Pangea

Chapter 5

When Larq and Cornelius returned to our cottage later that night, none of them spoke about what happened. The deer was smoking over the fire and we were about to sit down to dinner. When they both walked into the house, neither he nor Cornelius looked happy. Larq was looking tired, his clothes worn but clean. Larq went to our room then returned with his hunting gears moments later, he dropped them at Cornelius's feet, where he stood staring into the fire.

I knew everyone else was hitching to ask the question that was running through my mind. Keith and Roger were playing card at the table a single candle lighting their game. Sage rushed to Cornelius's side helping him out of his leather jacket.

"What happened?" I asked.

Larq hung his head. My heart sank.

"We are band from hunting for a month, unless..." Cornelius trailed off. Several hisses went up in the room. "Disciplinary actions are taken against Larq and Diana." Cornelius said. He hardly ever called me Diana, unless he was disappointed or he wanted to bring is point across.

"This is bullocks, why does the rest of us have to suffer because of juvenile stupidity?" Roger throw his hand up in outrage.

"Because of them we have meat to eat!" Cornelius strike back, defending us.

"Yeah, and how long will the meat last? I know you will always defend them no matter what they do, but what about the rest of us?" Roger said getting to his feet.

"We are all a family." Cornelius said.

"Stop lying to yourself. Look at us, a bunch of misfits living under the same roof pretending to be a family." Roger's face was twisted in anger.

Cornelius let out a heavy sigh, "You are all my responsibility, until the band is lifted, we will do other things to survive."

"Why do we have to go with the band, what about the disciplinary action?" Roger pushed.

Cornelius and Larq exchanged glances. "That action is not an option." Cornelius said with finality. He walked out of the room down the hall to his private den. It seemed like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Sage followed him.

"What's the other option?!" Roger shouted after him.

"Roger." Keith held his arm. "Give him a break."

"He is not doing such a good job leading this clan, he is getting old and tired I think it's time." Roger looked Keith in the eyes, sending him a secret message.

I did not like that look. "Time for what?" I asked stepping towards them.

"For a new leader." Roger said arrogantly.

"Do you think you will make a better leader?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him. I was getting really pissed, really fast.

"Yes, I think I would." He walked towards me.

"How are you planning on going about being the leader of this clan?"

"Roger." Keith called to him in warning.

Roger and I had never seen eye to eye. He annoyed me. He was self-righteous but also dumb as a doorknob.

He ignored Keith. "I am going to the council; we all agreed that he is getting sloppy in keeping this clan fed and in line."

We who? I could feel heat burning through my veins from my rising anger. I knew my eyes were burning gold. "You ungrateful piece of shit." I hissed at him "Cornelius scraped you off the streets and gave you a home after your parents died and this is how you plan to repay him?" I said in a calm bridging on dangerous tone. "You want to steal his clan from under him, and you." I turned on Keith. "You were planning to help him you spineless twat?!"