Hello Dudes,
I'm trying NOT to be demanding, but sorry people, I've put up 7 chapters and I only have 45 reviews. Of course there is 31 chapters to this book, but the more reviews I get the more people will be able to read my story. I know this sounds really picky, but just bare with me.
Oh, and I would really enjoy it if you guys made suggestions to anything. Fax, Niggy, plot, you name it. Even if your confused about something (Of course, I'm talking about the stuff that's already happened). Just review and I'll send one back.
Bye for Now
Heart of Diamond
xoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxoxox
Max: The War Eagle
Chapter 8: First Kill
Max POV
I woke up the next morning and found the camp was worse than I imagined. I noticed Nudge was sitting by the newly blazing camp fire as I jumped down from my branch. Thankfully Indi hadn't awoken yet.
Nudge glanced at me suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to know why every tree within 20 metres radius of the camp has at least a thousand scratches and stab holes in them?"
I blushed. "Hey, I got to do some practice some time or other," I said rubbing the back of my neck.
Nudge just gave me a look.
"Ok, I guess I got a little too excited," I mumbled.
Nudge laughed. "It spooked me out when the sun came up and the scratches just appeared."
I smiled as I sat down by the fire. "That was my intention," I lied.
Nudge laughed as she handed me a steaming cup of tea. "I guessed."
"Hmm," I said as I sipped my mug of tea.
Nudge poked the fire with a stick around the boiling sauce pan of water. "What are we doing for breakfast?"
I shrugged. "Panache, Subway... something on the run."
Nudge suddenly piped up. I knew she loved Panache... Especially if it meant double-chocolate-3-stacked pancakes with ice-cream.
Indi gave a wail. I sighed and Nudge gave me a sympathetic look. I knew she had taken care of Indi on her night watch.
I lifted Indi out of her hammock and gently rocked her. She flapped her wings through the slits in her jump suit. I cooed her softly and she calmed down, but she still whimpered giving a clear sign she was hungry.
I sat by the fire as I breast fed her. Nudge cleared the camp area. Once Indi was finished, I cradled her in my arms. Indi blinked at me and reached up. I kissed her little hand as she tried to grave my nose. She made a soft ahh sound.
"Can I hold her?" Nudge whispered. I smiled at Nudge and stood up. Nudge walked over to me and carefully took Indi from me. Nudge sat back down on the root.
Snap.
I froze. My hand instantly fell on Giniw and my eyes snapped to the noise. My raptor eyes searched through the trees. A black figure...
I didn't take second chances. I threw my knife at the figure. I heard a thud and a grunt, before something heavy fell to the ground.
I jumped over the fire and pushed the bush out of the way. A shadow. The knife had hit him straight in the chest, killing him instantly. But the sight of the small speaker phone coming from his ear made me tense up.
But my heart suddenly felt guilty. I had killed some one. Someone who might of had a family. Someone who may of had a daughter like me. A wife, kids... a life that I had now destroyed.
No Max, you can't think of that now.
I pulled the knife from his chest and wiped the blood off onto his uniform. We needed to get out of here. And fast.
I walked back into the camp and sheathed Giniw, my eyes searching the area. No sign of any activity, but the birds were quiet. Too quiet.
"Max?" Nudge questioned. She was standing up, Indi pressed stomach against Nudge's chest.
"Shadow. We need to leave," I said stamping the fire. "Pack up quickly."
Nudge knew better than to question me. She handed me Indi and instantly poured the boiling water on the remaining embers of the fire.
I pressed Indi against my chest gently so she was looking over my shoulder. I turned back to the direction of the dead shadow. I could almost feel them coming. Like I could hear their footsteps.
Indi whimpered. I looked at her. "I know sweet heart, their coming."
We flew quickly, skipping breakfast. I was hungry and I guessed Nudge was too, but we had to keep moving. Neither of us said anything. I could tell Nudge was tense. I had a feeling she was incredibly scared of Shadows.
We flew low to the ground. Once we had to stop, when we heard a helicopter.
"They're defiantly after us," Nudge whispered.
I nodded my eyes searching the cloudless sky for the helicopter, though I never found it.
We took the chance to have a break. Indi wasn't hungry, but she was very restless and wouldn't sleep. Nudge and I took in turns holding her as we each ate a packet of MM's for lunch. They weren't the most nitrous thing to eat, but they had enough energy for us.
Indi fell asleep, by the time we were flying again. That helped me relax a bit. Indi was sort of my indicator for danger. I could tell when something was wrong, because she would stay awake. Her falling asleep made me guess that we were ok.
But I had still killed a shadow. I'm pretty sure that didn't put me in their good books.
We found another tree to sleep in. Pine trees. They weren't really my forte. They were too prickly. But Nudge loved them. She kept going on about how the wood was softer and more comfortable. I was starting to believe she was part squirrel.
The good thing about sleeping in a pine tree plantation was that pinecones were fantastic for burning. They didn't let up as much smoke either. The trees were also packed together, making it virtually impossible for anyone to see us through them.
I laid out Indi's rug and gently laid Indi on it. Nudge was happy to baby sit as I did a scout of the area. I pounced up one of the pine trees to get a good view of the plantation.
It was big. Huge. Virtually impossible for anyone to find us. Seriously. If someone said we were in the plantation, they would take weeks trying to find us.
I flew through the pine trees. I found a town on the edge of the plantation. It was fairly small, with only about 50 houses and a few shops. There were a fair few men walking home with saws resting on their shoulders.
I decided to cook up the plastic packet of soup. Valencia packed 4 packets, so I used up two. Pouring them into the sauce pan, I push the embers under the pan.
Nudge was staring at me is shock. "When did you learn how to cook?"
I shrugged. "Only way to survive."
Nudge left the conversation at that. She knew she was heading into an emotional topic for both of us.
I also pulled out some mountain bread that Mum also made us pack lots of. She didn't make us pack much food, but boy did she go nuts about mountain bread.
"Max, I think I really like Iggy" Nudge said in a shy, innocent way while stirring her soup with her spoon.
I was half way though swallowing a mouthful of soup when she said that. I was so shocked by her comment, I jerked and sprayed the soup on the fire.
I coughed, wiping the dribbles of soup off my mouth. "Umm... Nudge, I seriously don't know what to say."
Nudge shrugged as she looked at me carefully. "Well... you love Fang right?"
"Absolutely."
Nudge looked back at her soup. "You think about him all the time?"
"Yes."
"And you hate it when his gone?"
I sighed. "Nudge, love for a family is different from being in love with someone. I think about the flock all the time and I hate it when they're gone. Being in love is when you want to share something with them. A connection. Its... hard to explain. But it's as if you have found your other half."
Nudge looked at me seriously. "I think Iggy's my other half."
There was a pause in the air. "Is that what Mum was whispering to you about?"
Nudge blushed and shuffled her feet. "Um... yeah. Apparently, I talk in my sleep."
I'm pretty sure my face came out as being unsure. "Nudge... just be careful, ok? Don't jump to ahead of yourself."
Nudge gave me a look. "Like you can talk."
I sighed. God, I'm such a hypocrite.
Nudge and I washed our bowls, spoons and the sauce pan with water. I filled the sauce pan up again and began to boil water for tea. Nudge played with Indi as I made Indi's bed.
"All right, Cherub," I said picking Indi off the ground. "Time for bed."
Indi mumbled baby gibberish as she graved some of my hair and pulled on it. I took my hair out of her hands. "Now, now. None of that. Bed."
Right on cue, Indi yawned. I chuckled and rocked her as I walked towards her hammock. She was almost asleep instantly. I placed her in the hammock and clipped the two sides together so she wouldn't fall out.
I silently walked back to the fire. Nudge shook the blanket and folded it. I sighed and poured the boiling water into the mugs. I poured a little bit of cool water into the mugs and handed Nudge her mug.
I lay on my back and stared at the star filled sky. I felt Nudge do the same and we stared at the sky in silence.
It would have been at least 30 minutes before Nudge cried, "Satellite."
I laughed. "There's one next to the saucepan."
"Oh... there is too. Nar, I was looking at the one passing over the Centaur's bow and arrow."
I hummed as I spotted it. "Good spotting."
Another few minutes of silence.
"Max...?"
"Nudge."
"Did... did you miss me when you were gone?'
"Terribly," I said honestly.
"Really?"
"Of course. How could I forget my favourite chatter box?"
Nudge giggled. "Did you miss Angel?"
"Defiantly."
"Gazzy?"
"Him, yes. His mimicking voice... no."
"What about Iggy?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I say yes to him driving."
Nudge laughed again. "Even total?"
"Surprisingly... yes."
"Fang?"
I looked at her she said that. Nudge met my gaze. "You know that answer."
Nudge lifted her band above her and fiddled with the elastic. "I'm really happy to be part of the flock."
I smiled. "Me too Nudge, me too."
Nudge sat up with a sigh and gulped down her tea. "I'll take first watch."
"No, Nudge. You sleep."
"But you took first watch last night!" Nudge argued.
I smiled sadly. "I know. But you know me. I can't sleep very well, until around 1."
Nudge pouted. "Ok... but tomorrow night, I take first watch."
I sat up and watched her walk to the tree and pounce up onto the branches and disappearing into the pine needles.
I sighed and stared at my tea. I took a sip, but it was cold so I drunk it all.
Jeb?
Hello.
I rolled my eyes. Yes Jeb, hello to you too.
I paused.
Last time you talked to me, I said I needed to find my flock. But you said that I needed to find every one. Who is everyone?
There was silence in my mind for a few seconds.
History is written by those who win. Why would someone write about a war they lost?
I frowned. Is there going to be a war?
Possibly.
I growled. You're not helping Jeb. I need straight answers. Is there or isn't there going to be a war?
Another pause. Max, the future isn't set, every one builds their own future whether they like it or not. If you want a war, create a war. But if not, then you need to find a way to resist it.
I frowned. I don't want a war.
Then find the flock, find Ella, protect Indi, and save the world from self destruction.
That doesn't sound... wait... WHAT! Indi! What's wrong with her? WHY DOES SHE NEED PROTECTING?
But Jeb was gone.
xoxoxoxoxoooxoxoxxo
Please... Please... Please review. Do you like the plot or not?
