Elemental Empires

{Chapter 31}

"I'm sorry for leading you the wrong way," Mia apologized as she sat on the mountain, gulping water from her bottle.

"Not your fault," Kira said.

"Take out the map," Cathy ordered as she finished lacing her boots and stood up.

Mia gave Cathy the map who unfurled it and began studying it.

"We went this way," Mia pointed to Serpentbane forest," which was the wrong way hence we just have to go the other way. The opposite path, there!", Mia pointed to the other direction and took another sip of water.

"I sure as hell ain't following you again," Cathy muttered as she traced circles on the map.

Mia grit her teeth and pretended that she didn't hear Cathy.

"If I do, I'll certainly find the right way to my grave," Cathy continued as Kira braided her hair.

Mia clenched her teeth yet kept silent and observed the streaked horizon where a flock of pink-beaked birds flew.

"You have no sense of directi--"

"Why do you keep provoking me?!", Mia burst out.

"Why do you let yourself get provoked?," Cathy retorted as she folded the map again.

"You're--you're Impossible!", Mia raised her hands in defeat as Cathy smirked.

"Hold up! Hold up! Guys. I remember!", Kira finished braiding her hair and stood up." My Granpapi once told me that if I get lost, I should look for Deciduous trees which tend to grow South while evergreens usually grow North. In the forest I noticed there were evergreen trees which meant that was North", Kira pointed." Which means South is the opposite direction!", she finished and smiled.

"Your Grand....papi? and you know a lot," Mia chuckled.

"Another one to escort me to my grave," Cathy grumbled as she picked up her belongings.

"No one is forcing you to follow us. You can just--go," Mia grimaced and followed Kira who was already halfway forward. Cathy followed grumbling and groaning.

They walked on for what seemed like ages when suddenly Mia tensed as something fell on her head, she cautiously looked up and smiled.

"Snow," she said and held out her palm to collect the dainty flakes of snow slow-dancing to the ground.

"Oh it snows here all the time! Must mean we are near Glace!" Kira stuck out her tongue and caught the dainty flakes. The cold increased and Mia and Cathy put on sweaters but Kira skipped cheerfully in a short, sleeveless dress.

"Aren't you cold?", Mia asked as they trudged through the ankle-deep snow.

"Nah, I'm an Icental remember?", Kira smiled mischievously." Look my village!" Kira gasped and ran towards her village..or what was left of it.

There was nothing except charred wood and miscellaneous items scattered haphazardly.

"It used to be so pretty! Me and Mam and Papa used to take long walks at night and make Icentals and --" a tear slipped down her cheek as nostalgia consumed her.

"Am I an orphan now?," Kira said sadly after a while as she kneeled beside a pile of frosted wood." Tell me?".

Nobody answered that question as Kira picked up mounds of ice and made a little snowman, tears lacing her eyes before she wiped them away and stood up.

"I'm sorry. I wasted your time, let's go," Kira smiled sadly.

"Come one Love," Cathy rubbed Kira's shoulder and they moved on with Kira trudging behind, abnormally silent.