"Quickly! Move! Keep going it's not much further!"
The heavy falling of feet against pavement was barely distinguishable under the loud, unified shouting and raving from the crowd of angry townspeople pursuing their most recent victim. It's so difficult being different from everyone else when that everyone else has no problem grabbing pitchforks and torches to chase you out. From the harsh judgement in the streets, a small group of cloaked figures were fleeing from the crowded area into the dark alleys of the little neighborhood on the outskirts of town. The tallest of the dark forms fell behind the group to make sure the youngest between the four made it behind the eldest. Quickly they rushed through the streets towards their little makeshift hideout in the cave, which was supposedly haunted by demons of the dark in the opinion of the locals, just off the boundary to the forest. Admittedly the only demons that truly "haunted" the cave were simply trying to get by in life on their own, but something, or someone, who is unlike everyone else in every way that matters is hard to accept. Which is probably why the group was being chased by an angry mob of people they had managed to accidentally frighten in the first place.
"Come quickly now!" the eldest of the four, Jellal Fernandes, ushered his younger "brothers" through the opening of the cave, long cobalt locks disheveled from the dark hood that fell back from his head. Each rushed past to get to what they deemed would be safety though they had only been able to stay there about two months before the youngest of the four decided that spontaneously combusting was a good idea when someone had frightened him on accident when turning the corner in front of him. But that's how it always was, a couple months in one place, if they were lucky they could get in a year before an "accident" caused them to move again.
"Oi! What the hell pinky!", the tallest roared as the youngest moved to sit down against the cave wall, "Do you know how long we've been here?! TWO MONTHS! I was JUST starting to have a daily routine and everything!"
"I know.. I'm sorry Gajeel! It's really not my fault!" the youngest, Natsu Dragneel, tried futilely to explain to one of his elder brothers, "They scared the crap outta me when they popped up in my face all the sudden!" He continued to pout for a little while longer before getting distracted and becoming what would be considered his usual bubbly self.
"Don't you even feel the slightest bit of remorse, coal for brains?!" the last of the four rolled his eyes in annoyance, "We didn't even have a chance to settle in a little bit."
"Aw shut up, Gray!" Natsu whined, "I really, reallllly didn't mean to!"
None of the four boys were related, but when you have no one else but each other you become a real family over time. That's why, to them, they were brothers in everyway but genetics. Jellal Fernandes was the first one, he travelled alone for around six or seven years from his hometown before finding a young Gray Fullbuster during his journey. Gray had been wandering the streets of a small village that had been completely decimated, layers upon layers of jagged ice inhabited the homes along the roads. The only living thing that remained had been the child, barely a teen at the time, it was needless to say that Jellal had been shocked by the sight before him. As a child, Gray had been a void of anger and disdain, angry at himself, at what he was, and at what he had done. Jellal took him in immediately. Over time, Gray began to come out of his shell but even to this day he would have long episodes of depression, anxiety, and frequent panic attacks. After travelling a few years together they stumbled across two more outcasts, Natsu Dragneel and Gajeel Redfox. The two had been travelling together for awhile ever since meeting each other by chance in the same town before Jellal and Gray met them. At first they had been wary of them both, but Natsu quickly warmed up to them while Gajeel accepted their company grudgingly. That's the story of their beginning, now let's continue. All the way to the end.
"Gray, I need you to do a scan of the area quickly, the universe has fallen silent again." Jellal muttered.
"Fallen silent? Jellal that only happens when your future can't be determined. This isn't a good sign, last time that happened was when you literally went and fell off a cliff and almost died!" Gray sputtered.
"Yes I am aware, but remember that it was only blocked by the presence of another person's decision. When my future is at the mercy of someone else and their decision then it will be not be determined by myself which blocks my sight," Jellal explained calmly, "It does not mean I will not survive whatever is coming. Remember, it was your decision that saved my life."
Gray sighed and moved to the front of the cave to do as he was asked by his elder brother. He put his pale hand to the floor of the cave and spread his slender fingers. Allowing his magic to pulse through the ground, he closed his eyes and concentrated on finding any areas that radiated heat. Doing so would allow him to search for any approaching life forms. Gray Fullbuster could be described as no less than the personification of winter, with a firm hold on ice, snow, sleet, and the bitter cold. Beautiful designs of fern-like patterns grew delicately on the ground from where his hand was placed. Suddenly, Gray jerked his hand back with a gasp, a clear look of anxiety on his face. As it was with every time he used his powers, the past always came flooding back to him in vivid, horrific images and prevented him from continuing on too long with his abilities. As he recovered, pushing back his anxious feelings and panic for something more tranquil, he continued with his report.
"It looks like a large group of humans is on their way towards the cave now," Gray painted the picture, "Roughly twelve men, though I picked up more, smaller heat signatures that I would assume to be torches."
"AW YEAH! I love torches!" Natsu cheered, "Such yummy fire! I'm practically drooling already!"
"Quit yer swooning already salamander," Gajeel grumbled before slamming his fists together, "Do we finally get to go kick some ass?"
"No, we will not fight, clearly there is something more than what we have detected. Otherwise, the path my life leads would be quite clear to me," Jellal observed, "I believe there is something big coming, whether it is a good thing or not is what I cannot determine."
"So, what is the plan then? Obviously if we aren't going to fight them then the only other option is to run," Gray scowled, "That takes a toll on my pride, honestly."
"That's the general idea. If we go now we will have enough of a head start to prevent a confrontation." Jellal began to gather all of the little things that they had collected over the years.
Following the example of the eldest, the four began to pack their rough looking things into their small shoulder bags which were nothing more than some old cloth and string. To them, these things were the story of their lives and meant everything to them. Each boy had enough to just fill their single bag. Once the packing of the cave was done, about five or so minutes later give or take, the boys donned their black cloaks, pulling the hoods over their heads, and made their way to the entrance of the cave. Saying their final goodbyes to the dark cave, they headed out towards the woods. They didn't get very far before Natsu and Gajeel's sensitive ears picked up on the approaching mob.
"They're gaining on us, how did they know which way to go?" Gajeel mused.
Turning around they noticed the deep footprints they were leaving in the ground behind them as they walked.
"Seriously guys?!" exclaimed Gray, "How did this even happen?! They're going to catch us at this rate!"
"Okay, now is the time to remain level headed." Jellal tried to reason with the boys as they all reacted differently to the situation.
"Let's just run!" Natsu grinned, spinning on his heel and taking off towards the forest on the other side of the clearing they had come to.
"SHIT! Salamander!" Gajeel yelled, running after him.
Gray and Jellal exchanged a quick glance before following behind the two. They sprinted to the trees just as the angry mob became visible behind them across the clearing. Completely distracted by the rush of staying together and fleeing from the situation pursuing them, none of the group noticed the sign they passed by.
"DANGER! ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK. HERE LIES THE FORBIDDEN FOREST."