Existing (under editing)

Chapter 15*

Bang!

I shot up, the hammock swaying violently. I ran over and shook Lucas.

"Lucas!" He started to wake groggily but his eyes flew wide open. The sound still echoing off the walls of the canyon. "Lucas! What's that sound?"

He got up and packed the hammocks quickly as I searched for the others. "A gun shot." Pepper was nowhere to be seen and Hunter started to wake in the commotion from his flopped position on a flat rock. Lucas and I ran out into the early morning, the light just peaking.

"Pepper! Morin!" We called.

Morin flew down and flapped around me. I tried to stop him from leaving but he wouldn't listen.

"What?" I said. Lucas packed all out stuff, yanking out the pegs and rolling the hammocks as I searched the area.

He smelt something early this morning and went to investigate. Lucas handed me my pack as Morin flapped ahead. This way.

We jogged after Morin. He guided us through the maze of forks and turns faster than the previous day with an urgent focus. As the rocks became slight inclined we climbed drastically, searching for Pepper. Lucas hoisted Hunter up as he struggled and Morin came to a standstill on top pointing his wing at something there. I gasped as my breath was caught from the rush and finally reached the top. Pepper sat silently, watching the horizon.

"Pepper!" I cried. Hugging him.

He continued to stare ahead. In a small hideaway creator among the rock and stone of the canyon was what seemed to harbouring a small farm of sorts. Mini fields where set up and prospering, two cows grazed at some grass. Sheep baahed from inside the shed. I couldn't make out what their voices were saying from this distance.

"Lucas, someone's living out here-" I was cut off from another sudden gun shot. It echoed from the shed, through the canyon. No more noise from the sheep. I looked around suddenly realising what was hanging on the fences. Sheep's skin. Hoofs still attached. I almost screamed. Lucas pulled me into his chest only just catching what I was looking at. I sobbed as Lucas pulled me back away from the sight. "How could someone do that? That poor sheep, its murder." I sobbed, clinging to his shirt.

He patted my head. Calming me. His arms like my protection to the horrors of the world. "People do what they can to survive. Not everyone can hear their voices like you do, so they have no idea. It's like the fish; you can't hear their voices, can you?"

I managed to stop the sobbing a moment to shake my head.

Looking up to Lucas, his eyes showed empathy. "Thank you." I managed. "You're a good friend."

He gave a sad smile as I turned to Pepper who started to nuzzle at my thigh.

I'm sorry you saw that Alma. He said. I nodded and gave him a pat. Turning to the other direction. I didn't think the sound would eco that far. I had planned to be back before you woke.

Morin fluttered to my shoulder, he had been silently onlooking. If you travel along the top here, we will be able to reach the base of the mountain by nightfall. The city is just over that.

I nodded and we continued to walk. Trying to push the images out of my mind. I held on to Lucas's shirt sleeve for comfort as we walked.

We managed to get more than halfway to the mountain when lunch time arrived and we stopped for a well-deserved break, climbing down under some rock for shade. A lunch of carrots and cucumbers with my special dried banana biscuits. We were careful to use our water scarcely and only when needed. Only to get right back up and keep on walking.

My shaking hand still holding on to Lucas.