Chapter Ⅳ: forests

                                    

                                          


                          
The group soon made it to the bottom of the Mountain the weather got warmer but snow, and ice still covered the ground the trees were taller, and there were more of them then Amaya would have seen growing back at the peak of Mt. Velgren, the other Ardoni in the group hadn't talked to Amaya, most just shot her dirty looks as if she wasn't supposed to be there.
                          
But she wasn't.
                          
 She was Voltaris, the 'root of all evil' according to the clans, and part of her wondered if her prayers for a better life for her daughter had been answered by some higher power, and if it had, what was the price?
                          
Everything had a price, even if it was unknown, Amaya wondered what would happen when her time with Achillean was up, would she be hunted like before? Or would she be captured, tortured, and then killed like so many others Amaya hadn't spoken to Achillean since last night. The memory of the wolf attack was still fresh in her mind, the way he stood over her like a guardian angel.
                          
Heat rose in Amaya's cheeks.
                          
Did she like Achillean?
                          
Surely she had a better grasp of her feelings? 
                          
Right?
                          
...
                          
the child peered around at her surroundings large trees that reached into the sky were all around her the ground was covered in pine needles along with other ground covers.
                          
She wasn't used to not seeing snow on the ground, she wasn't used to a lot of things she had only just seen snowfall for the first time a few days ago. What else had she still to learn about Ardonia? 
                          
The trees above casted long shadows as the day progressed but the forest didn't thin out, it got thicker the deeper they went. Ember didn't like it, it was cold, not like on the mountain but like they were being watched the forest canopy was so thick you couldn't see the sky. the ground cover got so thick she couldn't see over.
                          
"Would you like me to carry you?"
                          
The Nestoris asked Ember wasn't sure what his name was.
                          
She didnt respond, Ember, like most Voltaris children, were taught that the other clans were heartless, willing to kill the Voltaris children who had done no wrong in their lives, they were willing kill those who were defenceless.
                          
In truth, Ember was still scared of the nameless Nestoris.
                          
She looked up at him he bit his lip.
                          
"Your...you're still....you're still scared of me,"
                          
Like before, Ember did not respond.
                          
"Keep up, Achillean!" a voice shouted.
                          
Achillean, so that was the Nestoris' name.
                          
Ember glanced towards her mother.
                          
"It's alright I'll carry her,"
                          
"But your leg is stil-"
                          
"It's fine,"
                          
Ember would rather have her mother pick her up then the scary Nestoris.
                          
Her mind wandered back to her home on Mt. velgren, she had lived with the other Voltaris for a short amount of time, she remembered little, other than the bitter cold.
                          
The small child huddled deeper into her thin blanket. Each breath she took shocked her young lungs the surrounding frigid air she pricked her ears hearing voices approach.
                          
"Tygren what are we doing here!" A voice hissed.
                          
"Relax Lucidius," a new voice spoke "Amaya asked that we come and try to find Ember,"