After The War

Chapter 11: The Assesment

Kelsey returned with Red to Tree Top Dome after that night. Everything she did around him now felt strange. Their love was strange. Everything about them being together seemed strange. Jack had started her on hunting patrols again, and even on guard duty. She would be guarding at night, and in the morning she would be hunting. She woke in the morning and headed over to the group of others who were apart of the hunting patrol. Red was in the group as well.

Kelsey looked over at him and he did the same. They caught each other's gave, but Kelsey looked away, afraid of attracting unwanted attention. She looked over at the leader of the patrol as they spoke. It was someone she hadn't seen yet. It was a young woman, with black hair. Three strips of her hair were dyed though, with red, blue, and purple dye.

"Listen up now everyone. We are going to be hunting at the, uh, South, perimeter of this place. So, uh, let's go." She said with a nervous voice. She then grabbed a weird looking scythe that was on her back and headed down tree top dome. Could she have been new to Tree Top Dome? Kelsey began to boil up with questions about this new person, but didn't mind them. She followed the group from the back until she sped up closer to the front.

Some of the people she passed up frowned and snickered at her for her skills. Kelsey ignored them and continued going. They reached the ground and Kelsey was the third person to get to the bottom, with Red and the woman in front of her. For some reason, Kelsey thought she showed great skill, but her personality made it harder for her to do so. She started to think, but she couldn't come up with a clear way to get this person to become more calm. They began toward the South of Tree Top Dome where they would've hunting. Kelsey ran all the way up to the front and came up next to the woman. "Hey, my name is Kelsey." She said while trying to look calm.

"Uh, yeah, hi. I'm uh, Hayile." She noticed that Hayile seemed to still have a nervous expression, so she changed her approach.

"It's nice to meet you. Are you new here?"

"Uh, yes, I am new."

" Well, welcome then,"Kelsey said as cheerful as she could,"I'm sure you have already met the leader, Jack, right?"

Hayile nodded slightly,"I have met him. He seemed a little... Off."

Kelsey looked at her confused at first, but then remembered how he normally was, and felt that she could understand what Hayile meant."That is okay though, he is normally like that, so you shouldn't have to worry to much."Hayile smiled, and Kelsey smiled back. They continued walking, but said nothing else afterwards.

Later on that day, they finished their hunting patrol and started back toward Tree Top Dome. Kelsey walked up to Hayile just before she went up to the top. The others from the group went ahead. Red stayed for a moment and looked at Kelsey just as she turned towards Hayile. He frowned and went up the tree, while Hayile and her stayed at the trunk. "Hey, since you're new here, do want me to take you on a tour of the place?" Kelsey asked.

Hayile looked concerned for a moment,"No, Christa is supposed to take me on one today."

"Right,"Kelsey turned and looked around, and then looked back at Hailye. "How 'bout we go get lunch together?"

Hayile smiled,"Sure. I don't think it would hurt." They then went up to the top and went to the cafeteria, since morning hunting patrols only lasted till lunch because the people in the patrols would need to eat. Kelsey and Hayile grabbed their food and then walked about half way through the cafeteria before stopping.

"Do you want to go to your room, or stay here and eat?" Kelsey asked.

"Uh,"Hayile thought for a moment, but then decided,"I want to eat in here. Kelsey felt a intense feeling that something bad would happen if they stayed here in the cafeteria and ate, but this was the first time Hayile had gotten to eat here, and she didn't want to make it difficult for her.

"Alright, where do you want to sit?"

Hayile looked around for a while, but just as Kelsey spotted a place to sit, Hayile had already found a spot. "How about over there, with Christa." Kelsey looked over at the spot that Hayile pointed out and saw Christa and Red sitting with each other talking in a quite whisper. They walked over and sat down with them. It was a single table which they sat at, and only had four seats, which was big enough just for the four of them to sit at. Kelsey sat down next to Red, who sat across from Christa, and Hayile sat across from Kelsey. "Hi Christa," Hayile said directly to Christa. Christa nodded toward her with a smile.

"Hello Hayile." Red said. They must have met before meeting the rest of the hunting patrol, Kelsey thought. After all, I was the last person to arrive with the group. Kelsey looked over at Red just as he began to speak again,"Will you be ready to start your training tomorrow? I'm sure Christa here will be taking you on your tour later today."

Hayile nodded and replied,"Yes, I will be ready to start training."

"Good, I will expect you to be in the training center then,"Red said. He then turned and looked at Christa,"And make sure to show her the room on your tour, okay?"

"Don't worry, it will be the first stop on our trip," Christa replied. They all finished their food. Christa and Hayile went straight off on their tour, heading for the training center first. Red looked at Kelsey and started walking toward her, but as he did she turned away and began to walk. Kelsey went back to her room, which had changed much over the past three months. It was more filled with things than before, and now there was even winter clothes in there. Winter would be coming soon, and she would need her winter clothes for that time. Especially for those things that Red had told her about.

They would only come out during the winter, and if the were to cold, then they would be more attracted to her. Kelsey's bed now had more better sheets, which were woven from sheep's wool. Her little window was still the same, as well as her dresser. She stayed in her room until it became dark, and that was when she had to go and do guard duty. Before leaving, she grabbed her sword, her quiver filled with arrows, and her dagger and left to go outside. She walked around for a few hours, watching for anyone who may do harm to her or anyone else at Tree Top Dome. As she turned the corner after searching the perimeter of the stables she looked and saw Red. She glared at him for coming out at such a late, and most unreasonable time. Especially since she was guarding. She sped-walked over to him. "Red!" She whispered in an angry tone. "What are you doing out!? You know I am on guard duty!"

Red looked at her with a nervous expression,"I, well, you see, I wanted to come talk to you. That's why." Kelsey just blankly stared at him now. This would be the worst time ever, since she was not the only one guarding the place. "I don't know what to think of our relationship right now, I mean, what if someone were to find out?"

"Red, if someone finds out, then I think we will be fine. There is nothing wrong with it, right?"

"But I have a more inferior class than you do. I am a hunter, not a warrior!" Red turned and looked away from Kelsey. "At least, that is what I feel like." He mumbled to himself.

"Look, if someone does find out, and there is something wrong with it, then we can leave."

Red turned back around at her as if she were crazy."What!? If we do that, then you won't have the protection you have here!"

Kelsey glanced away from him for a second, then she spoke,"Look, I have just as much protection here as I would when I'm not here."

Red thought for a moment as he watched the flooring beneath his feet. He looked back up at her with sad eyes. "We can talk about this later," he said walking back toward his room,"Alone." He then disappeared from view as he entered the hallway where his room was. Kelsey looked away from where he went and started to search again. Then, she heard the rustling of the leaves as if something big were coming up the tree. She grabbed her sword, and then she felt the floor begin to shake. She looked down at her feet and saw a fast movement through the cracks. She looked back up in front of herself just as the wolf from earlier jumped up.

"What are you doing here!?" She exclaimed.

"There is no time to talk. Your friend is in trouble." The wolf ran at her and grabbed Kelsey by her sweater. "Come with me." The wolf then jumped down tree top dome with Kelsey, and they disappeared into the woods.