Emmaline felt like she had been waiting for ages when David finally showed up. When he came, Emmaline bounded towards him. For the hours he was gone, she had a lot to think about, and a ton of questions, too.
"David, where did you go, what happened, and who was that girl?!" she demanded. For some reason, she felt anger, worry, and jealousy. Why was she feeling these feelings over some random guy who just popped up out of nowhere? She didn't know, but she still felt them, and she was mad.
"Woah, woah, woah. A warm welcome?" David smirked mischievously. His smile melted over Emmaline, but as stubborn as she was, she wouldn't show that she wasn't bratty anymore. And she still had all of those questions! "Hi," she muttered, rolling her eyes. Her arms were crossed and she was ready to listen. When David was silent, Emmaline growled. "Answers?" she hissed.
"Okay, okay!" said David, "I'll tell you. I went back home, I had dinner and stuff and hung out, and that girl was my obnoxious sister who is paranoid."
Emmaline couldn't believe it. He was just . . . home? She thought he didn't really have a home or a life. She thought he was a lost traveler who wandered everywhere and hung out with Axel sometimes. He had a life! What would his family say when he left and he was gone for days, weeks, maybe even months or years?
"But . . . won't they be . . . worried?" Emmaline gasped.
"Don't you have a family?" he retorted.
Emmaline looked down. He was right, she did have a family, that was probably worried sick. "I . . . it's . . . no! They're not a real family! Just relatives . . . " Emmaline muttered.
"Well that's you. Look, I love my family, but they know me as an adventure person. I go places. Now, my sister on the other hand, is annoying. She wonders where I am, all of the time, and she'll do anything to get me in trouble. But she never can find a way to prove it. My dad is full of justice," he chuckled.
Emmaline remained silent and looked down. She wished she had a family like his -- it sounded like they were a close, understanding, and loving family. A normal family. All she had was a mom who was just . . . different . . . a grandma who didn't spend much time with her, and an uncle. She didn't think any of them cared for her, anyways. They wouldn't be worried at all . . . would they?
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"Emmaline, you're up. Come on," David murmured. Emmaline yawned and stretched. She had the last watch, so the night was at the verge of dawn. She nodded and got up. Emmaline couldn't complain because she got the most sleep, and it was the shortest and easiest watch.
David had come back that evening. He was tired, so Axel decided to take on the first watch, refusing to David's insistence, so David got the second watch. "Trust me, David. I owe it to you from when . . . well, you know," Axel had said. David had sighed and nodded, agreeing to 'from when . . . well, you know.'
Emmaline tore from the past and walked to a stump that was hidden from view from some ferns, but she could still observe her surroundings. Then she became distant into her thoughts again. Her travel-mates' conversation had been bothering Emmaline before, but she knew she had needed rest from being awake twenty-four hours. Now, she could actually think and watch.
'Okay . . .' she thought, 'I think we were planning on crossing the river to the Hume-Wolves' territory but skimming through at the edge, because they are very hostile. By that, we would then enter the Hume-Snake's territory!' Emmaline shivered. She was not planning on encountering any Hume-Snakes! Then there was the Bird Kingdom, but that would take a couple of days to get to.
Emmaline shook her head and focused on the watch. The sky was becoming a lighter tint, crossing to a watery blue-gray color. Her watch was nearly over. Speaking of her watch, what were Axel and David talking about before . . . ?
A few groans and yawns were heard behind Emmaline. She nearly jumped out of her skin, but then she remembered that it was just Axel and David waking up. 'Wow,' she thought, 'That was fast.'
Before Emmaline could even hop off the rock, her two companions were up and ready to go. Emmaline shrugged and followed them. Her feet were still sore, so she wasn't up for the sprint that was apparently going to be the whole day.
"We have to get to our destinations as quickly as possible," the boys said.
"But what's our destination?!" Emmaline growled.
"It's a secret," said Axel, grinning.
But Emmaline refused to believe so. They really did not know what they were aiming for, but that was what boys were like, wasn't it? They always wanted to show that they knew, even though they didn't know anything about anything.
Lost in her thoughts, as always, time flew by like a rocket, and soon it was sundown. "Because of your wobbly gape, we hardly got halfway to the Hume-Wolves' territory!" Axel spat.
"Whatever . . ." she muttered. Emmaline was exhausted, and she did not feel like arguing over a dumb matter. She wandered to the bottom of a slope and collapsed onto a smooth, soft blanket of grass. She sighed with relief as sleep engulfed over herself immediately.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Emmaline stumbled as she leaped the last boulder and crossed the Ruby River, which was a sparkling deep blood red. She panted and rolled over on her back.
"Emmaline, you couldn't be tired already!" spat Axel. "It's only eight o'clock."
"Nah, I'm not that tired. I'm just . . . a little worn out, that's . . . all," she said, gulping for breath between words.
"Shh! You two, we're in wolf territory. It's extremely hostile, remember? We have to cross quickly to the Hume-Snakes' region, before we get caught," David hissed.
"You are quite right, my boy," a voice growled. Instantly, Emmaline's face darted to where the sound came from. Her eyes widened as she observed the creature. At least six feet tall, spiky gray fur, armor, a crisp amber gaze, and a snarling face.
The three journeyers were facing a hungry Hume-Wolf.
