The Hunt: Chapter 4; Well that explains a lot...

"Others?" I asked. Sage nodded and led the way through the forest, obviously searching for something.

"Yes. My sister Snowdonia and my girlfriend Rosabella," Sage replied vaguely. I nodded, swallowing a lump in my throat. I wished for a home to go to, even a mental institute would've done. I had no friends, much less a love life. I'd hoped I could've started a new life with Sage, like in those cheesy fairy tales. I shook my head. What am I thinking, I scolded myself, Sage already has a girlfriend and a sister. I'm just a newcomer. 

We pushed our way through the foliage and came to a clearing with bark blue tents. Two girls about my age were sitting around on pillows. They sprang up when they saw us appear and one of the girls ran towards Sage and hugged him.

"Oh thank God!" she cried, "I heard that huge deceroach coming and I was so worried!" The girl had straight dirty blond hair and hazel eyes. She was taller than I was, but shorter than Sage. She gave me a poisonous look and asked;

"Who's this?" She sounded like I was a dirty piece of trash that was dragged in by a dog. Sage opened his mouth to reply, but I interrupted him. 

"Rowan Hawthorne, very glad to meet you acquaintance, now will someone tell what is going on?" Complete silence fell over the camp. Sage's face was a mask of shock and Rosabella had on a glare of such intensity, I squirmed. The other girl, most likely Snowdonia, took me by the elbow and led me off into a private spot away from Sage and Rosabella. 

"I'll tell you all you need to know," she muttered, "but not in camp. Rosabella had a very short temper and she might kill you if you say anything else."

"Why would she do that?"

"Well, for starters, she is very protective of Sage. She thinks you're trying to steal him. And if she thinks that, then she will hunt you down." She smiled, a bit forced. 

"That's ridiculous," I scoffed. Snowdonia shrugged.

'That's just Rosabella. Now, what do you want to know?"

"Everything," I said, "What's The Hunt? Why are they targeting you and me?"

"Well, let's start off with the first question. The Hunt is an ordeal that every person with idiosyncratic abilities faces. Me, for example, I can control water and ice. Sage can summon metals and gems from the earth and Rosabella controls fire, We are in the elemental category, but there are other categories as well. Like the mental category where there are molecular kinesis, telekinesis, telepathy, precognition, neurocognitive deficit, mind control, and psychometry. There is also the physical category including invisibility, flight, super strength, air mimicry, shape shifting, healing, and animal communication. Any of these people who have these abilities will become part of The Hunt when they turn seven. We don't know why, but it's just what happens. Have you ever felt like you ere being watched? Felt like you were followed?" I nodded. How does she know that?

"Well, it's because you were being Hunted. By placing you in a mental hospital or any kind of hospital, you were kept safe. This is why hospitals and urgent cares were created; to keep us with peculiar abilities safe. Whoever put you in that mental institute obviously knew your ability."

"My uncle?" I asked, incredulous. I hated him and he didn't like me any more. It was hard to think that he was trying to keep me safe. Snowdonia nodded.

"We have a couple of theories to why The Hunt happens. None of them are proven true, but it's worth thinking about." I nodded and stared off into the forest. What's my power? I wondered, What can I do? I turned away from Snowdonia. 

"Thank you for explaining." I murmured softly.