A Future Elvin World

Chapter 2- Sophie POV

      The next day was dreary and bland, the rain kept Sophie and her friends away from the battle training their bodyguards had wanted to give them.  Although Sophie was terrible at the training sessions, she was relieved to have something to distract her from all her worries. And more importantly, the guilt that came with those worries. The guilt of not being there when her parents needed her the most. The guilt of not trying harder to get into Exile to save them. The guilt of not pushing herself farther to defeat Fintan and his band of rebels. 

It was almost enough to break her, but there was one thought that helped her stay afloat, her friends needed her and she needed them.  Plus, she was the only one who could bring someone back after they were broken. Sophie wasn't sure if she could bring herself back or if her mind was harder to break from the guilt, but she also knew that she wanted to be there when Alden and Grady and the rest of her friends and family were rescued. 

"Sheesh Foster, your worry is strong enough to make us both sick." 

Sophie spun around, coming face to face with Keefe. He flashed his famous smirk at her, making her cheeks heat up. 

"Sorry." She mumbled, looking down at her feet. Keefe was an empath so he could sense emotions. But for some reason, he could sense Sophie's emotions from all the way across the room. Sometimes even from a larger distance. She'd always thought it was because of her alicorn inspired DNA. 

"What's going on, Foster?" Keefe asked, grabbing her arm and leading her over to a nearby tree and away from the small table Sophie had maps spread across. She'd been looking through maps of the Lost Cities and of the Councilor's main building, trying to find a way to ambush the Neverseen to steal Fintans cache. She knew that Fintan and the Neverseen had turned Tribunal Hall into their giant castle, finding the need to not have the hall since they sent everyone to Exile, even for the simplest thing. He'd already ordered the gnomes to start working for the new ogre king, and the few that denied his request were sent to Exile until they were ready to accept his offer. In Sophie's opinion, spending time in Exile wasn't nearly as bad as being worked to death in an ogre work camp. She couldn't understand how someone could be so heartless, sending innocent creatures into slave labor for a merciless king. At least Silveny and her family were doing okay, or at least they were the last time  Sophie had checked in. The stubborn alicorn hadn't been answering Sophie's transmissions lately, and she knew they were getting to Silveny by the emotions stirring in the mother alicorns mind. But Silveny wouldn't answer and it was driving Sophie up the wall. 

"Hey," Keefe shook her shoulders, sinking onto the grass beside her. He sat so close their shoulders touched. "I think I lost you there for a second." 

"Sorry." Sophie repeated, ripping up a handful of grass, "I'm just... worried I guess." 

"I can feel that." Keefe pointed out and Sophie shot him a glare. "But I also feel something else...." 

"What?" Sophie whispered, her face turning nuclear when she realized how close they were sitting. Keefe smirked, leaning in so close she could feel his breath warm on her cheeks. 

"You tell me." 

"You're the empath." Sophie scoffed, reminding herself to breathe. Keefe frowned, pulling away and taking his warmth with him. 

"I don't know," He said, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair. "Hope?" 

"You don't sound so sure."

"Yeah well for some reason, your harder to read nowadays. I think it's because you're feeling so many emotions at once. Especially now."

"Meaning...."