"Cari."
"I don't want to."
"You cant just leave-"
"Too late."
"Cari!" Much burst through the camp door, followed closely by Robin, Will, John and Djaq. "Cari, I-I-I-I-,"
"Ok. Everybody out." Elena and Jeri started ushering people to the door.
"Everybody out, come on." They pushed everybody out, turned round and sat down. Cari raised her eyebrows and they sighed, before turning around and walking out, grumbling. Outside, already everyone had begun to do something. Robin walked over to them, once they were outside.
"Im going to talk to Marian. Ill be back soon. Stay in the camp. Im putting John in charge, ok?"
"Sure," the girls replied. "Where's everybody else?" asked Elena before Robin could rush off.
"Around somewhere. They've just left, because we thought you were staying with Cari. But I was coming in to tell you and. Yeh."
"OK thanks Robin." He ran off into the distance. The girls looked at each other, remembering this morning conversation. They walked off in different directions.
"Please don't leave, Cari!" Much exclaimed, as she turned around to pack more things.
"I can't stay here any more, Much. You could have at least told me!"
"I did!"
"But… you could have said you still loved her!"
"Look, I haven't seen her for ages. And she… we… I prefer you!"
"Oh yeh, looked like that to me earlier, when you were sucking her face off."
"Cari!"
"I don't have time for this, Much!"
"Look, you cant just go. Where are you going to go? And what about Elena and Jeri?"
"There's nothing tying us here. Im should think they'd come with me."
"Really? Elena seems happy. Jeri seems happy. You seem happy. Look will you just… stay for a few more days. I can show you I can make it up to you. For Elena and Jeri? Please?" She considered it.
"Fine. But only for them. And Much?"
"Yes?"
"We will finish this conversation. When I can bear the sight of you again." With that she walked out and went to find a nice spot for her to cry in. Maybe the lake.
Will put the cup to one side. He picked up a new chunk of wood and began to cut away, when he heard footsteps for the second time in two days. He ignored them until he heard someone sit next to him. This time he didn't even wonder who it was. He didn't even need to look at their shoes. He already knew it was Elena. This time she did something very strange. She held out her hand. He looked at it, questioningly, before she laughed.
"Your thumb." She spoke softly. He put his hand in hers as she began to unwrap the piece of cloth that had once been her skirt. She looked at it assessing the damage.
"Will it survive?" Joked Will. Elena smiled.
"Perhaps. But you still need to keep it wrapped up for a few days." This time, instead of ripping some cloth off her skirt, to wrap it, she used a piece of cloth she already had. Once she'd finished, this time she realised his hand and sat there, as he began to cut out another cup. They sat in silence until he'd finished the cup.
"You're being unusually quiet." Will looked at her face. He suddenly noticed with a jolt, she'd been crying. "Hey… what's wrong?"
"Im just… worried. Im worried about Jeri… because since yesterday she hasn't cried once, even though her fiancé died and im worried she doing something to herself, or done something to herself… im worried about Cari and Much. Im even worried about Dad and what me, being in the forest will do to him. And… you worry me as well." Will laughed.
"How do I worry you?" he asked lightly and still laughter was coming through in his voice.
"I don't know. You just do." He laughed again. "It isn't funny!" She burst out, but even Elena was having trouble not laughing.
"Well… Why don't you stop worrying about them and start worrying about yourself?" She looked at him, slightly cocking her head to one side. "Or about this?" Will leant his head towards her and she met him halfway. Before she knew it, she was kissing him. And she suddenly knew first-hand of what Jeri was talking about whenever she had tried to describe the sparks and explosions and crashes and the sea waves when she'd kissed Tom. Elena smiled in the kiss and carried on.
Jeri could have kicked herself. She couldn't believe what she'd done… they'd done in the night. She should have gone to Elena when she'd heard her calling. And more than that she was supposed to be mourning her dead fiancé. He only died two days ago. And already she'd… she'd… she couldn't even bring herself to say it. She was stupid she knew that much.
She couldn't even talk to Allan unless she saw him by chance. She couldn't tell anyone. It was a great big blot on her otherwise clean slate. She sighed. She was surprised she wasn't crying. She didn't even know who she could tell. There was no way she could tell Elena. She'd insist on walking up and killing and Allan, or marrying them or something. She wouldn't understand that wasn't what Jeri needed. Cari? Normally yes. But then again she'd tell Elena most likely and also insist on going and killing Allan.
Perhaps… no. She hadn't known her for that long.
But she didn't seem that judgemental. Perhaps she could. And she was a physician. If anything came out of the night, Djaq would know what to do. She was sure of it. A little unsteadily, but sure of her own mind, she got up and walked off to find Djaq. Seconds later, Cari walked through that clearing and sighed. She hadn't been able to find any of her mates, and still couldn't bear Much. She sat down on the rock that had been inhabited by Jeri until minutes ago and began to think.
A few minutes later Jeri walked into another clearing just off the camp, looking for Djaq. Elena was sitting there with a goofy smile on her face. She stared at her, until she looked around and saw her standing there.
"Jer!" She squealed and ran over to give her a hug. "Look im sorry about earlier, I was tired and cross and worried about where you were." She looked over at Will. "Are you ok though? I mean about last night? Where were you?"
"I was... I was… it doesn't matter really does it? Im here now!"
"OK…ok I was just…"
"Worried?"
"Shut up Will!" Elena shook her head and rolled her eyes at Jeri.
"You've obviously made up with Will then." Whispered Jeri.
"When did I fall out with him?" Elena muttered.
"Well, John told him about you and Djaq's…" she air quoted with her fingers, "Little chat."
"Did he?" asked Elena, her face dropping. "He did really? How do you know that?"
"He asked me if that's what you really thought. Why do you like him now or something?"
"Oh God… Oh God…"
"Well, ill leave you to sort out your troubles. Im going to find Djaq."
"Why?"
"I want to speak to her."
"About what? Female Stuff? Medicational stuff?"
"That's not even a word!" Exclaimed Jeri.
"Well are you?"
"No!"
"Mmkay! I'll see you later then. If you see Cari send her my love. And give it to Djaq as well!" She gave Jeri a final hug.
"Bye!" Jeri even hugged Elena back, leaving her extremely surprised. Something is up with that girl, she thought turning back to Will and sitting down.
"Did you hear any of that?" Jeri heard Elena ask Will before she got out of hearing range. Jeri laughed as she turned the corner and bumped into Djaq.
"Djaq!" Cried Jeri happily.
"And me!" Exclaimed John
"And Me!" Added Much sullenly. Jeri looked around Djaq and saw, like she and Elena would comfort Cari, Djaq and John had been comforting Much. He even looked like he'd been crying. Jeri gulped.
"Erm… Djaq?" Jeri began nervously. "I wondered if… I wondered if I could have a word."
"Is it about Cari?" interrupted Much eagerly.
"Erm… No." Much's face dropped. Why did she seem to have that effect on people she wondered.
"Sure." Smiled Djaq. "Just ignore Much." Djaq led Jeri of to another clearing in the forest. They came close to where Jeri had passed Will and Elena and could hear them shouting at one another.
"That lasted long." Laughed Jeri, quickly filling up Djaq on their story.
"Don't worry," Djaq reassured her. "By the end, they'll be happy." Jeri smiled. If only could be the same for her and Allan.
"So what was it you wanted?" asked Djaq.
"Well..." began Jeri. Suddenly there was a noise in the clearing next to them and they drew their swords.
