Chapter 7: Thick in the Thicket

"So are we going to camp here?" Catherine asks in her usually snotty tone as we settle into the clearing.

"Quiet." I snap and then whisper. "Listen to the woods."

She gives me a curious frown but doesn't say anything. We sit and listen. Slowly the sounds of the wood lands penetrate my consciousness. Birds chirping and flitting about. Small creatures rustling about. Then ... They stop.

Catherine gives me a surprised look. Next we hear motors. Large land vehicles drive by. Everyones eyes go wide. Alys starts to whimper. I pull her tight into my arms and pet her head until she calms down.

"We would have been trapped." Catherine silently mouths the words. She looks horrified at the thought that she could have been so arrogant. I say nothing in return. I merely nod my head in solemn agreement. We count 4 vehicles. When they pass, everyone lets out the breath they were holding

"What now?" Diana leans in to ask.

"We wait some more."

"We should leave." Catherine says.

"I think- we -should- wait." I counter back. I can see that she wants to fight but she also seem to be struggling the the fact that I have been right and very careful with my charges.

"Please, Catherine, this is not about you or me. This is about keeping us safe." I place my hand on her arm as I urge her to remember she is a Protector.

She is about to answer when we hear people crashing about in the under brush. Diana grabs Nev and holds her down. Catherine does the same with Brin. I wrap a hand around Alys' mouth as she starts to whimper again. She seems to understand that we need to be quiet. She gets control of her mouth, but then starts to shake.

"Breathe." I whisper into her ear. "Listen, no feelings." Her shaking lessens. But her eyes stay wide and wild. The others are all looking around wild eyed too.

"I think they are long gone." A male voice says outside our thicket.

"Yeah, if they know what is good for them." Laughs another voice.

"Then why are we out here looking if they are gone." Whines a third.

"Shut up Able," the first snaps. "You never question, just do, that is the way to get ahead in this mans army."

The men are silent again as they walk by. Catherine starts to release Brin, I shake my head no. She give me a puzzled look.

"There are more," I mouth the words to her. She nods as she frowns at the idea. Alys has stopped shaking her body seems to have gone slack in my arms. At first I am a little alarmed by it, but I then sense she has gone to sleep. That would be the best thing for her now. I lean her back again my shoulder and rock her gently. Asleep she will be less trouble.

We wait till the sun has set, when we hear the men come back.

"Damn trees." The whiner says, he hacks some branches out of his way.

"I'm calling it in." The first voice tells his companions.

We hear some clicking then static. "This is search 2, negative contact."

"2 come home, will bring out Scanners for the after dark hunt." A new voice says sounding grainy and distorted by the radio.

"Will do." I can hear the fear in his voice about the Scanners. "Coming back."

"ETA?"

"Twenty minutes."

"Check. Be in plenty of time." the crackly voice on the speaker says. "Grubs waiting, hurry home."

"Thanks, 2 over and out." He closes the channel.

"Hear that boys, our work is done. Now, lets get out of here before the scanners get us." The three chuckle in bravado, to mask the fear that I can smell coming off of them.

"Now?" Catherine mouths at me, as the men stomp out of range.

"Now," I nod back.