The Awakening of Vitana

Chapter 2: Darkness

Days passed. You could imagine it got quite boring. It was day all the time. Also, I couldn't sleep no matter how hard I tried. How much time could I have been trapped in the ice? It's still a mystery at this point.

Hunter returned after two days, and I worried until then.

When he was back, he was always fidgeting and easily startled. Something was on his mind. But I thought that he wouldn't want to be asked. Somehow, I was right.

"What's going on?", I asked him.

He jumped back and quickly said, "Nothing, don't ask."

I tried to shrug it off but I just couldn't.

When it's always day, and you can't sleep, you're going to want something to do. I love to ask questions, but frankly, Hunter doesn't seem keen about answering.

I was paranoid that he could read my mind. I remind myself that's it's not possible though.

Hunter must've noticed me staring and wondering, so he finally gave me his thoughts.

"I'm just nervous, okay?", he snapped.

I recoiled and responded quickly, "Oh.. that's okay..."

I jumped when I heard a booming crackle from outside.

"That's what I mean. The autumn darkness is coming."

"You could've told me that ear-"

"I know.", he said simply while cutting me off.

He left me to go out and salvage the remaining daylight. After some compromising, he let me come along.

We trekked along the dirt without speaking a word. Every once in a while Hunter would spot something and bend over to grab it.

A few more crackles erupted overhead. Hunter stumbled back a few steps.

"Crap..", I heard him say under his breath.

"What?"

"I.. I dropped the key..."

I looked up at the greying sky.

"What key?", I said impatiently.

"Well, I was planning to slip by the warehouse, and I just dropped the key when I jumped."

I let a breath out, and fell to my knees. The dirt was soft, but was quickly covering my dress.

"Well, are we going to find it?", I said while running my hands through the dirt.

Hunter stooped down to my level, but stopped halfway.

"We don't have time... stay here, I'll find it."

I watched as he bent and shrunk back down to a bushy chipmunk. He scurried off a few feet to my right, digging in the satiny dirt.

It didn't take long before he ran back in his human form with this brassy key in his hand. He placed it in my hand. I slipped it into my dress pocket.

We worked our way around the nooks of trees. Eventually, a wooden building rose above us.

I searched around my large pocket until I felt the chilled metal of the key.

Hunter fiddled with the key to open the door. He signaled for me to stay while he slipped inside to grab whatever he needed.

He came out with a large bag that seemed ready to burst at the seams. He pressed a finger to his lips as we crept away.

We reached the hut once again, and Hunter sorted through the bag. Whatever was in there.

"Okay, I'm just tired of waiting.", I said, breaking the silence.