Trying to appear nonchalant...

[AnnieInsight]

Callie returned to her hollow and placed her backpack down where she could reach it when she needed it.  She had a small threadbare blanket with her, but she really didn't need it tonight.  She picked it up and went to Alexandra, who was laying face up on the beach, gazing at the stars.  Without a word, Callie shook out the blanket and covered her friend with it.  As she did, she began to sing.

The tone of her melody suggested an image of a wee rabbit snuggled up next to it's mother at first, and then went into stronger detail.  Intricate webs of song-silk reached Alexandra's ears as the magic began to flow through her.  Callie changed key softly and the feeling of being rocked gently came to Alexandra, and then went into her soul as sleep began to take hold of her mind.  Without realizing it, Callie sang about the long lost friendships of family...something Alexandra picked up on sleepily as she began to dream about her own family and the better times they shared.  Callie slowed down the pace of her song, weaving it through the night as Alexandra slept and she finished with an image of a doe grazing peacefully in a warm sunlit meadow.

Satisfied, Callie smiled at the sleeping girl.  "Good night, dearheart,"  she said softly.  Slowly she stood from her kneeling position and went to her hollow to get herself ready for her own slumber.

[AnnieInsight]

After a peaceful night, the sun's rays woke Callie and the day called out to her in wisps of welcome.  She was used to waking up early, she had done so every day for the past decade...a requirement for the life she lead at School.  She sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily, trying to remember where she had put her blanket.  And she didn't see Widget.

"Widge?  Where are you?"  she called, not fully awake yet.  She looked out from her hollow and saw him, nestled up to the beautiful girl she had made friends with last night.  Alexa had a slight smile on her face and Widget was snuggled up to her chest, snoring softly.

Callie grinned at the sight and stood up, shaking her head a little to get rid of the sleepy cobwebs leftover from the night.  She went over to the dreaming pair and gently shook Alexandra's shoulder.  

"Rise and shine, gorgeous!  It's a beautiful new day!"  she said gently.

[zozee9]

Alexandra felt something warm on her chest as she got awakened from her dreams of her past. Covering her eyes from the sun, she slowly got used to the light. Seeing Widge, Alexandra laughed lightly. The thing was just so adorable! Putting Widge in her hands and sitting up, Alexandra noticed the blanket on top of her. She had a faint memory of Callie putting it on her before singing her song. After setting Widge on her shoulder, Alexandra carefully folded the blanket.

Turning towards Callie, Alexandra yawned and said, "Good morning... wanna swim in this brilliant ocean before leaving? I'm not really a morning person... but the water should wake me up. I need to clean myself up, anyway."

Rubbing her eyes, Alexandra looked at the horizon and wondered how early it was. The sun was barely up. Alexandra yawned once again before patting her bedhead hair down and brushing it with her fingers.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie smiled.  "That's a great idea!"  she cried.  "I need to clean up, too.  My hair's starting to get oily.  And if you want, I've got some soaproot leftover from my stash at School.  I can give you some if you need to wash up good before we head out."  she went to her hollow and grabbed her backpack.  Rummaging through it, she held the soaproot  out to Alexandra.

She quickly stripped out of her worn School uniform and folded it neatly, placing it on the blanket Alexa had used during the night.  She was aware that Alexa was looking at her with curiosity, but Callie didn't mind.  She was used to bathing with girls, this is what she did every day at School.  Callie knew that she looked pretty good, with her long lithe torso and even longer legs.  She had some curves, although not many, and she was confident about her body.

Callie raced to the edge of the water.  "Last one in's a rotten egg!"  she called out as she dove in.

[zozee9]

Slightly fazed by the fact Callie felt so comfortable stripping in front of her, Alexandra couldn't help but stare a little. After a second though, Alexandra did the same. Although Alexandra was small, she was still taller than Callie. With her slender body, she had somehow managed to get very defined curves from her Yoreiq side. As Callie ran to the water, Alexandra shouted behind her, "Not fair! I'm still getting undressed!"

Feeling the need to fold her clothes like Callie, Alexandra took a closer look at her halter top. The places that were usually covered by her hair were white, compared to the usual light blue. "Crap!" she shouted. Running towards the ocean, she continued, "Callie, I guess you're going to see what I normally look like!"

After getting deep enough into the water that her chest was covered, Alexandra dunked her head under water and stayed under for around a minute. While under water, she ran her fingers through her hair, as if she was washing it. Once she came above the water again, her normal white hair had turned back to its natural chestnut color. Looking at her reflection in the water, Alexandra thought, I really need better hair dye. This stuff only a month and then all of a sudden comes out. So annoying. I'll buy some more permanent stuff in Cerenis...

[AnnieInsight]

Callie blinked in surprise.  "Wow, Alexa!  I didn't know you could do your illusion magic with your hair color, too!  Your hair's brown now."  she observed.

Dunking her head back under for a second, Callie came up washing her hair with the soaproot.  She heard a small splashing near her and turned to look.  

"Widget!  I guess you were the last one in, fella.  Guess what that makes you?"  Callie laughed as she watched her beloved ferret paddle toward her, trying to get in on the action.  She picked him up out of the water and scrubbed him with the soaproot, determined to get him clean as well.  When she was done with him, she let him go, allowing him to rinse off as he played in the water beside the two girls.  

Callie concentrated on washing her body.  She liked to stay clean because it made her feel better, and she was conscious of appearing filthy around people.  Some took a dislike to people who didn't wash well and Callie was aware of this.

As she washed up, she looked at Alexa with curiousity.  "Y'know?  I think I like your hair better that way.  It's a great color,"  she stated.

[zozee9]

Laughing, Alexandra said, "Glad you could tell it was brown. It's not illusion magic, though. I dye it. It matches my outfit and... well, me more I guess. My sister always called me her angel, so I figured I'd keep my hair more angelic. I might dye it light blue next time though... We'll see. Every once in a while, I'll keep it brown. Some people, like you, like it better, and it's my natural color. Also helps me blend in. I still prefer it lighter, though. You know, I accidentally bought a neon pink dye one time and managed not to notice until it was in. I looked HORRIBLE. That's probably the only time I used constant glamour on myself." She shivered in fear the memory. Continuing, Alexandra asked, "Can I use the soaproot when you're done, please? It's been a while since I've actually had a good scrub. Probably need it, too."

Watching the ferret swim around, Alexandra smiled. He was so harmless, so peaceful. It would be nice to be carefree like him, too. But first, she had to avenge her sister. Then she could settle down in some hidden city, perhaps.

[AnnieInsight]

Nodding in understanding, Callie commented on last year's Heathen Ball at her School.  "We had a fancy dinner and a dance afterwards at my School a year ago.  I dressed in the finest threads and I dyed streaks in my hair...they were bright red.  It was pretty neat!  Half of my hair was brown like it is now and the other half was a rich red.  They washed out in a week, but I loved the way I looked with them in.  All my teachers liked the difference, too."

She finished with the soaproot and handed it to Alexa so her friend could wash up as well.  Then Callie dunked back under the water to rinse off.  She was under for at least a half a minute when she heard the vibrations of Alexa's voice come from above.  

Callie resurfaced, shaking her head to clear the water out of her eyes and ears.  "What did you say?  I couldn't hear under the water,"  she asked Alexa.

[zozee9]

Washing herself off, Alexandra listened to the ocean waves. She was feeling uneasy again. Pena always told her that she had a pretty good sixth sense, and that she should always listen to it. "We need to leave..." said Alexandra quietly. Realizing that Callie was still underwater, she was just about to tap her so she'd get up when Callie came up herself asking her what she said.

"Sorry. I said we should leave. I think someone is coming. Or something. I just feel... something ominous."

Quickly running out of the water, Alexandra put her clothes back on without drying. Her clothes would dry in the sun as they travelled, anyway. Putting her finger to her lips, Alexandra motioned for Callie to get her stuff. Ruining her little bed, Alexandra quickly tried to get rid of as many of the signs that they had been there as she could.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie hadn't had reason to panic in her life before, but being out here on her own with a new friend suddenly made her feel fidgety.  Her eyes widened as she grabbed Widget out of the water and scrambled to get out of the water, following Alexandra.  

When she saw Alexa scramble to get rid of the signs of life, she was alarmed.  What about my hollow?  she thought.  I can't just get rid of all this quickly.  I'll need more time...

Callie got Alexa's attention and motioned to her hollow and shrugged openly as if to say, what do I do with this?  Alexa beckoned with her finger and Callie came running.  

When she got to Alexa, she clung to her like glue.  "How much time do you think we have?"  Callie whispered.

[zozee9]

Alexandra forgot about the hollow. "Crap!" she yelled quietly. "Do you know any destruction magic? And... I don't know. The feeling is getting stronger and stronger. It could be here any second."

Glancing again at the hollow, it was obvious that someone had been staying here. And her illusion magic wore off if she left the vicinity. Looking back and forth between the hollow and Callie, Alexandra ended up grabbing Callie's arm and running. She ignored all of the other signs of people that were left—it didn't matter anymore. Using all her strength that she had gathered over the years from escaping, Alexandra was quite fast at running. Looking at Callie's face as they ran, Alexandra couldn't tell if the speed was too fast for her. It would be nice if they could run faster, but Alexandra had to make sure the pace wasn't too hard. They could be running for a while.

Alexandra felt uneasy running along the ocean coast. It would be way too easy for anyone to spot them, even from far away. She wouldn't fly unless they absolutely had to, but illusions would come before that. Flying when being chased was Alexandra's last resort. Looking ahead, she finally saw a forest. Just a little bit further, she thought. We're almost there.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie saw the forest before Alexandra did.  They got to the edge and dodged in between the first group of trees they saw.  Panting, Callie looked around and saw nothing chasing them.  Annoyed at leaving her stuff behind, she noticed Widget following them into the grove of trees and squeaking along the way.  Picking him up, she hugged him close and thanked the Gods he was able to get away, too.

"Gee, Alexa,"  she spat out sarcastically.  "Jumpy much?!  What the hell was that?"  Callie didn't like this having to move quickly in a split second stuff.  Still, Alexa did warn her and Callie was just going to have to get used to it if she wanted to stay with her.  Callie hugged Alexa in apology.  "I'm sorry, Alexa....it's just that I'm not used to being chased like this.  But you didn't even let me get my backpack.  It's got all the stuff we'll need for travelling....it's got my money, my ribbon,"  she babbled on.  "I'll have to go back and get it soon before it's lost forever."  

Then she had a horrible thought.  What if Alexa was too jumpy for her own good?  That would mean Callie and the inexperience she had would have to learn...quickly, too, if they were to stay together.  And what about Widget?  He was just a ferret, he didn't know Alexa's mannerisms any better than Callie did.  If he went following them and squeaking everywhere they went, surely they'd be found in no time.  This really disturbed Callie.  Widget had been with her since the very beginning, she wouldn't let him go just because Alexa had her ideas of getting caught.  Callie hugged her ferret protectively as she realized how serious all of this was.

[zozee9]

Looking at Callie and the ferret, Alexandra said (once more), "Crap. Sorry. I was too rushed on leaving. I didn't even check to make sure you had your stuff. I'm so used to traveling without anything... Crap."

Noticing the squeaking ferret and the protective stance of Callie, Alexandra said, "Don't worry. Whatever was following was far enough away that it shouldn't have heard Widge. Though you should probably teach it how to be quieter... but... well, by the time anything can hear it, they'll probably be close enough to see us, anyway. I wouldn't worry about him too much."

Closing her eyes, Alexandra tried to focus on the feeling that she felt before. It didn't seem like it was getting any closer to them... it was probably searching through the camp. Realizing that could be troublesome for Callie's stuff, Alexandra sighed. "In the future, you should keep the ribbon with you at all times. From what I've gathered, that thing is more important than your life. When you're on the run, you have to be careful." Looking at Callie in the eyes, Alexandra asked, "Do you understand?"

With Callie still panting, Alexandra assumed she wouldn't be able to run very fast. "Sit down. Take a break. Whatever was chasing us is still at the camp. Are you good at tree climbing? If it starts heading over here, climb a tree and hide. I'll go get your stuff for you. It's my fault you lost it, anyway. Too many bounty hunters chasing me nowadays." Alexandra didn't even bother to hide the fact that she was an outlaw anymore. Walking out of the woods without even seeing of Callie was following her or not, Alexandra sighed on last time. Being chased put her in a bad mood.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie still thought her friend was a little senile.  She'd never met anyone as ready to get gone as Alexa was!  Still, Callie wasn't used to running as part of everyday survival like Alexandra was.  Callie sighed, relaxing a little.  Holding Widget up to her face, she scolded him lightly.  "You, Sir, are going to have to stay with us at all times.  There's a time for play and this is not it!"  

Alexa had left for the camp to go find Callie's stuff.  But was that safe for her to do?  Callie shouldn't have nagged at Alexa like that...it only put Alexa in more danger than she was apparently already in.  What if the bounty hunters caught Alexa because she went back?  Callie began to worry, not about her precious ribbon, but about her new friend.  She began to understand the complications of getting gone and staying out of sight.  There was just so much to think about, she thought helplessly.  I'll have to keep my wits about me and my thoughts open all the time if I'm gonna stay with Alexa.

She thought about what Alexa had asked her before she left to go get the backpack.  Callie could climb trees very well, she had had practice when she played Hide and Seek when she was little at School.  Nobody ever thought to look up, and maybe that was the tactic that Alexa was going for when she mentioned the skill.  Sitting down and placing Widget in her lap, she pondered all the things that Alexa had implied about being chased.  Callie wasn't good at running, but that didn't mean she couldn't hide.  Callie was good at appearing out of nowhere because the people that were around just didn't notice her.  She had the personality to be all up in the moment with everybody else, yes...but she also had just the right balance of appearing to blend in the woodwork, so to speak.  This was partly the reason she didn't have many friends at her beloved School.  It was the reason she got along more with her teachers than anybody else.  Callie was a homebody, smart because she studied but never pushed herself to be sociable like the popular girls she went to class with.

[zozee9]

Over ten minutes passed before Alexandra got back to the woods with Callie's bag. Seeing Callie, Alexandra tossed her the bag and said one word: "Hide."

Running around trees and over logs and through branches, Alexandra made sure to leave an occasional sign that the man tracking her would see. Knowing that his size would make him slower in the crowded woods, she took harder, but smaller, paths. She had been careful enough to glamour herself while grabbing the bag and running away, but she wasn't lying when she told Callie that full body glamours took way too much energy. Therefore the second she had gotten into the woods, even before finding Callie, she took the glamour off. If the man saw her now, she would be in deep trouble. Although he would have no proof that she was Feather, the government would most likely search the whole area for her.

The man was still following her. Even though Alexandra was intentionally leaving signs for him to trace, she hoped he wouldn't be able to follow them too well. As she continued running, she slowly left less and less signs, so that when there were none it wouldn't seem to sudden. All the running and illusions was starting to drain her, and she knew she had to get away from him soon if she didn't want to be caught. Far enough away from Callie to feel comfortable, Alexandra did the same thing she told Callie to do: climb a tree. Now all that was left was wait for the man to come, think he lost track of her, maybe he'd search the area for a little while, but then he'd leave. After he was done with all of that, Alexandra would probably have to wait another five minutes or so before returning to Callie. Perching on one of the thicker branches of a higher tree so that she would be able to see the large man, Alexandra started to rest her body.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie quickly shouldered her backpack after hastily putting Widget inside.  Then she mentally scaled the tree beside her and made her way up.  Feeling only the relief she had when she saw her friend return, she wondered who Alexa was running from and why.  There was a lot she didn't know about her, Callie realized, and wondered just how dangerous she was.  Alexa was taking great precautions to not be found, which only meant that she had done something to make them chase her so.  Callie could relate.  She herself had done something so horrendous that she would be undeniably ashamed if anyone found out.  Callie didn't know if anyone was actually chasing her or not, the Headmaster who expelled her didn't say.  She figured at least somebody was looking for her to wreck havoc on her life for killing that poor boy with her magic, so she knew it was a good idea to hide when Alexa told her to.

A sound below her brought her out of her thoughts.  She looked down and saw a man a few trees away looking for something.  Knowing he was looking for Alexa, Callie kept very still.  Go away, go away...  she thought harshly.  He kept walking, and Callie noticed that he wasn't very quiet about his search.  He was making it very easy for anything to remain hidden, whether it be beast, foul...or human.  Callie knew from this recent run that Alexa was nearby somewhere, watching the man as well.

[zozee9]

Watching as the man searched the area, Alexandra finally got a better look at him. He was a good six feet five inches tall, and had enough muscle that he probably weighed around two hundred fifty pounds. This was one big guy. His hair was dark and scruffy, and he sported a necklace that had... teeth? Ew, Alexandra thought. My teeth are not going to be added to that anytime soon. The man was shirtless, and, although buff, was totally not attractive. His baggy shorts were held up by a belt in which a sword was attached. How he had managed to run with it on and not jab his leg with the sword's hilt made no sense to Alexandra.

Alexandra realized that the man was smarter than she bargained for when he sat down. Not seeing any traces of her, he must have guessed she was nearby. And was waiting for her to come out... like a rabbit jumping into a wolf's mouth. On a normal day, Alexandra would've just stayed in the tree until the big man decided he was wrong and that she had escaped. But with the rush to Cerenis and Callie waiting for her, Alexandra wanted to get out of this situation as soon as possible. Trying to think of a plan to get the man away, Alexandra continued to sit.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie was curious.  She tried to see what was going on, but she was too high up and the leaves surrounding her were in the way.  She braced herself by putting her hand on the branch she sat on and leaned forward slightly, and then she saw him a little ways off.  He looked like a novice.  Maybe he's stupid, Callie thought with a smirk.  He didn't look like he knew what he was doing at all.

Callie heard a crack in the branch that she was holding and felt it give.  Her eyes widened at the very real possibility of it breaking away and falling to the ground.  Oh, no...  she thought helplessly.  I'm in trouble.  She slowly took her hand off the branch and shuddered.  The branch seemed fine for a moment, then it cracked some more and started to break away from the tree.  Callie panicked and tried to compensate the breaking branch by scooting up the opposite branch away from the pending disaster, but to no avail.  Callie moved too quickly and momentarily slipped off the branch, trying not to yelp in surprise as she did so.  She caught herself just in time.  Hugging the branch she had just been sitting on, she cringed at the noise that she had made in her plight.  That man must have heard it, she thought.  Facing the other way, she couldn't tell if he was looking at her or not.  She closed her eyes and tried to feel the situation.  If she could cause a distraction, a little one, then the man might not have reason to keep looking up in the trees.  Callie desperately wanted Alexa to stay safe, wherever she was.  Then she had an idea.

It didn't take much to whistle out the distraction.  She made herself sound like a sparrow, something she had learned at School.  It wasn't a long birdsong, just enough to make the illusion real.  Then she waited for a couple minutes until she couldn't hear anything from below and carefully made her way back onto the branch.

[zozee9]

Hearing a snap of a branch, Alexandra immediately thought of Callie. She must have fallen. But when no sounds of someone hitting the ground followed, Alexandra let out the breath she didn't know she was holding. The large man was looking at the direction of the sound, and Alexandra was just about to create an illusion of a bird when she heard a sparrow song. Seemed like she and Callie thought alike.

With the man's concentration scattered, Alexandra knew this would be her only chance to escape without having to use any more magic. Since the forest was pretty packed with trees, Alexandra didn't have much trouble transferring from the tree she was on to the next one. Silently moving to the lowest branch on the tree, she went under it so she was only hanging on by her hands. Attempting to drop without a sound, Alexandra let go. Although she somehow managed to land without any loud sounds, she had miscalculated the height of the drop. Her foot in extreme pain, Alexandra limped over to a tree with an oversized trunk and sat behind it.

Then, doing her best to copy the bird sound Callie made (with a mix of actual whistling and illusion sound), Alexandra prayed Callie would be able to locate her. She was still absurdly close to the man—only six trees separated them—and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to run any more with the pain in her foot. Looking behind herself, Alexandra started memorizing the patterns of the tree bark and ground in which she sat. If the man decided to come investigate, Alexandra had to have some illusion to hide by. And although she couldn't make herself invisible, she could camouflage herself.

[AnnieInsight]

Callie's ears pricked up at the answering call.  She wanted it to be Alexa, but since she couldn't see her she couldn't be positive it was her.  So, she tried again.  Taking a deep breath she uttered the birdsong she used a minute ago.  C'mon, Alexa...c'mon...  she wished as she waited.  Then she heard it, the sparrow's whistle that matched hers exactly.  Callie smiled now, knowing it was her friend who uttered it.  Carefully moving, she began to hop from tree to tree, heading toward the direction of second whistle.  Agile and used to swinging from branches since she was little, she quickly saw Alexa sitting on the ground below her.  Alexa looked up and motioned for her to stay there, which Callie did.

Then they both heard a new sound.  Another man was walking toward the one that was there first.  This man was taller, but not by much.  He was less muscular than the first man and he looked pissed, which surprised the two girls.  The two men made eye contact and the man who just came in pushed the bigger man.  He didn't knock him down, but he made it seem like he was supposed to.  Then the angry man took out his hunting dagger and flashed it for a second so that the bigger man could see it.  

"Nobody messes with my neice, got it?"  This was all he said.  He then pitched the dagger downward, causing the blade to stick straight through the bigger man's right foot.  The bigger man screamed in pain and hobbled away quickly, the dagger still in his foot.  Satisfied, the man left standing looked up in the trees.  

"Calliope?  Come on down from there, honey.  Nobody's gonna hurt you now."  The man raised his hand as if to help her out of the tree.