Upload! Thanks for all the support on this story so far! I'm guessing you know who this person is. I just like to keep things a mystery. Let me know if you want longer chapters or faster uploads. Thanks again for all the help!
? POV:
I sigh as I hear the distant roar of the Treehorns. They sneak up on you when you're not looking, but they do absolutely nothing when they see me. I've tripped them one too many times for them to want to mess with me, I guess. Honestly, I'm annoyed by their sounds. They're pests is all they are, really.
And they don't even have to bother me, since I don't bother them. I've lived in this forest for years; they should know by now that I'm just gathering food. Hey, a girl's gotta eat.
The snow is pressing in on me like a white curtain. It's a good thing I dressed warm. Well, technically, I always dress warm. Kind of expected since I live in Birchwood Forest. Wasn't my choice. Sure, I like the cold, but what can you expect from me? I'm no one. I have no one to go to. The whole wide world doesn't even know I exist. And I'm fine with that. It's not like they did anything for me.
I think my eyes are playing tricks on me, but do I see something red in the snow up ahead? I run to it, wondering what it could possibly be. As I get closer, I realize it's blood. Someone is nearby, and whoever it is is hurt. I follow what looks to be a trail, and suddenly I see a figure lying in the snow. I squint through the blizzard. I can't see too well, but I can tell he's wearing a strange red outfit. I try to look a little closer and notice he has an arrow lodged in his shoulder. That must be where the blood was coming from.
I don't know what to do. I don't know this person. I can't just drag him back to my place. I might hurt him more. He looks nearly frozen, too. He won't survive much longer in conditions like this.
My first thoughts are to leave him here. After all, what has the world ever done for me? Nothing. I can't trust anyone. But I shake my head for even thinking such things. This man in front of me is not the world. I shouldn't blame him for the things people did to me.
"I can't believe I'm doing this," I tell myself, but I think I can. I reach down and pull him out of the snow, and jump a bit when a spark emanates from my fingers. "Fire element." I shrug it off. Maybe it'll come in handy later.
The man I'm helping is wearing a hood covering most of his face. He stirs a little, but he feels so frozen I'm worried I could lose him. "Hang in there. I'm going to help you," I tell him before resorting to my sled to help me out. If I'm going to get him to my home as quickly as possible, I need something to carry him on.
Cole POV:
We've started our search for Kai. We left the villagers in Ninjago City a while back, knowing they're in a better situation there than back in their village. "Can you scan the forest for him, Zane?" I ask the Nindroid. The Bounty is hovering over Birchwood. I look with my own eyes to see if I can catch a glimpse of anything, but there's no trace of Kai. Lloyd struggles for control of the wheel of the Bounty. There's an ice storm blowing beneath us, tossing us around like a piece of paper in the wind.
"My scanners are not detecting anything," Zane tells us. "Either he's far away from here, or he's too cold for me to pick up any body heat." Nya's face is scrunched up with worry. Jay is busy helping out Lloyd in keeping us stable, so I hug her. "He'll be alright, Nya," I whisper into her ear. "He's always been a fighter, especially when he took care of you in Jamanakai Village. He's strong. We're not going to lose him this easily."
"Is there any way to land?" I yell to the Green Ninja. Lloyd shakes his head. "The wind's too strong for me to go anywhere near the forest."
"And I sense this storm is only going to get stronger from here on out," Zane adds. I sigh, shaking my head. "Is there any place nearby?"
Jay runs to the computers inside the Bounty and comes back out with some findings. "There's a clearing a couple of miles east. I can't guarantee we can get there before the storm does, though."
Our ship makes a sharp turn. I can feel it banking beneath my feet. "Already on it," Lloyd yells at us. "Let's just hope we can get there in time to find Kai," I say, hugging Nya closer.
I'll be trying to upload at least once a week, most likely on Thursday nights. Let me know if you want it changed at all, and I'll see what I can do. Ardhoniel out!
