Chapter 15: Tracking

~Edward~

It was as though the ones we were trying to find knew we were following them. Jasper was keeping us down wind from these ones who had taken Micah, making it difficult to really track them effectively. Alice had a theory that they may have someone like her, able to see the future, or someone who could read minds like I could. There was little time to stop, and the few times we had, Jasper had helped Bella train to fight. Already I could see more confidence in the way my wife held herself.

"What do we do once we find them? With Micah I mean?" Bella asked as we trailed after Jasper and Alice. Rosalie and Emmett were further ahead.

I'd been thinking a great deal about that. "If he has family that wasn't murdered, we will help him find them. If not we will see if he wants to stay with us."

"How do the others feel?"

"We can't leave him alone," Rosalie replied, without having to raise her voice. She and Emmett had been discussing helping Micah out if it came to that. I had hopes we wouldn't have to put him through that sort of culture shock.

"It will be better if he has family to stay with, or even a neighboring tribe who knows of him," I reminded

Suddenly, Alice came to a stop. Jasper turned, placing his hands against her cheeks as Bella and I reached them along with Rosalie and Emmett. "What do you see," Jasper asked as Alice blinked a couple of times.

"Other vampires, allies. We need to head south." Alice was back with us wearing a determined expression on her face.

"What about Micah?" Rosalie asked.

"We need to find these others first," Alice answered, taking Jasper's hand.

Her visions had never failed us before, and none of us questioned what she wanted to do. It was growing darker as we continued on our travels and my thoughts were on my children. We had managed to get a signal a few nights ago. Esme said Renesmee was constantly worried that bad men would come and take her away. My mother told us that Charlie shared a vision with Renesmee in which she allowed him to hear what she had when the Werewolf attacked our first home. It was the first time any of us were aware she had such strong memories, more like a vampire, and I hated that for my baby girl.

"Your quiet," Bella observed.

"Just thinking about Renesmee."

"I can't believe it's been three weeks since we left." Bella took my hand and I let out a breath, shutting my eyes as we continued to run. We needed to go home and yet there was the greater need to make the world a safer place for Renesmee and Anthony. Esme said Renesmee was having a hard time not having us with her, though reassured us that it wasn't anything she and Carlisle, along with Charlie, couldn't handle.

Bella sighed and it was my turn to comfort her. "What are you thinking?" More often than not I still wished to be able to know what my wife was thinking, just as I could with everyone else.

"Just about Anthony already crawling, and how much we are missing with them both."

The pathways were getting narrow again and I let Bella lead this time, opening up my mind to everything around us including thoughts. At first all there was were the things my family was thinking of. Then there were others thoughts. The language was Amazonian and possibly the allies Alice was thinking of. They were a good ways away and Alice was going in the right direction. "We are getting closer," I told Bella.

"Who are they," my wife asked

"I don't know, but they are hunting for something to drink, not yet aware we are on our way," I responded

"Alice, do you see anything more about them?" Bella asked.

No one stopped as my sister answered, "Just that they are vampires and that they know something about half vampire half human children. They do not know of Lily of her children but someone else."

Alice's visions were clear in my mind and the moment she saw the ones we had originally been following we all came to another stop. What I saw in her vision were two burly vampires searching for someone.

"He's away from them," Alice said.

I nodded and turned to the rest of my family. "Micah is going to find an escape from those who have him."

"Someone needs to go back that way," Emmett said, eager for a confrontation.

"I agree, but not to start a fight." I answered looking to Jasper who was nodding his agreement.

Alice was bouncing on her toes, anxious. "We need to divide up." From her visions I could see her and Jasper greeting these allies alone and nodded to her. "Bella and I will go with Rosalie and Emmett."

Suddenly Rosalie hissed and her thoughts were ones of annoyance that Alice and I were having our own private conversation. "You and Emmett said you wanted to help him," I pointed out knowing we didn't have the luxury of debating any of this.

"It would be nice to know what is going on before it happens. Not all of us can read minds," Rosalie said through clinched teeth. My sister was trying to remain calm, but this sort of thing, Alice and I able to converse without needing a voice, sometimes got to her. Emmett was already trying to comfort her, and knowing we didn't have time I turned, moving past Bella before taking off into a run.

We ran in a northwest direction while I was still able to see Alice's vision clearly in my mind. The other vampires who had Micah were heading into the more populated areas of Brazil, away from the jungles of the Amazon as if they had some sort of plan. The thing that baffled me the most was that Lily and her children had gone so far from their home all the way to Belize where they first encountered Marie.

"What if we don't find him alive?" Bella asked breaking my train of thought.

We had to keep going, and had to try. "I think we will find him before the others do," I said confident of that much. Emmett and Rosalie were a ways behind us and my sister had more or less calmed down. "What I don't understand is why they had traveled so far from their village."

"What do you mean?" My wife asked.

"They found Marie close to Belize that first time and their village was supposedly south of Rio. Does that make sense to you?" Without missing a beat, I glanced back at my wife well aware of the trees and brush ahead of me.

Bella sighed, shaking her head, "None of it makes sense to me. I keep wondering where the Werewolves fit in to all of this."

The wolves had not left my mind and I too wanted to know why they had interrupted our lives twice. It wasn't long after Bella asked that question that we began picking up on the scents of other vampires and the scent we wanted the most. "We don't want to freak him out," Emmett reminded from behind us. Until he had mentioned that, I hadn't thought of scaring the boy. Bella and I slowed coming to a stop. "Did he see you and Rosalie?"

"Alice did most of the talking, but I think he did," Emmett answered.

"Then you two need to get ahead of us and track him down. Bella and I will try and find these other vampires and lead them away."

Emmett scratched his head as Rosalie grabbed his hand, "Where do we meet?"

"When you find him, head back to the place Alice had her vision." By the time I finished saying those words, Bella and I were heading back toward the east and around to the north while Rosalie and Emmett kept on the current course. My wife and I were quiet as we ran trying to pick up on the vampires scent again and hoping to catch them by surprise.

"Maybe there is something in Belize that they didn't tell Alice about," Bella said softly from behind.

"Perhaps others like them," I answered having already come to that conclusion.

"What a mess," Bella muttered. I reached behind me glad when she took my hand briefly. There was a lot to deal with and all the while I couldn't stop thinking about how all of this tied in to us and the wolves.

~Rosalie~

Being separated from Edward and Bella was both a relief and a worry. We were running toward the unknown, not just Emmett and me, but them along with Alice and Jasper. Sometimes I found myself wondering if we would be here if there were no half vampire half human children, then as always I pushed those thoughts away loving my niece and nephew, not willing to trade anything for having them around. The scent of the boy we had met with his mother and sister was getting stronger and I listened closely trying to see if I could hear his foot fall.

"Do you think he can run as fast as we can?" Emmett asked, remaining close behind me.

"I wouldn't think he could, if he is part human." There was a distinct new set of foot steps coming closer to our direction and I looked at Emmett. "We won't hurt you," I said using my normal tone of voice, hoping he knew we were on our way to help him as friends. There was a snap before something hit the ground. Emmett kept close as I picked up my pace. Seconds later I stopped, finding Micah sitting on the ground rubbing his head before realizing he wasn't alone. He sprang to his feet ready to run before it seemed he recognized me.

"We want to help," I said listening for anyone else coming near us.

He glanced at me and Emmett nodding once as he came closer. His smell was tempting, but like Renesmee and Anthony not enough to make me thirsty. "Do you speak English?"

"Little. Understand, not say," he answered struggling with that much.

"It would be faster if you would allow one of us to carry you on our back," I told him, looking back at Emmett who nodded his agreement.

Micah nodded and Emmett got down on his knees. Once Micah was secure we took off in the other direction. No one seemed to be following us and I wanted more answers, but was afraid to ask. This boy had lost his family and we were strangers to him. Maybe Edward was right about trying to find a tribe he could stay with, and perhaps these vampires Alice was seeking would take him in.

"Why help me?"

Emmett glanced back at me and I smiled at him, "We have family at home like you. We came trying to find some answers, and we feel responsible for trying to help you find someplace safe."

Micah was quiet after that, and having nothing more to say, I kept focus on our surroundings, aware of every sound and scent. I wasn't willing to let him suffer anymore than he already had.

~Bella~

I'm not sure when I last thought of time as seen on a clock or watch. The days and nights seemed to blend together in the dense jungle trees, and without my babies time really didn't mean a whole lot. As I sucked the last of the blood out of the panther I'd tracked down and killed, my mind was going every which way. More than anything else my thoughts were on finishing all of this so we could go home and be with our babies. Suddenly, a twig snapped somewhere in the distance and instinctively I crouched down feeling my lips drawing up over my teeth as I growled.

"It's me, Love," Edward said, and though I couldn't see my husband it was like he was right next to me. As he came in to view, I stood stretching my arms over my head before going to him.

"I'm sorry for growling at you," I said feeling guilty.

"You don't need to be sorry, I should have made more noise or even said something," Edward murmured as his lips brushed over my forehead. All of this running around was beginning to frustrate me and sometimes I wondered what it had been like for my husband when he had spent all those months trying to track down Victoria.

His left hand running through my hair drew my attention back to him, and the look in his golden eyes was one of love and want. Unfortunately we had a job to do and for now what we wanted would have to wait. "Did you find anything?" I finally asked.

"No, they've moved on away from the direction in which Rosalie and Emmett were traveling, maybe back to Belize. I think it best if we head back and meet Alice on into the jungle where we all separated." As we ran, Edward took the lead and gazing around I realized it was night again.

~Edward~

It was early in the morning by the time we reached the spot where we all separated. Rosalie and Emmett were there and the half vampire half human boy was there with them, asleep on a soft patch of mossy ground. Alice and Jasper were not there and I couldn't pick up on their thoughts, but had a feeling I would know if anything went wrong, or at least that was what I was hoping for.

Did you find them? Emmett thought as he walked over to where Bella and I were standing.

I shook my head, not wanting to startle Micah. "Have you heard from Jasper and Alice?" I asked wanting to keep Bella in the loop, whispering so soft that only the two of them and Rosalie could hear me.

"No sign of them. You don't think..."

Emmett didn't get to finish as I shook my head again, confident that they were still trying to, or already in contact with the vampires Alice had seen in her vision. With nothing left to say, Emmett went back to Rosalie and Bella wrapped her arms around me as I put mine around her.

"Maybe after this we can go home," Bella whispered, sounding hopeful.

"Lets hope you are right," I responded resting my chin atop her head wanting to be back with my children, ready to move on with our lives and be over with this part of our journey.

~*~

AN: Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you. I'm sorry it took so long again to post, but I ended up getting sick. I'm better now, and am gaining a little more momentum for this story. Still working on how all of this is going to tie together, but that's coming along. I'm hoping your not getting borred with all of this, but it's them looking for this boy and being in Brazil is important. I hope you guys liked it and hope you will keep the reviews coming, those are great to have. On to the next chapter.

~Ella~