Volucris_Emmergence Page 11

  Mo could see why her father was so important. Iit seemed he had single handily saved the race, he was very important, she wondered if that would make her important too? Tristan had certainly been keen to meet her., Sshe was not sure if she liked or disliked the idea of being the daughter of someone so high up in Volucris society. Iin some ways it made her nervous about going to Ety but in others it sparked a little excitement too. She had always been very average, not wanting or vying for attention from others, not like Lizzie who had loved it. Maybe it would be nice to be in the limelight for once.

  They continued to pass by what from the distance looked like ruined cities and passed over the border to Mexico which was completely deserted, no security guys checking your papers, they just sailed through. As soon as they were past the border they got off the main road and headed into the jungle, Ethan’s holo was permanently on navigating them through the hostile environment. After they had stopped that night and finished their evening meal, Ethan had some surprising news for Benji and Mo.

  “We will be taking it on foot from now on.”

  “What?” Both Mo and Benji looked incredulous.

  “Don’t look so worried, the RV can’t go where we are going, there are no roads, it’s just a two day hike, we won’t need to take much with us.” Ethan replied to their open mouths.

  Mo felt a little bereft, the RV had become their home and she was used to the ebb and flow the routine of living on the road had given her;, this was the end of this part of the adventure. It was also very safe. Sshe knew that even if they met anyone when they stopped for the evening they could all pile into the RV and no-one could touch them, going out into the open after what they had seen on the road was a little daunting.

  Benji asked the question they had both been thinking, “Isn’t that going to be a little reckless, we all know there are some desperate people out there.”

  Ethan smiled not looking concerned at all, Mo wondered if he was scared of anything.

  “Don’t worry we will be fine, I’ll take regular patrols from above and the closer we get to the taking off point there will be more Volucris around than humans. , Yyes, it is risky but we have no choice, no other way of getting there.”

  Even though Ethan had a very laid back attitude to leaving the RV both Benji and Mo lacked the same confidence, they both felt vulnerable and Benji summed it up as usual.

  “The quicker my wings grow the safer I will feel.”

  Mo nodded in agreement.

  “You best drink up your blood then. , I will increase the amount for both of you over the next few days, it will help with your stamina for the hike and your confidence. They all drank their blood and Ethan took off to scan the area, he returned a few minutes later and indicated they could both go and run. Mo realised the blood had really helped how she was feeling, she hadn’t realised it before she took the blood. Ggoing out on her own for a run in the dark would be the last thing she would do, but here she was running away dodging the scrub and trees, she also felt better and more confident about the trek. Wwhy was she so worried before, she could look after herself and if she couldn’t she knew Ethan and Benji could, they were both so strong. She had noticed the strength in herself too, she was starting to develop muscles she never knew she had. She could feel the blood running around her body giving her energy, she willed it towards her wings to help them grow strong and fast. Sshe was really beginning to look forward to the day she would be able to take off like Ethan and fly among the clouds.

  She started to feel the ache in her legs and knew the effects of the blood were wearing off, she turned and headed back to the RV. She arrived to Ethan and Benji setting out the evening meal, as usual they ate in silence. Once finished, Benji started to ask Ethan about the hike.

  “Will it be tough?”

  “It’s not easy, it’s up some pretty steep ground through hot jungle, you will be fine., Iit will be great exercise for you both, something you will have to get used to. Tthere will be a lot more training when we get to Ety.”

  Ethan’s eyes lit up as he mentioned Ety, it seemed to Mo that his mood had lightened the closer they were getting to the island.

  “You are looking forward to being in Ety?” Mo asked.

  “Of course, it’s home to me and safe, I have never been completely comfortable in the human world too many people wanting to take pot shots at you.”

  “Did you grow up on Ety?”

  “No.”

  His response was so blunt and sharp that Mo decided it was best not to ask anything more. Sshe looked at Benji and they swapped a knowing look between them. Ethan rose and instructed the two of them to get some rest as tomorrow would be a long day. Neither of them protested. Iit seems Mo had hit a nerve asking about Ethan’s past and she did not want to worsen his temper, not since they had all been getting along so much better. Besides, she was exhausted so she said goodnight and climbed the steps to the RV and her little room. Mo got into some PJ’s and settled into bed realising this would be the last time she spent in here. , Sshe looked out of the windows and up at the stars wondering if her Grandmother was looking at the same stars. She pulled out the necklace from around her neck and played with the stone as she often did when thinking of her Grandmother. It was all going to change again she thought, and her longing for some familiarity was palpable. She decided that no matter what Ethan said she was going to speak with her Grandmother before they left for Ety, she just had to know she was ok.

  Chapter 22

  Mo was packing her bag for the hike. , Ethan had produced rucksacks for both her and Benji that were already pretty well stocked with what they would need, Mo was just packing a few personal things, like her holo and the necklace her Grandmother had given her. Ethan had explained there would be no need for their regular clothes once they got to Ety, they would wear what everyone else did which was basically animal skin. He told them just to wear the clothes on their back and it didn’t matter how wrecked they got as they would be discarded once they got to Ety anyway. Mo had started to realise life on Ety was going to be more different than she had originally thought. It hadn’t even occurred to her that of course they would no longer be wearing regular clothes, for a start where would they get them from, the local Ety mall!

  The conversation Ethan had had with Mo and Benji that morning had bought a few home truths. No more clothes, no more TV, no snack food and to their utmost horror, no holo’s. It was the first-time Mo had seen Benji almost angry, his voice raised as he realised there would be no music! As usual Ethan explained the reasons why in his calm manner., Tthere is not much energy on Ety, only a few solar panels which were enough to power some lights but nowhere near enough to power anything else. If there was no way of powering these things, so why have them?, they They relied on fire for heat and cooking, entertainment was provided through talk and reading; Ety apparently did have a well-stocked library. There was some music played on instruments but mainly people would rise with the sun and go to bed with it too, it was a simple life. Benji’s response to this was said with real conviction.

  “Sounds like a boring life to me.”

  And Ethan’s response was with equal conviction.

  “Well it’s the only life you have, unless you want to stay on the mainland and take your chances with whatever remnants of human society remain.”

  Benji grunted at Ethan and set off to pack his bags. Mo knew part of the reason for the tension was not just the news Ethan was giving she thought, they were all feeling a little worried at the idea of leaving the safety of the RV, and let’s face it, the last few days had been pretty good fun all things considered.

  Mo asked Ethan why they didn’t increase the use of solar or use wind power to get more energy on Ety but his response was simple, “Why would we?” She guessed she really had no idea what Ety was going to be like but clearly Ethan did and she had to trust him that whatever it was, it was going to be a lot better than staying here. The images of the burning cities and bodies came into her m
ind as she finished packing her bag, and again, the eyes of the poor girl she had saved often haunted her dreams and always made her wonder what had happened to her. She packed her holo even though she knew in about a day the battery would die and it would be useless. Iit was so much a part of her life, her old life she realised, and it was her only contact to her grandmother. , Sshe would find time tonight to contact her when the others were asleep, if her reception would ever come back.

  Together they secured the RV putting everything inside and locking it up., Tthey had driven it into a small cave and hidden it as best they could, Ethan explaining that you never knew if it may come in handy sometime in the future. They then took one last look at it, at their home for the past couple of weeks and set off, Ethan leading the way and Benji bringing up the rear.

  Ethan had not been wrong when he said the going would be tough. Hhe hacked through the dense forest with a machete., Mo had asked him why he didn’t fly, but he told her the canopy is too thick for him to give them directions so this was the only way to make sure they stayed on the path. Mo couldn’t believe this was a path, it was so overgrown but Ethan was clear that it was and in a few hours they would reach a Volucris shelter., Tthe path had not been used for a while. Uusually Volucris flew over this part of the forest., Ttwo Volucris could carry one young Volucris without wings, but it had been a while since that one Volucris was showing two young Volucris through the forest, but Ethan was sure that they would meet the others once they reached the jumping off point, including Lordes.

  Their bags were really heavy mainly due to the amount of water and food they were carrying.g and food, Mo was surprised at the amount they needed to carry for just a two-day hike. The bag was uncomfortable on her back, rubbing at her small wings that were just beginning to break through the skin. Benji had taken to wearing his bag like Ethan, on his front. Mo had tried this but she was not as strong as either of them and she struggled with the weight pulling her down. The jungle was oppressive, the heat and the constant climb., Mo was amazed at Ethan’s strength, not only was he cutting through the thick jungle but his wings were so large they must weigh a tonne, but he didn’t even break out into a sweat, he swung his machete like he was on an afternoon stroll.

  As they went further into the jungle Mo felt less worried about leaving the RV, she couldn’t imagine many people would be crazy enough to venture into this green hell. Benji also faired pretty well, he was finding it a little harder than Ethan but certainly not as much as Mo. She felt like she was holding the guys back, she refused to stop for a break however, if they didn’t need too then she certainly did not. Ethan pushed them hard, not letting up with the pace, t, they only stopped once for a quick lunch and blood break. Bboth Mo and Benji were now sweating profusely where Ethan looked like he did this morning, the only sign of his travel through the jungle was the green spattering over his arms and face. The blood transformed their energy levels and Mo and Benji felt completely refreshed with its rejuvenating properties. Although Mo’s wings were not faring well, she could feel how sore they were, particularly the left one that was rubbing on her pack, but she dare not say anything to complain, she got the feeling that complaining around Ethan would not go down well.

  They set off for another long hike through the thick jungle. The first couple of hours flew by and Mo could only guess at how far they had gone. , Sshe was continually looking at Ethan’s back, it was the first time she had had a really good chance to inspect his wings. Quite often they would stop at a particularly stubborn piece of jungle and Mo got a very close up look, they were truly remarkable. , sShe had only really seen them at dusk and only a couple of times in the daytime before he had swiftly covered them up. In full sunlight, their colour was nothing she could describe, they went from deep brown to deep purple as they moved and the way the skin gave way to the feathers was so natural., Tthe only slightly unnatural thing was how the shoulder blade jutted out of the back turning into wings, they were huge, she could see why it was so important she and Benji bulk up so they could carry these monstrous things. They were very animated too, she had noticed this before when talking with Lordes and Tristan. Their wings didn’t just sit there static, they moved with him. , Iif Ethan swung at a branch his wings would follow the way he moved, like hand gestures. Looking closer at these captivating things did not scare her though, it excited her. , Eevery night she willed them to get bigger and stronger, she longed for the power they had and she craved the experience of flying. She had spoken often with Benji about it, it was one of their favourite subjects, what they would most like to fly over first, how high would they be able to go? Benji’s wings grew by the day, he had to make holes in his top and Mo would help him poke them through each morning. During the hike, however, both Benji and Ethan discarded their tops, trying in vain to stay cool., Mo envied them this luxury, slowly panting on through the ever-dense vines. When the effects of the blood started to wear off, her legs began to feel like lead and her head was throbbing. Jjust, when she thought she was about to collapse from sheer exhaustion, Ethan passed her some more blood.

  “Nearly there, you’re doing well, this will just get you through the last few miles.”

  Miles Mo thought., Sshe turned to Benji who was guzzling down his blood, he stopped, wiped his mouth and mouthed at Mo with an exasperated look “miles!” She stifled her smile she guessed well that Ethan would not take kindly to any complaints from what felt like his new recruits. They continued to climb and to both their dismay, into the night., Mo had no idea how Ethan could even tell where he was going, but he did keep going without a break, continually hacking into the forest. After what seemed like an age they finally reached their destination, it was not at all what they were expecting, although Mo wasn’t even sure what she had been expecting. Aa hut maybe, a tent, but certainly not a cave which is where they found themselves. Mo and Benji collapsed on the floor of the cave while Ethan busied himself unpacking for them. Hhe knew he had pushed them hard. Hhe was used to this type of excessive exercise, but for them it was new and they had drunk all the blood for today so he let them rest.

  The cave was at the base of a very high cliff, not that they could see it when they arrived, it was too dark., Ethan had sought out the cave. , Tthey had spotlights on their heads so could see a little, but not too far ahead. Even though it was just a cave it seemed to be well stocked, Ethan brought out some furs for them to sleep on which they both took gratefully. He started a fire really quickly and they heated up some of the food they had been carrying, nothing too exciting, mainly rice with some dried meat and of course nuts. As usual they ate in silence and after dinner Ethan left to check there was no-one else around., Mo thought he must mean other Volucris, she couldn’t imagine any humans making that trek, it had nearly killed her. Mo and Benji lay opposite each other with the fire in between them, they were both exhausted and could barely keep their eyes open. As Ethan, had gone out, Mo decided to do two things, firstly to get Benji to put some cream on her very painful wings. When she lifted her top the gasp from Benji worried her. , Hhe told her that one of her wings looked a lot more red and sore than the other, that she should show Ethan and at the very least, not wear the pack anymore, but Mo was adamant she would be fine, that it was just the sweat of the day, she wanted to be strong like them and not complain. Benji dutifully applied the cream a little more than usual to try and bring down the swelling and redness of the left wing.

  The second thing Mo wanted to do was to check her holo Sshe held it over her head and looked for reception but still nothing. She sighed with frustration.

  “He has disabled it you know.” Benji piped up.

  “Pardon?”

  “Ethan, he has disabled your reception so you can’t make calls.”

  Mo sat up, “What, why?”

  “They don’t think it’s a good idea for you to call your Grandmother.”

  “They?” Mo was suddenly awake and angry.

  “Lordes and Ethan.”

  “That shou
ld be my choice not theirs, how dare they?” She couldn’t believe they had conspired against her, why should she not speak with her, the woman that had raised her, cared for her and the only person to have ever really loved her. Mo stood pacing around the cave her anger seething out of her.

  “Calm down, they were only doing it for your own good.”

  “My own good! My own good!”

  “I knew I shouldn’t have said anything, I just couldn’t stand you keep looking at your holo and becoming so disappointed, I told Ethan you wouldn’t be pleased.”

  “Not pleased, that’s the understatement of the century! Wwhy is this for my own good, for crying out loud?”

  “They really want you to stay with them.”

  “What?”

  Benji sat up to explain. “They are worried that if you speak with Rebecca you may want to leave to help her if she needs it or just because you really miss her, they know how much she means to you. aAnd I guess they are scared.”

  “Scared of what, what could either the great Lordes or Ethan be scared of?” Mo was almost shouting now.