Disclaimer: I don't (unfortunately) own the Saga Of Darren Shan. I wasn't born that lucky.

The Princes' Assistance's

Chapter 1: Getting there

After Ari and I made camp for the night, Ari slept immediately. I, on the other hand, took my time staring at the stars and thinking.
Clare had made us promise to climb this wretched mountain. With her, it would've been fun. With Clare around, everything was brighter, funnier, nicer, warmer. You couldnt help but be in a good mood around her. She couldn't stand foul moods. She go on into a hilarious lecture about life that would have in laughter tears that the end of it. Even in her death bed, she made us laugh. Told us not to cry for her when she dies. Ari pointed out the "IF" she died. But Clare had accepted it and she wasnt going to fool herself that she was going to live. It was out of the question. The tumor had been too cancerous. Her only regret was that she wouldn't have to climb this mountain. The mountain most people stayed away from, since it was so creepy. Clare liked creepy things, just so she could laugh that it.
She didnt like gloomy places, like that mountain. I wondered what made her want to climb it. I remembered the months it had taken to prepare for it, but in the end, it was obvious she wasnt going to make it. Even if she did start, with her fragile condition, she would freeze to death. That was one of the coldest mountain we had climbed. Because, even though Clare was not with us physically, i knew she was with us... i guess you could say....... spiritually.


".....Aaaannnngeeeeeellllllllll.... ANGEL, WAKE UP!!!!" Ari yelled.
i bolted awake. i looked around. After i was sure nothing was wrong i turned to Ari and snapped "What?! Its only.." I looked at my watch in disbelif.
"There's something wrong with my watch." I announced "There's nothing wrong with your watch." Ari said "Then why didnt you wake me up before?!" I said, getting to my feet.
"I didnt have the heart to. You just looked so...angelic" Ari grinned. i snorted "Yeah, I'm as far as angelic as they can get."
I mean, what were my parents thinking? Oh yeah, sure, i must've looked like an angel when i was, like, 1. But now, my hair was dirty blond and i was tanned. But my eyes had stayed the same. Ocean blue. But Arianna....she had black hair and was totally pale. i mean, PALE. Her eyes were a navy blue that sometimes looked black, other times blue, depending on the light.
We packed up and started up the mountain again. I turned around to dip my hand in sand when i saw how high we were. Suddenly, i had a fear of falling. "Angel. Hurry up. I'm growing old here." Ari called. I smiled, my fear evapourating. I climbed up to her.
"What up? Climb." i said, coming beside her.
"Look." she said, pointed a bit to the left. There was ground, where we could stand. Infact, there was quite a bit of land. Ari looked at me.
'We might not find another place for the night."
We'd been climbing for about 3 hours cause it was dark. "'K. Lets go" i grunted. We made our way toward the piece of land. Easier said then done. It was inhumanly impossible to get there.
There was no time to congratulate ourselves cause there was like a bit left. i saw a rock-the only rock that could get us there. But it was all sharp. There was noway a normal person could go through this. It was too intriguing. I had to give it a shot. I stepped on it and yelled in pain. But it was not only sharp but slippery as well. I lost my footing and the world seemed to stop. I'm going to die, flashed through my mind. I shook my head. No time for thoughts like that. I quickly looked for something to grab on. Anything. Then i saw a rock. I quickly grabbed for it and thankfully caught it. I let Arianna pull me up from there. She easily jumped, knowing the angle, blah, blah. Annoying genii.

We started a fire. I frowned at the snow.
"What?" Ari said. I pointed at the foot prints. It was confusing because they were real footprints. Not bootprints. Foot prints, like someone had actually walked here barefoot. I laughed. The thought was ridiculous. Someone probably just took they're shoes of for a while.
Dumbass.
Ari rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Probably just a nutcase. Look, i found something."

I followed her toward what seemed a huge rock.

"What? Magical fungi?" i asked

"Ha ha. No. This obviously hides a passage way. If only we could move it."

"Noway, Ari. Who knows whats in there."

"Whatever might be there, it'll probably be dead. No oxygen can go in there." Ari argued. Always the adventurer.

"Yeah, like we'll be if we go in! Ari, please. Lets just get some rest, ok?" i said. Ari sighed.

"Fine, fine."

Somehow, i knew that wasn't the last i would hear of that.

A/N: so? whatcha think? Review, somebody? anybody?