Chapter 8:
Rain wandered further and further from the light of the fire into the waiting darkness of the surrounding forest. The trees called to her in the familiar, peaceful song that she had come to love. As she distanced herself from the Eco camp her mind began to clear. Trey had upset her again. Lately they were constantly bickering. There seemed to be nothing that they could agree upon.
Of course their relationship had never been an easy one. When the virus had hit, Trey had sworn to his parents that they would stay together and that he would watch over his younger sister, but Rain had had other plans. It seemed that other people always thought they knew what was best for her. Ever since she was a small child she had warred with others to get her own way. When tribes began to form Rain had found herself at odds with her brother once again about which way their future would go. And so, late one night, she had run away from her home and family and begun to make her own way in the world. She felt as if she had done a fine job of it so far, but she knew that Trey had other ideas.
As she walked she looked up at the starry night sky. How beautiful it was out here in the forest, far away from the city. The city for her had been a place of fear and shame. She had followed Ebony into her war with the Technos only to discover that her brother was now the enemy.
Meeting her brother in battle had been one of the worst moments of her life. He had already taken aim and she had her weapon raised to strike when they had both suddenly realized the identity of the other. As Mega had yelled orders to his Techno soldiers over the din of battle Trey had broken ranks and ran towards her. Instead of killing her as Mega had probably expected him to do, Trey had grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her away without even pausing to say hello. They had run for what seemed like hours. Several Technos had pursued them until they reached the city limits. As they passed into the countryside, at last they had stopped and looked at each other for the first time in three years. Trey had said nothing, but had simply embraced her, welcoming his prodigal sister back into his life.
Rain hadn't though much about her sudden departure from her tribe. Life under Ebony's rule had not been a bed of roses. But she had survived and had not been fed to the lions, which was actually a big accomplishment.
As she and Trey had made their way through the forest they had told each other about their lives since their separation. Catching up on what had brought Trey to the Technos and what had led Rain into the Locos. At last they had spoken of their future. They had then vowed that they would stay together. They were family and over the last few years neither one had made any attachments that could compare to what they had. When they had stumbled upon the Eco camp, it had seemed fated for them to become a part of this tribe.
The Eco's had welcomed them with open arms. Pasts didn't matter here; all were welcomed to start a new life. And that is precisely what they had done. Trey had begun learning all he could about their new tribe and had soon taken on the position of teacher for the children. She hadn't found her place quite so easily. But everyone was so nice and Hawk, well, he was special. She had found him charming. He seemed to care so much about how she was fitting in and how others were treating her. Hawk was handsome in his own way and she supposed, looking back now, that she had been a bit star struck by him. The attraction was mutual however, whether it was love or not, she couldn't tell now. She had gotten pregnant and Hawk had done the honorable thing and made her his wife.
But the dream didn't last. She had miscarried in her fourth month. Hawk had begun to withdraw from her. He had blamed it on the growth of the tribe and his increased responsibilities, but Rain had suspected that it had more to do with the loss of the baby than anything else. And then Patch had arrived in the camp. Dee was already full term and had gone into labor only a few weeks after their arrival. When she had died in childbirth Patch had been heartbroken and unable to care for the baby. Rain had taken up the responsibility. Little Paddy was everything that she had pictured her baby would be and Rain loved her liked own. She and Patch had grown closer over the months since the baby's birth and she and Hawk had grown farther and farther apart.
Now, it seemed as if she was trapped. She wasn't sure what love really was anymore. She had thought she had loved Hawk, but now she knew she couldn't have. Did she love Patch? No, she didn't think so. He was comforting, convenient and caring, but love…marriage, she wasn't sure. She knew she loved Paddy, of that she was certain. Trey, she loved him in a fashion; he was family after all.
Hushed voices up ahead interrupted her reverie. It was Hawk and Bear. Had she come so far out that she had reached the scout's posts? She hadn't realized she had walked so far. Not wanting to answer for what she was doing out alone at night, she switched courses and veered away from the voices. She turned looking back toward the Eco camp. She could still see the light from the fire burning in the distance.
Suddenly an arrow flew past her ear. Followed by another, she turned quickly to see what direction they were coming from and then began to run back towards the Eco camp. A hail of arrows flew from behind her. One grazed her right arm, while another landed inches from her left foot, on she ran towards the safety of her tribe. Then a large sharpened wooden spear flew out of the darkness ahead of her landing directly in her path. She stumbled to a halt as a figure emerged from the shadows and stepped towards her.
Rain felt the blood drain from her face and her hands grow cold and numb with fear. There in front of her was a ghost from her past. The braids had been cut into a short style that was easier to care for in the wild environment in which she was now living. The red and black leather had been fashioned into a short skirt and a matching short top with a breastplate that bore her trademark tree symbol. On the top of her head she wore a circlet of gold that seemed to symbolize her authority. Ebony had returned.