Ryker looked up at the darkened sky. She was trying to find some of the constellations she read about in a very old tattered book, that was all but falling to pieces now. The book was falling apart mostly because it was very ancient and was found in the rubble, but she also held part of the responsibility for it falling apart because she tended to handle it without much care on her outings. She closed her eyes, her long lashes drenching over her dark green eyes. She relished the feeling of the calm breeze brushing across her face in swift strokes. She looked up at the stars which were shining beautifully between a thin line of clouds that resembled warm steam. Ryker found utmost joy in simply laying down and feeling the soft earth underneath her braided hair. She didn’t pay caution that her lengthy brown hair would later be tattered in leaves and earth. Ryker extended her palms into the dark soil so that she could feel the earth between her tattooed hands. Although Ryker was aware of the dangers that lay out in the open when she found solitude she enjoyed it without letting fear burden her. She knew she should probably get back to her village soon because nightfall was coming and it was coming fast. Ryker knew better than to stay out in the open when it became much too dark to see, but before she wanted to take a few last moments on her own to breathe in the air and look up at the sky before having to get up. Ryker knew that the world she lived in held certain restrictions of places which were comparatively safe and others not so safe at all, and that was why she valued looking up so much when she could. Up in the sky, there were no restrictions, only open space, and air. The moon is especially lovely tonight she thought. It looked so beautiful to Ryker like it was decorating the darkening sky with its brilliant light. She always admired how the sky looked right before it got really dark, the bluish tint it held and the bright stars which kept it from turning the sky black. Even though most would see it as a disadvantage that the darkness covered most of their days, Ryker found a kind heavenly peace in it knowing that the spirits of the fallen, including her mother, were somewhere in peace gazing down upon her in the sky or speaking to her through the winds. She was in the realm of the dead, her spirit mixed into the earth waters, its dirt, skies, mountain tops, and sands. In death there was the comfort that the spirit lived on transparently in the elements of the world, guiding each and everyone who’s time had not yet come to pass.

Ryker finally stood up, checking out of instinct that her blade was safely tucked into its shackle around her brawny thighs. She brushed out her mousy hair with her slender fingers and called gently to her horse, knowing that calling out too loud could be a disastrous mistake. She smiled as he trotted over to her; he knew never to stray too far from his owner, more for his safety than hers.

“We must go now” she whispered into the horse’s ear, letting out a breath of disappointment that she was unable to find anything of worth to bring back home. The only thing she found, was something that resembled a wristband but much thinner she checked to make sure she could still feel it inside her pocket. She knew she should have probably hidden the wristband, with her other treasures she found while scavenging; but kept away from the village in secret. For whatever reason though she wanted to keep it in her pocket safely tucked in.

“I know Beckett; I don’t want to part either but Eli will give us discourse if we don’t.”

Ryker swung her slender body over her horse as if it were the easiest and most natural thing in the world, and to her it probably was. The journey was not particularly long, but she had to be cautious on the path she took Beckett on. She had to make sure that there were no unseen objects in the soil that Beckett would sprain himself on. She did not want her cause of death to be an accident whilst riding her own horse. She knew how dangerous it was to ride when the sky was dark. Every time she heard a noise radiating from the darkens and tree’s she quickly halted Beckett and scanned the area. She knew noise was something that should be kept as low as possible when the sun fell.

By the time she reached her small village which was clustered with medium sized huts the rusted gates were suddenly pulled open by the long chains that shackled it, the Berserkers on guard pulling the mechanical contraption that closed and opened the gates. She immediately realized that something was amiss by the way they had looked at her when she entered. She gave the reigns of her horse to one of the Berserkers on duty near the gate. The large man shackled his spear and escorted Beckett back to the stalls, where the few livestock they had subsisted.

“Where is Eli?” she questioned to the other female Berserker on duty, her lean armor shining in the night.

“Where he always is of late. Inside his hut.” She said blankly.

Ryker gave the Berserker a stern look and left and rapidly, walking toward Eli’s shanty, preparing for whatever was awaiting her inside.

“Layla?” Ryker called out chasing the girl who was leaving Eli’s hut. The girl with raven hair continued walking without turning around, clearly not wanting to pay attention to Ryker’s calls.

“Layla wait!” Ryker turned the corner just in time to grab the other girl’s lean arm and spin her around so that they stood face to face. Ryker could feel her cheeks burning up; flustered from her run. She boldly moved closer to the girl so that their faces were nearly touching.

“What are you doing here?” Ryker said in between taking exasperated breaths of air from her run, nodding her head towards Eli’s hut, concern painting her facial expression.

“What am I doing here? Where were you?” her voice dripped with accusation. “All day Ryker. You were gone all day.” Layla pouted in a lecture.

“Out, searching for supplies, I told Eli this before I parted…”

“You were gone for hours Ryker,” Layla said both concerned and upset.

“I leave all the time, I do not see what the issue is here,” Ryker said genuinely confused, backing away slightly and holding her own body in a now defensive pose.

“The problem is that you went past the safe zone this time. In fact, you went well out of it. Eli sent aurs around the safe zone to look for you when you didn’t come back an hour ago as you said you would!” She shouted now.

“Layla, I… I may have ventured a little out of the safe zone. But only because the safe zone has been picked clean by us. There is no more food we both know this. So I ventured a little further just to see…”

“You have lost your wits. You know how dangerous that is. If those people beyond those large walls saw you and captured, you or worse then…”

“They didn’t though. I’m right here. I’m fine.” Ryker extended her hand to hold Layla’s gently in place with her own. She folded her own slender fingers into the girls and lightly held Layla’s hand to her mouth where she caressed it gently with her lips, forgetting they were not in private she quickly dropped the girls hand and spun her head around her surroundings.

Layla sighed, also making sure no one was observing them. “If anything were to happen to you… I don’t know what I would do, what any of us would do without you. You can be so carless at times Ryker. You’re in line to take charge after Eli…”

Ryker felt remorseful she caused her people so much worry by not arriving on time as she had always done so in the past, and felt almost thoughtless that it was the cause of her gazing at the stars seeking solitude in the darkening sky.

“I am sorry for causing you to worry,” Ryker said between her teeth, struggling to apologize as she always did when she was wrong, and knew she had to make amends even with her stubborn nature. After making certain no one was looking, she pulled Layla’s body towards her own in the shadows, and placed a soft kiss on her lips, her hands holding Layla’s head gently in place. Showing any kind of affection or love out in the open between anyone was seen as a sign of weakness to her people, even between a mother and her child, what little affection is shown between her people was meant to be kept in private.

“That may work on me, but Eli is furious with you disobeying orders, he asked me questions for hours, thinking I knew where you had gone…”

“I better go speak with him then.” She said cutting in between Layla’s last sentence.

“Eli, I know how angry you must be.” Ryker began.

“Angry does not even begin to summarize how I am feeling towards you right now Ryker.”

“I will not justify what I did,” Ryker said clenching her steady hands behind her back so into tight fists.

“You will not justify? Justify?” Eli slammed his palms flat on the wooden desk in front of him. “You will explain yourself and you will do so now.”

Ryker took in a deep inhale as to not say anything that would infuriate Eli more, the restraint she summoned not to raise her voice back to El; she felt took all the strength in the world, but she worried about his health and aggravating him with her quick temper would logically solve nothing.

“I was out. Scavenging… you know that we have picked our safe areas clean Eli. Our people grow hungrier every day. I see the way people look at Beckett. They may as well be drooling over him every time I take him out of the stalls.”

“This was about your horse?” Eli said this in between taking largely exaggerated breaths of anger.

“If anyone were to touch my horse Eli…” impulsively Ryker touched the hilt of her blade. “But no this was not about Beckett. This was about people starving. Our people. And you not having the resolves to do anything about it.” Immediately after saying this Ryker knew it was a mistake and slung her head down to glare down at her tattered shoes, which were causing her feet to blister I need to ask Layla to make me a new pair she thought.

“You will not speak to me in that way! Ever again. Just because I loved your mother once, does not mean you can talk to me in that manner!” Eli shouted this, all except for the word love, in which he essentially murmured

“You are right. I know I am not your daughter. Not by blood, it was not my place to speak to you like that.” Ryker dared not look at him, in fear of her sentiments took control.

What she said sparked a reaction of guilt and regret in Eli, and when Ryker finally managed to look up she saw him coming closer to her.

“Blood or not, you are my daughter Ryker, both you and Atticus are my children. Our bond may not be blood but it is strong.” He placed his strong hand on her shoulder. That was the most affection he had ever shown her since she was a young motherless child.

“You know that you are the next in line to take care of our Clan, our people Ryker. If you die, who knows what will become of this place, of our people. But what you did today, not only put you at risk but everyone here. If those people behind the walls found you, forced you to tell them about our village, we would have been wiped out.” He paused. “You know this.”

“I would sooner die, then tell them about this place,” Ryker said stubbornly but full of certainty. “But I know, I do, believe me, Eli I know the threats our people face. I have learned them since the time I could walk and speak. But our people suffer. They are hungry and the hunger drives this unrest in them, this anger.”

She raised her lean but toughly built body so that stood almost as tall as Eli who was struggling to stand upright. She looked into his face as she continued.

“You tell me one day I will lead our people. If this is true, then please listen to me. We need to stop fearing the people behind the wall, they haven’t been a true threat to any of us for over fifteen years. The fear of those people is causing ours to grow weaker and hungrier each passing day.”

“Enough Ryker. You think I don’t know this?” Eli looked down.

“I know this better than anyone. I watch our people; I see their pain. Do you not think I want to take it away more than anything?” he said questioningly.

Eli paused his speech to look directly into Ryker’s eyes and then continued “We will make our move in order to search for food.”

“Thank you, Eli…”

“But this move will not be made by you, and not in the coming days.”

“What?! Eli… I have to be the one…”

Eli cut in between her words. “I will not have it. Atticus will go and lead the aurs.”

“Atticus? Are you serious with this? You are sending Atticus over me?”

“You are too important to go.”

“So he is what? Expandable and I am not?” Ryker exclaimed now not only bitter but angry at the thought of her brother being used for the sole reason that he was less important to their people in comparison to herself.

“Do not wear out my patience. Do not put words in my mouth. I have had enough of this talk, I am tired and a timeworn man like myself needs his rest. In the morning we will discuss further, for now, I need my rest, as do you.”

Ryker did not attempt to continue the conversation. She knew that like herself if Eli was done talking that meant the conversation was at an end. But she had to have at least the last word of it, she walked to the end of his door and halted, folding her hands behind her back, squeezing her left hand under the pressure of her right. “You know how reckless Atticus can be. Send him and you will be putting everyone at risk, myself included.”

Ryker said this very stoically hinting no other trace of emotion or betrayal from her voice. She did not turn around to see Eli’s face, instead, she just closed the doors of his hut quietly and gently. She finally unclenched her fists from behind her back and wiped the perspiration from her hands, on the soft fabric of her pants. She looked up to the sky once more and breathed in its air, holding back the scream she wanted so badly to release from her lungs.

Ryker although furious at the whole situation managed to put her feelings under control as she always did when she became too heated with her fiery temper. She knew a strong leader must always put personal feelings aside when it came to the importance of duty. She decided she would attempt to talk with Eli again in the morning, but for now, she desperately craved rest more than anything. She calmly walked over to her own hut, taking her time with the short journey so that she could ponder out all her thoughts before sleep. If she did not empty her mind as she walked, Ryker knew that she would just end up thinking about everything even more underneath her sheets, and rest would not come easily. She figured that if Layla was still not maddened at her, she would already be asleep in her hut. When Ryker supposed she had finally thought-out her heavy mind, she opened her hut’s slender wooden doors as quietly as possible. They were so smooth from all the carving it took to perfect them. She tried to close it as swiftly and soundlessly as she could. Ryker struggled to creep over to her cot seeing that Layla was already inside of it, huddled under the covers and was most likely asleep inside the heavy furs.

“You know I’m still awake, and even if I was not, your large feet would have awoken me anyway,” Layla said this turning around her face drenched with sleepiness, a slight trace of humor in her tone. Ryker jumped slightly not expecting Layla to still be awake. “So? What did Eli say to you?” Layla asked.

“What I suspected he would,” Ryker said as she unclasped her armor, and unsheathed her weapons to place them on her wooden desk. She removed her pants and threw on a large beige blouse, one of her few clean shirts she had left. “He said that I am not ready to lead. That what I did was inconsiderate to both myself and our people, that I am too important to risk myself like that ever again, and that the people behind the walls are a threat and I have most likely enhanced that very threat.”

“He speaks the truth,” Layla said not desiring to make eye contact, her back turned to her lover.

“I know he does Layla. It was a mistake. I was reckless and desperate for our people. Not a good combination.” Ryker said climbing into the bed and pulling softly on Layla’s shoulder so that they could face each other. “I killed a skin eater on their land, the people from the wall. I attempted to go back but it was gone. They must’ve taken it. Layla, I only went on their land because we need food. Our people are starving.” Ryker said looking down in shame, frustration creeping into her temples, as she massaged one side of her own face.

“I know Ryker. You are many things but reckless is not one of them. You don’t have to explain yourself to me, you know that.” She said, giving into her feelings for Ryker. Layla grazed the side of Ryker’s flushed cheek and pulling up her chin up slightly so that she would meet her eyes. Ryker responded by taking her hand softly and placing hers inside of it. Ryker gave her a sad smile, that showed more affection in her eyes than words could ever do.

“Eli agrees that we need to further our search for food. He is sending a raiding party to scout their land, see if they have managed to grow anything outside of their walls as we have been able to do. I think it may also possible that there is livestock that resides near the walls and away from our village. Further up into the hills possibly.” Ryker said deep in thought, the looks of a future leader written on her young face.

“When will you leave?” a glimmer of wakefulness flickered in the rims of Layla’s honey brown eyes.

“I won’t be leaving. Atticus is leading the scavenger party, instead of me.” Ryker said disappointment creaking into her voice. Disappointment in herself more than anything else.

Ryker said this and turned around on her side so that she was not looking into Layla’s face any longer. She pulled Layla’s hand over her own body so that she could hold her from behind, in a comfortable and safe pose. The only two things that ever brought Ryker any solace was Layla’s touch and looking up into the stars. Those were the two things that made her feel safe. When she was with Layla she felt cared for by someone. Someone who genuinely loved her, not expecting anything from her, except to be loved back which Ryker did every day, every time she looked at her. Ryker could not recall a time where she had not deeply loved Layla. She was her best friend since as long as she remembered, but it had blossomed into something much deeper as the two had grown older. Everyone wanted something from Ryker, she brother wanted to take her birthright to rule, Eli wanted her to take his own place in leadership. To everyone else except Layla, Ryker was just a person who had to lead them, whether she even desired it or not.

Layla could feel Ryker’s disappointment but knew it was best not to say anything more to her. All that needed to be said had already been. Layla placed herself closer to Ryker so that there was no friction between them, and smiled as Ryker pulled her hand over herself. Layla wrapped her arms tightly around Ryker’s back and the two fell into a deep slumber that would not be disturbed until the sun rose in the morning