This chapter was written by Mystergirl, please send her the thanks.

Chapter 6 – Day Of The Green Archers

"Real or not real?" -Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

"Finally!" Holly exclaimed, pushing a couple of drooping branches of a flowery Willow tree aside. "Sprite's Pond."

Kyra followed Holly into the wide plain of land, grass rippling in the breeze like waves. Two trees stood on either side of the small pond, the branches above the water entwined with each other enough to make a bridge. Pink petals rained down as two identical-looking boys stood on the bridge of twigs, balancing as they fought with wooden poles. Below them, sitting on one of the flat stones around the water's edge, a girl in a sea-green sundress watched. Her fingers idly twirling water around.

One of the boys above broke through the other's defense and hit his leg. His opponent lost balance and slipped off the branch bridge into the deep pond below.

SPLASH!

"Yes!" The boy left standing cheered, pumping a fist into the air. "Five to three! Looks like I'm King of the Trees, Cal."

Cal quickly swam to shore and pulled himself out, grumbling. He moved his yellow hair out of his eyes, glaring up at his twin. "Yeah, don't get a swollen head. That branch can only hold so much weight already, Jer."

Jer laughed. "You're just mad because you were in the lead when we started and now I'm ahead."

"It's easy for you two to fight each other because you two are equally bad!" Holly hollered, making their presence known.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in," Cal said, wringing his shirt. "Almost thought you two wouldn't show up."

Holly and Kyra made their way over to the girl by the water's edge, the former plopping down and crossing her legs. "Hey, gals and Maya. Sorry for the wait."

"Oh, haha, very funny," Cal replied with heavy sarcasm.

"Calling us gals because we stink at log fighting," Jer added.

Holly smirked. "Nah, I call you gals because I can. I would call you goblin sniffers for your poor fighting skills."

"Oh yeah? Well, how about a match then?" Jer pointed the pole at her. "Let's see how great you are."

Holly jumped up, grinning. "Okay, I'm game for knocking you over!"

As Holly made her way up to the tree bridge, Kyra took her spot, sitting down next to a completely dry Maya and a drenched Cal.

Cal sniffed. "He's gonna get smacked in two minutes."

Maya waved her hand and all the water on Cal evaporated off him and back into the pond. Cal smiled at her in appreciation. "Thanks for drying me out."

Maya shrugged. "No problem. I gotta keep practicing my nymph magic for the big day."

"Big day?" Kyra questioned.

"The tryouts for the Green Archers," Cal replied, like it was obvious. "Remember? It's, like, the one goal we had all our lives."

Kyra nodded. "Right. How could I forget?"

The Green Archers were a traveling group who go around the countryside, help people, and hunt monsters and the like. They were legends during all the wars history has known. She recalled how they were here once and took down a hoard of trolls that were attacking people at night. They came at sunset and then by sunrise, those awful trolls were gone. It was like they blended in with the forest. Their enemies couldn't see them until it was too late. Before they left, one of them gave her an extra bow they carry after she said she would grow up to be one of them someday.

Cal flicked a stone across the pond. "Although, I think the only people in our group who have a chance are you and Holly. Both of you are the best fighters when it comes to log fighting."

"Although, I think Holly is better at archery than Kyra," Maya added thoughtfully.

"Oh please!" Cal exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "They're both ridiculously good." He looked over to Kyra. "You have nothing to worry about. Pretty soon, you'll be donning one of those cloaks."

Kyra grinned, leaning back. She stared up through the leaves. "Yeah. I've always wanted one of those cloaks. I remember when she got me one for Christmas, but it was red. I still loved it though."

"...what are you talking about?"

Kyra blinked. What was she talking about?

A sharp cry distracted them and they turned just in time to see Jer hit the water face first.

Holly watched with a smug stance as Jer resurfaced. "Who's King of the Trees now, Jeremy?"

Jer spat out water. "Best two out of three?"

Everyone laughed at that.

For most of the day, Kyra and her friends spent their time talking, sharing jokes, and taking turns beating each other with pole sticks. Jer and Cal were knocked down many times. At one point, the twins tried to battle Holly two-to-one. She knocked them off their feet simultaneously.

Cal pushed his brother off of him. "This is just ridiculous!"

Holly twirled her weapon around her fingers, smiling broadly. "You should stop letting me win. It's starting to get boring."

"How about Kyra taking a turn then?" Jer suggested. Maya summoned the water off of both boys as soon as they stepped out of the water.

Holly shrugged. "Sure. I could use an opponent that's slightly equal to me."

Both boys booed at her.

Kyra stood up and dusted off her shirt. "Now that's some fighting words there."

The twins cheered her on as she climbed up the trees. "Go, Kyra! Defend our honor!"

Kyra lifted herself onto the branch bridge and stood across from Holly. "Ready to take a swim?"

Holly smirked, throwing Kyra a pole. "I'll let you test the water first."

As soon as Kyra caught her weapon, Holly rushed right at her. She blocked the incoming assault and pushed Holly back. Both girls parried, ducking and blocking each other's blows.

The more they fought, a few images started appearing in Kyra's mind. Creatures with yellow eyes and sharp hands. A hooded stranger with an evil-looking weapon. Tendrils of darkness coming off her brother.

Kyra faltered...

"Ow!"

...and got hit in the side.

"Ha!" Holly bragged, swinging another attack which Kyra blocked this time. "Is that the best you could do?"

Kyra growled. She pushed Holly back and swung viciously, her attacks more precise and fast. Holly stumbled, unable to keep up and block the incoming attacks. "Whoa! Ow! Take it easy!"

Kyra did not. She hit Holly's head with the blunt end of the stick and swept her legs from under her. Holly went head over heels off the log.

Then Kyra saw someone else falling. A little boy reached out to her with terror in his eyes. "Kyra!"

"Garnet!"

SPLASH!

Kyra followed suit, diving after her little brother. She disappeared under the water.

Jer, Cal, and Maya stared with perplexed expressions. After a second, Cal spoke up. "Did anyone else notice the wild, crazy look in her eyes?"

The three nearly jumped out of their skin with the sudden submergence of Kyra, who had one arm around Holly's waist. Kyra looked a bit frantic.

"I got ya, little bro-" Kyra started then stopped, staring at Holly as if seeing her for the first time.

Holly shrugged off Kyra's arm. "Girl, what is your deal?! I thought you were doing better, and now you're going berserker on me and then trying to save me? What was that?!"

"I...I…" Kyra looked down, unable to meet anyone's eyes.

Holly shook her head and swam for shore, scowling. Kyra followed her lead after a moment, quiet.

The girls made it to shore and dried off (with the help of Maya and her magic). The boys sat on the sidelines awkwardly. Breaking the silence, Kyra spoke to Holly. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rough. It was strange. When you fell, I saw my little brother in your place and I just...this horrible terror filled me, like I was reliving a nightmare."

Holly tied her hair back in a bun. "Well, that was all it was. A nightmare. You think by now you'd be back to normal."

"Yeah," Cal said, "that whole thing was intense."

"Makes me wonder what these dreams are like," Jer added.

"Why wonder when we could see for ourselves."

Everyone turned to Maya, baffled. She shrugged. "I can show her dreams on the water. Wouldn't be too hard to do."

The twins shared matching grins. "I vote yes."

"I second that."

An uneasy feeling stirred up in Kyra's stomach. "I don't know."

"Maybe if we all looked through them, it could help get your mind back to normal," Holly reasoned, expression softened to one of concern. "I wanna help you, Kyra. We all do."

Maya offered a hand to her. "What do you say?"

After a moment's hesitation, Kyra relented. "Okay." And took Maya's hand.

TO BE CONTIUNED