Free.

|| 5 ~ Connor ||

THE BLONDE GROANED, PUSHING JHI'S MUZZLE AWAY FROM HER HEAD. Ailee's eyes blinked open, revealing them to be a startling blue. 

Jayi nuzzled her, until Ailee pushed his nose away as well. "Jayi, i'm breathing. I'm fine." She huffed, sitting up. The stallion just nickered softly. 

Abeke and Uraza ran over to the duo, and Ailee took Abeke's outstretched hand, getting to her feet. Ailee fingered the Granite Ram around her neck. 

"Are you with us now?" Tarik asked the girls.

"If you want us." Ailee answered, and Abeke nodded in agreement.

Tarik nodded. "We want you. We also need you. I'm Tarik." j

The girls nodded, and their gazes shifted to Barlow, who's body was laying bloody on the ground. 

"Barlow's gone." Monte said. "I'd rather not leave him here." 

"The trick will be getting him to the horses," Tarik said. "We'll manage it." The tall Greencloak paused for a moment, before turning to Ailee with a confused expression. "How did you get Jayi up here? Any horse would have serious problems getting up here." 

Ailee patted Jayi's shoulder, and held out her left arm. "Like this." In a flash, Jayi disappeared, changing into a tattoo of a running horse on her left forearm. 

I was a little shocked, because that was really quick for her to be able to do that. I patted Briggian's head, then followed the others down the mountain. 

||~______________~||

"I saw that." Said a voice from behind me. 

I turned to see Rollan coming towards him, bandaged arm in a sling. Meilin, Abeke, and Ailee were with him, Meilin and Abeke were wearing green cloaks, where Ailee adopted a grey one, much like Rollan. 

She had turned down the vows, and you could see the resemblance. Ailee didn't like to be tied down. It was just like Jayi, they both hated being confined, I had no doubt that they were both probably claustrophobic. 

"How long have you been doing that?" Rollan asked. "Were you hiding it to spare my feelings? I don't need pity."

"First time." I replied, showing him the mark. "Really."

"Good job." Meilin said. Ailee nodded agreement. 

"Thanks." Suddenly, I was flustered, because Meilin was incredible, and really hard to figure out. "I don't think  Briggian wanted to become dormant while we were out in the open. My guess is he feels safer here." 

Ailee came and sat beside me, summoning Jayi, who appeared in a flash. "Jayi was like that. Kind of. I was really secretive, and until I actually started trusting him, thats when he trusted me." 

"I wonder if Essix will ever feel safe?" Rollan murmured. 

"Give it time." Abeke recommended. 

"Where is she?" I asked. 

Rollan squinted up at the sky. "Where she always is- flying around. She likes when I let her do her own thing. I can respect that." 

"She's probably mad because you won't become a Greencloak." I suggested. 

Ailee huffed, and stood up, using Jayi's mane to haul herself onto his back, where she promptly sat, messing with her grey cloak. 

"No." Rollan shook his head. "I think she understands. Like Ailee and Jayi. Don't take it the wrong way, I respect you three for joining. Especially you, Abeke. But I'm not sure if it's for me, taking official vows and all that. I'm not going anywhere, I'll still help out. Maybe eventually I'll wear the costume."

Ailee nodded agreement. "Yeah. I just..." She paused for a moment, before laying back on Jayi. "I don't like having a commitment. For two years, it was just me and Jayi, nobody else. No extra responsibilities, and these rules." 

The blonde huffed. "It's like somebody is slamming a big book of rules on my brain, but they feel like chains." 

Jayi nickered softly, sounding like he agreed. 

"Now that we made it back here, what comes next?" Meilin asked. 

"I guess we train," I said. "We try to be worthy of our animals. And we find the rest of the talismans. At least, thats my plan." 

"Have you dreamed about any new animals lately?" Rollan asked lightly. 

I glanced down at Briggian's mark, and turned away. "I think we've earned a break." 

"You didn't answer the question." Ailee pointed out.

I sighed. "Fine. I haven't mentioned this to Olvan yet, or Lenori either, although she gave me a funny look this morning. I don't want to worry anybody, and I don't want to mess up our time to relax, but starting a few days ago... I've had these nightmares about a boar."