Chapters:

Chapter 1

She unhooked her mask, letting it hang down from its strap, and took a deep breath. The mouth guard did a good job of keeping her cool, but there was something about the feel of open air on her face. Squinting against the rapidly setting sun, she gazed back along the trail. In that moment there was no fear. Methodically, without thought, she removed her flask from her small pack, taking carefully measured sips before returning it.

It would be dark soon, but she would arrive at her next site before then. A sudden sound pulled her out of her thoughts. Clumsy steps rose up from the path to the north, echoing off the stone cliffs that surrounded them. Silent as a shadow she disappeared from sight.

Curiosity almost got the better of her, but she was too well trained for that. There was no guarantee that whoever it was would be friendly, making it dangerous for her to get caught alone. Even if they were - well, that would have its own complications.

Some time, and a short climb later, she arrived at her destination. The narrow passage in the stone that led there was the only way most people could get in. It ended in a climb that, until you reached the top, made it look like it just dropped off into nothing. As she pulled herself up to the ledge, she peered out at the darkening sky.

The rock felt comfortable and familiar under her feet. She took a moment to look over her campsite in appreciation. It was little more than a shaft in the mountain. To either side it towered over her, sloping to close into a slanted ceiling above. Three strides from the entrance the rock ended in a sheer drop. As she looked out at the fading twilight a slight breeze pressed against her back as if to push her off the platform and out into the open air. Even as a girl, Rowan didn’t feel the same fear most people had on these cliffs. They had always just felt like home.

The only movement came from Ember perched on a rock, her back to the south wall. Her head swiveled in quick sudden movements, allowing her sharp black eyes to take in the entire landscape. Rowan raised her left arm until it was parallel to the ground, palm down, with her elbow bent to hold her forearm in front of her body. With her right hand she pulled out a small piece of fresh meat and tossed it into the air.

Ember caught the treat at its height. Even after all these years Rowan still loved the sight of it. The grace, the power…it was beautiful. Ember beat her wings twice to get her snack and then extended her wings to their full magnificent length, gilding over to land gently on Rowan’s arm, talons sinking familiarly into the leather of Rowan’s bracer.

“I take it we’re alone up here?”

Oddly, Ember didn’t answer.

“Look, I’m sorry I was late. There was someone snooping around. I thought the scenic route would be safer.”

Still nothing. The large hawk just continued to stare off the cliff into the horizon as if she didn’t hear a word.

A small smirk passed over Rowan’s face. “Fine, be that way. If you’re going to be lousy company anyway you might as well go hunting. Just make sure to check the perimeter on your way out and back. I’d rather not lose this site.”

Ember, with a self-satisfied look, spread her wings and took off. “Brat,” Rowan muttered, but couldn’t hide her smile. She watched her companion fly away and began the familiar process of setting up camp.

Rowan enjoyed the ritual of it, and let her mind wander off as she did. Her hands undid her waterskin and poured some clean cold water into her mouth. She could almost feel her body soaking it up to re-hydrate itself as the cool sensation flowed down her throat, filling her body…

…did they see me leave? If not, have they noticed I’m gone yet? Would they send someone after me? Thoughts moved through her head quickly. Different scenarios played out one after another. What if the person she had heard earlier was one of her people? Could she get away? If no one had seen her slip away it could be days before they came looking, or they could be tracking her now…

Her sleeping blanket set, she started unfastening the ropes to free a small bundle of sticks and began constructing a fire. There were too many questions with no way of knowing the answers. Rowan couldn’t keep slipping away like this. It was drawing too much attention, and that put everyone at risk.

One short cry from Ember brought her back to herself. It was a warning, and Rowan reacted instantly, left hand drawing her mouth guard while her right slid a knife out of its sheath.

If someone had come looking for her she had only two options: run or fight. Only one way up and one way down. That was why she had chosen this spot. The narrow entrance made this as defensible a position as she could ask for and, if an enemy did get to the ledge, she could always fall back.

A feeling of relief dispelled some of her tension as Kaine’s head came into view. He wore the same scouting outfit she did. Soft leather from head to toe to add some protection without limiting movement. Both his weapons were still sheathed, one dagger at his hip on his left side with another strapped to his right thigh. Rowan knew both sheaths, like hers, had a hole cut ensuring the metal touch his skin.

“Careful with that blade there, Ro,” he said with his usual confident ease. “I’m just trying to see where you’ve been running off to.”

Kaine himself was a tall, lean man. He had the kind of grace that made it clear that every movement was effortlessly deliberate. Rowan had seen others with the same quality and generally found it both intimidating and attractive (two descriptions that Rowan found rarely went together) but, in her childhood friend, she found it comforting.

She stepped out from behind a small covelet in the south wall, returning her knife to its sheath.

“None of your business. Where’s Sasha?”

“Making sure no one else followed your trail.” They each removed their masks as he leaned against the north wall, trying to look casual. “C’mon, Ro, I’ve been tracking you for a day and a half. I’m tired - let’s just sit and talk.”

Kaine looked anything but tired. His keen eyes were awake and aware, and his body had the relaxed feel of a coiled snake.

“Is anyone else following me?”

Kaine let out a deep sigh and it was as if that act had melted some of his bravado away. It wasn’t a large change, but Rowan knew him well enough that it made an impact. “I didn’t come after you with a hunting squad.” His voice came out slightly louder and exasperated; Rowan was one of the few people to whom he would show anything but controlled strength. “I want to help you here. You keep disappearing for days. It’s getting more and more frequent. People trust you but they’re starting to talk. Just tell me what’s going on.”

She regretted having to put him in this position. He really was trying to help. Kaine was one of the few friends she’d had since before her Bonding. They were very different people and often disagreed, but, next to Ember, he was her closest friend.

“Do they think I could be a traitor? Do you?” Her voice betrayed none of the fear the idea instilled or the pain of having to ask that of her childhood friend. She made it a simple question to gain information.

“No one’s said that, and of course I don’t, but... Ro, you have to admit you’ve been acting strange. Anyway, I was hoping if we both disappeared people might assume we just wanted some time to ourselves.”

There was nothing sleazy in it, no implied question or intended suggestion. He was being honest and straightforward, she could tell, but there was something else. The mention reminded her that he did at one time have feelings for her. It gave her a small but familiar pang of guilt.

Too late she realized he had left the wall and casually taken a few steps toward her.

Kaine knew it was a dirty trick to play, tapping into their past like that to get the edge, but something was going on and he was determined to help however he could. First, though, he needed to slow Rowan down and get her to talk to him.

He saw the moment she realized. She turned and ran, but he was quicker. His hand closed around her shoulder when it hit him, a hawk colliding with the side of his head, talons tearing open three bloody lines from jaw to temple.

As Kaine fell forward he saw Rowan leap into the empty sky beyond the ledge and fall out of sight. He tucked into a controlled roll ending in a slide to slow himself before he followed his friend off the ledge. He kept his weight back so he didn’t topple over the edge and ended in a crouch about a hand’s breadth from the cliff.

Internally he warred between anger, admiration, and fear. He knew she could take care of herself, but that wasn’t the point. Even if Ember and Rowan could avoid the Tribes indefinitely, Bonded justice was swift and decisive. Even the appearance of treachery could be fatal if they weren’t careful.

Kaine took all of his anger, fear, and frustration and let it out in one savage roar that seemed to shake the mountains themselves. Sasha would know what it meant. Crouched on the mountain, his green, cat-like eyes shined in the setting sun as he watched two hawks glide away over the wind.

Next Chapter: Chapter 4