We, who Survived

As soon as he had packed a large fur blanket in a hide bag and I had my jacket on, Fern and I left his hut. It was frightening how determined he was to change my mind, but that thought was soon buried under other thoughts dancing in my head about what possibly could be watching us as we walked. With that in mind, I kept close to Fern, holding his hand tighter while I scanned our threatening surroundings, and trying to adjust to the darkness. It was weird having to rely on him for protection when he was still my captor and a total stranger. Was I getting a taste of what Stockholm Syndrome was like or was I that far over the line of sanity?

“We can stop here,” Fern whispered, pulling me to his side as I coughed lightly. “Keep your eyes open and try to stay still. It only happens at this time and they only come out around this time too.”

“W-what will come out?” Hugging myself, I tried to muffle another cough. Fern kept quiet, a mischievous grin my only answer.

Taking a deep breath, I waited for what Fern had brought me out here for. It did not take long to see it and I could not help but laugh in wonder. The moss that decorated trees and rocks began to glow in iridescent colours. Pinks, purples, blues and reds began to light up the forest. Crystal-like flowers bloomed and moths with colourful patterns flew around us. One deciding to land on the tip of my nose only for a second before flying off again. Just as I thought things could not get even more stunning, the animals started to come out.

A feline seemed to sprout off a nearby tree, its back covered in moss and tail patterned to look like bark. It trotted off when it saw the moths flying around a patch of soft, red coloured crystal flowers. The next thing to emerge from the forest was a herd of small zebra. Their traditional white fur replaced with a lime to dark green colouring. Their hooves and eyes a shimmering yellow.

“Everything here is known as Sacred Land. This is where a chemical plant used to be. An incident occurred one day, and this entire area was left scarred. Everything that lived here mutated to what you see now. Beautiful, right?” Fern explained as he crouched, a young zebra trotting up to him and sniffing at his outreached hand before nuzzling it.

“Sacred, meaning no one is allowed to hunt here?” Hesitantly, I came to crouch next to him. The zebra sniffed in my direction before surprisingly rubbing its head against my face. I laughed, running my fingers through the soft fur down the side of its neck and falling onto my butt.

“Yes, this area is forbidden to hunt in. The only hunters are the original predators,” Fern said as he sat down next to me. “This is one of the reasons we attacked your group. You were coming too close and we did not want you to see any of this in fear you would hunt the animals here.”

“Understandable. Hey little guy, where is your mom?” I said, smiling as I petted the calves’ head.

“Kitten, that’s as big as they get.” Fern was laughing now, a deep velvety laugh that made my cheeks burn.

“Y...y-you’re kidding right?” I stopped giving the zebra attention as I stared at Fern unbelievingly. “Nope, this little guy is a full-grown zebra.”

After my shock, Fern explained that some of the bigger animals ended up shrinking as their environment became more cramped from the rapid growth of trees and other species of animal. The feline I had seen earlier, a Tree Cat, once was the size of a leopard. When he was finished, Fern left to go get our supper as I laid out the fur blanket. By the time he had come back, the zebra was fast asleep by my side and a feline with a rock-based pattern and rocky armour on its back resting in my lap. I myself was not far away from sleep. The thought of escape was gone with the stunning environment around me.

Fern sat down next to me, handing over a bright round fruit that reminded me of an apple but when I bit into it, the flavour of strawberries hit my tongue. I gave him a questioning gaze, but he just smirked. We stayed silent as we ate. A warm breeze came through the branches of the trees, making me sigh in sleepiness. The feline purred as I gently stroked its side.

“I hope you don’t mind, but we are sleeping here tonight.” Fern sounded sheepish as he spoke, but his face was blank.

“I don’t mind but aren’t you afraid I’m gonna escape?” I asked, tilting my head.

“I brought you out here to show the village that you are trustworthy, if you run, then you run. They cannot do anything about it and nor can I.”

I kept quiet at that. Fern lay on his back, staring up at the branches as if waiting for me to get up and leave. Sure, I felt happy to know that I could go right now but as he said to his friends, I was still unwell and would not last under the harsh snow that surrounded the city if I wanted to return. Lowering myself onto my back, I glanced at Fern. His eyes were closed now. Taking a deep breath, I turned onto my side and rested my head on his chest. I felt his muscles tense before relaxing. The feline made itself comfortable in between us as the zebra moved closer in its sleep.

“Don’t get any ideas or I’m moving.”

“Why do you threaten so much?”

“Go to sleep.”

I felt fur on the back of my neck and gentle vibrations on my stomach. Something soft was under my cheek which was warm and had a slow thump to it. Stretching, I rested my arm over Fern’s stomach, not caring that I was using him as I pillow and lost my chance of freedom last night. I was comfortable and funny enough, on my way to being trusted. The feline between my stomach and his side flexed its claws before sitting up and jumping over me. The zebra, as I could feel the weight, rested its head on my side. Fern chuckled, his hand coming to play with my hair.

Opening my eyes, I stared up at him, only now picking up the little details I failed to notice before. He had light tattoos on his arm that held me to him, the patterns being geometric and two small pawprints were etched into his upper arm.

“Your eyes are so pretty in this lighting,” Fern whispered as he rested his hand on my cheek. His words brought a funny feeling to my stomach, like the saying of having butterflies in my tummy.

“Y-yours too,” I mumbled, wanting to hide my face. How could I say that in my situation? Spark and the others were probably out of their minds with worry and here I was lounging on top of my kidnapper. Well, good-looking kidnapper that is...

Sighing, I went to sit up, but the zebra’s head stopped me halfway. Fern just chuckled again. He looked happy to see that I had stuck around.

“I don’t think these two are going to let you go unless we take them with us,” Fern said as he sat up.

“Is that allowed?” I asked as I managed to turn onto my back, the zebra now resting its head on my chest.

“It is uncommon but allowed when the animals have bonded with someone. The herd left already, so that means this little guy chose to stick to you rather than them. The Rock Cat here probably will not leave your side either unless she is hunting but it also means you have a permanent hunting partner,” Fern stated, gently flicking the zebra’s nose. He snorted at Fern before nuzzling my chest. “See, he likes you.”

“Where will they stay then? I don’t want to lock them up if they are used to moving freely.”

“You are staying in my hut, so they will stay with us.”

“You know I still need to get back to my people, I can’t stay here all the time...”

Fern rolled his eyes before stretching his arms. “Kitten, you can travel between both our village and your base and eventually settle here when they no longer need you.”

“You mean become like a bridge between my people and yours.”

“I guess.”

Running my fingers through the zebra’s mane, I began to compare. Yes, compare. Don’t come judging me now. I was looking out for my people. Spark would do the same if he were there instead of me. Anyone of us leaders would do the same but maybe not come to the same conclusion. Here it was peaceful, organised and manageable. Back at the base, we were separated by class and broken into cliques. I felt secluded there even if Spark and the others tried hard to make me feel like I was a part of it all. But the building had its own library where I did not know if the Cree did. Then there was the matter of what River knew about Trident.

“Do you have journals to write in?” I finally asked, making Fern tilt his head in thought. “I am a knowledge specialist. If I am learning new things, I need to record them so I can give the information to the other leaders of my group so they can know what is dangerous and what is safe.”

“I know I have some extra in my hut. If you need more, I can teach you how to make them.”

Closing my eyes, I thought over the words I was about to say carefully. Either this was going to end badly for me and my group or at least my group would benefit from it. Taking a breath, I opened my eyes and locked gazes with Fern’s.

“I will stay with you but only if your father agrees to helping support my people and teaching them how to hunt too. When I know they will be benefited, I will stay.”

Fern’s grey-green eyes widened as my words registered before a giant grin took form on his lips. He took my hands in his before kissing them, his actions making my face burn like I was sitting in front of a roaring fire.

“I think you just made me the happiest chief in all the villages!”

“Don’t jump to conclusions asshole.”

True to Fern’s words, as soon as we were packed up and walking, the zebra and Rock Cat followed. In the light of day, the forest looked like a normal forest, with no luminescent plants and animals but plain, boring green. Even the zebra’s lime green fur seemed to become dull.

Fern held my hand as we walked, my injured ankle making us walk at a gentle pace. When we got back to the village, we would have baths before I was to hopefully meet the chief. I could sense the slight anxiety coming off Fern but like last night, the emotion did not express itself on his face. Would his father be angry at me for going to Sacred Land and bonding with two animals or pissed off that Fern was giving me more freedom than he was supposed to? It could easily be both with how Fern held my hand as if I would disappear. In a way, I did not want to go back permanently. Sure, there were things I would miss like the library and my bed but Fern’s made up for that bit. Then there was the problem of the animals. If I brought them back with me, what says that some people would not be desperate enough to kill one of them? Nothing. No, it would be safer to stay here. At least I knew what would happen to me if I stayed with Fern.

“Have you decided what names you are going to call them? The Rock Cat and zebra, I mean,” Fern asked, breaking my train of thought. He squeezed my hand to make sure I was listening.

“I have not. My mind is a bit too crowded at the moment with other things.”

“Oh, then what are you thinking about?”

“Everything, I guess. It has not been long with us being down here. The survivors have to get used to living in a volatile environment and them living in a working building is not really getting the idea into their heads. Right now, I was thinking about what I’m going to do. The other leaders can take over from me easily but no one has the amount of knowledge as I do even if it is a little outdated. We need a solid plan and that means you have to take me back, Fern. I said I would stay with you but they have to be safe before that becomes a full reality.”

“I know but my father is the one controlling that bit. He has to give the order to begin helping your people,” Fern muttered. “I am not chief yet and my authority only goes so far.”

It clicked then. Fern was not anxious about his father being angry at him and me but that his father may say no and that means I would go back to Trident Base. I would end up leaving him. Seriously, three days and he was this attached? I guess, he does really like me.