The Keepers of Otar

Anniversary

Zia's breathing was sharp and fast. Her legs were a blur as she ran hard, weaving in and out of thick trees to avoid slamming into them. She wanted to look behind her to see if her pursuer was gaining on her, but she knew that turning back would only slow her down, and she needed to stay ahead.

Zia heard a branch break somewhere behind her and she ran even faster. She could not let him catch her. If he did, then it was all over.

"You can't avoid me forever, Zia," his voice shouted through the trees. "I'll find you eventually."

Not if I can help it, she thought.

She burst into a clearing and stopped to gather her bearings. She tired to listen out for her pursuer, but the forest was silent except for her heavy breathing.

Next thing Zia knew, she was pinned to the ground by her shoulders. She thrashed and tried to kick out with her legs, but they just flailed uselessly in the air.

"Got you," a familiar voice said. "It's over. No more running."

"Alright," she grunted, getting her flailing limbs die down. "Fine. Let me up."

Zia felt the weight on her shoulders disappear as Heath leapt to his feet. Zia sat up and moved her sore shoulder in circles to massage it. She glared up at Heath. "Really? Did you have to tackle me?"

"Probably not," he admitted. "But it was fun."

Grinning mischievously, Zia swiped her leg at Heath's feet and he fell to the ground with an "Oof!"

Zia snorted and crawled to her feet. She loomed over Heath as he tried to glare at her, but he kept smiling and ruining it. Zia laughed at his failed attempts.

"Still think you're pretty funny, huh?" Heath asked as he rose to his feet.

She smiled and said, "I have been known to be a little amusing at times."

"Who on earth told you that?"

"You did," she said, hitting his arm.

"Oh, right. Well, I was lying."

"Oh, no," Zia said, wagging her finger. "No takesies backsies."

Heath sighed and rolled his eyes. "You just like to get me into trouble, don't you?"

Zia smiled and batted her eyes innocently. "Who, me?"

Heath rolled his eyes and offered her his arm in a gallant fashion. "May I escort you back home, milady?"

Zia hesitated, and the playful atmosphere disappeared. There was a reason she had run from Headquarters to seek refuge in the forest, after all, and she wasn't sure she wanted to go back.

Seeing her hesitation, Heath sighed and hooked his arm through Zia's and guided the way back to camp. "Come on, Zia, it's your birthday. You should enjoy yourself."

Zia sighed. She was nineteen. Nineteen. So was no longer a child- she had left childhood behind a long time ago- but she could never really see herself as an adult.

"You don't have to run every year, you know, Zia," Heath said quietly as they walked

Zia tried to smile in an attempt to bring back the happy mood. "I can't make it too easy for you- you'd get bored."

But then Heath gave her a look that melted her cheery persona. She shoulders sagged and her face fell, revealing a tired, weary girl in the place of the previously jolly one. The mood shifted from teasing to tense in an instant.

Heath stopped walking to face her. "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing," she said, trying to gather herself again. She tried to keep walking but Heath stubbornly blocked her path.