The Great Journey

Lyra

Aaron had called a stop to the trek, long after the last rays of sun had bathed the land. Finding another suitable clearing, large enough for the near hundred survivors to set up camp, many lay exhausted and hungry, gazing at the ocean of stars hidden behind the canopy of leaves.

Setting up camp consisted of making fires and huddling around them. Ten to fifteen fires were made, thanks to the assistance of Ajax and another survivor, who had thankfully paid attention in the survival course, prior to the launch date. Each fire was claimed by a group, a clear division between Aaron's group and Ajax's.

With night came the cold wind, racing through the trees, causing them to sway and howl as if they to felt its chill. Lyra simply buried her chin into her flight suit, retreated her arms up her sleeves, and hugged her legs as close to her body as she could get. Her athletic physique didn't harbour any protective layers from the energy-sapping elements. Another strong blast of icy wind whipped through the camp, arousing the fire making it roar, but compelled Lyra to shiver. She wasn't one for showing her emotions, but the cold had gripped her with its deadly claws and wasn't planning on letting go until the sun broke dawn.

'Well, I'm officially cold', she stuttered through chattering teeth. 'I think space was warmer!'.

Gazing through the dancing flames, Ajax, Asteer, Felicity and Kollin, all untucked their chins, staring at Lyra, their faces saying everything.

'It's not that bad', Ajax grunted, his mouth dry for the lack of water.

'I'm too bloody hungry to be cold!', Asteer moaned. 'And thirsty!'.

'Same here friend', Kollin added.

Another silence followed. The wind whipped overhead, causing the branches of the trees to sway aggressively. A flourish of panicked squarks radiated over the camp. The birds that had been following the group, flapped into the air, waiting for the tree to settle, before perching themselves back on its branches, huddling for warmth. Bringing her eyes back to the ground, Lyra scanned the other groups, watching people converse, silhouetted by the shimmering flames.

'It's getting late', Ajax announced, standing to his feet, dusting his flight suit free of leafs. 'I'm going to head out on one last firewood run. Anyone want to join?', he asked.

'I'm in', Kollin groaned as he rose next to his leader. 'It will be better than freezing my ass off here, plus you shouldn't go alone'.

Giving a nod to his companion, Ajax looked at Lyra.

'Really?', she mocked, squinting her eyes in defiance. 'Me and Felicity will stay here, thank you'. Casting her eyes to her new friend, Felicity shot Lyra a thankful look, then buried her chin back into her flight suit.

'I'll come', Asteer said. 'Who knows, we might see something interesting'. As he stood, Asteer looked at Felicity and nodded. She untucked her chin to smile, before hiding it once again. Leaving with pace the two girls were left alone.

Suspiciously glaring at her friend, Felicity watched the flames dance, her eye's mirroring its movement. Lyra wanted to know what that was all about. So she let her inquisitive nature, or what others called nosy, take over.

'So', Lyra spoke, breaking the silence. 'You and Asteer?', she probed.

A rolling of her eye's in Lyra's direction, resisted the conversation, but soon failed. Untucking her chin, letting her legs fall to the floor, already crossed, Felicity entertained Lyra.

'No, we aren't an item', she giggled.

Liar!

Sensing Lyra's disbelief, Felicity continued, 'I know how it looks, but we nearly died last night', she spoke softly, eyes locked on the fire. 'Ajax sat us next to each other after carrying us off the beach, and we tended for each other. I guess we just made a bond. He looks out for me now', Felicity smiled, speaking her words to the flames.