Grave of the Shadows (Starting!)

Alexa Noel

Once outside, I whispered to Caleb that Reyna had run off. Then I realized I hadn't seen Kyle either. I mentioned it, and Caleb gave me a concerned look. He tried to cover it with a smile.
"I guess we need to find them? Especially Reyna, I'm worried about what she might do."
"But for Reyna it's normal. Kyle doesn't run off, and he left his sketchbook." I remembered seeing the corner of it poking from around the wall. Kyle never went anywhere without it, so something must have happened. Still, Caleb had a point. Reyna sometimes let the grief overcome her. We all did, but she was especially frail, and hadn't been eating in a long time.

Spoiler

Pixie, past tense please!

Caleb Noel

I didn't like to put Alexa in this kind of danger- putting her outside in this kind of cold, in this kind of danger. However, I knew the look on her face- I saw it reflected in my heart. We couldn't stay inside that pitiful house, with those pitiful cries, and sadness.

I nodded at Alexa. "Your right. Besides, Kyle is younger- but Reyna is more likely to do somethin foolish. Let's look for them both, but not wander off to far. We can't let ourselves be added to the list of lost."

Alexa nodded, satisfied, but I was cursing inside. We never should've let the younger kids wake up to this mess- it just made chaos. The most I could do for Alexa was to try to make a game out of this mess- much like Mom and Dad did, before they died.

"Now," I said gently, offering Alexa to hike up on my back," where would Kyle be most likely to go if he was dazed?"

Alexa bit her lip. "The woods, maybe? I don't think he's ever liked the town much."

"Sounds like as good a place as any," I told her as she climbed on my back.

Alexa Noel

Sometimes I didn't like it when Caleb treated me like a little kid. Jazz and Tessa were little, not me. Besides, all of us were grown up now. Still, I loved Caleb, so I let him lift me up and I burried my face in the back of his head. He started jogging, and I gave a little laugh despite everything. I felt Caleb tense in acknowledgement, he always did when he made me laugh. I guess it was his way of saying he liked my laughter.

The city began to thin, and trees poked through my vision. Every once in a while a branch whipped my face, but I didn't care. I felt like I was flying. The wind blew my hair around and rubbed my skin. Then we stopped.

"Kyle!" I heard Caleb say, and I slid from his back to timidly glance at the boy, who was staring up at us with a dazed expression. My smile faded and I knelt to help him, and show Caleb that I wasn't just there to be in the way.

Tess

After Celeste declined my offer of help, I went back to my room and laid down. I figured that the least I could do was try and get some kind of sleep. I laid there tossing and turning, sleep would not come.

Sitting up and rubbing my eyes, I realized that I had not seem Kyle this whole time. Slowly standing up, I made my way to his room. The door was closed and there was no noise coming from the other side.

Figuring he was just asleep, I knocked on the door. Once, twice, and still nothing. Turning the door knob, I cracked the door and called softly for him. Still no answer. Swiftly I walked over to his bed, only to find it empty. Maybe he went to go see Celeste. So, I'll wait for him here, I thought while I crawled in to his bed.

Anytime I had a nightmare or couldn't sleep, I always came here. He helped chase the bad dreams away and made me feel safe. I turned on my side and curled up, beginning my wait. After several minutes, I felt my eyes start to close and sleep take me away.

Spoiler

First of all, sorry for not posting in a while...

Secondly... I've said this in the DT, but I'll say it again here. Rodr doesn't really show his feelings; he has them, but he tries to keep them hidden. A couple of people haven't really paid attention to that, but it's kind of a big part of his character. Also, I don't understand what you're having him do... I'm fine with you guys having him do stuff, but I'm getting confused.

Rodr

"Celi, where's Rodr?" Justia asked. "I need Rodr." I stepped out from behind Liam and knelt next to her; she reached up and hugged me, and I returned the embrace. "I'll be fine," she said quietly. "Don't worry about me." I nodded; but she was still pale as death, and her eyes were still wide. I looked at the ground instead; the ground wasn't a sad thing. The ground was hard - I had to be hard.

Suddenly I realized that Justia was pointing at her foot. I thought I saw a cut on it; I lifted it and found a bit of nail, rusted and old. I tried to keep my face calm, but I knew that that could kill her - it probably would. I can't lose family. Not again!

"Liam," I said, rising. "Look at this." I showed him the rusty nail. "She must have stepped on it - she needs help." Liam nodded. He said something, but I wasn't paying much attention - it was hard to focus when my sister was dying. I had to be strong.

Tessa came up with Jazz in tow; Jazz handed some soup to Celeste, who thanked him and began feeding it to Justia. I rose, walking towards Jazz. The kid was staying tough, but I could see he was a little shaken; we all were. Work would help him.

"Liam is trying to get a Night to come help Justia. Do you want to help me prepare? We need to get anything they'd recognize hidden." Jazz nodded, and we left the room.

Kyle Knightly

Oh great! This is just perfect. I looked up to see Alexa and Caleb looking down at me. I look down at myself and groan. My pajamas, a tee-shirt and a pair of long shorts, were dirty and bloody. I looked up to see Alexa reaching out her hand. I took it unsteadily and slowly stood up. The woods spun around me and my head ached.
“Um…” I licked my lips. “How did you find me?”
“We followed your all too obvious path,” replied Caleb.
“I didn’t get very far then did I?” I asked.
“No, just far enough for us to slightly wind ourselves finding you,” said Alexa.
“Let’s go,” I said heading off to the house. I needed to draw and to think. I needed to draw those ghosts so that they wouldn’t haunt me tonight. Alexa put a hand on my shoulder.
“It’s ok, you know,” she said quietly. I looked at her, confused. “To be afraid that is. Everyone’s afraid.”
How did she know? I wasn’t really afraid though… More like still asleep when I woke up. I don’t understand anymore.

Reyna Lennar
I ran through alleys, and through the whole city. Finally, I got to the woods. I still ran farther and farther. I think I'm far enough so that they won't find me. I was still in my black clothes, so I looked for a nice dark spot to sit. I found just what I was looking for. There was a big tree. I climbed it as high as I could go. The ground was so far away that I felt dizzy for a moment, just a moment. I continued climbing and found a nice spot with plenty of leaves to cover me. I stretched out, and grabbed the rope that I had brought. Tying myself to the tree, I made sure that I wouldn't fall. Nobody could possibly see me here. Even if that person had eagle eyes. My eyelids closed, and I slept deeply.

Ivan Shadowspear

"What is it?" I demanded. Before me stood Lao, his usual arrogant expression stamped on his lined face. He stroked his impressive grey moustache, other arm clasped behind his back. In his black armor and cape, he looked like the perfect evil general that he was.
"Some... unusual activity," reported Lao. "Some kids."
"Kids," repeated Johanna. "Why would we give a damn about a bunch of kids?"
"They're not registered in the birth charts," was Lao's curt reply. Nobody doubted him. If Lao said he had done something, he had indeed done it.
"The Shadows," I breathed. My pulse quickened. "The only ones that elude us. Where are they now?"
"Some scattered. Others are still somehwere around these parts," replied Lao, impassive.
"Lock down the city!" I barked. "I want them found and hanged, pronto!"

Liam Knightly

I glanced at Anna and Jackie, getting ready to request an audience. Yet as we approached the gates they swung open and a figure cloaked in black emerged. All three of us froze, our hearts pounding frantically. My brain sped up, this very Night could have been guilty of murdering our parents.

"What are they doing?" Anna whispered, moving forward to listen. We heard mumbling, and then one word, Shadows. I pushed them both back to the darkness of the wall. They had said children, I was eighteen and had never been seen by anyone other than the Shadow Children.

"I request an audience," I tried to sound both terrified and respectful, yet fierce in my request. "I need the help of a wizard." The Night froze, turning to stare at me. I held my breath, waiting for some kind of answer.

Spoiler

Italian, you can choose which Night this is, I wasn't sure which would be more likely to be leaving in search of the Shadow Children.

Reyna Lennar
I suddenly woke up. I could somehow sense that something was wrong. I untied my rope and looked around. It must have been my imagination... I tied myself back up, then changed my mind. I climbed higher, and tied myself there. If anything, I wouldn't want to be found... at least, not right now.

Arithorn Deathhailer

I froze. The kid had the audacity to summon the Nights... as doctors! When there were plenty of actual ones in the city... this was either no common illness, or the girl was especially stupid.
"There are Shadow Children in the area" Ivan's message rang out in my head. Coincidence? I think not. This was a perfect opportunity.
"Very well," I said, smoothly. My hand gripped my scythe, hidden beneath my cloak. "Lead on, girl"

Jackie

"Well, well," the Night said. "Lead on, girl."

Wait a minute. That was way too easy.

I was standing behind Liam, and I tapped him lightly, the motion hidden from the Night. Liam turned around and started back the way we had come. I followed, grabbing hold of his elbow. To anyone watching, it would seem like a gesture of companionship, but Liam and I both knew what was going on. Many of the older Shadows had memorized a tapping code, that we could use to communicate silently.

What should we do? I tapped.

Liam turned abruptly, and I let go of his elbow. At a fork in the road, he grabbed my wrist. "This way," he said. Then he tapped, Ambush. There's just one of them. Now keep quiet.

Spoiler

Italy, do you think you could post a quick list of the Nights in the DT, I'm getting confused about who's who.

Liam Knightly

I realized the stupidity of my idea. Why would a Night have ever helped us? Jackie pulls me away, and we slip into the shadows, away from the Night. He seemed to be distracted, so we took the chance to communicate through our parents' secret tapping language. Ambush. I tapped without really knowing what I was saying. All I knew was that we could not bring him home to the other Shadow Children. I realized we only had a few minutes. Suddenly I whispered for Anna to run home and let the others know they would need to find a doctor elsewhere.

"I'm so stupid," I muttered to Jackie. "Or would it simply be better to lead him elsewhere? There are plenty of sick in this city. There was an old lady last week, do you remember? We could pass her off as our parent. The Nights know the Shadow Children have no par..." The Night was looking around for us.
I slipped out, closely followed by Jackie. "This way," I motioned, aiming for the darkest, loneliest alleys of the city.

Jackie

My mind raced as Liam and I led the Night down the path. Where could we lead him? Not any of our usual haunts; we couldn't risk that. But what about...

I grabbed Liam's elbow again as we walked. Let's lead him to the old creepy house, I tapped. That'll look plausible, and we already know our way around there. Plus, it was very easy to get lost in that house. It hadn't been planned out well, and besides, it was falling apart. If you didn't know where to put your feet, you could fall right through the floor. All Liam and I had to do was keep the Night occupied long enough for Anna and Celeste to get the kids to safety. And when we had to escape, we could lose him in the maze of hallways in the basement. That'll work, right, Liam?