Chapter sixteen:

Exchanging stories 

    I was drenched all the way from the waist down. Water made its way and it soaked through my clothes as I waded across the lake, the tips of my hair became wet turning it to a dark orange. 

    Zeke was beside me carrying an unconscious Ella on his back. His big orange and red wings were so wet that they seemed very frail and fragile at this point. 

    Eventually, after trudging through the water, we reached the other side of the lake. When I got back on land my legs felt exhausted. We had both stepped off of the sand that was edging the water onto the grass. 

    Zeke put Ella on the ground gently, careful not to damage her in any way. I looked at him,

    “Could you look ahead and find any shelter? We’ve gotta get out of this rain.”

    Zeke nodded, then he transformed into a little bird. I noticed that there was this fire-like-colored aura surrounding him. He then flapped his wings and he was off. I soon lost him in the darkness.

    I sat down next to Ella and tried to catch my breath. Once I had sat down my whole body felt like it wanted to give out. I haven’t even noticed how worn-out and cold I was. I started to shiver a little. 

    I turned toward Ella and felt her heartbeat. She was still alive. I let out my pent-up breath. 

    Don’t die on me now Ella…I’ve already lost one friend. I can’t afford to lose another…I thought as I felt how short her breathing seemed. 

    I let out a sigh. I checked Ella. and found a big gash on the side of her stomach, it seemed to mostly be done bleeding but a bit of blood was still coming out now that we had crossed the lake. I ripped off part of my sleeve and tried my best to patch it up. Once I finally got the thing secured I just left her alone. 

    I fingered my necklace now trying to calm my nerves that were rising just a little.

Eventually Zeke came back. 

He turned back to human and explained, 

    “There is shelter up there, not too far away.” 

I smiled a little as I scrambled up. 

    “Great.” 

Zeke quickly scooped Ella back up in his arms and started to walk. I swiftly trailed right behind him. 

    Soon enough we had reached the shelter that Zeke had mentioned. 

    “Here it is.” he said, with a little satisfaction in his voice. I looked and saw an overgrown place with the tree roots going upwards and making a big canopy. 

    “This will do nicely.” I said happily. We went under the tree roots and placed Ella back down. I started a fire to keep warm then sat by it.

    As we sat there in silence I observed my surroundings and thought. This is a weird and strange forest we stumbled upon. 

    I listened to the crackling fire with my eyes closed. I then opened my eyes and looked up. Spotting some very small open spots in the branches

I was able to see that it was night. I saw the moon casting its light down to the earth with the stars dotted around it, just hanging happily up there. 

    The fire seemed to have soothed me but I could feel my nervousness about it lingering inside me. 

    I looked over and saw Zeke propped up beside a tree resting with his eyes closed. I knew he was awake so I called out his name. 

    “Zeke?” 

At this the Flare’s eyes opened sleepily. He looked at me. 

    “Yeah?” he asked, sounding groggy with sleep. 

    “Umm……I wanted to tell you about what I saw in the dream, when I passed out, you know?” 

    Zeke's eyes seemed to brighten just a bit as he sat still. He now looked a little more awake. 

    “Go on.” 

    So, I explained everything that happened. The blood pool, his and everyone’s dead bodies scattered around. Eagle and mom were staring at

me, then suddenly dead. The ravens and what I thought symbolizes. When I had finished, Zeke looked surprised. Maybe a little shocked even, as I tried to not break down in a panic attack or anything while I told the story. 

    “Okay, well maybe–” he started, but abruptly broke off as Ella had suddenly made a cry of pain. My attention snapped over to her.

    I quickly clambered over to her. I rested my hand on her forehead to check her temperature and felt it was cool. I sighed. I checked her wound on the side, and saw that it was doing a lot better than before. Although, I could hear her mumbling. 

    Ella was mumbling feverishly as I felt her breath still ragged. Worry started to take over me. After a few minutes, she had gone silent. I stared at her carefully waiting for it to come back but it never did. 

    “I think she’s good…” I said quietly, “better not to wake her up.” 

I slowly got up, careful not to stumble onto her and went over to sit by Zeke. I got down next to him and put my legs in a criss-cross. My back straightened. 

    I had finally started to dry off from being in the water earlier and started to warm up. 

    “So…I was thinking of your dream that you had. . .and you said that you had two people staring at you?” Zeke asked, his two fingers up. 

    “Yeah. Two,” I confirmed. 

    “And I was thinking about it. Maybe they both mean something, like symbolic.” 

    “I don’t think so. They were just two Important people that I used to know…” I said thoughtfully. 

    “You said one of them was your Mother?” 

    “That’s correct.” 

    “And the other one is…?” Zeke trailed off, gesturing his hand as if he was looking for the name. 

    “Eagle,” I chipped in. 

    “And…who’s that? I’ve heard you and Ella mention them before,” Zeke said. 

    I gazed at him, wondering if I should tell him the story. Then I

thought; Well, he is part of our group…and that means no hiding secrets.

    “Well, Eagle. . . he was a friend of Ella and I. He was our best friend when we were back living in Rivia…” I explained, but I noticed my voice had got caught in saying his name. I continued, looking at the fire, watching it burn. 

    “He…um…died. When the town got burnt down. He–uh–saved me while my house was burning. I made it safely out of town with Ella, my Mom unfortunately didn’t, along with Eagle. They were both stuck in the house, and they were burnt alive…” I continued to explain, my voice strained and tight as I watched the fire. I played the memory of that terrible night of my house burning down, and me leaving both of the people I most cared about behind to be burned away into ashes.

     A little tear quickly slipped by without me noticing.

    I looked up at Zeke. I saw the fire illuminating in his blue eyes, they were showing sadness. 

    “I-I’m sorry…Orchid. I wish that didn’t happen to you. That sounds horrible. To lose your friend and Mom like that.” He said sadly. I dropped

my gaze for a moment. 

    “It’s fine. We’re fine, Ella and I…we still remember them, it is not the worst thing that can happen. I suppose.” I said, trying to make myself feel a little better. 

    “And tell me. How old were you when you became friends?” 

    “Umm. . .” I trailed off, trying to remember. I quickly turned my head to look at Ella. 

    I recalled being friends with both Ella and Eagle for the same amount of time. I remembered how we met, but I didn’t see how long. It was such a long time ago…  

    “I don’t even remember. I remember being friends with them both for a long time. As long as I can remember. The three of us were so little.” I explained, turning my head back. 

    “That makes it worse. I can’t imagine losing a childhood friend like that.” he said. I shrugged off my sadness and hollowness.

     Don’t cry, don’t cry, I urged myself as I felt my tears trying to come out. Keeping my emotions out of my voice I asked, 

    “didn’t you lose your parents?” 

    “Well. Yeah. But that happened a long time ago.” A little silence had gone by before he asked another question, 

     “So, what’s that story behind that necklace?” 

    I looked down at the necklace that hung around my neck, I hadn't even noticed that I was stroking it nervously. I unhooked it from the back of my neck and stared down at it. 

    The silver necklace shone from the moonlight and firelight. 

    “It was a present from Eagle, he got it for my birthday before he died. He forgot it was my birthday and got this to make up for it. He was both clumsy and forgetful.” I explained, and as I remembered, I almost had the spirit to laugh. 

    I looked up from the thing I was holding and I suggested, 

    “It’s late. We should probably go to bed. Get some rest.” 

    “Right. Of course.” Zeke agreed. He gave a silent yawn and a stretch of his arms. 

    “Goodnight, Orchid.” he said sleepily, as he laid his hands on his chest

lazily. He closed his eyes.

    “Goodnight, Zeke,” I said quietly, as I got up to my feet. I went to check on Ella and I then sat beside the fire. 

    I sat there, and I stared at the necklace for a few moments. I opened the locket and picked up the picture that was folded in there.

     I opened it up and immediately I smiled. The picture of the three of us, our arms around each other, grinning like crazy at the camera. 

    I looked at the small kid version of Eagle and felt an ache in my heart. Staring at the picture I couldn't help but wish Eagle had not been near that fire and to die but still.. Thank you, I thought with a small smile knowing Eagle wouldn't want me to be sad. 

    Still smiling, I put the photo back after a few minutes. I closed the opening, and put the locket back on.

    I looked over and saw Ella resting on the ground next to the fire, her face illuminated by the light. 

    I turned my head and saw Zeke propped up against the tree. His body limp with relaxation, eyes closed. His wings were wrapped around him

now to keep him warm, as the firelight was bouncing and reflecting off of them. They no longer looked wet but light and fluffy instead. 

    He was sleeping peacefully. 

    Seeing my friends sleeping so lightly, I laid down next to the fire, closed my eyes. My entire body had given into the weariness and fatigue that was building up. I fell into a deep sleep a few minutes later.

Chapter seventeen:

Frozen mirror  

    “Ella!” Orchid?

    “She’s alive.” Zeke said. 

    Zeke?

    It hurts!

    Ice crept up my side. It felt like my skin had frozen solid.

    Will it break if I move? I can't move!

    “We're going to cross the lake.” Zeke said from a distance.

    The cold raced down my leg and up my arm, would my fingers get frostbite? The cold made me feel heavy and I couldn't move.

    It's so dark, am I dying? I don't want to die! What should I do? What do I do!? Don't die! Don't die please, I don't want to die!

    I felt like crying but I felt too cold to cry. My head was dizzy, my side hurt so bad I didn't want it to break. Then my eyes opened slowly. 

    A forest of blue sparkling ice lay stretched before me.

    Did the woods freeze? I got up and heard something breaking. A crack formed between me and the forest as I realized I had fallen asleep under a frozen puddle. The shards of glittering see through ice fell and a cold wind blew through me.

    Everything is so cold. Where is Orchid and Zeke?

    Standing up I looked around. The trees were covered in ice. Icicles hung from their branches in a picture of glittering white snow.

     It looked as if the world had lost all its color yet it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

    How did the woods freeze so fast? How long have I been here?

    I walked on the blanket of snow adding a trail of dents to its flawless surface. I walked until I came across a lake that was frozen solid.

    Looking at the surface it still reflected the sky and trees like a glittering frozen mirror.

    Looking down into it I realized I could see all the way to the bottom of the lake.

    It's so clear!

    I stared at it for a long time before I remembered I had to find Orchid. Standing up I noticed how cold I felt.

    “Oh!”

    I looked at my side and saw my clothes stained with blood. I hurriedly looked at the wound and saw it tied with what looked like Orchid’s shirt. 

    “Where did they go?” I wondered aloud.

    “Oh no!” Did they leave me? Did they think I died!? Where are they!?

    I looked around for any trace of Orchid and Zeke. 

    Didn't they say something about crossing the lake? I looked out across the frozen lake to the other side.

    If I try to go straight across I'll only slip. It will probably take me a long time because I don't know how to walk on this kind of ice. It might also not be quite frozen all the way through in the middle…

    I looked at the edge of the lake. It was definitely not a short distance but it would be better than potentially being trapped in the middle of an ice lake. 

    Walking along the edge of the lake I knew I had to hurry if I didn't want to freeze to death. Being alive now was already a miracle. I was about half way across the lake when I realized my feet and hands had gone numb from the cold. 

    “Squeak!”

    “Yip!”

    “Oh!” I said, startled, as two foxes ran out from under my feet. Their pelts were both white that glitters blue in the sunlight. 

    One looked up at me curiously with dark blue eyes like bottomless pools of water while the other raised its fur in alarm and glared at me with a more piercing, cold, icy gaze.

    “H-hello.” I said, shivering. 

    “Squeak!” the curious fox said as it came closer and sniffed my shoe.

    I watched its tiny black nose twitch at the new smells, then like a cat it rubbed its head and side of its body on my leg. Then it circled around and rubbed it with a high jump.

    This made me smile and laugh a bit.

    The other got curious and came over to smell me too. I realized the other fox had deer hooves for feet. Looking more carefully the other fox had hooves too. Suddenly it started raining. When I looked back down the ground was covered in a solid puddle like an icy swamp.

     One of the foxes placed their front paws on my knees as the other stayed close to me. I picked up the first fox in my arms and bent down to pick up the second. 

    They don't like water? The second fox jumped onto my shoulders as the water rose to my knees. Is it flooding? I wondered how high the water would rise. 

    The rain continued to pour. I lifted the fox in my arms higher.  When the water reached my chest I was worried we would drown. With a yip the fox on my shoulders jumped off into the water.

    Stunned, I tried to see where they were. That's when I saw it, standing on the water. 

    First I saw white legs like a deer, then looking up I saw the upper half of