221 Trapped (2/2)

”What if we can't find a cave?”

”Well,” Loyd sighed. ”Then I don't know. I'm betting it all on us finding a cave, but if we don't I guess we'll have to settle underneath a tree with a wide canopy to escape the snow.”

”With all the other dangers?” I added.

”What other dangers?” Loyd seemed confused by my words.

”Wild animals...that sort of thing,” I continued to omit the fact about other people on this mountain that wanted to do us harm.

”We'll just have to risk it,” Loyd sighed as he continued with the search. ”Hopefully the fire would scare them away.”

”Yeah,” I nodded. ”Hopefully it doesn't draw them to us...”

”What're you talking about?” Loyd looked over his shoulders once again and at me with a confused look on his face. He must think that I am delirious right now, struck dumb by the shocking fact that we are trapped on this mountain for the night.

”Nothing,” I chuckled as I tried to subtly create an atmosphere of caution for him without telling him about our real dangers. ”It's just that I just wondered about things like that...”

He stared at me for a bit longer, gazing into my eyes while he frowned. After a half minute of eye contact, he sighed and looked away, continuing with the search. He appears to be quite determined to find a cave for shelter, somewhere that everyone can stay and be protected from the cold. However, I suspect the driving force of his actions is Alvelyn.

”We need to find somewhere fast,” he muttered. ”We can't keep the others waiting forever.”

I don't know if it was predetermined or if it was just luck, but we did succeed in finding a cave in the face of the cliff. It was a rather shallow one as well. In addition, it does not seem to be claimed by any animal as there lacked the stench of wild creatures as well as any signs of life in the cave. There were no dead carcasses here or any animal feces clinging to the ground. Looking up, there weren't any bats as well.

”This place is perfect,” Loyd said with great pride and enthusiasm on his face. ”Let's get the others here.”

”You still remember the way?” I asked him.

”Somewhat,” Loyd said. ”It'll have to work.”

After making a mental note of where the cave was in my mind, I exited and followed Loyd as we tried to make our way back to the crowd through the forest. In the dark forest, it was basically impossible for us to tell exactly where we came from. The small clusters of fresh snow that had just fallen from the sky also changed the scenery of the forest. Even that subtle difference made navigating even more difficult. However, based on my observations, we did go in the right direction and was able to meet up with the others who did not stray far from their original location.

”Thank God you guys didn't go far,” Loyd let out a sigh of relief when he saw Alvelyn.

”It was Alvelyn's idea,” Irina credited my female form.

”How did it go?” Mura asked as she held onto a medium sized bundle of firewood in her arms.

”We found a cave,” Loyd reported. ”I'll lead the way back.”

As they talked, I went around to each girl, asking for some of the firewood from their arms. I took some from each girl, alleviating the load from each. Before long, I had a large stack in my arms as well. That was one of the things that I did before we started making our way to the cave. The other thing is that I talked to Zaksus.

”Zaksus,” I called to him.

”Yeah?”

”You take the back,” I said to him without explaining why despite his numerous attempts at inquiring. ”Just do as I say.”

I then upped my walking pace, making it so that I was walking near the middle of the pack. As I walked, I kept my eye on look out, scanning our surroundings for any possible threat that would attack. My thinking is this: Zaksus is the strongest and most athletic out of all of us with the best reaction time. So if someone were to attack us from behind, he would be able to react and buy us enough time to help out if necessary. This situation we're in...it's not a joke anymore. I have to treat it seriously.

After walking for ten minutes, the entire group finally made it to the cave. We were quite lucky that the cave seemed to be just right for the ten of us, with enough depth so that we did not have to huddle around the mouth of the cave where the cold wind blew in. With a shelter now discovered, we started building the fire. Zaksus laid the firewood in the necessary arrangement with the easier to light and more flammable twigs in the very center to burn the other wood.

As Noah was on the ground, bent over and doing his best to start the fire, the rest of us gathered around him, shivering. The others seemed to be praying, praying that this fire would light up and that we would be safe. I don't blame them for praying. If I did not know God and his angels, I would probably be praying as well. However, I don't think it would work since we have an angel here that had lost his powers trying to start the fire.

”Yes!” I heard people call out as the small fire started crackling to life.

With great patience, Noah fed the young flame some more firewood, but stopping at just the right amount so that the flame wouldn't suffocate.

”Ahh, warmth,” I heard Zaksus let out as he warmed his hands around the fire.

”We'll have to keep the fire going for the night,” Alvelyn pointed out. ”Or else we'll just freeze to death while sleeping.”

”She's right, sis,” Muria nodded and said to Mura.

”I suggest we take turns watching the flame,” I said out loud so that the others would all hear me. ”It's currently 12:28 AM. The sun should rise somewhere around 6 AM, so about five and a half more hours. I'll watch it for the first hour.”

”I'll take the next hour then,” Loyd said.

”I got the next,” Noah raised his hand.

”I'll take the next hour then,” Zaksus said.

”That means we still have an hour and a half left...” I concluded.

”The girls shouldn't have to do as long of a shift as us,” Loyd said. ”They don't have the same physical endurance.”

”Half hour shifts?” Zaksus suggested.

”I'll do an hour,” Mura said.

”No,” I shook my head. ”It's pointless if our teacher is too tired in the morning. Half an hour max.”

”I'll do the next thirty-minutes,” Luna raised her hand.

”I'll do the last half hour,” Alvelyn concluded.

”Alright then,” Mura announced to the rest of us. ”Everybody, go to sleep. We'll need to conserve as much energy as possible. Alevian,” she paused and looked over at me. ”Keep the fire going.”

”I will.”

I nodded as I peered out the mouth of the cave. The snow outside had picked up quite a bit, creating a snow storm that muffled all the sound outside and reduced visibility. However, I swear that I saw something staring at me, staring at us. It must've been a wild animal of some sort as I saw a thin object with a round end that might've been a tail flapping about.