My thoughts kept wondering back to Zachan and I's encounters yesterday. Everything seemed fine before we went to bed. I didn't understand how one day he kisses me and the next he is pulling away from me as if I was ill. I felt like I had done something wrong. And maybe I had?

This was all going through my mind as I was sitting in the middle of the haven. Around me sat other women and we were surrounded by woven high baskets of corn. Some filled with shucked corn and others that awaited to be shucked. I was currently on my second basket. It felt like my body was on automatic, ripping leaves from the yellow vegetables, while my mind was left wondering.

"Wrong basket Aleenia."

My trance is disturbed by a certain female warrior taking a seat beside me. Looking up Seanne indicates with the tilt of her chin to the baskets. Somehow I started putting the shucked corn with the un-shucked in the midst of my thoughts.

I let out a frustrated sigh and begin moving them into their correct places.

"You seem distracted..." Seanne observes, sharpening a stone blade with a rock she grips with her other hand. The grating noise was beginning to irritate me, but I crooked my neck and said nothing.

"I'm thinking about things..." I say softly.

Seanne doesn't ask me to elaborate thankfully, but changes the topic." Your neck is very red."

At the mention of it my hand goes to rub the back of my neck, the skin taught. I adjust my hair that is half up half down to try and hide it again. I had taken the advice of Zachan to let my hair out to cover the back of my neck from the sun, but my hair being fairer it does little to hide my bright pink skin.

" I know." I say with a slight shrug, once again starting to shuck the corn.

"So that's what it was for..." I hear Seanne says softly to herself beside me.

My eyes narrow in on her." What?"

She raises her eyebrows as if acting innocent." Zachan made an expensive trade last night for some aloe vera, the plant is rare, I wondered why he would need it."

The thought that Zachan would make an expensive trade just for something as basic as sunburn has me a little flustered. And confused. One minute I feel like he cares so much for me, the next he places a wall around him that seems to shut me out. Yet still that little gesture as a knot form in my stomach.

"Your cheeks are very red too." Seanne observes.

My blush grows deeper and I scowl at her. She wears a cocky smile.

I let out a huge sigh. Getting up, I dump the corn and stringy leaves in my lap to Seanne's, who looks down at it with confusion." I'm tired." I state in her native tongue." I'm sure the woman would love a strong warrior to help carry the baskets to the storing tents."

I see the shocked expression on Seanne's face as I walk away, a few of the woman chuckle around us. I knew that Seanne would not mind, but after her little humiliation of me I thought some was required at her for payback.

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

Mr. Larkin was fast asleep at his desk when I decided to see him. His body was slumped in his chair, and his head was slung back uncomfortably over the back rest. I could have thought he was dead if it were not for his light snoring.

I start with a light tapping on the doorframe to announce my presence. When that fails, I decided I would try to wake him up vocally.

"Mr. Larkin!" I exclaim louder then probably needed. His body jolts in his seat. His eyes flutter open soon after and he winces as he rolls his head around to face me. He does not look impressed.

"Aleenia, I was wondering when I would be seeing you again... you always pick the worst times." He says, voice croaky from sleep.

"Sorry Mr.Larkin for waking you, but if you sleep now you'll have trouble falling asleep tonight." I say, walking further into the room, and sitting down in the chair opposite him. A part of me missed the sarcastic banter I exchange with the elder man. But I could tell from being woken from his mid afternoon nap he was going to be grumpy, not his normal characteristic self.

He rubs his hands down his face." What do you want Mi Lady?"

I crook my head to the side." Why must I want something, did you not miss my company?"

"You mean your constant misery, frustration and whining... then no."

I set my jaw, but do not rise to the bait to prove his point. I let out a breath." You got me Mr.Larkin, I do want something from you."

"Another lesson perhaps?" he sorts through some parchment on his desk.

"No, I'm learning quite well from the tribes people. " I admit.

The older man lets out a pleased huff. " Good, more midday naps for me... what is it you want Aleenia?"

I place my order with him and he agrees to have it done. Hopefully, he says, my requested things will arrive by the end of the month.

"Who will it be for?" My Larkin asks, writing down my order on a list that will be handed to the men who come here to pick up the food shipments.

"Zachan." I tell him.

His answer is a solemn head nod, his lips pursed as if unpleased.

His reaction grates on my nerves." What?" it comes out harsher then I intended.

Mr. Larkin's eyes flicker to mine behind his desk. " Nothing." His expression doesn't change." That boy is too smart for his own good..."

"And that means?"

Mr. Larkin sighs deeply." It means nothing..." He dips his quill in the pot of ink, not taking one glance at me." Now Mi Lady, as you only see me because you want something, I would like something in return. For you to leave me in peace."

His abrupt dismissal has my chest aching a bit. Even though the man had said harsh words to me before, it was never in an unkind manner, if that was possible. No right now it felt like a hard punch to the gut to his usual slap on the wrist.

I was a little too shocked to get angry and rebuttal back, so I got up instead. Walking my self out I paused at the doorframe. Mr.Larkin did not look up from his desk.

Zachan did not trust Mr. Larkin, and just maybe the feeling was mutual.

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

On my walk back I still felt a little hollow from my visit to Mr. Larkin. Either I was stomping out of there in anger, leaving in denial or possibly carrying a smile on my face. This time leaving, it felt worse, and from his response it made me feel like I had done something wrong. And I had no idea what.

My thoughts stopped at the sound of a twig snapping. The echo rebounded off the trees.

My heart lurched. I looked around for the source of the sound.

I was not met with an enormous wolf, an angry bear or any of god's creatures. No, a little way in front of me I see a man with his back to me, walking off the track.

I realized on closer inspection the man was Chief Kono. He wore long colorful robes, and carried his decorated spear that helped him through the uneven forest terrain.

My head was filled with questions on what he was doing out close to dusk. Where was he going? More importantly, why?

My feet where moving to follow him before I knew it. I tried to keep as quite as possible. And for the first few minutes I ghosted him with little noise, keeping a good distance apart.

However like Zachan said, I was not a good shadow. Soon enough my feet faltered on a tree root. I didn't see it under the dry leaves that I ended up stepping on, making a loud crunching sound.

I made the decision to hide instead of facing the chief. I was lucky enough to be near a wide trunked tree. With my back against it I listened for his reaction, for footsteps.

Nothing came, and I braved looking around the tree to see he had disappeared. I looked around and he had vanished, or most likely walked on. From what I could tell he was walking in the direction of the Valdoor Mountains.

I bit my lip thinking of what to do. Last time Chief Kono was out walking by him he had taken a bad fall. What if that happened again and this time he didn't recover. If I said nothing it could be on my conscience.

Yet if I said something would he be upset with me. Would I have invaded something private? I did not wish to be in unfavour with the Chief.

On my longer walk back to the haven, I still could not make up my mind.

Hello again, I know I promised 2 chapters before christmas but time got the better of me. Some of you may know from looking at my profile I'm from Australia, and this summer chunk is when i have my main holidays. Even though that gives me more time, it also means my family visits and travel...and also an unexpected trip to the emergency room, that I'm still recovering from. I'll be fine though.

Excuses aside I would like to say a huge thank you for those who have commented and messaged me, it makes me very happy that you are very invested in the story. And it is hopefully about to get a little more interesting for you (Foreshadowing)

Also I'll be away the next two days, so next update will hopefully be the weekend. Also I will be away from 27 Jan to 8 of Feb. I might take my laptop to write and possibly upload on holiday, but I am not sure yet.

So as always please Vote and Comment, I love it when you do and I'm happy to talk to you guys if you have any questions. Also I hope you like the new covers for my books, I'm quite proud of my creations!

Love U all.