Tree Singer

up under her arms.
It almost slid right off! Mayten shivered. Adven beckoned to Mayten who took a careful step forward, then another. Adven pulled on the rope and Cather at the same time, dragging her the rest of the way onto solid ground and then moving around Tray to the front of the line.
Tray stepped forward and wrapped Cather’s shaking body in a tight hug. Mayten could hear Cather sobbing over the driving rain.
Along with a nearly overwhelming sense of relief came boiling anger.
If Adven hadn’t been in such a hurry, her friend would not have fallen off a cliff and almost died. There was a difference between moving fast and being foolhardy.
Their grand leader beckoned to Mayten and Hunter. Did he expect them to jump over that gap?
“It’s not as wide as it seems,” Hunter murmured in her ear. “And I’ll be right here behind you.”
She took a deep breath, tried to calm her wild heart. What if she jumped and the rest of the trail gave way?
Anatolian whined and Hunter urged her on. She took a few steps back and then two running steps forward and jumped, releasing her breath as her feet landed on solid ground, Hunter hopping easily after her.
Adven gave a quick nod, then continued along the trail, the rope pulling Tray away from Cather and forcing them onward. The trail sloped downward, leading them toward the other side of the canyon.
Mayten kept her eyes glued to the path ahead, paranoid she might slip again. The path widened and became rockier as they went down into a valley filled with oaks and maples. Anatolian dropped back beside her, pressing against her leg as they walked.
Mayten’s anger simmered as they half-walked and half-slid down the stony trail. She couldn’t seem to get Adven’s snide looks and nasty remarks out of her head.
And she couldn’t get over the way he pushed them relentlessly forward, disregarding their safety and almost getting her best friend killed.
Eventually, they reached the valley floor and Adven led them under a large stand of oaks out of the wind and rain. The nearby river raged and rushed, tumbling an occasional rock downstream.
Adven untied his end of the rope and told them to set up camp. Calm and unfeeling as though no one had almost died.
Mayten’s fingers trembled as she untied the rope around her waist. Her head had stopped hurting but anger was building up inside like a thunderstorm. She stalked up to Adven, hands on her hips.
“I thought you were supposed to be the best quester around,” she snarled. “Even I could see it was getting dangerous to keep walking. We should have stopped hours ago.”
Adven glared down at her, arms crossed over his chest. His face was like stone but his one good eye radiated hatred.
Cather took her arm while Tray stepped up to her other side. Together, they turned her away from Adven, walking her in the opposite direction. Hunter muttered something to Adven but was shrugged off.
“I’m okay,” Cather said in a soothing voice. “I’m okay.”
She put her arm around Mayten’s shoulders. Tray gave her an awkward pat as they scanned the forest for firewood. Not that they’d find any wood dry enough to burn in all this rain.
“Adven knows what he’s doing, Mayten,” Cather said. “If we hadn’t been roped, I’d be gone right now.”
“We shouldn’t have been on that cliff in the rain.” Mayten stared at her friend in disbelief. How could she defend that—
“It was a hard call,” Tray said. “If we’d waited, the whole trail could have washed out. It might have taken days to find a way around. Can’t you see how bad he feels about it?”
“No, I can’t,” said Mayten. She tucked her hands under her arms, trying to stop their trembling. “As far as I can see, the man has no feelings at all.”
Tray turned and walked away, shaking his head. Cather started to follow.
“Are you really okay?” Mayten stopped Cather with a hand on her arm.
“I’m really okay.” Cather rubbed at her ribs. “Just a little sore from the rope, that’s all.”
A twinge pierced Mayten’s side where the rope had cut into her as she pulled Cather into a hug. “I’m so sorry. I know how scared you must have been.” She reluctantly let her friend go, feeling a little of her tension ease. “I just wish I could heal you like you did me.”
“Hey,” Cather said with a grin. “You got bonked on the head and I got rope burns. If that’s the worst that happens, then I imagine we’re having a pretty good quest! “

Chapter Fourteen
The storm passed as night wore on and they were up and moving before first light. Everything was soaked and no one had slept well. Adven ignored Mayten and she did her best to ignore him. According to Hunter, they’d lost a half day struggling through the storm and Adven was bent on pushing them to make up for it.
The part of the forest they found themselves in was almost abnormally quiet, with dappled sunlight filtering through the leafy oaks, casting a magical feel to the air. She’d loved reading about fairies when she was young and this seemed a perfect place for a fairytale. A light mist filled the air.
Feels more like we’re walking through a painting rather than on a well-traveled trail, she mused.
A noise to her right caught her attention. A ray of sunlight fell on a small herd of deer standing in the trees. The deer startled, some of them bolting just as a small doe dropped to the ground, an arrow through its eye.
Hunter walked up to the downed doe and retrieved his arrow. Mayten watched in shock as he and Adven strung a rope and hung the doe by her heels. She turned away when Hunter brought out his long hunting knife.
She hadn’t even seen him shoot.
Her heart squeezed as she watched the last of the herd crashing through the brush and trees. She enjoyed eating