Ania stood in the wood for an hour after the solider left making sure he was truly gone before heading home. Taking in a deep breath of air she wasn't aware she was holding, she trudged through the dense forest. After a time silence just became a nuisance, a fearful nuisance. The brush was not hard to push through but rather a waste of time in her eyes, there were sky ships running around and still the gypsy's traveled by foot like back in the stone ages.
Crunch.
The noise caused Ania to stop dead in her tracks, someone was following her, she twisted and looked around, no one was visible, but she knew better than to trust her sight alone. Stillness was key and in a few moments time noise gave away her follower, or what she thought was a follower, because the noise came from in front of her. Soft steps treading the floor gave her just enough leeway to see the dark stranger that Ariya had noted in her mind. He was quiet and it looked as though he were setting camp for the night.
" Keep walking stranger." His voice was deep and steady but no threat intended just a gentle warning and Ania keep to his word and kept on walking but it was puzzling how he had heard her. She was perplexed to say the least about the mysterious person in the woods, but she would not question his actions as of yet, she didn't even know him, but he gave of a familiar vibe, like the one felt in Balcana and that was never a vibe you wanted. Balcana is deadly and the forest unknown, people are questionable like the flicker of a flame, would it ignite or extinguish?
Ariya and Jarren had retired for the night, as the first rays of the sun were starting to creep across the horizon. At the same time Ania was finally making her way into the farthest edges of the village clearing. She could feel her bones aching, feel herself ready to drop. She stumbled her way into the clearing where all dances performed, and faltered. What was she doing? She knew not whether the soldier would betray her. She did not know if the man in the forest was actually planning to stay in his makeshift camp.
With a defeated sigh, she turned and stumbled, before scampering towards her home. At the base of her oak home, she was devastated to find that she lacked the strength to pull herself up. The stress and fear and confusion of the night was suddenly weighing down on her heavily. Without a thought towards safety or self-preservation, she leaned against the tree and slid down, scraping her back in the process. In a pile on the ground, at the base of her tree, she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Ari woke at noon, and rubbed his eyes against the bright sunlight pouring in through the small windows. He looked down to see Ariya sleeping soundly beside him, and with soft, unsure hands pet her as he would Hasan. She stirred restlessly, but did not waken, and he managed to climb over her and slide down the discarded covers to the dirt floor. Jarren was asleep on his straw mattress as well, and so with the best of his skills he slipped out of the house as silently as he could.
The village was bustling. Ari walked along happily, as content alone as he was when with Hasan and Ariya. He stopped at an apple tree and climbed to the top carefully. Grabbing at the best and closest, eating it while lying against the thick branch. Some of the villagers passed by him without notice. However, one did notice that the young boy was hanging around above their heads.
"What on earth are you doing, boy?" Raj was there. Standing underneath him and starring up with a crooked head. Ari sat up and waved, "Hi Raj! Want a' apple?!" Raj stepped out into the light, away from the shade of the trees sweeping branches. "You come down here before ants take to your hide as flies to cow dung!"
Ari's eyes widened in fear. With a cry he tried to jump up, only to trip and fall. Raj's reflexes, though hardly up to par with the gypsies, still managed to act fast enough to catch Ari before he crashed on his head. Staring down at him, he flipped him around and set him on the ground. Vertigo set in quickly and Ari laughed as he fell into Raj's legs.
