The Powerful Gifts (Part 2 of Chapter 1) ((Corrected Again))

Author's Notes: If you guys don't like how this next part in the chapter is going just tell me and I can change it. Also, I might be interested in a different name for the story, so if any of you have an idea I'd be glad to hear about it.

Maven entered the cave after Rune, followed by his companions that had helped get her out of prison. A few faces she remembered from when she was little, but most were strangers that she felt wary about. She had easily recognized her brother when his face had appeared through her cell door, but now, really seeing the way he walked, talked, and held himself, she realized just how much he had changed -- and she hoped it was for the better. As they were growing up she had always been taller. But now he was in the lead by at least two inches. His once blond hair as a child had darkened and one could almost describe it as brown. His jaw had expanded into a much more mature and manly look, and he now had large, muscular arms.

A fire blazed in the heart of the cave. Once completely inside Maven saw even more people. Several cheered and congratulated the group, but the rest eyed her suspiciously or merely stared.

“Well done Rune!” said a well-muscled man when everyone had calmed down.

Maven's brother went up to the man, a large smile across his face. “The plan was perfect, just like you said.”

The man shrugged, also smiling. “It wasn't that hard.” His eyes flicked over at Maven. “So, will she be staying?” he asked as though she were some filthy animal.

“Of course,” Rune started, but Maven snapped over his voice;

“No, I'll be leaving quite soon.”

Now everyone was certainly looking straight at her, mainly because she had just interrupted their “leader”, but her gaze was locked with Rune.

“What do you mean you're leaving soon?” Rune snarled. “We just saved you! You owe us.”

“I owe you nothing,” she hissed coldly. “Really all you did was get me out a month early. If you hadn't come at all I would have been able to get out anyway.”

All was silent as brother and sister glared at each other.

Finally, Rune cleared his throat, looking away. “Right,” he muttered, half to himself. “Well, the least we can do is let you stay the night, then you can be on your way.” He looked as though he wanted to ask how she would have been able to get out on her own, but he kept his mouth shut.

Maven nodded, accepting these terms and Rune showed her where she would be sleeping. Which was at the very back of the cave, farthest from anyone else.

Maven laid down and put her head on a straw-filed pile she had been given She watched as Rune and his people settled down for the night, talking softly amongst themselves. Only now did she notice just how many children there were. She counted six, but there were probably more hidden in the midst of the adults. A couple of the children glanced her way, but when they met her gaze they looked fearfully away, rushing to people that looked like their parents.

Sleep came very slowly, but at last when it did, her dreams were consumed in confusion and mystery.

Maven blinked her eyes open and sat up. Rune was sitting at the cave entrance, leaning against a wall, fast asleep. She and a few others were the only ones awake. The light outside was growing stronger, which told her morning was quickly on its way. A couple more people awoken, and soon the cave was full of commotion. Rune was now stirring and soon on his feet. He began pulling raw meat out from a crevice in one of the walls and handing them over to people so that they could cook it. And not once did he glance over at her – not that she cared.

Then Maven felt a sort tingling on the side of her face and her gaze flicked over to her right, where a boy sat, staring unflinchingly at her. He had a creepy air about him that went perfectly with his white-blonde hair. His face was pale and had knowing golden eyes. Maven narrowed her eyes intimidatingly, hoping to scare him away, but he didn't even blink.

“Yes, boy?” she growled at last, quickly losing her patience.

He blinked, but it didn't remove the dark interest within them. He looked over his shoulder at Rune, then turned back to her. “May I speak with you?” he asked.

Maven almost snapped a no, but a quire feeling stopped her from saying anything along those lines. At first she was silent, and then she realized with a start what had happened. This boy had the Manipulator Gift! She grinned to herself and immediately started blocking all his attempts at controlling her emotions.

She saw his eyebrows furrow with concentration. And after a while saw a trickle of sweat go down the side of his face.

“Come here,” Maven ordered. She felt his power vanish from within her and she knew he had stopped trying.

The boy looked slightly startled, but the slight emotion quickly went away and he walked over to her, sitting down a couple of feet away.

“What is your name?” she asked.

“Fyron Crane,” he answered, looking her in the eye better than her own brother did.

“And how old are you?”

“Twelve.”

“Really?” Maven purred smoothly. “You look much older than that.”

His face was plain and didn't seem to respond, in any way, to her compliment.

“Is your name Maven?” he questioned simply.

“That it is.” For some reason she felt a growing liking for this boy – and it had nothing to do with him secretly Manipulating her emotions. “I've been in prison for seven years,” she added, curious at his reaction.

“I know,” he said. “Why?”

Maven thought on it for a moment. Why did she get thrown into prison? Oh yes, murder. “I killed someone and got caught.” Fyron struck her as someone who would not want something said sweetly to spare his feelings. And she was right, because he merely looked interested.

“Who did you kill?”

Maven tensed, but she had known all along this question would come up. “The man who killed my father,” she whispered.