I had thought my feet hurt yesterday, but today pain became a whole new experience. At first I winced every time I took a step, but eventually the constant ache went away. Or it hurt so much, my feet went numb from the pain.

Nothing significant happened as the camp was packed up for the rest of the journey to Orka Point. Maybe it was because I paid no attention to Zachan all morning. I think when I avoided his glance the third time he noticed something was wrong. But like last night, he said nothing.

My mind was still reeling over the conversation he had with the unknown man from the Zeahev tribe. It was humiliating, feeling put down as incapable of doing anything but cause trouble. I was still feeling the weight of it as I was walking once again through the forest. Although this time I wasn't alone, Seanne was by my side today.

She kept giving me glances when she wasn't surveying the area around us. She could tell that something was wrong, as my head hung low and my face was drawn. When we had been walking for about an hour she decided to speak up.

"What is wrong Aleenia?" she asks with a sigh. I noticed my companion didn't quite like dealing with heavy emotions. It made her uncomfortable. And for that reason I decided I wasn't going to tell her what I over heard last night.

"My feet hurt." I say instead, it was no lie.

"It is not far from Orka point." She tells me." There is a small trail that leads down to a small shoreline, soak your feet in the salt water. It will help."

I nod in response, carefully stepping over a fallen log on the trail. Nothing more was said until we made it there, finally. It was a vast open area, no trees to block the wind whipped up from the ocean. Orka Point was like a large grassy field, but dropped off to a rocky 60-foot drop to the sea.

Having not seen the ocean in such a long time it brings a sad smile to my face. I woke up to the sight of blue choppy waves every morning back at Fellshore. And like most days there, today was no different as mist fogged over the water leaving it seeming endless. The salty air brought back memories I had suppressed for some months now.

The camp was built amongst the forest tree line, as I could imagine the tents built in the open area would be blown off like dandelion seeds. While all this was happening, my legs gave up and I sat upon a log, rubbing my sore calf muscles.

Seanne had wandered off, coming back a few minutes later with two clay bowls filled with water. We sat their together taking small sips, watching children play amongst the cliff side. Seanne would grow tense every time they would mess about, pushing and shoving one another closer to a possible descent. She would curse them under her breathe for putting her on edge.

However I became distracted as to my left a group of people were assembling their tents. One man caught my eye. His back was towards me but his long dark hair caught my attention, it was the Zeahev man from last night. He was laughing with a child sat upon his shoulders... it was such a character change from what I witnessed of him yesterday.

"Seanne?" My curiosity gets to me. " Who is that man?"

Tearing her eyes away from the children in the distance, Seanne's eyes wander to where mine are looking. I turn back to see her eyebrows raised." Cohan, Chief Sharnoo's son. On his shoulders is his son... why do you ask?"

"I saw him talking with Zachan earlier." I say, still reluctant to share the real truth." Is he like Zachan, is he to become the next chief after his father?"

"No." Seanne shakes her head, taking a sip of water." He is the second son of Chief Sharnoo, Lakorto is the first, Rhig is third. They remain in their haven. To peoples surprise the brothers get along well, they do not fight for the role of next chief like many sons have in the past... but all struggle with change like their father."

Seanne's last sentence give me some clarity of what Cohan had said last night, why he had said it. I could easily see now that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree when it came to their mind set.

"So, his opinion of me would be the same." I state, a bitter note to my voice.

Seanne gives me a cautious look." Yes... But they even struggle to except Zachan."

I find myself scoffing at the statement, still mad at my husband for his silence last night. " I doubt it." Even though I could tell tension was between the chiefs son's, I wasn't going to defend Zachan if he wouldn't defend me in conversation.

Seanne shrugs at my response, seeming indifferent if I believe it or not." Zachan sees a new time dawning, he is preparing for it, when others are denying it..."

My eyebrows furrow at her clause. " Marrying me was preparation?"

"I suppose, Zachan speaks little of his mind..." She muses, and I could agree with her for a change." He gets that from his father... that's really the reason we are here, to keep track of the happenings in each others tribe."

" So, we are not here to see...orkas and mark the middle of the warming season?"

Seanne laughs at this, her smile brightening." Zachan told you this?" she turns to me, and I find my cheeks heating in embarrassment. Again my husband has concealed his 'precious truth'.

"Yes we come to see the orka's and mark the middle of the warming season, but it goes further back to what I said before. It is about the tribes spying on one another, but also about their cooperation."

Seanne pauses taking a sip of her water, her eyes sometimes still wander back to check on the children playing by the cliff side. " Many moons ago, when the tribes here were in civil war, it was said warriors came here to hide from the enemy. They were the first to see the orkas, and once back home they spoke of these legendary animals. They planned to come back here the next warming season to see them again.

"But, word spread of these animals and the tribes man arrived back only for people from all over the land to come and see them. They also all had the same idea of catching one..." She chuckles at this, amused at the prospect of trying to capture what I am assuming is a very large animal.

"They all brought boats, and they waited on the water for days until the orka arrived... but these creatures were vicious in nature, the man and woman did not stand a chance as their pointed teeth ripped their boats and bodies... but everyone worked together to save as many people as they could, not caring which tribe their from... "

"This journey here..." Seanne pauses, finding the right words." It is to remind us that there is always something bigger, stronger out there. But only together we can stop it, or stand a chance against it."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

We did not have to wait days, or weeks for the orka's to arrive. That afternoon I witnessed them for the first time.

I was sitting on the shore of a small beach to the east of the cliffs. It was a hilly descent, through thick vegetation and rocky terrain but it was worth it. Seanne had said the ocean would help my sore feet, and she was right. I had sat with my legs sprawled out to the direction of the water, the waves lapping up to my feet every few seconds.

Seanne sat with me to, a bowl of berries shared between us. She had remained mostly quiet since our talk from our arrival. I knew she wasn't one to chat like other woman in the tribe. And even though in the past sitting with her like this would have been a great fear of mine, now I was comfortable with it. Relaxed enough I let my head fall back, and I closed my eyes soaking up the sun.

The sound of spraying water however disturbed my peace.

My head shot back up so quick it hurt. Seanne however was already on her feet, her eyes steadily trained on the water.

Hearing the spray again I get up as well, taking steps further into the tide joining Seanne. I shield my eyes with my hand from the sun so I could see out to the ocean. The waves further out seemed disturbed by their normal pattern, and I realized why as a huge black and white form curved out of the water. Then a huge spout of water spray follows, the wind pushing it in our direction. I squeal as the chilled water soaks us.

Seanne laughs, and I find myself joining her, in awe and shock of witnessing these creatures for the first time.

"Orka!" Seanne screams loudly hands up in the air, her laugh continues afterwards with mine.

I had only seen drawings of whales before, and these where similar shape. But the black and white color was something I don't think anyone from back at Fellshore had seen before. It was so vivid it seemed out of place for the dark blue environment they live in. But their tail looked sharp, their bodies colossal and sleek. From the story Seanne told me I could see their beauty that captivated the people, and the viciousness of their behavior.

Minutes later I hear laughter and squeals behind us. Emerging from the tree line of the beach were children running to where we stood, their parents and other tribes people closely behind. I spotted the blue colours of the Zeahev tribe, but I don't think they cared at the moment I was in their presence.

I couldn't count how many Orka passed us, maybe 100 to 150. I could hear some of the children around us in the tides trying to count them all. At one stage a little girl beside me was jumping up and down, I had recognized her from the Ukan tribe. I offered to pick her up so she could see, and together we pointed at the massive creatures emerging and submerging into the water. Seanne ended up with a little boy on her shoulders.

Quickly it was over though, and the little girl wiggled out of my grasp as there was no more orka to see. Everyone else was trickling back up the hill to above, a walk I was not looking forward to.

However, as I was distracted by the spectacle of the black and white animals, I hadn't realized the mist had cleared. In the distance I could see a landmass, Fellshore.

All the laughter and joy was knocked out of me in the moment, I was hit hard from the fact I could see it, I could see my...home. Or was this home now? I forced myself not to think about Fellshore for so many months it took my breath away how much I missed it.

I could see where my sisters were, where my father was , my friends. I was being taunted, tested... and it hurt my heart. It was being torn in two.

"Aleenia..." I hear Seanne behind me, her voice softer then usual.

"I'll be there soon..." I whisper back in a daze, my eyes glued to Fellshore. I was afraid if I looked away it would disappear.

I hear no reply, so I assumed she left leaving me alone on the beach. Tears were already leaving my eyes, trickling down my cheeks into the ocean. The ocean. The one thing right now that was connecting me to Fellshore, the fact we shared the same water.

Sitting down in the tides I didn't care if I it soaked my dress, or that it made me cold. I could feel closer to my family, and I wept with my arms wrapped around my knees tucked to my chest. My head lay against them to, my lose hair falling over my eyes like a curtain to hide myself from the world.

Time passed slowly as I cried. Grasping at how unfair life had been to me, I failed miserably to find the joy I had experienced only minutes ago.

But I was disturbed again, by feet splashing beside me. I sniff tilting my head to the side, my now wet stringy hair falling away. I instantly recognized him as he sat next to me with his legs bent and arms resting on his knees. His long pants and slip fabric were rapidly soaked by the oncoming tide. Zachan did not look at me, but looked out to the ocean, to Fellshore.

Slowly I uncurl myself, my head rising to be met with a salty breeze to meet my salty cheeks.

"Why?" I croak, my voice scratchy from crying. Zachan does not directly look to me, but tilts his head downwards in earshot to my voice. " Why did you marry me?"

"I told you." He answers softly, referring to the other day after the Zeahev tribe arrived.

I purse my lips." That answer wasn't good enough."

He says nothing, looking back out to sea.

Silence.

I could almost see myself crazily laughing at this. His reluctance to speak turning me mad, hysterical. But I keep myself together, my frustration turning to rage.

"I heard what Cohan had to say about me last night." I state.

A muscle ticks in his jaw. A reaction, but still he will not talk.

" You sat there as he said those things about me, as he pretty much threaten to kill me if I make a wrong move... and the only reason I can think of for you to sit there, stone silent is because you agree with the man, with his father."

I was seething in silence yet again. My eyes were searching for anything to indicate what he was thinking. " Speak." I say shortly, temper flaring.

Nothing.

"Speak!" I scream at him, body shaking from cold and barely contained anger. This time the tears I was crying were from annoyance. "Speak!"

I flare my hand over the water to let water spry at him, soaking his upper body. He blinks back in surprise." Why won't you speak!" I shove him hard, catching him again off guard as he sways back. I make a move to shove him again, but blind by anger I don't see him move, grabbing my wrists.

I looked up startled, his face showing bottled rage. It was tightly wound in his jaw, and gleaming in his eyes currently looking in mine.

"Why speak when no-one will listen?" He asks, an edge to his voice. He lets go of my wrists and I bring them to my chest, watching carefully as Zachan unwinds.

"It does not matter what I could have said to Cohan, to his father. They will not listen because they do not want to." Zachan then looks away from me." I will not speak to you because I feel you do not listen to me, that you will not understand, or you do not want to understand."

Taken back by his words I open my mouth to protest but shut it soon after. I decided for now I would do what he thought I couldn't. " I'm listening..." I whisper to him calmly, pushing the anger away.

He looks to me again, searching for a sign other wise. Once he doesn't find one he sighs, shaking his head and looking back out to the ocean. " You see your home when you look out there...I see fear."

I sit up straighter at this, it wasn't what I was expecting to hear. "Fear?"

" I can see your land, and from you home you can see here, yes?" he looks to me, I give a nod in response." It is easy to take what you can see, what is in you reach... your people have come here many times before and they have gone. I fear the time that they come here and do not leave..."

I could finally see what he was thinking, predicting. That on the continent I am from, people will come and wish to stay for what the land brings." Zachan, my people would not-"

" I do not know your people though, nor do your people really know us. How is anyone to know what each other would do... and I thought if we were to try and connect the lands in peace not war, my fear could be stopped."

" You arranged the marriage, not Mr. Larkin?" I ask softly, realization hitting me.

"It was my idea, Andrew organized the rest, including the deal for shipments of food to be sent to Fellshore in return."

"But what of Saria..." the question slips out before I could think it through. I could see Zachan flinch at the name, but to my surprise continues talking.

"Maybe I already knew she was gone to me, and I would have liked to think she would understand...."

This time I remain silent, processing this new information. My head turns back to the sea, seeing in the distance Fellshore.

" I'm sorry I took you away from your life Aleenia." Zachan apologizes and I look to him, surprise my first reaction. He looks like he really does mean it.

" I miss them... my family more then anything." I say, my chest contracting painfully. But a sad smile tugs on my lips." But I did not have much of a life there, as I do here."

Zachan seems unsure of what to say; instead he gets up, sand and water slicked onto his clothes. Mine will definitely be the same, and then some. He offers me a hand up, and I take it.

Another late update.... Sorry. Life caught up to me, as well as the new season of Teen Wolf, is was so good!... and then I watched the new Game of Thrones.... Also amazing.

But here is another long chapter, which I hope you like.

Also tell me what you think of the new cover! I really like it, really trendy ;)

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Update in 2 to 3 days.

Love U all.