WS- I'm glad ya'll like it. No, I don't have it all written out, though. I write these things up really quickly. I start it in the morning and usually finish later that day or the next day. It depends on how many things I'm working on at once. Usually I'll spend an entire day on Word, writing and reading my material for this. And, sometimes I don't even have a storyline, just a very faint outline that I'm probably gonna change along the way in the story. Really, that's the easiest way to do it for me.

Chapter Three: Almost There

That night, I stayed up until the first rays of morning peeked through my window. I still wasn't very tired. I was exhausted.

Still, I simply couldn't sleep. I knew I should, because we were going to meet with the Hulta that day, but I just couldn't. So, I just got up.

Getting dressed, I thought about what we might do when we got to the Hulta camp. Maybe they would just run us off as soon as they saw us. That would be a major blow to my emotions, but they might not care. Maybe they'll just Argul was a fool to believe that Nemian had been lying.

But, we had to take the chance. I wasn't about to back down now. I'll bet our entire future depended on them taking us in. It surely would have been changed if they shunned us.

Anyway, I threaded my jeweled dagger through my belt and walked out into the hall. Yinyay's voice called from the ceiling as soon as I did.

"Did you sleep well, Claidi?" she asked.

"Actually, no," I replied. It was true, as I told you. Oh so true. Plus, I was starving. Going a full night, awake, without food can make anyone hungry, no? So, I walked into the dining room.

Argul was already there, eating something Yinyay called a waffle. He smiled and nodded in greeting as soon as I came in. I noticed that my place at the table was already set.

He probably saw the bags under my eyes, because he didn't ask how I had slept. For that, I was thankful. I sat down in my seat, and poured a mug of coffee. I don't know how, but that always would wake me up on a morning like this.

Finally, I was awake again, after about three full mugs. I never thought that I'd wish I had a god so I could thank he/she/it for coffee.

Argul spoke when I was finally awake. "I suppose you didn't sleep well?" he asked. Gee, how did he figure that out?

"No, I didn't. It's hard to sleep at all when we're going back to the Hulta today. I didn't get to sleep at all, truthfully," I replied, and pushed some of my hair out of my eyes.

"Quit worrying, Claidi-baa-baa," he said sternly, "we'll get through this. Whether they let us back or not, we will be fine. Don't lose sleep over this." His voice was strangely soothing. No, not strangely, he always had a way of soothing any fear out of me with a few words.

"Too late," I replied, and shrugged. "I won't lose any more sleep, though. We're going to see them later today, from what Yinyay says." I looked at the ground. "Hopefully they will accept us back."

He walked from that end of the table to mine and held me in his arms. I laid my head on his chest and he stroked my hair with his hand. "Like I said, whatever happens, it will all turn out for the better," he repeated, his voice firm but soft.

"I suppose," I replied, glad that he was there. I was also glad Hrald and Yazkool weren't there. Why did my mind keep wandering back to them? Maybe I was simply afraid they would get hurt because of what Argul told me of not many ever returning…. Oh well.

Yinyay's voice came, with her timing. "They move faster than I expected. We'll be within twenty minutes of their camp in thirty minutes."

My eyes widened. Thirty minutes? That was so short! I couldn't help but be excited, though. I wouldn't have to contemplate what they would say for very long. But I had to get ready, gathering my things, making sure I had my journal, this journal. Of course, I also wanted my first journal, the one that I filled.

Argul stepped back, and I stood up. "We need to go get what we're bringing. I'll meet you on the lowest level next to the entrance in 20 minutes." Before I could answer, he smiled reassuringly and walked out, probably to his room.

I walked out after him, hurrying to my room. I saw him turning a corner to my right, at the end of the corridor. I couldn't believe how quickly he could walk when he wanted to.

I was scared and excited all at once. Talk about butterflies in your stomach. I hurried to my room and gathered everything I needed. It only took one bag, thankfully. When I looked at the time I found that it had already been fifteen minutes. I blinked a few times in surprise and headed to my rendezvous point with Argul.

He was waiting with his bag at the other end of the room. "You're late, Claidi-baa-baa," he said, eyes glittering with amusement.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "How am I late? One minute early!"

"There's an old saying in the Hulta. 'If you're not fifteen minutes early, you're late.'" I couldn't help but laugh. He shrugged innocently. "What's so funny, darling?"

I shook my head and put my bag down. "Nothing. Just…nothing. Yinyay, how long until we get there?"

Her voice answered immediately. "Twenty minutes. As long as they don't change course suddenly, anyway. Take a seat and be ready to land." A smile flickered on my lips as I did as bade. I was still afraid, of course, but I wouldn't have stopped for anything. I think Argul felt the same way.

He sat next to me on the soft couch and I leaned on his arm. "I've asked this before, but how do you think they'll react?" I asked thoughtfully. "I mean, you've lived with them even longer than I have."

He paused, lips pursed in thought. "I'm not really sure. But no matter what happens, it will be as meant to be." He put his hand under my chin and made me look up at him. "We'll still be together; everything will be alright."

I sighed contentedly and nodded. He was still soothing.

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AUTHOR'S NOTE

My gosh, I'm sorry! I haven't been on fanfiction for a while, so…. I've become addicted to fictionpress. My username is Fireeye Howlsong Rainpelt there, I case you want to check it out.

Really, I'm sorry. This is all so troublesome, balancing it all out. Please, humor me here. Like I said, I'm REALLY sorry!