Reversal (Camren/Norminah)

Chapter 49: Ashes

"No." The boy shook his head. "I don't even think she knew where they were going to be. When it comes to Lauren, Camila acts based on intuition."

"Let's move." Normani was already halfway down the hall, speaking away from the others. "We need to bring them both home, is that clear?"

The group took off into the rain, Normani at the front, Ally ensuring everyone kept up from behind. Shawn found he was able to keep pace, and was most preoccupied with having to breathe through the mask that was filtering the air. They searched for some time, checking the ground for signs of prints, and every tree trunk for evidence of a battle. Frustration grew with each passing minute of empty scouting and heavy downpour.

Then, as if the universe had heard their concern, a bolt of lightning split the sky open, illuminating the clouds and finding the ground off in the distance. Shawn looked to the trees, then over at the others. Normani and Ally had a considerably sicker look on their faces than did Dinah and Jason, and the boy didn't hesitate to ask why.

"That entire area is off limits to us." Normani stepped forward, her voice barely audible through the wind and rain. "There's a cliff there that drops straight down, and a bunch of really dangerous rock formations that make it hard for us to maneuver around."

"Meaning what?" Dinah asked, glancing at Shawn with worry painted clear on her face.

"Meaning that if Lauren wanted to get rid of something... or someone, then doing it there is probably the easiest way. She's near a crippling drop, and being high in the sky is a perfect target for stray lightning in a storm like this." Ally replied. "And on top of that, getting people over there is a task, so sending for help is usually out of the question."

Shawn was already heading towards the source of the chaos, glancing back momentarily to see that the others were in tow. He weaved through the trees, sick at the thought of what he might see. It took some time to arrive, but once they did, the first thing he saw had him terrified. Camila's knife was alone, one half of the duel wield blade lodged into the soil, and the other tangled up in a cluster of vines and wet leaves. When he went to retrieve them, he noticed that the majority of the left blade was covered in blood, starting at the tip of stained against the edge.

"They're close." Ally closed her eyes, kneeling to the ground and knitting her brows together in concentration. "I can't tell if they're both there, but they're definitely close."

"The rocks look unnatural." Jason murmured as Shawn followed his line of sight up to where large pillars stood shoulder to shoulder "Like they belong at the side of a coastline more than they do a forest."

"They are unnatural." Normani nodded. "Those eroded from a series of mountains about a year or so ago, we use the rock from them as a resource for weapons and wall finishing, but that's the only reason why anyone would be found out here. It's dangerously close to the town, and far past the borders we've set."

"Camila..." Shawn breathed, connecting the blades together to form the one and sliding the weapon into the sash around his waist. He didn't wait for the go ahead before darting towards the cliffs, scouring the trees for sign of life.

"Shawn!" Dinah called out, motioning for the others to follow. "Wait!"

"We'll get a better look from up top." Shawn informed her after screeching to a stop near the cliff's base. "But how do we get up there?"

"Allow me." Ally stepped forward, closing her hands into fists and morphing the rock into a platform so that everyone was boosted up, scaling the side like a stone age escalator. Arriving at the top, Shawn was able to get a blurry look at their geographic surroundings. The forest sat in a valley, flanked on either side by rolling hills that seemed to go on forever. Fog obscured his view of the distance, but he could tell that this particular mass of land was vast.