The image above of Kalina! I really enjoyed creating her unique personality, I hope you enjoy her too!

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"Those of you who are leaving for the mission today, head on your way. The council loaded the back of the transit with plenty of supplies; bottled water, a spare map and compass, plenty of match boxes, and fire starters. We wish you all luck."

"Will Kalina be ready for us?" Trent asks.

Kalina is a Guardian in the offensive line, just outside the city limits as a spy. Her skill, plant empathy, make her a well-known gardener, the main provider of Olivia's herbs. Her skill with plants came second to her beauty with thick dark hair and big round hazel eyes.

"She's ready now, awaiting you back at headquarters.

Valery smiles. "Good, I miss seeing her."

"Safe trip, may the Angels bless you."

"Angels bless." The group repeats and files out the door to Liana's awaiting Ford. Inside the transit van, Sandra, Alan, and Helen sit back waiting for them. Trent takes the driver's seat. After a quick look at Valery who shakes her head, Matt claims the passenger beside him. Angela and Valery pile into the back, squeezing close together in case anyone else joins them. Matt jokes with Trent keeping things light.

Valery catches Trent's gaze in the rearview mirror and looks away quickly, not wanting to see the questions hidden behind his eyes.

An hour later they pull up to Kalina's little shack out in the woods, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. One little honk has Kalina running out, still trying to swing her hiking backpack on while trying to lock her home up. Her light blue tank top with green leaves doesn't match her green and white plaid button-down shirt, but that's always been her way.

"Hiya!" She grins, throwing open the back door to find space for her bag.

"Hey, there's room in the back with us," Valery shouts, smiling as she sees her old friend. "You have paint on your face."

Kalina groans theatrically with an eye roll as she hauls her bag into the back.

"When don't I? What color is it this time?"

"Green."

"At least the color matches me." She comments, flashing a wide grin. "Prepare yourself!" She calls as she slams the door shut. Alan is already sliding open the passenger door beside him, letting her squeeze her way in and into the back.

"Hiya." She grins again as she plops down and settles into the seat. "Forward, Jeeves!" She calls up to Trent. Trent shakes his head, a small smile of amusement on his face.

"Nice to see you again too, Kalina," Trent responds, putting the van in reverse and pulling out of her dirt drive.

"Why aren't you up there with him?" Kalina asks, settling in.

"That's a 'not now, talk later', sort of question," Angela whispers low enough so the boys can't hear.

Every look at Trent, every mention of his name makes the ring feel heavier in her jeans pocket, reminding her she still has to talk to him.

Trent turns the rock station up, determined to make it to their campsite without hearing a word from them; letting them catch up while he stays blissfully out of it, hoping someone gets something out of Valery. He takes another look back at her. She keeps her eyes everywhere but forward.

They drive two more hours out before Trent rolls his window down, sticking his arm out. Valery knows, without having to look at him, that he is using the snippets of images on the wind as it brushes against his arm to hint at danger up ahead. It took him a lot of painful hours of practice as he got headaches from trying to perfect the ability.

The Southern lands stretch out before them in lush fields and hills. Wildflowers grow freely with butterflies fluttering back and forth.

Hard to imagine anything evil lives out here.

As the sun reaches its peak, Trent pulls over into a copse of trees, hiding them and their beast of a vehicle under constant tree cover. As he shuts the engine off, everyone prepares to jump out of the car to work on setting up camp. Trent doesn't move.

"Hey man," Matt mutters, moving toward him.

"She won't even look at me," Trent whispers, watching everyone move and pile out in the mirror.

"You know how girls are. Just give it some time mate, she'll come around. After everything she's been through, I'm sure she's just trying to download all of this chaos, trying to make sense of it. Hang in there,." Matt says, their soft voices drowned out by the chaos of everyone grabbing bags, trying to find their own.

"Ugh, I know you're right... I just didn't expect all this," he whispers, watching Valery sling her bag over her shoulders, her face shining with laughter as she talks to Kalina and Angela.

"Neither of you did, man. Better to get our heads in the game. Everything will sort itself out while we get down to business."

Trent nods. Seeing everyone separate from the trunk with their bags, he and Matt climb out of the van to get their own gear.

"You have to talk to him," Angela comments quietly, noticing Valery watching Trent as he sets up on the far side of the camp.

"And tell him what? Break his heart?" Valery whispers back.

"Let's get these tents set up, I want to know everything that's going on." Kalina insists, joining them.

Angela nods. "Let's get this done," She insists, steering Valery away.

The Guardians begin taking up jobs to prepare for the night. Helen, Allen, and Matt gather with Trent as he assigns them to tasks. "We'll start finding some food," Helen calls as she and her brother finish their tents. She slings her bow over her shoulder and grabs her quiver as Alan secures his sword and hunting knife.

"Take Sandra as a scout," Trent calls back.

"On it," Sandra responds, grabbing her broadsword.

Matt clasps Trent on the back who nods. Matt walks off, joining the little hunting party. Trent and Valery lock eyes across the camp. She opens her mouth to say something, but no words come out. Instead, she dips inside her tent. Angela and Kalina follow.

"You can't keep this up forever," Angela scolds. She and Kalina block the door. Angela's arms are crossed, her face hinting that she's about to hit Valery with the cold truth.

"I know," Valery sighs heavily as she sits down on her sleeping bag.

"He loves you," Angela states.

"I know," Valery pulls her pillow in front of her, hugging it.

"You're breaking his heart right now."

"I know," She whispers, squeezing her pillow tighter.

Kalina moves, sitting down beside Valery. She places a gentle hand on Valery's arm as she listens.

"You love him," Angela continues.

"I do. Is this going anywhere?" Valery snaps.

"You won't always have this prophecy over your head," Angela points out.

"I know," Valery repeats.

"So, what's going on?" Kalina asks.

Valery takes a deep breath. "I can't waste my time pursuing something that'll only get us both killed," Valery declares, turning to look at her. "Trent was kidnapped, and I almost died.... I can't stand this anymore."

"It comes with our job. With or without each other, do you think running away will solve anything?" Kalina asks softly.

"No, but they're aware of my potential. I don't want to give them more ammunition than they already have," Valery answers.

"What?" Angela hisses.

"Hell, I might as well join the circus at this rate. You'd all be safer if I made a career being a clown, don't you think?"

Kalina gives Valery's shoulder a playful bump. "Come on now. You'd never do that!"

"Wouldn't I? My ability to control fire would make quite the hit."

"Come on Val, be serious," Angela scolds.

"I am! Look at him. This place is his home. His family. He's respected by everyone, and trusted by all. He belongs here and he earned that on his own. I have the angels constantly whispering in my ear, reminding me I have work to do. Forcing me into action. Forcing me to be great. It's not my choice. It's what I was chosen for. What if I don't want it? What if I want to live my life beside the ocean as a hermit?"

"Do you really think you can walk away from him?" Angela asks her gently.

"I don't want to lose anyone else!" Valery snapped, freezing as she took a deep breath. "A ring... I know I'm not prepared to be anything other than a Guardian. Coming out here and accepting the responsibility of being a healer means that all of your lives are in my hands. If I give in to what I want, that means one day I will be choosing between my love and my job. Whose blood would be on my hands when I'm forced to make that kind of choice? What gives me the right to make his life worth more than anyone else's? Fuck...." Valery says, covering her face in her hands. "Forget it. Neither one of you two will understand."

"No, I get it," Kalina says, sighing. "Growing up, always being told what you should do, how you should act, who you should be, it gets to you. When you realize you have a choice, you tend to realize you don't know how to make it. Why do you think I chose to live out there? At the edge of the city, part of the spy network? All I have to do is to live. Live and pay attention. It's simple. But it takes me out of the day-to-day operations. I only help when I'm called on or when I spot trespassers. That being said, my decision has been made, and there's no going back. In your case, not making a decision, isn't that also making a decision? There are consequences there too. Whether you were the healer or not, that choice could be forced onto any of us, ANY of us, Valery. You can't carry that burden alone, no one can. With that way of thinking, every single one of us would be alone until the end of our days. Could you forgive yourself if Trent died, and your only reason for denying the feelings you both share is because of fear? Could you live with yourself knowing that?" Kalina gives Valery's arm a reassuring squeeze. "I think it's time we give her some time to think. Besides, we can't all hang out in here all day. There's work to be done."

Angela nods in agreement. The two file out of the tent. Trent is across camp, sitting ways away, with his back to them, against a tree. The eerie sound of him sharpening his blade and the crackling of the fire is all that's heard. The waves of emotion wafting from Trent tells Angela all she needs to know. Her heart breaks for him.

He heard. But how much?

Kalina joins Gavin, keeping guard on their side of the camp to introduce herself.

"Trent," Angela starts, making her way towards him.

"Don't," he responds flatly, examining his blade.

"How much did you hear?" She asks, sitting down next to him.

His eyes narrow as he avoids looking her in the eye."Enough to know that she would rather run away than be with me. That she would rather talk to you about her problems with me, instead of talking about them TO me."

"That isn't it. She's trying to figure out where she wants the rest of her life to go. You're a big part of it, so big that she doesn't know HOW to talk to you about it. And that's what I'm here for. That sounding board. That buffer. So, she can get her thoughts straight without having to hurt you."

"I'm going scouting. Stay guard here," Trent says as he stands, sheathing his sword.

Angela nods. She watches him walk off without saying another word.

Val, what are you doing to him?