Chapter Five
The sky was a soft orange, while a cool breeze flowed through the trees. That evening as Siria sat near the building campfire. With a book in her lap she played as if she were reading, but was actually observing the others. She then noticed Aravinda approaching her. "Hey, what are ya reading?"
"Um...I don't—isn't really interesting"
Aravinda nodded sitting down. "I have babysitting duty."
"OK"
"Well the thing is I don't want to throw you into none of the real dangerous chores so you'll probably want to weave baskets or something."
"How many kids are there?"
"Five"
"Five isn't dangerous; I can watch five kids in my sleep."
Aravinda grinned. "You've never met these kids."
Does this include Mouse?"
"She's actually the tamed one. These kids are training to be watchers, hunters, and who knows what, they're absolutely mad. I couldn't possibly let you go through it."
Siria wasn't sure what to say, Aravinda didn't sound very convincing. She knew one thing though; she wasn't going to weave baskets. "Why are you babysitting anyways?"
"We have to shift this chore because no one is able let alone willing to do this job." Aravinda bit her lip she had a feeling Siria wasn't buying. Maybe she had lain on to thick. Siria seemed like a decent person; first one in a while to stumble into this camp. "If you're afraid about how wild they are they really aren't."
"But you just said they were maniacs." Aravinda tried to responded, but was interrupted. "You're a terrible actress, Aravinda, but I'll help."
Aravinda smiled. "Thanks" She then twisted he mouth in concern. "I can I give you a bit of advice?"
"Sure"
"If you're gonna be here I wouldn't play the shy card with Lev."
"What? Lev?"
"No, just hear me out. If you're not straight forward with that guy he'll walk all over you."
Siria smiled. "Is that so; you sound as if you speak from experience."
Aravinda returned the smile. "You could say that."
The next morning Siria woke up earlier then usual. She looked over at Aravinda who slept soundly her red curls a shapeless mass around her face. Getting up Siria walked over to where she kept her things. She unzipped the duffle bag and looking inside she noticed the clothes she had packed. Looking at the clothes she wore she noticed she was still wearing the pink blouse. She needed a change. Grabbing her bag she left.
Later that morning Aravinda sat watching a group of kids. She had just managed sit them down to a quiet game of duck-duck-goose when she saw Siria approaching. Siria had changed into a black short sleeve turtle neck with a purple mini skirt, black tights, and purple boots that stopped midway up her calf. "I thought you had left for the City."
"Not exactly"
"Well good count the kids."
Siria turned to the group playing glancing she noticed something a miss. "There's only four; where's Mouse."
"I don't know but she always manages to get away. Could you go find her, please?"
"Here hold my things." Siria dropped her bag next to Aravinda and walked in the opposite direction.
As Siria walked through the forest the sighed. She hadn't gotten this kind of time to herself in a while; Aravinda constantly tried to keep her busy, help keep her mind off things. Siria didn't want to take her mind off things, off of Jay. She sighed. Siria wanted to go back to the Mall. She continued to walk aimlessly through the trees when she heard rustling. Looking up she saw a pair of lime green boots hanging from the tree next to her. Smiling Siria tugged on one of the boots. "Hey"
"Mouse, get down here."
"No"
"Mouse it's almost time to eat."
"I'm not hungry."
"Whatever" Looking up Siria sighed, but then something caught her eye. "What are you reading?" Mouse looked at Siria suspiciously then lifted the book for Siria to see the cover. "A book on trains, that's no book for a young lady. If you come down I could find you something better."
"No you can't this is all there is. Everything else is too difficult."
"That's stupid," Siria leaned against the tree. "How'd you get that one?"
"Lev got it for me in the city."
"Pretty bad judgment don't you think?"
"I don't think so." Siria jumped at the sound of the strong masculine voice. Then looking in another tree Siria saw Lev sitting idly.
"What are you doing?"
"Working"
"You're just sitting there."
"Business is slow today. Besides who are you to question my judgment?"
"A girl who knows most girls, don't read books about TRAINS."
"What happened to the quiet chick from yesterday?"
"Took a vacation, when's the next trip to the city?"
"In two days, why do you want to know?"
"Mouse if you come down and start being apart of the group I promise I'll go to the city myself and get you something to read."
"Really" Mouse beamed and quickly jumped from the tree. Walking toward Siria she topped. "Lev is that ok?"
"Of course, Mouse, she can even get you some clothes too." He smiled. Siria noticed the hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Turning Mouse walked toward the campsite with Siria. Siria looked over her shoulder at Lev, his blue eyes were watching her intently, and she quickly turned to catch up with Mouse.
A/N: I mean no offense to basket weavers or girls who like trains.... :)
The sky was a soft orange, while a cool breeze flowed through the trees. That evening as Siria sat near the building campfire. With a book in her lap she played as if she were reading, but was actually observing the others. She then noticed Aravinda approaching her. "Hey, what are ya reading?"
"Um...I don't—isn't really interesting"
Aravinda nodded sitting down. "I have babysitting duty."
"OK"
"Well the thing is I don't want to throw you into none of the real dangerous chores so you'll probably want to weave baskets or something."
"How many kids are there?"
"Five"
"Five isn't dangerous; I can watch five kids in my sleep."
Aravinda grinned. "You've never met these kids."
Does this include Mouse?"
"She's actually the tamed one. These kids are training to be watchers, hunters, and who knows what, they're absolutely mad. I couldn't possibly let you go through it."
Siria wasn't sure what to say, Aravinda didn't sound very convincing. She knew one thing though; she wasn't going to weave baskets. "Why are you babysitting anyways?"
"We have to shift this chore because no one is able let alone willing to do this job." Aravinda bit her lip she had a feeling Siria wasn't buying. Maybe she had lain on to thick. Siria seemed like a decent person; first one in a while to stumble into this camp. "If you're afraid about how wild they are they really aren't."
"But you just said they were maniacs." Aravinda tried to responded, but was interrupted. "You're a terrible actress, Aravinda, but I'll help."
Aravinda smiled. "Thanks" She then twisted he mouth in concern. "I can I give you a bit of advice?"
"Sure"
"If you're gonna be here I wouldn't play the shy card with Lev."
"What? Lev?"
"No, just hear me out. If you're not straight forward with that guy he'll walk all over you."
Siria smiled. "Is that so; you sound as if you speak from experience."
Aravinda returned the smile. "You could say that."
The next morning Siria woke up earlier then usual. She looked over at Aravinda who slept soundly her red curls a shapeless mass around her face. Getting up Siria walked over to where she kept her things. She unzipped the duffle bag and looking inside she noticed the clothes she had packed. Looking at the clothes she wore she noticed she was still wearing the pink blouse. She needed a change. Grabbing her bag she left.
Later that morning Aravinda sat watching a group of kids. She had just managed sit them down to a quiet game of duck-duck-goose when she saw Siria approaching. Siria had changed into a black short sleeve turtle neck with a purple mini skirt, black tights, and purple boots that stopped midway up her calf. "I thought you had left for the City."
"Not exactly"
"Well good count the kids."
Siria turned to the group playing glancing she noticed something a miss. "There's only four; where's Mouse."
"I don't know but she always manages to get away. Could you go find her, please?"
"Here hold my things." Siria dropped her bag next to Aravinda and walked in the opposite direction.
As Siria walked through the forest the sighed. She hadn't gotten this kind of time to herself in a while; Aravinda constantly tried to keep her busy, help keep her mind off things. Siria didn't want to take her mind off things, off of Jay. She sighed. Siria wanted to go back to the Mall. She continued to walk aimlessly through the trees when she heard rustling. Looking up she saw a pair of lime green boots hanging from the tree next to her. Smiling Siria tugged on one of the boots. "Hey"
"Mouse, get down here."
"No"
"Mouse it's almost time to eat."
"I'm not hungry."
"Whatever" Looking up Siria sighed, but then something caught her eye. "What are you reading?" Mouse looked at Siria suspiciously then lifted the book for Siria to see the cover. "A book on trains, that's no book for a young lady. If you come down I could find you something better."
"No you can't this is all there is. Everything else is too difficult."
"That's stupid," Siria leaned against the tree. "How'd you get that one?"
"Lev got it for me in the city."
"Pretty bad judgment don't you think?"
"I don't think so." Siria jumped at the sound of the strong masculine voice. Then looking in another tree Siria saw Lev sitting idly.
"What are you doing?"
"Working"
"You're just sitting there."
"Business is slow today. Besides who are you to question my judgment?"
"A girl who knows most girls, don't read books about TRAINS."
"What happened to the quiet chick from yesterday?"
"Took a vacation, when's the next trip to the city?"
"In two days, why do you want to know?"
"Mouse if you come down and start being apart of the group I promise I'll go to the city myself and get you something to read."
"Really" Mouse beamed and quickly jumped from the tree. Walking toward Siria she topped. "Lev is that ok?"
"Of course, Mouse, she can even get you some clothes too." He smiled. Siria noticed the hint of sarcasm in his voice.
Turning Mouse walked toward the campsite with Siria. Siria looked over her shoulder at Lev, his blue eyes were watching her intently, and she quickly turned to catch up with Mouse.
A/N: I mean no offense to basket weavers or girls who like trains.... :)