of arrows rained down behind them as she bobbed
and weaved between the trees.
She quickly cut left; less
arrows were flying through the air than before, implanting
themselves into the dirt behind the group of five.
Enders reestablished his
grip on the flag and kept up his pace, running just behind
Harlow.
One thing was for certain:
That was not only one archer. Reggie's whole team had probably
taken to the trees immediately.
Harlow's lungs felt like
they'd explode. Her legs started burn, and her heart felt like it
would beat right out of her chest. She noticed Enders struggling to
keep his breath and starting to slow down.
Eventually, the sound of
arrows flying through the air faded and disappeared
completely.
Harlow was relieved to slow
down her pace to a light jog; the team followed in suit, jogging to
a stop.
They stood around in a
circular formation for a few minutes, trying to catch their breaths
in silence.
“ We need a
plan.” Enders broke the silence, panting loudly, forcing air into
his lungs. He placed his right hand on his right knee, propping
himself up, but giving himself enough time to catch his breath,
while his left hand held the flag.
Harlow placed her hands on
her hips, heaving in breaths and exhaling hard. “Aye.” She said,
simply.
Harlow noticed Rawley
looking around the forestry. “We could bury the flag.” He
suggested, his breathing far less struggled than the others. His
black hair swayed slightly, brushing against his eyebrows, while he
spoke.
Harlow raised an eyebrow in
curiosity, then nodded approvingly. She looked at Enders, who was
looking at the floor, trying to catch his breath.
“ I like that
idea. We wouldn't have to worry about it as long as we keep it
hidden.” Elwin chimed in, also trying to catch his
breath.
Candor nodded in approval
of the idea, although keeping his input to a minimum as he focused
on breathing
Harlow nodded. “Okay. We'll
bury the flag.” She looked around the forest floor, spotting a huge
oak tree with large roots that protruded the soil. She looked to
Enders, pointing out the roots. “There,” Harlow said, taking a few
steps. “The roots will keep it hidden.”
Enders nodded, looking to
the tree. “Sure.” He stood up straight, holding the flag in his
grip. “Cover me while I hide it.” He commanded.
Harlow followed Enders as
he went to the roots and tried to make the flag
invisible.
“ Hurry.”
Harlow said after a few seconds.
Enders sighed and rolled
his eyes. “You try hiding a huge flag in a small system of roots.”
He whispered harshly.
A second later he stood up,
examining his handiwork as the other three men all leaned against
trees, their eyes closed in exhaustion.
“ How are we
supposed to find everyone else?” Rawley asked, looking around the
foliage, after Harlow and Enders returned.
Elwin shrugged. “We could
sit in the trees and wait.”
Enders shook his head in
response. “Everyone else has probably already taken to the trees.
We need to draw them out.”
Candor sighed. “How do we
do that?” He asked, looking around, raising one hand to wipe some
of his hair out of his face.
A far off snapping twig
echoed throughout the forest.
Everyone turned their heads
to the noise.
Harlow bit her lip. “We'll
split up.”
“ What?”
Rawley asked, scrunching his eyebrows together and looking at her
incredulously. “That's a terrible idea. What if they come after
us?”
Harlow looked at him and
nodded, taking in breaths. “Not unless we have a plan. Enders said
we need to draw them out. We can't do that if we're all in the
trees.” Harlow stopped speaking for a moment and looked around the
treetops. “I think this is the best place to stage an ambush of
some sort.”
Enders raised an eyebrow at
her. “Ambush?”
Harlow let her eyes linger
on him, her heart beating even faster with the sight. His hair was
damp and hung over his eyes, bringing out their brown
color.
She tried to bury the
tingling feeling
and weaved between the trees.
She quickly cut left; less
arrows were flying through the air than before, implanting
themselves into the dirt behind the group of five.
Enders reestablished his
grip on the flag and kept up his pace, running just behind
Harlow.
One thing was for certain:
That was not only one archer. Reggie's whole team had probably
taken to the trees immediately.
Harlow's lungs felt like
they'd explode. Her legs started burn, and her heart felt like it
would beat right out of her chest. She noticed Enders struggling to
keep his breath and starting to slow down.
Eventually, the sound of
arrows flying through the air faded and disappeared
completely.
Harlow was relieved to slow
down her pace to a light jog; the team followed in suit, jogging to
a stop.
They stood around in a
circular formation for a few minutes, trying to catch their breaths
in silence.
“ We need a
plan.” Enders broke the silence, panting loudly, forcing air into
his lungs. He placed his right hand on his right knee, propping
himself up, but giving himself enough time to catch his breath,
while his left hand held the flag.
Harlow placed her hands on
her hips, heaving in breaths and exhaling hard. “Aye.” She said,
simply.
Harlow noticed Rawley
looking around the forestry. “We could bury the flag.” He
suggested, his breathing far less struggled than the others. His
black hair swayed slightly, brushing against his eyebrows, while he
spoke.
Harlow raised an eyebrow in
curiosity, then nodded approvingly. She looked at Enders, who was
looking at the floor, trying to catch his breath.
“ I like that
idea. We wouldn't have to worry about it as long as we keep it
hidden.” Elwin chimed in, also trying to catch his
breath.
Candor nodded in approval
of the idea, although keeping his input to a minimum as he focused
on breathing
Harlow nodded. “Okay. We'll
bury the flag.” She looked around the forest floor, spotting a huge
oak tree with large roots that protruded the soil. She looked to
Enders, pointing out the roots. “There,” Harlow said, taking a few
steps. “The roots will keep it hidden.”
Enders nodded, looking to
the tree. “Sure.” He stood up straight, holding the flag in his
grip. “Cover me while I hide it.” He commanded.
Harlow followed Enders as
he went to the roots and tried to make the flag
invisible.
“ Hurry.”
Harlow said after a few seconds.
Enders sighed and rolled
his eyes. “You try hiding a huge flag in a small system of roots.”
He whispered harshly.
A second later he stood up,
examining his handiwork as the other three men all leaned against
trees, their eyes closed in exhaustion.
“ How are we
supposed to find everyone else?” Rawley asked, looking around the
foliage, after Harlow and Enders returned.
Elwin shrugged. “We could
sit in the trees and wait.”
Enders shook his head in
response. “Everyone else has probably already taken to the trees.
We need to draw them out.”
Candor sighed. “How do we
do that?” He asked, looking around, raising one hand to wipe some
of his hair out of his face.
A far off snapping twig
echoed throughout the forest.
Everyone turned their heads
to the noise.
Harlow bit her lip. “We'll
split up.”
“ What?”
Rawley asked, scrunching his eyebrows together and looking at her
incredulously. “That's a terrible idea. What if they come after
us?”
Harlow looked at him and
nodded, taking in breaths. “Not unless we have a plan. Enders said
we need to draw them out. We can't do that if we're all in the
trees.” Harlow stopped speaking for a moment and looked around the
treetops. “I think this is the best place to stage an ambush of
some sort.”
Enders raised an eyebrow at
her. “Ambush?”
Harlow let her eyes linger
on him, her heart beating even faster with the sight. His hair was
damp and hung over his eyes, bringing out their brown
color.
She tried to bury the
tingling feeling
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