In Search of the Truth (complete)

Chapter 16

We get to the fork and could see they marked the trail to indicate which way they went. They headed up.  Darren took the marker and turned it to go on the other trail. It started to cloud over again. "Is it going to be a second night of rain?"

Brian replied, "it looks like it. Why don't we each gather an arm full of logs as we walk. This way we won't have to go out again."

We grabbed some as we continued to walk. We  walked about an hour along on trail when we came across Tia and Jewel. Tia said, "we have company staying tonight. No one will harm them?"

Mitch steps forward, "why do you say that?"

Jewel growls at him, "we are still shocked but they are our mates. They even called us their beloved."

Shelley replied, "this will make our mission harder. You realize they work with Lyle."

Darren said, "we are suppose to keep them alive tonight. The Royal Guard suppose to bring them back for questioning tomorrow."

Tia replied, "we know and we will return with them if that happens."

Jewel replied, "they are coming back."

They walked into the camp area, "I see your friend's caught up to you. We caught some fish from the creek down below. We caught 3 rabbits also in our snares. Our hats have some wild onion and mushroom. Plus some herbs. Plus we found some apples from last years crops. Yes, they look bad, but you peel and cut them up. We got applesauce."

Sal said, "hi, I am Sal. Let me take the fish and rabbit and go skin them before the rain. Why don't the rest of you set up camp. We sleeping in the cave behind you?" He dropped his stuff and then went farther away from camp to prep the food."

"Hello, I am Judas and Jewel is my mate. this is my friend, Nero and Tia is his mate.  Tia, Jewel and us set up our bags in the cave already. The girls were making the fire ring when we went out to gather food."

Tia replied, "we got it made and should go get it lit. This way we can get the food cooking. We also gathered up a bunch of pine needles to make tea. We pulled out some noodles and some dried vegetables to add to our meal."

The rest of us introduced ourselves and headed into the cave. Brian looked around the cave and commented, "we all should sleep on the right side of the cave . If possible on the ledges because the cave angles a slight slope downward and that is where water will run when it starts to rain based on the crevices in this cave. This way we all will stay dry."

I look at him, "Guess you have done slot of hiking and camping?"

"My grandpa took me, my cousins and even two younger sisters out most of the summers while growing up. When he passed away a couple years ago we all came and hiked these trails. We actually stayed in this cave and most of us ended up wet that night. My sister and one other cousin slept on the ledges and stayed dry. One of the ledges lead to a small cavern. We draped all sleeping bags and wet clothes in it. Then lit a fire and kept it burning. Soon our stuff all dried out. Those of us who felt chilled stayed in there."

Jewel called out, "got the fire lit. We should all bring in our wood and maybe get another batch of wood. I got a feeling we will have rain tomorrow and might want to stay here until it blows over."

Brian looked at Judas, "why don't you show me where you got foraged the food at and we get more so we don't use all our supplies, though we are only a couple days from a village where we can restock."

"Sure, I can do that. If we are going to be here tomorrow- we saw a family of wild boar. What if we try to get one and let it cook overnight on the coals of the fire. Then we can spend tomorrow eating that for our meals."

"That sounds like a plan, but should ask Nero to take the others then to harvest the other stuff." That is how I ended up harvesting some stuff with Daren, Xavier, Zander. Tia and Nero. "When Sal gets back ask him to prepare a pit for a boar. We are going to have pig tomorrow."

Mitch and Shelley stayed behind and moved all our stuff to various ledges. Then went out and gathered more wood. They brought back some oak and birch since it was slower burning wood that made great coals for cooking.  Then the grabbed some apple wood since it adds great flavor to meats when cooking. When Sal got back both him and Tia made supper and prepared a pit in the small cavern where Brian mentioned they had dried their bags that one summer.

When everyone started to return it had begun to rain. They came in soaking wet. They put the food up on the ledge by the fire. When Brian came in with the pig he had already prep it and him and Sal put it on the fire. Brian then went outside and let the rain wash him off.

I stepped into one of the caverns and changed my clothes into a red jeans with bell bottoms, red halter and my dry tennis shoes. I carried my wet clothes into what we called the drying room. We all placed our rain ponchos by the entrance so if we had to go out we could.

Then we sat around the fire and ate supper. We all moved to various ledges where our sleeping bags were set up. Since the floor started getting wet.

We all took turns sharing stories. Tia said, "How we met Nero and Judas was interesting. We were walking up the trail and I stepped on some loose gravel. I grabbed Julie. We slid over the edge. We bought caught some trees and no we were not hurt. We started trying to climb up and those two saw what happened and helped us get back to the top."

I thought to myself, "that is what they meant set up to be rescued."

Soon we all settled down for the night. I slept for about 4 hours when I was woke up. It was my turn to stand watch. Sal whispered to me, "I just added more wood to the fires, and nothing should need done to them. In two hours wake up Brian it should be his turn. Night." Then he went and climbed into his sleeping bag. I climbed out of mine and went and sat by the fire. I drank some pine needle tea.  I turned toward the entrance. I linked, "Darren, wake up. I thought I heard something." Then I walked toward the entrance of the cave. I started to step out when Darren pulled me back.  Just then 2 vampires jumped down and took a step toward us. Before we could react three Royal warriors jumped between us and them. The vampires took off and  the warriors followed.

Darren link, "the fighting has begun." We both went and sat by the fire. 

Mitch linked, "the king has warriors now guarding the cave. No one is to leave it until they give all clear. Now go back to bed."

I whispered to Darren, "Go back to bed. I have 35 more minutes of my watch and then I will get Brian to relieve me." just then there was a loud boom outside. I jumped.

"No, I will stay with you," he whispered back. "The storm seems to make you jumpy. Glad we are in here and not outside in this. Though, I am surprised about the storms. They were not predicted. He then linked, "Your not trained and with fighting in the area I feel better being here. Plus this storm I think is magical and not natural."

I gave him an odd look and linked back, "what do you mean?" Then jumped again when another bang was heard. He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed. He whispered, "we are ok. We are safe inside here." I laid my head on his chest and then just looked at the fire until it was time to have Brian take over.  Darren grabbed his bag and moved to my ledge. He rapped his arms around me and I fell asleep."