Legend of Kataria (Draft Version)

Chapter 6

He tracked them up to the opposite of the bridge where he took cover behind a tree to eavesdrop.

"See anything?" Josh questioned in a hushed whisper.

"No," Sky answered shortly. He gave a long sigh. "I don't know what Leah was expecting us to find," he confessed. "Didn't she say Constance cleaned it all up?"

Cleaned all what up? Greeny shifted slightly to hear better. I was right. Leah does know what's going on around here! That stung. Leah was his best friend. Why would she not tell him what was happening? Was she in some kind of trouble? Is that why she didn't want me involved? But then why include Sky and Josh?

And who's Constance?

He racked his brain frantically but he couldn't picture anyone with that name. And since Leah didn't really communicate with anyone outside the school, he supposed it must have been a code for something or someone.

"Yeah," Josh answered. "But still, it's not a bad idea to double-check. Especially with Morto getting nosier by the attack."

"Agreed."

Greeny frowned. Morto? What did the King have to do with any of this? And why did his friends sound so hostile when saying his name? He shifted uncomfortably into a new crouching position, watching as the boys spread out and began retracing their steps around the remains of the bridge.

Just as he got a better angle to watch the scene play out before him, Sky's head shot up at the sound of a phone ringing. It was Josh's. The brunette hastily answered. "Hello? Yeah...yeah, we're here. No, no, haven't seen him...are you sure...no, not here. Okay...yes...yes, I get it. You'll have a talk with him tonight? All right. Yeah. Sure. That's fine. Okay. Bye." He hung up and hastily went over to whisper something to Sky.

The blond stared at him in shock. "Are you sure?"

"She said he wasn't there," Josh stated matter-of-factually. "Come on," he added, clapping his friend on the shoulder. "There's nothing here anyway. We'd better be getting back."

"Yeah."

With that, they trudged off, leaving Greeny crouching in his hiding spot, desperately trying to piece all of his newfound information together. What was going on? What did his friends know? Who were they talking about on the phone? And who was Constance? He didn't know the answer to any of those questions, but he did know how to decipher one.

Scrambling to his feet, he turned and took off in the opposite direction. He didn't even notice the cold or the dampness anymore. He was on a mission, he was determined, and nothing was going to stop him now.

"Greeny!"

Except maybe that.

"Griffons!" he spat out. With a growl, he broke into a run, hearing Josh and Sky's frantic footsteps as they sprinted after him. Of course, they hung around, he berated himself internally. It was a deception! They knew I was there the entire time!

"Greeny! Hey, Greeny! Stop!"

He ignored their shouts, skidding around a bend and racing back toward the treeline. He shoved and forced his way through the weeds surrounding his waist. Behind him, Sky and Josh were having none of the same difficulty, being taller than he. He was slowing, he knew. If he didn't find a way to outfox them, they would be upon him in a matter of moments.

"Greeny, wait! We just want to talk to you!"

Yeah, I'm sure you do. He wanted to stop. Part of him (mostly his lungs) screamed that he should. But his mind reprimanded him, warning that slowing would only allow them to catch up and then lie about whatever it was he'd seen. No, he couldn't stop. He had to keep running. "Get away!" he yelled back at them. He dove into a grove of trees and put on his last burst of speed. I'm never going to outrun them. They're going to catch up to me!