Hi!

I think I've shocked myself at how good this story is turning out. I'm working on thinking up a new Trial for Ally and Raevin to get through, but until then we're gonna stick with getting Raevin's adoptive grandparents to a safe place.

Disclaimer: Don't own Eidos, Soul Reaver, Blood Omen, whatever. I do, however, own Ally, Raevin, Ectoplasm, and Vogel.

Oh, I think I'm going to get another 'bad-ass' chick to join Ally and Raevin. Charlie's' Angles with a twist! ::evil grin:: I'm kidding by the way… about the Charlie's' Angels part. Am trying to sneak in member number 3 to keep Ally and Raevin in line. ::ducks::

~Raevin~

*****

Ally and Raevin led the wagon down the path, away from the village. They stayed away from the forest, and by the time night fell, they had found a cave to take shelter in. They brought the horses into the cave and Raevin gathered firewood for a fire. Ally helped Charles make Anna comfortable on the cave floor.

Raevin gathered enough wood to make a decent sized fire and have extra wood for the night. She soon had the fire going, and Charles was helping Anna to drink some water. Ectoplasm stood near the mouth of the cave with Vogel, as if keeping watch. The horse that had been pulling the wagon was allowed freedom from the wagon, but was tied to a heavy rock to keep it from wandering off.

Raevin kept watch with Ectoplasm and Vogel while Ally helped Charles and Anna. At one point, Raevin glanced over her shoulder to see how everyone was doing, she would see Ally taking care of Anna like a mother would take care of a sick child. Either that, or Ally would be talking with Charles about Durikyn before all of this had happened, or of just the seasons or whatever people who lived their entire lives in the remote country side talked about.

She smiled and turned her attention back to the forest outside. Rain had begun to fall, and she could tell the climate outside was cold and damp. Anna was in no condition at all to travel in that kind of weather, but fortunately it was warm and dry inside the cave.

Raevin was leaning against Ectoplasm and had started to fall asleep when she felt a hand touch her hip. She jumped and quickly tensed up, but was then quickly calmed by Ally's whispering voice. "Shhh, it's just me." Ally whispered. Raevin relaxed a bit, leaning back against Ally and staring out into the rain. Ally rested her chin on Raevin's shoulder, and Ectoplasm snorted and tossed his head as if asking for some attention as well. Raevin chuckled and scratched Ectoplasm under the chin. Letting her hand rest on Ectoplasm's shoulder, her gaze wandered over to Durikyn's general direction.

Even through the rain, Raevin could see the smoke and the soft glow of the fires started when the Dumahim attacked Durikyn. Raevin shuddered, nauseated at the thought of the fates of the people that hadn't left the town. She pressed herself closer to Ally, and Ectoplasm gave a rumble of concern.

"I know, I see it too." Ally said, hugging Raevin. "We did our best, at least some families left. But…" Ally's voice caught in her throat. "I knew almost everyone in Durikyn. Some of those people were the closest I had to family…" Ally stopped talking as she started to cry. Raevin ground her teeth, unsure of what to do for her friend. Ectoplasm laid down and nickered, and Raevin sat down and pulled Ally with her. Leaning against Ectoplasm, Raevin let Ally lean against her and cry herself to sleep. All Raevin was able to do was hold Ally and shed silent tears for those slain or captured by the Dumahim.

***

The morning sunlight crept into the cave, waking Raevin up from an almost comfortable slumber. The only thing that had kept it from being completely comfortable was the hard ground on her rear and the thoughts she kept having of Durikyn.

Ally, on the other hand, appeared to have slept very well. Using Raevin's shoulder as a pillow and managing to somehow end up sitting in Raevin's lap, she had slept soundly. The nightmares of Durikyn and her past encounter with the Dumahim had kept her from sleeping better. Raevin discovered that Ally was bony and far from light.

Raevin gently shook Ally awake. "Hey, wake up." She whispered. "It's morning, we need to start moving again." Ally stirred slightly, murmuring incoherently. Raevin shook her a bit harder.

"Okay…. I'm up." Ally finally mumbled. She stood up, stretched, then helped a stiff and sore Raevin to her feet. "Sorry." Ally said, fidgeting. "My dad use to say I was pretty bony, too." Raevin chuckled and shook her head slowly, stretching her sore muscles and stiff limbs. Ectoplasm had stayed up all night, not needing sleep because he was a ghost. Vogel was perched on a rocky crag, head tucked close to his feathery chest.

Raevin went to check on Anna and Charles. Both had slept peacefully in the comfort of the large amounts of blankets. She woke them both up, helping Charles to his feet and Anna to a sitting position.

"I saw Durikyn burning. From the mouth of the cave." Raevin said softly, with a hint of guilt that refused to remain hidden.

Anna nodded sadly. "You did what you could, child." She said. "There will always be someone who would be vain enough not to listen to a warning. There was nothing you could have done."

Raevin sighed, not being able to shake off the guilt. If I hadn't escaped from the Dumahim, Durikyn would still be safe. She thought to herself.

Ally soon joined them, bringing Vogel and Ectoplasm with her. "I can smell the burning." She said. "Let's get ready to go."

Ally and Raevin reloaded the wagon and hitched it up to the draft horse. Anna was put back in the wagon with the blankets, and Charles followed. "There is a village about a week's time from Durikyn. You can get to it by following the path we took yesterday." Charles said. Ally climbed into the driver's bench and Raevin jumped into Ectoplasm's saddle, and the group headed out into the daylight.

They traveled for several hours before stopping at the banks of a river with calm, crystal clear waters. "One of Nosgoth's few clean rivers." Ally explained. "The Hunters have apparently kept the vampires from poisoning this one. We can stop here." Raevin nodded and helped to tie the horse to a tree near the river so it could drink.

Ally and Raevin unloaded some food and water, and refilled any empty canteens. The group ate in silence, though Raevin hardly ate at all. She still remembered the scene she had seen from the night before, and it made her sick to her stomach. She chewed her seemingly tasteless food, then lost interest in it as she gave the rest of her bread and jerky to Vogel, who cawed happily while he ate it. Raevin stood up and walked over to the river, leaning against a nearby tree.

"Do you know what is wrong with her?" Charles asked Ally, who looked after Raevin with concern.

"I have no idea." Ally answered, reluctantly returning her attention to her meal.

"She is confused." Anna said softly. "I do not know what confuses her, but she is confused and scared…. You can see it in her eyes."

Ally frowned and looked back at Raevin in time to see her looking at her. All she saw were a pair of deep but almost soulless blue-green eyes, like pits of calm seawater with no plant or animal life in them at all….