[Avira]
I stretched lazily on the cold ground until my arms were restricted by a hard object, and I snapped my eyes open. I was sleeping peacefully until I woke up, and realized that I was still in the hollow of the tree. Although I had pretended to be okay with the arrangement last night, I was not. In fact, I only ceased to be scared after I slept off, and now that I was awake, my fear had returned, and stronger I'm afraid.
"Are you still sleeping?" I whispered in the darkness, turning to the other side where Dylan had bedded down, only to meet it empty. Fear gripped me instantly as I peered outside for any sign of him, and found none.
He didn't leave me all by myself here." I told myself in a desperate attempt to stop the fear which I could sense coming with so much force, but it wasn't working. It was dark outside, but darker inside, and the thought that there could be a snake or more lying with me at the moment didn't make it any easier for me.
I thought of going out of the hollow but then, I could run into a guard, and I'd be done for, for real this time.
But where the hell is Dylan?
Either way, I would die in this forest as it seemed. I was at the mercy of snakes and the guards, and I would rather die in the hands of snakes than die in the hands of the pack that wrongly condemned me.
These thoughts, however bad and scary they were, somehow kept me busy. I became too busy imagining myself to be already dead that I had no time to focus on my fear, and that did the trick. I remained on the ground without moving an inch, or even trying so as not to arouse the imaginary snake which I supposed was either still sleeping or didn't know that there was someone yet.
The whole place was quiet, too quiet. Only the sounds of chirping from the distance were heard. It suddenly occurred to me that Dylan may have left to his pack or worse, he may have gone to the warriors or guards to turn on me.
I rose up abruptly, not giving a fuck about the imaginary snake. I wasn't sure which of my assumptions I wanted to be true, I didn't want any of them to be true as each of them would lead to me being struck with the killing curse.
I peered outside once more, ready to leave the hollow but not sure about where to go or how safe it was. If Dylan told the warriors where to find me, he would only lead the men to an empty hollow, I thought in my head, wondering why I didn't think of it earlier.
I crawled out of the hollow as silently as I could but I was too late. I heard the sound of approaching footsteps behind, and I turned towards the direction quickly, with my breath hitched.
In my state of panic, I saw the man whose footsteps had alerted me. He was as tall as Dylan, and super close to me, with only a few feet between us. My hands instantly flew to my mouth to stop the scream just as the man who I could not recognize at the moment covered the distance between us, and held me.
"Why are you so worked up?" He spoke politely but it was Dylan's voice I heard, and as much as I wanted to believe it, I was scared to have my hopes up and then have it dashed. It was my mind playing games with me, I'm sure.
My whole body was shaking uncontrollably, and so did the tears which seeped out of my eyes. The thought of dying by the killing curse, and for a crime I did not commit after everything I have survived all these years was heartbreaking.
"You were supposed to remain in the hollow," The voice came on again, and this time I was sure what I heard, and it was Dylan's voice. I pulled away from his hold, and faced him instead.
The wave of relief that rushed through me at the moment was nothing like I have ever felt, not even when the warriors of Moonfire pack first rescued me from that forest two years did I feel this much relief.
But if Dylan was back here, where then did he go? If he didn't go to the warriors or attempted to leave without me, then where is his backpack? What if he already told them about the hollow, and has only returned to ensure that I stayed put? Did he not just tell me that I was supposed to remain in the hollow?
I moved away from him, feeling more afraid than ever. The immense relief I felt some moments ago was all gone now, and replaced with dread, disappointment and fear.
"Is something wrong?" He asked, looking at me with confusion. He must be surprised that I had suddenly backed away from him, or that I had found him out. His voice was in whispers but I was not fooled.
"Where are you coming from?" I asked, my voice was a little above a whisper, and carried every string of suspicion I had for Dylan..
"I went for a survey, I have perfected my plan now, and we should start going." Dylan said but I shook my head.
"I know what you're planning," I said, moving farther away from him. "I know that you went to the warriors, and told them where to find me," I had added. I was not moved by the confused look on his face.
"What are you saying? I mean, why would I do that?" He asked, moving towards me but I held out my hand, stopping him from coming any closer. "I only went round the forest to ensure that my plan is good enough," he explained from the spot where he was standing, and I exhaled. My head was spinning now, and I couldn't decide who to believe anymore between Dylan and my guts.
"What about your backpack, where is it?" I asked.
"It's…" Dylan started to say but broke off, and crawled into the hollow instead. He returned a few seconds later, bearing his backpack. I did not check for the backpack back in the tree's hollow. I was convinced that he had left, and was afraid of touching a snake instead of the backpack. "It's right here. What's going on?" Dylan asked, looking strangely at me.
I felt my whole strength give way just then, and I eased myself on the ground. I was confused now, and not sure about anything anymore.
"I'm sorry," I said, hating myself. Dylan walked up to me and sat down on the ground beside me. "I thought…" I couldn't get the words out. I was too ashamed. I should have known that he wouldn't do that, I should have known that he didn't risk his life to save mine, only to deliver me up to the pack to be killed. But I had thought the same about Beta Maverick, and the members of my birth pack but…
"I under… I mean, it's okay." Dylan replied gently. I felt his eyes on my skin, watching closing, boring into me but I didn't turn to look at him. I didn't want to. I didn't want him looking at me like that.
"What is the plan?" I asked in a bid to distract him, and it worked.
"We will head back to the shrub, and there I will explain everything to you." Dylan replied. He was on his feet, and holding out his hand to me.