The next morning was blissfully warm. Malik never thought he’d be glad for the heat of the sun, but after last night he was. It had been cold, not unbearably so, but he’d wished he’d had another blanket. He woke with the sun in his eyes as it rose over the horizon and the sky and clouds were stained a blood red. He wasn’t surprised to see Ezio and Altair already up, stretching and passing a few inhumanly fast blows back and forth almost playfully. As he sat up he looked around the small camp tiredly, he was so tired of sleeping on the hard ground now, and saw the others will still asleep with Parker and Pseudonym huddled together to warmth. Night was sleeping with his back to the sun and Des was just gone. He looked around quickly suddenly fully awake but didn’t see the teen anywhere. He reminded himself that if Des had really vanished than his brothers would have been more agitated and would have woken everyone up in a bit of a panic. But they weren’t, they were calm and serene and Malik’s worry dropped to nothing.
He yawned and stood up, the blankets fell away… blankets? He’d only fallen asleep with one where had this other one come from? He shook his head in annoyance and put on his clothes which were stiff with dried sweat and sand before standing and squinting against the sun and sand.
Urgently nature called and he walked off a ways to relieve himself his eyes straying to the fence. With a start he saw someone on the other side, picking their way through the maze of barbed wire. As he zipped up his pants he realized it was Des. How had he gotten over there? The fence was almost thirty feet strait up and the bars had been greased, Malik had touched them the day before, they were practically too slick to climb. He looked back at the Rifters who were standing in the red sun, casting long shadows back over the small camp and knew they had everything to do with it.
As he returned to the others his fellow movers began to wake, Pseudonym being especially pissed Parker had cuddled up to her in his sleep. They had a light breakfast and everyone was ready for the next step by the time the sky had become blue instead of red. Altair and Ezio talked, sounding like they were planning, as they tore through their own rations without hesitation.
“Okay,” Night finally said as they cleaned up, “Now what?” he looked expectantly. He seemed much more wary of Altair now than before, with good reason obviously after his statement the night before.
“We get past the fence,” Altair said dusting off his hands, “And get as far as we can before the storm.”
“What storm?” Parker asked looking around but all he saw were puffy white cumulous clouds.
“Red sky in the morning travelers take warning,” Altair said, “Nothing is more true than out in the desert. Low pressure is coming in from the west,” he pointed, “Pray it isn’t a true sand storm and is just a wind storm, or rain.”
“Rain would almost be as bad Sicarius,” Ezio chimed in, “We could get flooded. At the least you can bunked down in a sand storm,” he frowned.
“It doesn’t matter what it is, but there is a storm headed our way,” he said. “Wind is coming this way and lets hope we don’t get caught in it.”
“You seem oftly worked up over some storm,” Night said watching both Rifters. “We have storms where we live, it isn’t that big a deal.”
“Have you ever seen a sand storm Sheep?” Altair asked with just a hint of hate, “Winds so strong that each bit of sand feels like it’s a bullet. Men far better prepared than you have gone mad, blind, or been killed in such storms. You best respect the desert, or it will gladly destroy you.” Night swallowed, “Divnius is scouting ahead for us. He’s finding a path through the other side of the wall.”
“Couldn’t he just do what he did yesterday?” Night asked.
That was really the wrong question and Malik closed his eyes when both Rifters glared at Night like they wanted to skin him alive. “No,” was all Altair growled out and everyone knew asking that had been a mistake on Night’s part. “Lets go,” he grabbed his bag and threw it over one shoulder before heading for the fence and the path they’d but through to it yesterday.
Clipped (18a/?)
--
The next morning was blissfully warm. Malik never thought he’d be glad for the heat of the sun, but after last night he was. It had been cold, not unbearably so, but he’d wished he’d had another blanket. He woke with the sun in his eyes as it rose over the horizon and the sky and clouds were stained a blood red. He wasn’t surprised to see Ezio and Altair already up, stretching and passing a few inhumanly fast blows back and forth almost playfully. As he sat up he looked around the small camp tiredly, he was so tired of sleeping on the hard ground now, and saw the others will still asleep with Parker and Pseudonym huddled together to warmth. Night was sleeping with his back to the sun and Des was just gone. He looked around quickly suddenly fully awake but didn’t see the teen anywhere. He reminded himself that if Des had really vanished than his brothers would have been more agitated and would have woken everyone up in a bit of a panic. But they weren’t, they were calm and serene and Malik’s worry dropped to nothing.
He yawned and stood up, the blankets fell away… blankets? He’d only fallen asleep with one where had this other one come from? He shook his head in annoyance and put on his clothes which were stiff with dried sweat and sand before standing and squinting against the sun and sand.
Urgently nature called and he walked off a ways to relieve himself his eyes straying to the fence. With a start he saw someone on the other side, picking their way through the maze of barbed wire. As he zipped up his pants he realized it was Des. How had he gotten over there? The fence was almost thirty feet strait up and the bars had been greased, Malik had touched them the day before, they were practically too slick to climb. He looked back at the Rifters who were standing in the red sun, casting long shadows back over the small camp and knew they had everything to do with it.
As he returned to the others his fellow movers began to wake, Pseudonym being especially pissed Parker had cuddled up to her in his sleep. They had a light breakfast and everyone was ready for the next step by the time the sky had become blue instead of red. Altair and Ezio talked, sounding like they were planning, as they tore through their own rations without hesitation.
“Okay,” Night finally said as they cleaned up, “Now what?” he looked expectantly. He seemed much more wary of Altair now than before, with good reason obviously after his statement the night before.
“We get past the fence,” Altair said dusting off his hands, “And get as far as we can before the storm.”
“What storm?” Parker asked looking around but all he saw were puffy white cumulous clouds.
“Red sky in the morning travelers take warning,” Altair said, “Nothing is more true than out in the desert. Low pressure is coming in from the west,” he pointed, “Pray it isn’t a true sand storm and is just a wind storm, or rain.”
“Rain would almost be as bad Sicarius,” Ezio chimed in, “We could get flooded. At the least you can bunked down in a sand storm,” he frowned.
“It doesn’t matter what it is, but there is a storm headed our way,” he said. “Wind is coming this way and lets hope we don’t get caught in it.”
“You seem oftly worked up over some storm,” Night said watching both Rifters. “We have storms where we live, it isn’t that big a deal.”
“Have you ever seen a sand storm Sheep?” Altair asked with just a hint of hate, “Winds so strong that each bit of sand feels like it’s a bullet. Men far better prepared than you have gone mad, blind, or been killed in such storms. You best respect the desert, or it will gladly destroy you.” Night swallowed, “Divnius is scouting ahead for us. He’s finding a path through the other side of the wall.”
“Couldn’t he just do what he did yesterday?” Night asked.
That was really the wrong question and Malik closed his eyes when both Rifters glared at Night like they wanted to skin him alive. “No,” was all Altair growled out and everyone knew asking that had been a mistake on Night’s part. “Lets go,” he grabbed his bag and threw it over one shoulder before heading for the fence and the path they’d but through to it yesterday.