Hi, this is slightly rough, I will get back an update it a bit later to fix the minor errors, but I don't care atm so.

Bye, I hope you enjoy it.

Isa

The whispering grew into shouts of outrage.

Her brothers didn't want to go to war, save for the few who were dumb enough to find glory in it. They were at the bottom, useless as food scraps used to feed the pigs. But alas, as it should, the world kept moving.

The order was given. Honor bound them to obey.

She and the other males exited the city via horseback late into the night following the damp oak and pine trodden trails the needles littering the ground making it spongey underfoot. Most were lulled to almost sleep by the rocking motion of the saddle bearly keep their eyes open to the trail in front of them.

Fitted with full armor and long swords strapped neatly at their side they were ready for anything thrown at them. The moved fast, it was time to meet the other warriors to set camp. The sky was new for Kol, having been underground most of the time the glittering night sky looked like diamonds glittering in and out of existence, it put any other night sky to shame, it was magic.

As they filtered down, Kol saw the outlines of small houses of the side of the trail, lights turned on inside at the clobbering of a hundred men waking up whomever inside. Nausea filled her stomach, the same that had taken her that day in the stables, it rolled in waves, she kept her lips tight.

She stretched to see the outline of a broad-shouldered Kjell in front of her his hair swayed and moved with the breeze, Richon covered her flank. The forest seemed to grow around them in the summer weather, warmer winds hailing from the Summer court brushed through the trees, the sky turned a deep purple, the color of a growing bruise as the sun started on its path up back into the sky.

After hours the sun had come, letting the Illrayians dismount leaving their horses to the lesser fae who had no power to fly. It was a sight to see, hundreds of black-winged men sprung into the air flying the warm currents over the high mountains. Kols back muscles groaned from disuse, Hewn had no place to fly save for a quick way to move between higher and lower corridors and while she'd learned to n the winter months in the mountains she was not as skilled as the men who'd been flying their whole lives. If she survived the fight, she'd fly more often she thought. Illyrians needed to fly. Wind flooded through their veins from their ancestors who'd made their way to Pythian long ago it was a crime to her to ever be grounded.

As they flew it came apparent she'd be fighting soon and using her own blade, not a practice blade that was unbalanced and unfit for battle. It excited her, she let her heart patter like a war drum with thoughts of swinging a sword through her enemies. Hazel eyes bore into her back watching her fly. The air was cooler than on the ground and ran through her hair caressing the wings on her back.

Her wings kept a steady booming beat as they banked left avoiding a mountain peak. They surveyed what she thought was the Myrmidons, the range connecting the Day and Night courts respectively. Kol's fiercely sharp eyes took in the view. As she saw the warriors in front dive. Swooping down to a clearing they landed smoothly one by one wing furled back against their backs. She turned to Tyrion who was crouched down digging through his pack.

"Why are we stopping?" Kol asked.

"Best to go on foot now, the forest is thick around here no place to land, tomorrow we'll hike up to the camp, just over the ridge, there. No place to go before stepping into the Day Court territory, so we wait," Tyrion said throwing his pack over his back moving with the crowd.

He pointed to the heavily forested lands of oak and pine. Movement flurried around her as captains barked orders for tents and fires to be set, food prepared and time to be spent wisely. Somewhere off in the wood a wolf howled.

She worked gathering wood from the dry ground she stared into the forest her face cold and reflective. She picked up another stick.

Once the fires were made she sat with the others listening to the old forest that held many creatures she'd been yet to meet. She put her head in her hand and looked at the warm fire fondly as it reached upwards to the sky. She yawned, tired from the journey.

Kjell sat beside her, contemplating his own thoughts, it was unusual for them all to be so quiet, a change from their boisterous talks about whatever was on their minds whether it be females or the odd smell of the guard overseer Alistar who'd opted to stay in Hewn avoiding the war like a coward. With no one to talk with she got out her journal, writing about the day and the quick departure. Calum cleared his throat, they all looked up slowly, he half-smiled knowingly none of them had seen the last war. But had heard the stories as young boys and were scared to become one of the battalions wiped out in one swoop.

"I brought wine," Calum started he paused for a moment looking down, "I think we all need a drink, to get the edge off."

He poured some of the same summery wine they had a week or two ago into his cup. It seemed not to have the same appeal. Richon reached out grabbing the flask pouring some to his cup.

"Cheers."

"This is the first and only camping trip I've been on, and it's been very dull," Kjell said looking at Calum he yawned, "You said camping was fucking fun."

After the fires dulled and the men found their way to their bedrolls Kol grew restless, as all ways she got up, it wasnt good to fight it. A small trickling stream fell between the rocks, she pulled her legs close. Bringing out her journal she wrote till the sound of light footsteps came behind her. The Illyrian sat beside her, motionless. She put down left the journal on the ground Calum played nervously with a smooth pebble.

"I don't want to die," he blurted out as if he finally burst with outthinking, he'd gripped the grass it knitted in his hands, "I can't."

He looked down, Kol turned and put a hand on his shoulder. She liked Calum, he was a light in a dark place, so concerned, not heartless like some of the other warriors.

She wondered if she'd one day meet his sisters that he talked about. They sounded beautiful, and while she'd tried to create a barrier between them they only seemed to get closer. Not as close as Kjell and him. They'd been friends for far too long, but he'd confided in her instead of his best friend. Probably noticing Kjell's quiet demeanor.

"You won't die," she snorted and huffed shaking her head, "if you left I'd have to deal with Richcon and Kjell alone I most definitely will die before any of you, I'd probably accidentally impale myself and haunt you from the grave."

Calum smiled lightly and chuckled. He looked deeply into her eyes as if searching an answer to his questions. He took his large hand and ran in over the scar adorned on her face before clicking his tongue. He got up, the warmth of his hand still radiating on her cheek she looked up at him. He passed her the pebble he'd been playing with his other hand.

"Perhaps I won't sister, we are warriors, stay close."

Kol was by the stream, pebble in hand. She tightened her fingers around it. She was a sister to him. While the thought of him knowing sent her feeling queasy, she didn't mind being someone's sister again even if it was to the brutes she called friends. She smiled and her heart warmed.

While still restless, she slipped into her bedroll noting a still slightly bruised Pyper in the corner praying. She turned toward him they look eyes mouthed out a question of concern. He turned over, looking toward the fabric wall of the tent.

CALUM POV

His mother was a nice woman, harsh like winter, he would put it past her to take out a wooden spoon and slap him around when he was a real brat, harsh, but loving. She cursed the Highlord every day for her husbands' death, she knew it had been an accident that took him, an avalanche set off by accident, but to stay strong for her children she needed an outlet to fuel her anger. Most Illryains had a particular dislike for him anyway as he dined under the mountain with that bitch queen.

She had deep brown hair and a tattoo that ran down the length of her arm. She smelt like the honeysuckles that grew in the valleys in the middle of the summers. She'd pasted her loveliness to his sisters he loved so fondly.

Oona was the favorite, young, only just reaching her late teens, the men of the camp adored her as she trained with her sisters her freckled face lit as she smiled. Aeawyna was the second-oldest, loyal and headstrong. Her hair always braided in perfect plaits away from her face, loving of her family, protective of sweet Kaia who was as delicate as Illyrians come.

Kaia preferred the fields of flowers that grew below in the valley to the smell of sweat and mud, while could hold her own, she was a lover, not a fighter. He missed the way they collected they flowers every season at full bloom saving them in their cabin for the cold months where the mountain was covered so deep the roof of the cabin would groan under the pressure and the missed the colors of spring. As the big brother, he'd comforted his younger sister many times that it wasnt a monster of the roof resting it feet, certainly trying to convince himself at the same time. He hoped to fight off any suitor that came their way until he'd followed Kjell down to Hewn.

Since he was a boy he trained every day with his brothers like Kjell that had become his best friend over the many years. Swinging swords around their heads and running around the muddy grounds as they dreamed of war when they looked up at the breathtaking starry view of the night. They were Ilryian warriors, they were young of course but, it was what they trained for.

He'd known something was different about Kol. From the very beginning, she was off, not quite connected with the rest, always following Richon around. He believed at first the maybe she had just a different upbringing, her eyes must have come from somewhere he supposed they were not the same hazel-brown as all the others.

When she joined their little group after her spite with Richon, she looked nice enough if a bit scary with the pink scar. She didn't quite fit in, but he was welcoming to mostly anyone. Kjell and Calum spoke about it often while they walked the city. She had the demeanor of one of his sisters, not his brothers.

He realized the truth, Richon had to he supposed the way he looked at her was different. While different she didn't let the hard days win, the other males shoved her around. He preferred his females strong like his mother.

He attended the fires after most turned in still frightful after his talk with Kol. He went back to the stream, collecting water. He cleaned his face and hands he came back to the tents opening the flap inside Kjell turned still awake. He was every bit still the boy who used to chase him around his long brown hair cascaded down his back he scratched his face.

"We'll be fine Cal," Kjell said as he looked into Calums eyes nervous, Calum had never seen him like this. Desperate for comfort, even when his father died he'd been angry and loud. Now he was quiet and scared.

"Yeah," there was a thick resounding silence.