The next morning we start moving the minute we get up. We walk and walk until our feet hurt, our stomaches complain, and the sun is halfway through the sky.

"I'm so hungry!" Nero whines.

"Me too." Kin whimpers.

I agree. My stomach growls loudly and everyone looks at me, their eyebrows raised.

I wave at them, laughing nervously.

Ignis sighs, "Fine you wimps, I'll go get some food."

Everyone visibly brightens and Ignis rolls her eyes before walking into the trees.

"We'll wait here!" Anemos calls after her and she waves to show she heard before disappearing completely into the forest.

I walk over to a tree and collapse on the ground, my stomach growling loudly, sighing in relief as the pressure is taken off my poor feet. Kin comes over and slides to the ground beside me, her reaction the same as mine. Nero passes out water to everyone and the drink is like a drop of heaven on my throat.

"What do you think Ignis'll bring back?" Anemos asks, joining me and Kin on my other side.

"I hope it's something good." Kin says, her eyes closed and her back resting on the tree.

"Yeah. Maybe it will be something like apples." I muse hopefully.

I hear Terro laugh and look over at him, annoyed, "What?"

He shakes his head at me, his eyebrows raised, "Really? Apples?"

I shrug and copy Kin, closing my eyes as my back presses into the tree, trying to ignore the annoying boy.

"I would want something more alive, like a squirrel." Terro keeps speaking, "Or maybe a rabbit."

"Fish for me." Nero comments, joining the conversation. I don't open my eyes, just listen.

"What if she finds berries?" Neve asks enthusiastically, "I love all kinds of berries! Blueberries, black berries, raspberries, you name it!"

"Berries would be nice, but I agree with Blitz. I would like an apple." I hear Anemos say from my left.

I open my eyes and high five the boy, grinning, "Yeah! Go us!"

He smiles at me and in my peripheral vision I see Terro glaring at the wind boy. I look at him curiously and once the earth boy notices me watching him he looks away.

I shrug it off and listen back into the conversation, which had turned into an argument somehow.

"Raspberries are better!" Nero exclaims.

"No, blueberries!" Kin argues.

"Raspberries!"

"Blueberries!"

"Raspberries!"

"BLUEBERRIES!"

"GUYS GUYS GUYS!" I exclaim, shocked that they are arguing about this. "Seriously? Are you listening to yourselves!?"

They look at me and I roll my eyes, leaning back against the tree, "Ay ay ay!" I mutter, closing my eyes again.

For a couple minutes nobody speaks. I get the weird feeling they're all watching me and crack my eye open a bit to see my theory is true. A couple look shocked, others bewildered.

"What?" I ask, somewhat nervously.

"Did you really just say that?" Nero asks.

"What?" I repeat.

Nero shakes his head, his face cracking into a huge grin, "Oh! Mysterious Blitz is speaking!"

I roll my eyes again, regretting ever opening them, "I don't know what you're talking about."

I can sense the others smiling and I forced myself not to look again.

Ten minutes pass.

Fifteen.

Twenty.

I start to get nervous. What if something had happened to Ignis? Is she hurt? What happened?

My heart lurches as I imagine all the bad things that could have happened.

Animals. Poisonous plants. For some reason quicksand comes to mind.

I am just about to voice my worries aloud when a bush shakes and I turn around to see Ignis walking toward us, holding a dead squirrel and a couple berries. She looks bad. Her hair is messy and she has multiple small cuts and scratches on her arms, face, and legs.

"Oh my gosh! Ignis!" Kin exclaims, rushing forward to help.

Ignis shakes her head at the girl and comes to sit down next to me, still holding the dead squirrel. She looks beat up but her eyes are a sparkling. I can't even imagine what happened.

"No talk. I'm starved. Terro, hold the squirrel. That's a good boy, now try to hold it away from you. Good." Ignis says as Terro does what she asks, looking nervous.

Ignis puts her hands around the squirrel and the dead animal slowly starts to bake. First the fur burns, filling the air with the horrid scent. Once all the fur is gone the animal itself starts to cook, slowly turning browner until Ignis stops, nodding at her work.

Kin takes the meat and a knife forms in her hand. She slowly and deliberately cuts the squirrel into seven even pieces, then she passes them out. We start eating slowly, cherishing every bite.

Once we are halfway through our food, Terro speaks.

"So what happened?"

Ignis chews and swallows, "I've got good news and bad news."

I sigh, "Do either of them come without the other?"

"What's the good news?" Terro asks, ignoring me.

"I found a river." Ignis says. Everyone smiles and Nero cheers.

"What's the bad news?" I ask.

Ignis takes another bite of the squirrel and chews slowly before swallowing, seeming to take her time. We all watch her, waiting her answer, our spirits sinking. She is obviously stalling, so it's got to be bad.

Finally, she looks up at us. "It's already occupied."

I frown, surprised. I thought it would be horrible, like some rabid bear was after her or something. Not this.

"By who?" Nero asks, sounding just as confused as I felt.

"The Black Serpents."

For a second we just stare at her stupidly, as though waiting for her to start laughing and say, 'just kidding! You should see your faces!' But she doesn't. She just continues eating.

"What? How!?" Terro nearly shouts.

Ignis cringes, shooting him a glare, "Geez man! Calm down! They are along the river and I think they are building a shelter."

I perk up at the last part.

"I completely forgot they were here!" Kin exclaims.

"Me too!" Anemos agrees, shaking his head.

"A shelter?" I ask.

Ignis looks at me, "Yeah.....why?"

"Is it a good one?" I question, the wheels in my head turning, already forming a plan.

Ignis looks at me suspiciously, "Yeah, why?"

I smile a little evilly at her as the last piece clicks and my plan finishes, "I have a plan."
*************
OHH NOOO!!! SHE HAS A PLAN!!!! EVERYONE RUN!!!! *dives behind table*

JUST KIDDING

Maybe

Anyway......do you guys like when I do the questions? Maybe I should stop.

VOICE YOUR THOUGHTS

But I'll do one this time anyway.

1.) What do you think Blitz's plan is?
2.) Did you expect the Black Serpents to be in the same place as the Snow Ferrets?
3.) Had you completely forgotten about the stupid snakes? (I did! Be honest!)

THHHHEEEEERRRRRREE YYYYOOOOUUUU GGGOOOO!!!

Until next time!
XOXO,
Rascal