Lightnings [Completed]

Chapter 21. Realisation.

Three days. Three days, until everyone and everything turns into ashes. Three days, when we have to save as much, as we can. Three. Everything seemed to come down to that number. Maybe, just maybe, it was a simple coincidence. But it was way too hard to believe in coincidences.

I sighed and turned around. People were seen through the trees, and now it wasn't so hard for me to lead the way along with Catherine. I got already used to it, but still felt nervous. What if I fail them?
My friends, however, weren't anxious at all. Miss Founder, Milo and Reginald were in the crowd, every one in their group. Honor had to hold Miragold, who was about to attack laughing Jordan - apparently, he'd thought it was very funny to put a huge spider in her sleeping bag.

And Maya and Gill, well... They were walking a little behind us, talking nicely. I couldn't resist an urge to smirk. They could deny it as long as they wanted, but I knew that these two had a crush on each other since they first met. All those years before the Sky City incident their relationship hadn't been improving, since Gill had pretended to be dumb, and Maya'd had no idea how to act. However, there was a whole year they had to share a prison cell, and, I guess, it helped them. But that romance was just another thing that made me worry, as if there weren't enough already. I needed my friends, probably much more than they needed me. And I didn't want to be the fifth wheel.

I instinctly came closer to Cat, and despite her face was serious, her eyes started to smile. I smiled back:
- Do, uh... Do you want to talk? Or should I just shut up and leave you to your wayfinding?
- It fine. - She shook her head, somehow checking her navigations with the moss on a huge boulder. - What about want talk?
I rubbed the back of my head.
- Can you, please, tell me about your... Our mother? I don't remember much.

- Oh. - Cat froze for a second, but then continued her way under a high birch. - Was kind. Always wore crown made of feathers. Said, helped her control emotions. Mother missed home, but was happy that found ground. Was proud when understood you inherited powers from her. It... Was hard take you to another world, especially for her. Was crying almost week. Then changed.
- Changed? - I asked, jumping over a log. - What do you mean?
My sister bit her lower lip, sighing. I was going to say that she didn't have to tell me, but she spoke first.

- Became different. - Catherine's voice was flat. - More closed, introverted. Began saying weird things. But still loved us, both. Really missed you, like I. Thought was her fault. One day, mother went away, didn't return for two weeks. When did, made me promise find you when you come back. Sometimes I think she knew about everything. That why she made temple.
- She made a temple? - I gasped, gesturing Cat to wait for others. - Where?

- Where we going. - The brown-headed girl shuddered, when cold wind ruffled her hair. - Safe there. Mother asked bring you there. Not know why, although. Probably because of your gift.
- Maybe. - I sighed.
To be honest, I only remembered her face. I knew she'd always been kind to me and Cat, but, no matter, how hard I tried, I couldn't remember her voice. And I really, really wanted to hear it again, to feel her gentle arms, hugging me.

We stopped talking, mostly because Catherine knew I didn't want to. She somehow managed to feel my emotions, but it wasn't irritating at all! In fact, it was good to have a person who understands you without words. With every passing hour, I felt a strange connection between us becoming stronger. I even noticed that when my sister was worried, she sometimes licked her lips - a habit, that'd made everyone in my orpahage made fun of me.

We've been walking for almost give hours, and even Cat started to show some signs of tiredness. What to say about people, not used to walking for so long! They were slowly trailing behind, and I could literally feel their bad mood elecrifying the air. Nobody talked, nobody laughed. And, just if the lassitude wasn't enough, the sky turned gray.