Sharpened [ On Hold Indefinitely ]

Chapter Six

Darky stares at me. So it really is true, I think. My best friend really did come from someplace else.

For a second, a wave of jealousy rolls over me. What if these people know Darky better than me?

"Darky, Timber," Thunder says to us. "There are more than just us in these woods."

I look with Darky into the woods, and I see two other wolves approaching. They look very sleek, similar to the wolves from my city, but their eyes are different. Instead of the dull eyes that I have, these wolves have bright, shining eyes that glimmer in the blunt light of the forest.

I suddenly realize that Darky has these eyes too, and my heart sinks.

I watch as the wolves morph back to their human forms, twisting and stretching as the stand up slowly. Even though I have seen this transformation countless times, it still astounds me.

"Hey, Maple," Thunder says, waving at the girlwolf.

She waves back.

Swishing her strawberry blonde pigtails, the girl asks me who I am, in a kind of squeaky voice.

"I'm Timber," I mutter. "And this is Darky." I gesture to my friend.

"Hi!" The girl says, opening her mouth a little too widely for a simple hello.

The black-haired boy next to her grunts. "I'm Sage."

I smile unwillingly.

"Guys, come on," says Lumination. "Let's go back home."

I grab Darky's hand and we follow them through the trees. Finally, we come to a huge oak. Staring up into it, I notice a hand-made canopy of leaves, perfect for a bed.

"Is that yours?" I ask Thunder, pointing up at it.

She nods. "There are more, though, for you two," she says kindly.

So Darky and I don't have to make our own beds. That's good.

Maple smiles at me. "You get the bunk next to mine!" She says merrily.

I look at Darky, and she shrugs. Maybe Darky can be on the other side of me.

Maple grabs my hand and begins the pull me toward the huge oak. I struggle, and then begin to climb the tree. Using the gnarly branches for holds, I finally pull myself up next to Maple, who had climbed much faster.

I still have a lot to get used to in the woods.

Maple points up, and my gaze follows her finger to two  more beds, these ones made of branches, and are carpeted with leaves. They almost look comfortable, minus the fact that they are about thirty feet up in a tree.

"What do we put our heads on?" I ask Maple. I don't know if I could survive without pillows.

"Oh, we just have piles of leaves," Maple replies.

I sigh. I guess that will work.

"Where will Darky sleep?"

"Next to Thunder," she says, pointing down. "And the boys have their own tree, over there."

That is definitely good.

Sitting down on the soft leaves, I swing my legs over the edge. Suddenly, I remember what the Countless had said when I had asked to go with Darky. "You will have to help us with a certain mission."

What can that mean?