Of thorns and fire

Eerika

For a moment the world seemed to stop, nothing mattered not the burning people or our imminent defeat only the air bubbles floating to the top of the water. I pushed out of osmunds arms haring to the edge of the water. But before i could reach it amaya launched herself into the river after tawny. "Please." I whispered Stairing intently at the water. "please." I said begging every god whos name i could remember that tawny would pop out of the water unscathed. Suddenly i saw the water ripple as amaya pushed to the surface dragging an unconcious tawny over her shoulder. I sighed in relief rushing into the water meeting amaya half way. I pulled Tawny from her arms and staggered back to shore. Her face was a ghostly white her cloths chest and neck covered in sticky blood. "Tawny if you can hear me its Eerika iv got you, its going to be okay."

We raced her back to camp and handed her to a healer who said shed call us back when tawny came too. I sat by the river Listening to the rushing water it seemed to get louder and louder and take on a almost human voice, Why did you let her go alone? Why didnt you help her? How could you be so selfish? YOU FAILED HER. It was deafoning i couldnt think i couldnt breath all i could do was listen to the damming words, "Eerika," Osmund whispered worry clear on his face "Eerie you need to calm down, your no use to Tawny like this." I staired into his emerld eyes hot tears dripping down my face, "Its all my fault, i couldnt protect her... I wouldnt protect her. I let my pride get in the way and now look." I indicated to my hands coated in her blood. Osmund looked at a loss for words as he surveyed my tattered state.

"Shes awake," Amaya called, sprinting towards us. I got up harring to the medical ward pushing past the nurse and pulling aside the sheet to tawnys bed.she was lying on the bed tarrigen at her side protectivly.She looked up at me and smiled meekly. her skin was still chalky and their was a blood soacked bandage wrapped around her shoulder but the most troubling part was her eyes, they looked dim and somber. "Im so sorry." I said. " I shouldnt have left you alone i know your ..." I trailed of trying to find a way to phrase it that wouldnt offend her. "what?" Tawny mummbled degectidly. " less of a warrier than you?" I shook my head in confusion. "Of course not." Tawny scoffed quietly. " Dont lie to me i know what i am a scrawny dissapointment, i know that ill always be in the shadow of the great Eerika Ravenbourne even when i try to do somthing heroic like you i mess it up."

" Tawny you now thats not true." She looked at me dissbelivingly, "are you jelous of me?" I asked the words sounding wrong on my lips. Tawny looked away. "Its hard not to be when you have an older sister who can destroy a dragon singlehandly when you can barely lift a sword." my mouth hung open. "Its my fault your injured." She shook her head. "No you believed in me and i let you down its me who should be appologising im just a dissapointment."

"Tawny your not a dissapointment youre... Brilliant. youre the siren mum always wanted."

Tawnys eyes were wide in shock. we sat their in stunned silence realising we'd been in the same situation all along.i tentitively wrapped an arm around tawnys good shoulder. " Your the best little sister i could ask for." Tawny hugged me back. "and your the best big sister." I looked her in the eye. "Can i ask a favour?" Tawny nodded. "Try not to get in a dangrous situation whilst im away again." She giggled. "Deal."

"Thank you." I said leaving the tenet with os. "if it werent for you i would have gotten our whole force killed." Os gave me a small smile. He opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but the words died on his lips smiling sheepishy he wandered off dissapearing into the crowd. walked through the camp not quite knowing were i was going but ending up back by the river.

i sat down wallowing in self pity how had i managed to be so wrong about everything? "I thought i might find you here." Amaya said stepping through the trees.

" Its my favourte spot," amaya came and sat beside me dangling her legs into the river. "Do you rememer when we were dumb seven year olds and ran of into the woods to live on our own." I nodded remembering father having to send out search partys to find us and our near miss with a huge bear. "Well when we got back and i was crying and begging forgivness your father said something ill never forget. 'you made a mistake theres no point beating yourself up over it, the best thing to do is to learn from it and move on.'"

"When did you get all introspective?" I asked, Amaya smiled. "When my best friend decided to be a dumbass." she said the slightest bit of teasing colouring her usualy monotone voice. I shoved her shoulder playfully. "What are you going to do now?" Amaya asked, "We need to fight smarter if were going to win this."

" Their is no way we can break through that wall. But we can beat them if we fight them in the feild."

"So how do we get them into a feild?"Amaya asked I shrugged, "this isnt my fortae."

"It is now. Your in charge eerika that entails more that just punching things."

"So, what do i do?"

"You once told me braiding hair 'wasnt your forte' and yet you learnt that, you had a natural disadvantage at fighting and yet you learnt that. Whats the commen thread?"

Suddenly it clicked. "Amaya could you please try to teach Tawny to to do archery your the best shot i know and she needs some help." She looked taken aback but regained her composure nodding a small smile on her lips.

"Osmund." I called finally finding him. "I uhh... I need" I knew what i had to say but the words felt like bile in my throat. My fathers voice boomed in my head a memory i had almost forgotten finaly resurfacing...

"GET UP!" He boomed, circling me as i lied on the floor my mustles like mush. iI didnt understand i had fought and fought but it was never enough. I couldnt do it. Slowly my fighting instructor reached out his hand to pull me up. I shook my head trying one final time to get up on my own and face him. I pushed up with all my might willing strength into my bones ignoring the burnign pain at the exersion suddenly my arms buckled beneath me. I slammed back into the ground unable to move. Father staired at me coldly before turning to leave.

Shaking the memory off i looked osmund straight in the eye. "I need your help."