Chapter Sixteen

Jade briefly explains her dilemma. Rose has problems of her own

Jade walked through the forest careful not to trip over roots from the vast trees surrounding her. She stopped in a small clearing listening to the birds chirp high above her, the light from the sun streaming through the tops of the trees. She looked up into the nearest tree holding her arm out before her.

A petite bird flew down from the tree gracefully landing on her hand. Its claws dug deeply into her skin but she paid no mind as she stroked the bird lightly from the tip of its head down its back.

It was a small bird red in color with black on the tips of its feathers. Jade walked underneath the huge tree in which the bird had come and sat down her back flat against the tree‘s trunk. She smiled sweetly at the bird as it chirped happily on her hand.

The forest around her soon went silent as if there was no living creature within. Jade looked to the bird and with one last stroke sent it on its way. She watched as the bird flew up into the sky, disappearing within the light of the sun. There is no sense in the two of us getting hurt. She brought her knees up to her chin, resting her head on the tops of her knees as she stared blankly out before her. She could hear steady thumps on the ground before her as something moved closer and closer.

Her heart raced as she saw the dark figure before her shadowed beneath the trees. It was rather large to her standards. But as the figure came closer she could see that it was really two figures blended together, not just one.

They soon stopped before her. "Jade?"

Relief washed over her as she recognized Drake's voice, but she didn't answer, her gaze fixed on the two before her. She saw Drake come closer with the other person and saw that it was Haru standing beside him.

Drake knelt down before her. "Jade, it’s me, Drake.”

"I know.” She said calmly shifting her eyes away from his.

He studied her eyes for a moment. They looked empty; drained of all emotion and thought. "Are you alright?"

"Fine."

"I'm not buying that." He said pausing for a moment for her to speak. When she didn't reply he sighed. "Come on, Jade. I know you better than that. What's wrong?"

She didn't answer.

Drake then got to his feet. Haru walked over to him looking down at Jade. "What's wrong with her?" He whispered so she wouldn't hear.

Drake shook his head. "I don't know."

Haru then walked over to her holding out his hand. "Come on. We have to go find the others."

She stayed seated not making a move to allow him to help her stand. "No."

He dropped his hand to his side. "What do you mean no?"

She didn’t answer him.

"Jade," Drake began standing aside of Haru. "We have to get to the others. What if they are in danger?"

"Not my problem." She said coldly.

"I don't believe this." Haru said in frustration. "They are supposed to be your friends!"

She looked away from him.

He then bent down and grabbed her left arm yanking her to her feet. "I'll drag you if I have to."

"Let go of me!" She hissed pulling free from his grasp. She stumbled backwards, her back hitting the tree painfully.

Drake stepped in front of Haru, blocking his view of Jade. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" He yelled then turned to Jade, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She shrugged his hand from her shoulder. "Just leave me alone."

"What is the matter with you?" Haru yelled no longer to contain his anger. "Asha told me so much about you yet so far you haven't proved any of it!"

"I don't have to prove anything to anyone."

"You just don't care do you?"

"Why should I?" She snapped facing him. She stared angrily into his eyes. "I can't stop them from doing what they want to do. I'm sick of it, I'm just sick of it all!" She slammed her fist into the tree forming an indention within its trunk. Her face went blank again as she looked down at her hand; trickles of blood dripped to the ground from the small cuts she received from hitting the tree. "They're all going to die because of me."

"They can protect themselves-"

"Oh yes, they are such great fighters. Warriors, best of their class." She said bitterly tears steaming down her cheeks. "But each battle their fears scream out to me as do my own." She sighed. "I'm just surprised our enemies haven't heard them yet." Both Haru and Drake didn't know what to say as they watched her turn away from them, wiping away her tears. "It's getting hard, too hard for me to act like nothing is wrong. Though I have done a fairly good job in the past." She sighed again placing her hand to her head. "My head aches. The waves are just too fuzzy for me to make out."

Haru looked at her oddly. "Waves?"

"You mean no one told you?" She laughed giving Drake a sidewards glance. "I am able to feel what others feel. I can even listen to their thoughts if I wanted to, but," he voice softened as she looked to the ground, "it's all messed up. I can't control it anymore."

"Then maybe we should tell the others." Drake said. "I'm sure they could-"

"No!" She said sharply brushing past them. "They mustn't know."

"Why?" Haru asked following after her. Drake not too far behind.

She stopped. "They look to me fore advice, ask Drake. Whenever they're in doubt, they look to me to find the way. But if they begin to think I can't handle it-"

"What?" Haru asked crossing his arms before him. "They'll make you stay?" He then looked around the surrounding area. "Stay where? There is no place for you to go." He looked back to her. "I really don't think you have anything to worry about."

"That's no what I mean." Jade said in frustration. Her voice then became quiet. "They'll end up keeping an eye on me not bothering to watch out for themselves. I'm going to get them killed."

Drake stepped towards her. "Jade you can't think that way-"

"Don't tell me what to think!" She snapped quickly backing away from him. She then put a hand to her head. "I'm sorry, I-"

"Don't worry about it." Drake said smiling. He walked over to her placing an arm around her shoulders. "We're in this together whether you like it or not." He gave her shoulders a light squeeze. "Come on. We should go find the others."

She looked down at the ground avoiding his gaze. "I really think it would be best for me to stay away from the others for now."

"Jade-"

"I have an idea." Haru said to Drake then looked to Jade. "How about we make a deal?"

Jade looked to him suspiciously. "A deal?"

Haru crossed his arms over his chest watching her in amusement. "Yes, a deal." He then walked over to them a cunning smirk crossing his features. "If you come back with us maybe I won't tell the others about your little secret."

Drake felt Jade’s muscles go ridged as she glared angrily at Haru. He clasped her shoulder tighter, holding her back as she moved towards Haru. "Don't you blackmail me!"

"Blackmail is such a harsh word." He said with a smile. "I'd rather call it a mutual understanding."

Jade let out a frustrated groan. She pushed Drake to the side and brushed past Haru nearly knocking him off his feet.

He then looked to Drake who just shook his head. "You shouldn't have done that." He said then quickly followed after her with Haru not too far behind.

After a few moments of walking Jade looked over to Drake. "So, where are the others?"

"I was hoping you could tell us."

She stopped walking abruptly, looking from him to Haru then back to Drake. "You mean you have no clue to where they are? If they are even together?"

They both stopped before her, Haru smiled at her in amusement. "Quite worried for someone who doesn't care what happens to them."

She turned away from him in disgust and continued walking. "You're an idiot."

"Even if that is so," Haru began quickly following after her Drake at his side. "This idiot has your secret and you know how idiots are with secrets."

Jade suddenly whirled around and pushed Haru into a tree pinning him against it, her arm to his throat.

"Jade!" Drake exclaimed in shock.

He rushed over to her; Jade held out her other hand in a stopping motion. She looked back to Haru sweat trickled from his forehead. She smiled. "Just a friendly reminder." She said in a sing-song voice. "If my secret is ever told, you are fair game.” She then pushed away from him and continued to walk down the path humming softly to herself.

Haru rubbed lightly at his sore throat as he watched after her. He then shook his head as he glanced over to Drake. "What did I get myself into?"

Drake shook his head slightly as he walked past him. "You shouldn't have struck that deal with her."

Haru followed after him. "How was I to know she would react like that?"

Drake laughed watching Jade as she pulled a flower from the ground. She twirled it in her fingers a few times before throwing it behind her, nearly hitting him in the face with the flower. "No one knows how she'll react." He said with a sigh. "But we also know her boundaries." He gave Haru a sidewards glance. "And she hates blackmailers."

Haru let out a sigh of his own. "So what do I do now?"

"As long as you keep your mouth shut, you're fine. But if I were you I wouldn’t keep throwing it in her face what you know."

Haru rubbed his throat once more. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

* * *

Gina stepped out into the campsite in her search for Rose. She had seen her leave earlier that morning but merely assumed she had to go to the bathroom and fell back to sleep. But after waking up once more and foubd Rose still missing, she was getting a little worried.

"Hm? No one is here?” She questioned herself after taking a long look around. "Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary here…" she then heard something snap within the woods, startling her. "Who's there?" She asked anxiously, facing the direction of the noise.

The sound became louder as it came near her. Relief soon came over her when she saw Rose coming from behind a tree making her way towards her. "Rose," Gina said taking a step forward then stopped. Her relief was quickly replaced by concern. Rose looked deathly pale. "Rose? What is wrong?"

She didn't answer as she held out her right hand. It was clenched into a tight fist. Gina looked to her hand puzzled then back to her. Rose then opened her hand revealing a small dart. "Trap..." She said wearily. "We have to…watch."

Gina studied her for a moment. Rose was very pale sweat dripped down her forehead. Her eyes were weary and bloodshot. "What is wrong?"

Rose gave her a weak smile. "Well someone had to find the trap."

"Oh, Rose." Gina said in panic. "Where did you get hit?"

Rose raised her hand to the back of her head and lifted her hair. Gina quickly examined where the dart had hit. The whole back of Rose's neck was swollen. Blotches of red could be seen around the area. Gina gasped. "I know this poison!" She cried. "Uh, do not worry. It is nothing to worry about."

"I think… I'm going to… lie down." Rose said sitting down from where she stood.

"That is a good idea." Gina said smiling nervously. She watched as Rose lay down on her back and turned away fear crossing her face. "This isn't good."

* * *

"Jade is something wrong?"

Jade had stopped walking and was now surveying their surroundings with a cautious eye. She turned back to Drake and Haru who watched her carefully. "We should get back to camp."

"Why?" Haru questioned.

She narrowed her eyes in confusion. "I…don't know…" she said walking away from them. "I just have this odd feeling."

"What should we do?" Haru asked, looking to Drake.

"We should follow her." Drake answered walking after her. "I don't want to let her out of my sight."