care in the world on if I survived or who I was going to be fighting.

"Cinder! No!!! Run!!" is all I heard from my mother before she was hit over the head by a near by thug who knocked her out cold.

I had no idea who I was fighting but one by one I made my way to my father's body and sent them to the ground in a puddle of their own liquids. Once I got to my father a voice that was familiar was all that was left to pierce my soul...

"You left them... You abandoned him when he needed you most.... You'll never be the queen he told you, you would become. I'm here to take my land and kill anyone that gets in my way!!"

My uncle Diesel had fought our clan before and lost but not without taking many people that we loved. That was the first time I had been sent into the forest and now I had trusted the forest with our future generation knowing that she would keep them safe. Some how she knew that I would need at least that much comfort.

"Nothing? You have nothing to say to me?" he stared at me as we circled each other. I was so angry, I had nothing to say.... no words matched how I felt... I launched myself at his neck. Shoving my nails through any soft spot I could find and then repeating myself over and over until his whole neck and face was covered in blood. He had cut my arm and I had a large gash in my hip but he was on the ground not moving and I was bringing my father to his proper burial spot, when I realized my mother was gone. I moved faster to get him to his hut for safety and then started my search for my mother, Ember and Ash who I hadn't found at all so far. When I found them I wished I hadn't... I wished I had saved them instead of my father's lifeless body.

I whispered, "I could have saved them...." and fell to my knees infront of a dozen poles with burning bodies hung on them.

I was faint and the only place I knew to go from here, as I continued to leak blood and feel as if I would pass out any moment, was my woods. I made my way to the clearing and as I entered the tree line I hit the ground and could feel a smooth and delicate root wrap itself around my bloody body and move me to safety.

I could hear soft voices of children as I warmed up next to a fire and could feel warm clean clothing on skin that had some how been cared for with the utmost love. My wounds were bandaged and my hair was washed and tied back. As I sat up I could feel my head pulsating and then many tiny arms and hands reach out and wrap themselves around me.

"We're so glad that you're awake!" said one, "I can't believe you won!!" came another, "You saved us!!!" and many more voices of children as I focused my eyes.

"Please... now.... please, give her some space children. It's time!!!" They all got very quiet.

"Time for what?" I wondered...

"Time to heal you and make the changes that your clan will need now. Time to give you your birth right, my love!! I am your great, great grandmother and with your parents gone I will lead you to greatness!! No time to explain at the moment though!"

"Wait.... you're the spirit of my great, great grandma Whisp?" she never did respond just kept moving along with rearranging the inside of her trunk, putting snacks out for the children and building the fire up. "Why didn't you tell me? Are we the only one's left? Did anyone else survive?" as I started floating off the ground a mist appeared around me and I felt a coolness spread through my veins. It felt like I was floating in water until all I could see was darkness....