The Chameleon Chronicles

Chapter 3 - Unsettled

Both of them stood again at the outcropping overlooking the city and lower forest. It was a lovely sight to look upon during night, and the sunrise reflecting on the towers of the city made the sight much more enchanting.
The fact of the matter was, though neither of them had said it, they didn't want to have to go to the city if they could help it. For starters, it was a big place - bigger than the forest. And they could end up lost there. And secondly, as their father worked there, they didn't want to go anywhere that they might be spotted.
The main road could be seen in the distance over to the right of where they stood. The early morning visitors to the city were making their way inside in a number of vehicles.
The humans had the technology, and the experience to deal with it. The various anthropomorphic settlements, such as that of the one the two chameleons lived, led a more relaxed and low tech life. Some anthros took on work placements within the various human settlements, hoping to gain enough skill to help their own communities. Some didn't like it, but others were willing to bring technology to the fore of their existance. While the chameleon community was reluctant to accept technology, the mayor still felt the basics could help them survive better. As such, some males had been told to get jobs within the city if they could.
Their father was the only one who'd been successful, and as such brought back as much food as he could for the community. Zoin had packed some of that food within his bag.
Continuing to look upon the city, Zoin looked down on the lower half of the city. Covered mostly with pine trees, a river ran through the forest, and split in two. Half of it continued back through to the road, and ended somewhere past the Chao Garden. The other half came right up to the rock of the outcropping, where it followed the ridges and froze into a pool almost directly beneath where they stood.
The fact was there was another river. This one was one of lava, and it ran through the rock. The strange lava river occasionally spurted up through the rock, but as far as researchers could tell, it didn't even touch the village.
Zoin now looked down at this pool of water. He blinked. Getting down as carefully as he could to his hands and knees, he crawled to the edge and looked down. He could sense that Krona was watching him with a look of amazement, but he wasn't bothered by that.
What he had seen- He couldn't have. There was no possible way he could have. The light must have reflected funny off the water, he told himself. There was no way that he would be on the case of their missing sister, Zoin was certain of it.
Getting up and pretending he had done nothing, Zoin gestured to Krona to get moving. The light was now fully up. They put themselves at risk by staying near the village. If someone found them, the mission would be a failure.
Zoin didn't want that to happen.

Krona had no idea why Zoin had looked right over the edge, nor did he have any idea where they were going. But as he walked along behind his brother, he couldn't help but think again whether he would see his sister ever again.
The thought kept reasserting itself in his mind - no matter what they did, it was very unlikely that they would find any leads in the forest. While his brother meant well in leading the search, he couldn't help but think that something else was also on his brother's mind. Krona wasn't going to ask about it though, nor was he going to ask what they were doing.
The fact was - he was always talking about going on adventures. Krona always pictured himself doing dangerous things, or going to far places. He'd always pictured himself returning home in time for supper though. Had never thought of a time when he might not return home. He couldn't bare to think about it now, either.
He couldn't even voice his worries. Zoin would scoff, and maybe even start distancing himself away from Krona. If Zoin thought he was going soft, then maybe he would start bragging to Krona that he wasn't wanting adventure after all. Only wanting to cause trouble. Krona couldn't face that, and didn't want to think about it.
That was the point though.
No matter where his thoughts went, it was always to something he didn't want to think about. He repeatedly tried looking for some bright place, some happy thought, but any thoughts near to home brought thoughts of his sister, and of not being there again, and of the possibility they could get lost. The same could be said for thinking of where they were going, or of lack of food, or where they were going to stay. And all of these thoughts brought out a sickening nervousness that didn't feel like him. No matter what he had done before, he hadn't felt at all nervous. Now, he couldn't feel anything but nervous. It felt like it consumed him.
And so, as he followed Zoin, he kept quiet. He didn't ask what they were doing, when they were going to eat, not one of the questions he wanted to ask, or voicing his concerns.