((Layla))
I stumbled forward leaning on Donny for support. They had been searching a week now since they had first washed up onto the shore and I was exhausted. Damon or as I call him Donny, my golden Labrador puppy laid down panting beside me searching the forest for any dangers. A week ago Donny my dad and I went out on a yacht into the pacific sea, when we came across a large island that had a huge volcano in it. The boat had crashed into the rocks surrounding it and Donny and I had been washed up onto the shore with no sign of my dad. We did our best to survive with what we had and all the crazy stuff that washed onto the beaches. There were books, weapons, toys, clothes, ski's and much more that had ended up here and I had no idea who it belonged to or where it came from. Slowly we had started explore the island when we had seen a fire in the far distance. Travelling light we had made it across the island to find ourselves hiding in the bushes watching a group of kids chatting and laughing together.
"Hey Kairi, come have a look at this!" called a skinny girl that had dark brown eyes and long black hair that came down to her waist. She was wearing what looked like a medieval dress that's bodice and undergarments were white but the long sleeves and skirt were purple. Also she had a crossbow and a rifle strapped to her waist by a brown belt and spear in one hand.
"Oh Taylor not another one, ok take it down to the sea where it will be safe from the birds." Kairi gigged placing down her book and glancing over at Taylor who was holding a baby turtle in her hands. Kairi was a tall girl who had brown hair that came past her shoulders and warm hazel eyes. She was also wearing a medieval dress. Its long sleeves, its skirt and its bodice were all red but there was a pink trinity symbol in the centre of the bodice and the skirt split at the front showing the pink undergarments. Plus she had a bow and arrow attached to her back by a brown belt that went over her right shoulder and under her left arm, a set of Katanas strapped to her back and a pistol and a knife in their holsters next to a waist pouch also attached by a brown belt around her waist.
"Woof! Woof!" Donny suddenly erupted seeing the turtle and charging out of the brushes.
"There go's our cover." I muttered sighing.
((Kairi))
"Hey Kairi, come have a look at this!" Taylor called lifting up yet another baby turtle.
"Oh Taylor, not another one, ok take in down to the sea where it will be safe from the birds." I giggled placing down my book. When we had first come to the island a load of books had washed up and fragile fantasy was one of them. It was about this girl called Alaya who finds out her world is a complete fantasy and she is in a coma. She has to go on an adventure to find the real world and the truth about who she is and where she comes from. Instantly I feel it love with it and read it too the rest of the tribe.
"Woof! Woof!" something barked dashing out of the forest towards Taylor. My bow and arrow were drawn incredibly quickly and I took aim. I stopped. It was just a golden Labrador with a blue collar. Shyly a girl stepped out of the brushes and raised her hands above her head.
"Umm... please don't shoot my dog." She said as I realised I was still aim my arrow at the dog. I lowered it and slung it back over my shoulder. The girl was about normal height, she had brown hair, brown eyes and she was very skinny. She was wearing ripped jeans, trainers, a long green top, two nunchakus tied to her waist with a rope and a long wooden pole in her right hand.
"Who are you?" Taylor asked watching her closely.
"I am Layla and I am 13 years old. This is my dog Damon or as I call him Donny. Donny my dad and I went on a boat trip and we crashed into the rocks. I can't find my dad and we have been stuck on this island for the last week." Layla explain nervously. Taylor looked to me for my opinion.
"Oh sorry about that, we thought you were a Zion. I am Kairi, am 14 and I am the leader of the Blue horizon tribe. This is Taylor, she is 13 and she is my assistant. If you are lost, both you and your dog are welcome to stay with us. Of course you'll have to help with some chores but we will provide shelter, food, fun and company." I smiled warmly walking over and stroking Donny.
"Err... thank you, yes I would like to stay but what do you mean by Zion and Blue horizon?" Layla questioned noticing all the huts and the other parts of the camp.
"I will start from the beginning; basically all of us were on this cruise ship with some very important people. There was an assignation attempt on these people by some pirates (modern day pirates) which led to the ship being hit by a torpedo and sinking. The torpedo hit the main hall and as the day care was on the other side of the ship most of the kids could get onto the rescue boats in time when the adults could not. There was only time for one rescue boat to be launch with sixteen kids on it, e.g. us lot. About one year ago when we washed ashore on this island his boy Thorn said that we should leave the little kids behind since it would slow us down. Taylor, Mark and I said no so the group of sixteen became two groups of ten and six. They name their group or tribe as we call it Zion after the ship that sank and we on the other hand named our tribe after the rescue boat that saved us, Blue horizon. The only time the two tribes have been and worked together was when the pirates came back looking for survivors to make sure no one ever find out who had sunk the ship. We stopped them and sent them on their way but we all know at some point they will be back when they find the island again. Oh, don't tell the little kiddies that. Anyway we will show you around and introduce you and then you need to rest." I announced placing my arm over her shoulder and moving her towards the camp. I whistled and 9 kids came running up to greet us.
"Look it's a dog!"
"Why is she here?"
"Who's the new girl?"
"No I totally won and you lost."
"Is there something wrong Kairi?"
Some of the tribe asked all excited at the sight of someone new.
"QUIET! Thank you, everybody this is Layla and her dog Damon or Donny, whatever you find easiest. They are now new members of the Blue horizon tribe. Layla this is Mark and he is 14, he guards at night and watches the fire with Dingo who is 13. This is Grace, she is 15; she looks after the little kids, Megan who is 7, Antony and Stevie who are 5 and Stella who is 3 and finally this is Paige, she is 12; she grows the food and is the cook." I mentioned gesturing at them as I went.
It seemed that all of them were wearing medieval clothes and they were all different ages. Mark had blond hair, blue eyes and was tall and skinny. He wore a white long sleeved shirt with a dark brown short sleeved jacket over the top tightened around the waist by a light brown belt. His trousers were light brown and he wore dark brown knee high boots. Also around his waist Mark had a slingshot a dagger and a gun. Dingo who had black hair, grey eyes, was tall and skinny wore the same thing except he had no jacket and his shirt and boots were black. In one hand he had a spear, a dagger around his waist and a bow and arrow over his shoulder. Grace on the other hand had blond hair, green eyes, was small and slightly chubby. She was wearing a light blue dress that had white hems. There was a white stitch that went around her waist where the dress split all the way down the skirt showing the even lighter blue flower patterned undergarment. The white sleeves were short and puffy and she had a knife at her waist. Paige had red hair, blue eyes and was the normal height and weight for her age. She wore a brown top with sleeves coming down to her elbow tucked into a long dark brown skirt. Over the top she wore a dark brown sleeveless jacket, a light brown bonnet and she had a glaive at her waist. Megan had light brown hair, blue eyes, was about normal height and weight for her age and looked very mature next to all the other playing kids. She was wearing a beautiful cream dress with long sleeves and a collar. The bottom of the dress the bottom of the sleeves had a thick golden hem around them and she had a golden belt with a pouch on it strapped around her waist. Antony and Stevie must have been twins because they both looked and wore the same thing. They had light brown hair, blue eyes, were both normal height and skinny. They were wearing black trousers and black leather ankle high boots. Both of them had long sleeved shirts and ropes tied around their waist. The only difference between them was that Antony had a green shirt and Stevie's was blue. Finally Stella had blond hair, blue eyes and she was wearing a dress with short sleeves that was cream from the waist upwards a white from the waist downwards.
"How old is your dog?" Stevie asked patting Donny on the head.
"Oh yes, he only just reached 1 years old a few days ago so he is still a puppy and will need to rest a lot but he will be very playful." Layla smiled. Antony and Stevie looked at each other and grinned.
"I expect you must be hungry and tired. You should have a quick tour around camp, change your clothes and get to bed so you will be feeling better for when we eat." Megan mentioned looking at the torn clothes that Layla was wearing.
"Can you do that Megan? Taylor, Mark and I have to go hunting." I asked turning to face Megan who nodded. I walked over and picked up a bag with our battle or hunting clothes in. All three of us slipped a chain mace shirt over our clothes and then a leather cuirass over that. The only difference between mine and the others was that my cuirass had lots of straps, belts and embroidery on it.
"You can go back to whatever you were doing now. Be safe, be nice to Layla and Donny and we will see you all later." I said as Taylor drew her crossbow, Mark drew his slingshot and I drew my bow and arrow before walking off into the jungle.
((Layla))
"Come this way, I will help you choose some new clothes." Megan smiled happily gesturing at a big hut at the edge of some palm trees. The hut looked like a small barn. The stricture of the hut was made out of wood; it had straw for the roof and cloth for the curtains and the door. Megan drew the patterned cloth back and we walked into a large room that had blankets lain on the floor as a carpet and desks, chairs, boxes and more furniture displayed all around.
"This is the main room or the common hut as we call it. We write, play, talk, sometimes eat and sleep in here if it is raining or there is a big storm. This is basically acts like a lounge in a normal house. We also keep all the spare equipment we find in here as well. This box is where we keep our clothes." She pointed at a wooden box with patterns carved into it "As you may had guessed, we wear medieval clothes because they are tough so they don't rip and they are practically the only clothes we have. You would not believe some of the stuff that we collect that have been washed up on the beach.
"Yeah, Donny and I have been living off that stuff since we got here. It's strange though, a lot of it is weapons." I said opening the box and lifting up a dress.
"Yes, where do you think Kairi, Taylor, Mark, Dingo, Grace and Paige got their weapons from? I suspect there must be some sort of shipping lane for weapons and stuff near here because you are right, we do get heaps of the stuff. Anyway that will be too small for you look to the right side of the box, that's for the taller people." She said and for the next 15 minutes we spent looking and trying on different dresses. It was fun doing this and we ended up laughing a lot when I got stuck in a dress or we found one that was completely ugly.
"YES! This is the one!" I cried turning around in front of the cracked mirror. I was wearing a light plain pink dress that fitted perfectly. It had straps instead of sleeves and there was a brown belt went over my right shoulder and under my left arm and attached itself to another brown belt with a waist pouch on it which went around my waist. My knife and my nunchakus were strapped to the belt around my waist and my stick was strapped to my back using other belt.
"Wow it looks great. Now we just have to get you your cloak." Megan marvelled opening a new box next to it that had lots of black material inside. "Yep, this will fit alright." She said handing me a black hooded cloak with a green broach on it in the shape of a leaf. "Keep that on you. It is for when it gets cold and for travelling. Oh and don't lose it because all the cloaks are the same except from their sizes. There I think you will do; now it's just for the tour." Megan stated smiling at me.
I couldn't believe how grown up she was. Maybe it was because they had this big responsibility thrown on them when they were so young but still the others kids were not a mature as her.
"They can't remember before the island so they still act like kids. The others and I can remember though and it sort of made us more responsible, although I have always been a mature child." Megan spoke thoughtfully. I stood staring at her in amazement. I didn't say any of that allowed. Megan slowly realised that she didn't know seeing my shocked face.
"Oh... Kairi didn't tell you? Sorry about that, yeah, I can sort of hear other people's thoughts. Taylor can see the future, Natty who is a Zion can speak to the dead and Kairi can communicate with animals. It only started when we can to the island so we think there is something strange about it, not to mention the helicopters that come around once a year on helicon day. We think slowly more of us will develop these things since Natty only got hers a year ago and Taylor only a few months ago." Megan explained closing the boxes and moving outside.
"Helicopters? You mean you could have got off the island and you didn't?" I asked even more confused.
"She really didn't get time to tell you anything, did she? A few days after we first came here a load of helicopters came and landed in side that volcano." she pointed at the volcano "We thought they had died in the lava so we stayed here at camp and forgot them until it happened on the same day last year. The date of the helicopters in happening it two weeks from now and next week Kairi, Taylor and Mark are going to meet them up there and find out what's happening and if we can get off the island. I truth though, most of us don't really want to go because our old families are dead and we have no other home than camp." Megan answered. Wow this island is weird I thought looking up at the volcano.
"Anyway if you want to get much sleep before tea time than we better hurry up. So, like I said, this is the common hut. Come this way and I will show you the kitchen." Megan whistled jogging off cheerfully. I just followed behind watchfully. Over at the beach Donny and the boys were playing in the sea and I couldn't help but smile. This is the safest and the happiest I had felt since I had landed up on this island and I loved my new dress because not only was it pretty, comfortable and useful, it made me feel more part of the tribe and already I was starting to feel a dislike towards the Zion's even though I had never met them. Time past and Megan showed me the kitchen which was had the same structure as the common hut but had pots and pans, food stacked in crates, a cooking fire and other cooking equipment neatly stacked up against the wall. Outside there was a fire pit with lots of logs around it which is where they ate and sat talking at night; they called it the circle or the bonfire depending on whether or not the fire was light. After that Megan showed me the bed huts which were split into boys and girls and were the same. They had hammocks tied up inside with draws for clothes that they had made and toys for the little kids. Next we moved on to the bathroom was also split into boys and girls. They were small huts that had chemical toilets inside and but no chemicals and a two roles of what could only be described as paper. Finally she took me to the waterfall which was a minute or two walks away which we bathed in and collected water from. Don't worry we bath in the pool below and collect the drinking water from the waterfall itself.
"There, that's camp. Now you go and get some sleep; Paige has tied up a hammock for you in the bed hut." Megan said picking up a shell before throwing it away.
"Umm... ok." I started a little confused.
"Oh, yes... well I sort of... well collect shells but I already had that one." She whispered shyly a little embarrassed.
"When my mum was alive she my dad and I always went down to the beach and I use to love collecting shells. I had always liked the nautilus seashells, I still do. Thanks for this Megan. It means a lot to me the way you have all accepted me so kindly. I better be off to bed, bye!" I called walking away towards the bed hut. Inside, like Megan had mentioned, a new hammock was hanging near the right window which was more of an open gap with a cloth over it. I went and laid in it pulling my cloak over me like a blanket. I only just noticed Donny who was fast asleep on a blanket behind me and soon I too was fast asleep.
((Kairi))
Salmaria I'm really worried about Shadow. He's been gone for ages, I know he is not the most social being in the world but still, I thought we were friends now. I thought nervously.
Salmaria was a 5 year old female white tiger that I had became close friends with shortly after landing on this island. She had a friendly, patient, caring and a gentle personal unlike Shadow. Shadow was a very wild, mysterious, independent and fiery character that I had slowly got to know over the last few months. Shadow was a completely black stallion that had long wild hair which usually fell in front of his eyes. I saw him once when we were hunting and I tried communicating with him. He completely ignored me. After a few days I saw him again and it started to become a common sighting. One day I managed to speak to him when he was drinking from a spring and we became friends. But now he seemed to have disappeared again and we really needed to ask him a favour.
He will come when he's ready. You can't hurry a creature like him. Salmaria said standing up a stretching her legs.
I know but we only have week left before we leave... I muttered watching the forest.
Kairi there is something in those bushes over there. I will go and check what it is. Salmaria said watching some bushes before disappearing into the trees behind us. One thing you should know about white tigers is that they are very sneaky and they alike other animals they have higher senses. Even I could not see her as she snuck past her victim and prowled up behind it. She leaped knocking it forward though the bushes it had been hiding behind.
"Natty you do its rude to spy on people, don't you? And anyway you are no good at it." I spat walking over her. Natty was an 11 year old girl who had black hair, grey eyes, she was small and skinny. She wore a simple green dress which had long sleeves, some lighter green ivy patterns coming up from the bottom and a brown belt tied around her waist. Natty was a spy from the Zion tribe and she always carried her bow and arrow and a knife with her wherever she went.
"Get off me you stupid beast!" Natty growled angrily shoving Salmaria off her and standing up brushing herself down.
"Why are you here? What do you want?" I asked suspiciously looking around to check they were alone.
"Where are you lot going? We have seen you planning and talking about it. Plus you keep on trekking further and further towards the volcano every hunt." Natty demanded glaring at Salmaria furiously.
Oh no! Of all the times he could have arrived it had to be right now when Nat is here. Salmaria commented noticing Shadow who came trotting into the meadow clearing. The problem with this is that Natty and the rest of the Zion's had no idea that Shadow existed and that we were friends with a horse.
Shay, Nat's here! The Zion tribe will know about you if you let her see you with us. I gasped seeing him too. Natty saw Salmaria and I tense when Shadow arrived and grinned knowingly.
"So you have a new animal friend Kairi? It seems your powers are getting stronger... Thorn will be very interested to hear that." She smirked.
I am taking that this is a very bad time... Shadow grunted swishing his tail angrily at Natty.
"Go away Nat or we will let the little kids play with you!" I replied with venom in my voice. Her smirk disappeared. We all knew Nat hated little children. She turned and ran off into the jungle without another word.
So... what is it that you wanted to talk about? Shadow questioned.
Well... Mark, Taylor, Salmaria and I were going to go and investigate the volcano and the helicopters and I was wondering if you could maybe carry some of our equipment. It won't be a lot, it's just the stuff that we can't hold ourselves. I said pulling a twig out of his mane. He stepped back and threw his head into the air knocking his mane back out of his eyes.
Yeah why not, I haven't got anything else to do. Plus you are not the only ones who want to know what those helicopters are up too. When are you leaving? Shadow spoke stepping back and stepping forward again.
Stand still! Jez you are like a hyper little kid. Salmaria growled lying back down and resting her head on her paws. Shadow reared bringing his hooves thudding down centimetres from Samaria's tail.
Hey chill you too! We are leaving next week so I will give you more info later. Shadow you should come back to camp for the night because the Zion's will be looking for you. You can come too Sal, if you want? I said.
Wow! As much as I would like to spend time with you Kairi, little kids patting and touching me is a big no, no. Shadow explained recoiling back.
Don't worry, they won't touch you. I promise and it's safer for you to come back with us because the Zion's do have weapons, you know. Come on let's go. I reassured him before we turned and made our way towards the camp.
I stepped onto the beach where the fire was already blazing and lighting up the starry night sky. Layla had woken up and she was sitting on a log next to Megan in a beautiful pink dress. I had thought about wearing that dress when I had first came here but pink was bit too much of a girly colour for me but it looked great on her. Mark and Taylor had already returned will their kill and Paige was now cooking what looked like some sort of deer. As I approached the group turned and started muttering pointing at both Salmaria and Shadow. God Shadow was going to kill me. The littlies jumped up squealing and ran over trying to touch the two of them eagerly.
"Yo, guys back up! No one is to annoy these two as they are special guests." I called knowing that none of them were listening. I edged away from the growing crowd and took a seat in-between Taylor and Layla.
"So... you can talk to animals, huh?" Layla brought up trying her best to sound casual. I look up and watched her face for a second before realising that it was a genuine question not an insult.
"Yep, some of us can do weird things around here. You never know, you could have some weird gift too, that is if you can call it a gift." I answered watching the forest warily of any unwanted intruders. Layla saw that Taylor, Mark and Grace were also keeping an eye out.
"Do you get a lot of wild animals in the night?" Layla asked swallowing a nervous gulp. I soon understood that we were scaring her by acting so cautious and relaxed.
"Nah, we just like to keep an eye out for those Zion's. Most of the animals we do meet I can usually reason with and it's very rare for them to attack anyway. After two years of constant watching and protecting the littlies it sort of becomes a habit to be suspicious of everything." I explained as most of the kids started to lose interest of the animals and retreat to their log seats; much to the pleasure of Shadow.
"Grubs up!" Paige announced her usual phrase for when the food had finished cooking. Instantly the whole group took their served meal and began munching away at it with haste. After a longs day work we were always hungry.
"What should I do tomorrow? I mean, you did say I would have to help with chores." Layla mumbled though her mouthful of food.
"Well, you could start off with collecting some water because we are running low on water supplies... um... we need some fire wood and Grace or Paige could do with some help looking after the kids or tending the plants. Later on after you have settled in you could help us with hunting if you feel up to it and I will need to start training you with your weapons. We don't want you accidently knocking someone's head off, do we?" I suggested smiling my thanks to Paige. I could see from the ever increasing yawns that Megan, Stevie, Antony and Stella were all getting tired and would need to go to bed soon. I sat patiently until they had finished their meals before I shouted "Kip time! Let's stack up with our new member Layla." I curled my hand into a fist and placed in front of me. Slowly one by one the others clenched the fists and stacked their fists on top of mine. I nodded and we all separated. Layla looked a little confused but she would soon get use to our Blue horizon traditions. I picked up Stella and took hold of Megan's hand. They were my famiy and I would protect them no mater the cost.