Demi~

At first I watched helplessy as Bradley was pinned down. But then Iyara snuck behind the tree and started cutting the ropes that bound me with a pocket knife. Once I was free though, many people came swarming in, obviously fighting against us. We needed to get out of here, and fast!

"Untie Jakob and hide him somewhere safe, and hurry!" I instructed. Iyara nodded and got to work on the other ropes.

I ran over to Bradley. I needed some kind of weapon...a branch lay on the ground a few feet away. I grabbed it and used all my might to throw it at the man in black. He grunted, and for a moment I thought nothing had happend, but then he fell to the ground, I had knocked him out! But now was no time to congratulate myself, we were all in danger.  

I fought with all the power I could muster, unfortunatley, our enemies were fighting with all the power they could muster also. 

Then I heard crying. I ducked a blow and ran towards the sound, thankfully no one followed me. It was Jakob, he was probably so scared. I knelt beside him.

"It's going to be all right dear," I tried to comfort him by holding his little hands. "Here, lets stay behind this tree, ok?" he nodded. I sat with Jakob until the violent sounds of war died down. I started to stand up but then realized an unusuall silence. That's odd..I thought Why isn't there the victorious shouts and cheering? Then it hit me. We had lost. 

"Dem?" Jakob said.

"Yes?"

"Where are others?" he asked, peering around the side of the tree. I looked to, and then ran out to where the fighting had occured. 

They had been captured. There was no one there...they had been taken away. 

I was torn. Should I try to go after them? Or should I search for Alana and Zena? There was a slim chance I could free everyone, but it would be better to find Alana and Zena if everyone helped. Finding the children was the mission though. And I really wanted the girls and Jakob to be safe. But what about Iyara and Bradley and the rest? 

I sat down and buried my head n my hands. 

Ok, sorry, I made a couple mistakes. First off, to match up with @Gecko's post, Azi cut the ropes not Iyara. And I realize it sounded not great when Demi thought the only way the group could escape was if she helped them, like as if they couldn't escape themselves. Sooo....sorry about that! 

Demi~

I decided I would try to find Zena and Alana. The rest of the group could escape and we would reunite...I hoped. 

I’m SO sorry I haven’t posted, I just have zero ideas right now and I’m doing a bunch of other stuff in life, (soccer, violin, co-op 3 times a month, school, worrying about the fires, playing with kittens, etc.) that I just haven’t been posting. I’m sorry! I’ll post as soon as I get an idea, I promise.

Ash

---

Ash swung down from the tree he had been hiding in. When the action started, he had zipped up the tree, just like that. And hid there while everyone had gotten kidnapped.

Ah yes what a wonderful teammate he was.

"So, warm ain't it?" he said to Demi.

"aaAAaah!" Demi shrieked, jumping up.

A tiny boy stood behind her, his hands shaking.

"Ah, you must be Jakob," Ash said, bowing down, and sticking out his hand to shake.

Jakob shook his hand warily.

"A-Ash!" Demi exclaimed, looking around, "Where did you come from?"

"Oh, I hid in the trees while everyone fought, like a coward," Ash shrugged.

"Really?! Did you see where they took them?! Come on, we have to follow them!" Demi exclaimed, jumping up.

Ash held up his hands, and motioned for silence.

"We're not following them until we treat you and Jakob's wounds. And besides, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, we'll find them no matter what. Anyways, they left the first aid stuff, let's treat those rope burns," Ash said, picking up a strange box covered with a cloth and heading to the campsite.

---

"How do you know we're going to find them?" Demi asked as Ash bandaged the rope burns around her wrists and ankles.

Jakob was sitting nearby, devouring a large piece of bread.

"I'll tell you after we eat, alright?" Ash said, grinning and taking out a basket of fruit.

After they ate, Ash, Demi, and Jakob sat down around the fire. Ash took out the strange box, and placed it on his lap. Very, very carefully, Ash took off the cloth.

Demi blinked.

"It-it's a pigeon," Demi said.

"Yeeeeeees," Ash said, smiling.

"Is . . . the pigeon supposed to . . . help?" Demi asked slowly.

"Yeah!" Ash exclaimed, "Basically, it's a messenger pigeon. I brought Jeffery with us because I thought we might need to send messages to each other. He flies between two hats that I have. I gave the other one to Iyara . . . well, I snuck it in her backpack."

Demi's eyes widened. "So we can follow him and find them wherever they go!" she exclaimed happily.

"Yep!" Ash said, "We'll leave in the morning."

--- 

Iyara’s POV 

I take roll call and discover that somehow, both Demi and Ash escaped! I look around, and in the dim light, I see hope on everyone’s faces. “Is there someone behind me? I can try to undo their bonds...” Bradley says he is, so I ding his hands, reach up towards his wrists, and quickly undo the rough rope holding his hands behind his back. He then unties somebody else, and soon everyone is untied. I scooch around to the door of the wagon we are in, and discover it’s a simple lock, that I can easily pick. So I do, and we all jump out. We walk a little ways away, and then I suggest we just wait so that it’s easier for Demi and Ash to find us. “If they are moving, looking for a moving target, and in this forest... besides, if we move it’s more likely we get split up.”

I hope I didn't write Iyara as doing too much! Just trying to move the story along!

Caston~

I tumble out of the wagon, landing on the ground with a thump. I jump up quickly, brushing dirt off my chest. I then follow the others walking quickly away from the still-moving wagon.

"Let's wait here," Iyara suggests. "It'll be easier for Ash and Demi to find us. If they are moving, looking for a moving target, and in this forest... besides, if we move it's more likely we get split up."

Everyone agrees, and we all move towards the side of the road. There, we set down our packs, and some people sit down in the grass to wait. I pace around a tree, examining faded tracks at my feet. Drnax. Velnir. Songrid. All harmless creatures, but identifying them gave me something to do. I hear someone approaching from behind, and spin around, tense. It's only Jeannie, and I relax.

"Hey," she says, giving me a half smile.

"Hey," I respond quietly. "Uh, what's up?"

She sighs. "I'm just worried about the kids, and Demi and Ash. And us, to be honest. What if they don't find us?"

I want to tell her they will, but I'm not sure either. I settle for nodding in agreement.

After another few minutes of silence, Jeannie's head snaps up. I look at her in confusion. "What was that?" she asks.

I tilt my head. "What? Did you hear something?"

She jumps up and runs out toward the road, pointing into the sky. "Look!" I follow her gaze, and see something coming through the air towards us. It's...

A pigeon?

~~~

Lumi, I hope I didn't control Jeannie too much! 

Ash

---

"It's them!" Ash exclaimed excitedly, scooping up Jakob and running even faster.

Demi followed, easily keeping up, and they screeched to a stop in front of the others.

"Guys!" Demi shrieked, hugging Iyara, who was at the front of the group.

Macy grinned, joining in on the hug, Azi smiled, waving at Ash, Bradley greeted Jakob, Jeannie ran to hug Ash, and even Sebastian cracked a faint smile. 

"Where's the wagon?!" Ash exclaimed, "The wagon that captured you guys.

Caston pointed in a direction. Zander caught on quickly. "We have to follow it, it'll lead to the others, come on!"

They turned, and started running. They were going to save the kids!

--- 

Bradley's POV

"C'mon, people, LET'S GET GOIN'!!!" I said, running after the others. 

Suddently, I tripped over something--I don't know what-- and landed HARD on my arm.

"Bradley! Is everything ok?" Jeannie said, running over to me.

"I think he broke something!" Someone--Sounded like Ash-- said, running towards me too.

"Is he dead?" Someone else said. Sounded like Macy.

"No, he's still breathing." Jeannie said, before I blacked out.

CLIFFHANGER!!!

Demi~ 

I rushed to Bradley and checked his pulse.

"He has a pulse but it's faint..." I observed. "And he is still breathing..." I racked my brain for what my father had tought me about passing out. "Oh right! Now I remember, we need to lift his feet above heart level so blood can flow to the brain!" 

Iyara and Zander lifted his legs and after a minute or two, Bradley slowy opened his eyes!

"Are you all right?" I asked gently.

"Ow, my arm!" he said and I looked at his arm, there was a big bruise on it.

"It'll get better over time...here we'll help you get up." 

Sorry that was so short! 

Ohmigosh you guys I AM TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!

I haven't been doing this AT ALL, and I wanted to apologize, I will start on my entry as soon as I catch up.

Sorry!!!!! 

Bradley's POV

"Thanks, guys. A lot. Ow, I think I broke my arm." I said, holding my arm. I looked at it, and it had a REALLY bad bruise on it.

"I'll bandage it." Demi said, getting some bandages.

She carefully bandged up my arm, and it hurt less, but it still hurt.

"Thanks, Demi." I said, as we continued walking.

Sorry it was so short.

Iyara’s POV  

I don’t think Bradley broke his arm, but I’m so excited that Demi and Ash found us, and that they found Jakob, and everything really, that I don’t care. Only one thing would make this better. I told Sprit to hide when the fighting started, and I haven’t see her since, and I think she took Ben with her. But I’m still happy, so I slither through the group to Demi and grab her hand. “I’m so glad you’re ok!” I say. Then Spirit comes bounding out of the woods with Ben on her back, and I laugh with pure joy. I told you so... says my brain, and I don’t even scold it. 

Toptoptoptoptop!! Don’t let this die!!!!!!