The Renegade

Chapter 19

Truence coughed and wheezed as he finally allowed his wings to stop beating and came to a rough landing on the ground. He was too exhausted to even care about being quiet or having a graceful landing. His knees buckled beneath him as his feet finally hit the ground and he dragged himself over to a nearby tree and leaned heavily against it. He shut his eyes, bringing them relief from the burning sting of little sleep and constant wind from traveling. He let his back scrape against the bark of the tree until he was at last on the ground again. His eyes watered from not only wind exposure but also from the relentless emotions that raged inside him. He had been so determined to make it all the way back to Aven by nightfall but his body simply couldn't do it. He felt hopelessly trapped inside his own body and the limits it forced him to have. Finally he couldn't fight off rest any longer and promised himself that he would find Aven, and it would be soon.

Aven let herself fall after throwing herself off the edge of the cave. She loved the feeling of weightlessness it brought her, especially in the cool night air. She let herself fall even farther than she ever had before. As she finally let her wings out to swoop back up she could almost feel the tall grass only inches below her. She flew blind, above the trees and out of danger. She knew where she was going by heart and had done it almost everyday since Truence left.

Truence felt his body jump out of sleep at a sudden sound, before he even knew what it was. He immediately scanned the area for any movement and silently got to his feet. He heard sounds that almost mimicked his own quiet footsteps and whispered breaths. He knew it was a person not an animal. He stopped following the sound and merely listened to it. Are they… crying?

Aven finally sensed that she was reaching her destination and let her eyes peel open as she dove down and landed, both gracefully and silently. This is where her life had changed forever. This is the last place Truence was before disappearing from her life 3 months ago. She remembered he said he was going to get more food for them and how he promised he wouldn't be gone for too long. He had never left her completely alone for more than a day and after two days she had gotten worried and started searching the forest around the cave. After searching all day she found this small clearing in the forest. Even in the darkness of night she could see the blood that stained the beaten grass. She knew there had been a struggle here and she knew it was with Truence. She could smell him in his blood in the humid night air. She remembered when she first found the small area she just stood there in disbelief, not wanting to accept what her senses were telling her.

She hated this place but couldn't help but be drawn to the last place her love was known to be… alive. She cursed herself for adding that last word but in the end couldn't deny the fact that it could be true. It is true…She finally let herself think. She had tried to keep that thought out of her mind until now but could not deny it any longer. Truence is dead. Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees, reduced to tears in finally accepting the fact that she was alone.

"Aven? Aven!" The voice suddenly jolted her out of her tears. Her emotions instantly changed from sadness to fear. She had heard his voice calling to her ever since he had disappeared. At first she would jump up and search for him franticly, her eyes welling with hope that he had finally returned but after having it happen countless times with no sign of Truence it left her with a different feeling. His voice echoed in her head, mocking her fear and loneliness and then became almost threatening. She jumped back, leaning on her hands, the sound sending shivers up her body and causing her to quiver in fear.

"Aven!" His voice repeated, this time louder. Aven became hysterical and couldn't control a cold shudder that came from her throat and sent a new surge of tears down her face. "Aven!" She couldn't stand it. Aven hopelessly covered her ears to try to drown out the sound but her powerful ears picked it up anyway. Suddenly the leaves and plants in front of her seemed to explode and she felt her heart jump sporadically and then seem to stop.

Truence ran as fast as he weakening legs would carry him, a bolt of pain shooting up through his body with every stride. Finally he burst through a small wall of leaves and felt his heart come closer and closer to exploding with every beat and there she was. Finally.

Aven sat in silence staring at the figure before her. Her imagination had never taken her this far before. She stared into those cool pale eyes that she knew and loved that now were torturing her with their unending gaze. He's not real… your going crazy… he's not real…She kept telling herself.

"Aven, it's me." Truence said. The figure that trembled before him cold, alone, and frozen on the ground was a terrible shell of what his love had once been. He knew his capture would be harder on Aven than it had been on him but the look in her eyes scared him. She looked hurt, betrayed, and afraid of him, all were things that he had always sworn to protect her from.

Aven shivered in frozen silence. Everything around her was cold and quiet except for Truence's voice cutting through the air. Her eyes were fixed on him but her mind was telling her that he wasn't really there. As her eyes swept over him she saw the blood on his clothes and the cuts and scars all over his body. Then their eyes met again as he took a step forward and she saw and felt the warmth in his gaze as he looked at her with a small smile forming on his pale face. Without even willing her body to move she suddenly found herself in his arms holding him tightly and burying her face in his chest.

"I'm here, Aven, I'm finally back." He whispered to her as she stained his shirt even further with her tears. He finally broke down at the sight of her small innocent face looking up at him with tears streaming down her face and off her trembling lip. Her hand shook as it ran down his face, wet with his tears. They held each other closely and let out the emotion that had been building up over the past three months of their loneliness. Several times Truence lightly lifted her chin and kissed her gently, cherishing every second they were finally back together. They remained silent until neither of them could cry anymore.

"I'm so sorry. I never meant to leave you." Truence told her quietly as she rested in his arms.

"I thought you were dead. I gave up." Aven said, her voice shaking almost as much as her small, curled up frame. "I missed you so much."

"I know. I missed you too." Neither of them could keep tears from flowing down their face. Aven remained curled up in Truence's lap surrounded by his arms and gripping his shirt tightly. She gazed off into the distance, glancing up at him from time to time almost as if making sure he was really still there.

She pressed his face to his shoulder and whispered the words Truence had been dying to hear since he got captured. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said back, pulling her face up one more time to give her a passionate kiss that made her know he meant it. They both took in a big breath of the humid air and stood up. Without saying a word they both knew that they should start heading back. Their wings grazed each other as they flew, longing to be close to each other and watching the sunrise as they headed back to the cave.

When they finally reached the top of the cliff they immediately moved closer together, holding hands and kissing. The feeling of love, companionship, and relief overwhelmed their already exhausted bodies and minds. Aven clung to Truence's hand and lead him back into the cave. She quickly zipped open the sleeping bag she had been using and laid it out flat and brought Truence's old one over and laid it over them as they huddled beneath it. They kissed again as they laid in each other's embrace and let their fears, frustration, and loneliness melt away as they drifted off to a peaceful sleep.

"Love you."

"I love you too."

Author's Note: Yes, I know I'm a terrible person for making you all wait so very long to add this last chapter… or is it the last: ) Tell me what you think: sequel or not? Thanks!