“Everything?” Kaden’s curiosity visible on his face

Alia turned back towards the jungle bathed in the darkness of night. Closing her eyes and taking a deep slow breath in before letting go. “You know I am nearsighted or, at-least I was. I can see the jungle as clear as day and I don’t mean things are just clear. I can see further and into the darkness as if it were lessened somehow. Although even if it was still completely dark it wouldn’t matter. I can sense things.

When you walked by, I could hear the sound of your feet, hear the rhythm of your breathing, even from here I can smell the Coil tree vodka Rakhail secretly poured into his drink, I can feel…”

“I can smell the Coil tree vodka Rakhail poured into his drink”, Kaden interrupted breaking the tension in her voice. The quip causing her to laugh furiously; lightening the mood.

Walking up, he put his arm around her back in a friendly gesture and motioned her to sit on a nearby log. “Look, I made that serum by mixing various different plant and animals in a special way. It needed to change certain things in you at very core to allow you to regrow your missing limbs. I am not sure what those changes were or will be as time goes on. Or when they will settle down. I just wanted to give you a chance, give you all a chance. I couldn’t just watch you all sacrifice your lives just so our escape wouldn’t be slowed down.”

Alia slowly leaned in towards him and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek, “thanks” as she smiled.

Kaden’s face flushed and Alia let out another laugh the second she noticed. “You know all the girls back in Rakan will fall for that charm of yours.” She teased, “If I hadn’t married…” winking at him playfully.

“Um… a…” Kaden’s shaky voice revealing a little more then he would have wanted it to. “So… you may start to see a few different animal or plant traits show up.”

Kaden stumbled in closing the door behind him. His face was still beet red after that conversation with Alia.

“You should stay away from her!” Sofia’s voice was calm but Kaden thought he detected a tiny hint of anger hidden within her tone. “With her added senses she may suspect us and we can’t have her find out anything.” Her voice slightly rushed this time.

“Suspect us of what?” his tone of confusion was evident. “She won’t find out about you. You worry too much”

“It’s you now? Anyway stay away from her. It is safer for US that way”, anger evident in her voice and Kaden especially noticed the emphasis on the word us.

Wondering what was wrong. She isn’t jealous, is she? Kaden thought. No who am I kidding here, stop fantasying about things Kaden.

Sighing, “It would look odd if I suddenly avoided her or anyone else in the village. Also I don’t think we really have to worry if they found out about you. Everyone here seems trust worthy.”

Sofia didn’t say anything further and Kaden got ready for bed. “Don’t be worried, I won’t say anything.

Let’s get some rest”, doing his best to reassure her. “Good night” he tried to be as cheerful as possible.

“Good night”, she whispered almost under her breath.

She didn’t like that woman. Alia would surely get Kaden into trouble.

“Jealous”, Sofia spat the word out and sat down with a huff. Her face slightly red with a twinge of anger as she hugged her knees closer; every tiny detail about that horrible moment playing through her mind.

Kaden had woken up a little late the next morning and went straight to see Padvor. He was going to help administer the strengthening serum to everyone in the village and they needed time to prepare. There was a line already out the door much to his surprise by the time he made it there.

“Morning, sorry I am late.” He called to Padvor who was currently setting aside and organizing several different vials.

“It’s all right, there has been a slight change of plans anyway. We will focus on helping those who were crippled during the attack with both serums first, then we focus on giving the rest in the village the strengthening serum. And good morning Kaden, it will be a busy day and I trust you slept well.”

“I did, over slept in fact. I thought you wanted to wait and see what happens to Alia first, what changed your mind?”

Padvor looked at him, “we may have to move our timetable up. Gion and Rakhail have already started on preparations. Once we finish here we will go over the plan with everyone.”

He nodded to Padvor in recognition, “Why the change, did something happen?”

A slight frown appeared on Padvor’s face, “I will tell you later. We should focus on what we need to do today.”

They spent the next two days administering Padvor’s strengthening serum to everyone and Kaden’s serum to those who needed it.

“I guess it’s our turn. Bottoms up!” Padvor, Gion, Rakhail and Kaden clicked their vials together and downed their portion of the strengthening serum mixed with concentrated Coil tree vodka. Kaden consciousness started to slip as he felt the liquid slowly start to change his entire body.

“You are finally awake”, Rakhail’s voice started to cut through the haze. “That vodka is very strong, take your time.”

“I feel like a heard of elephants just trampled my head… repeatedly.” Kaden grabbed his head with both of his hands.

“Drink boy”, Gion handed him a ceramic cup.

“Thanks, what is it?” he took the cup and greedily drank the warm yellow liquid.

“Turmeric root tea with cinnamon and cardamom”, she answered drinking from her own cup. “I feel the difference already”, she continued. “We will have to spar a little so we get use to the limits of this new found strength”

Kaden nodded in acknowledgement as they all took rest of the day off.

The next morning everyone in the village gathered in one of the larger enclosed buildings. Gion and Rakhail went over the basics of the route they were going to take to escape the Spine-backs and Tribe.

“Rakhail’s and the other scouts will leave several false trails along the river both up and down stream over the next few days. Making sure whoever follows them will be met with several surprises along the way. We don’t expect it will do much other than slow the tribe’s scouts down but every little delay will mean more time for us to get just a little bit further.”

Rakhail continued from where Gion left off, “Their scouts that are watching the village will change every six hours and it takes them around two to travel between here and their camp. We will wait till just after they change those scouts and eliminate the new ones quietly. This should give us an eight hour head start.” He took a moment and paused. “We will be heading into the Mist to lose them”. Several smaller conversations broke out the second he mentioned those words. “I know, but we have little choice.” The voices quieted down a little.

“We have begun to prepare a path through it all ready. It is in the opposite direction but we can still lose any pursuit in there. We will then cut south through the mist, it should take them a least a month before they can find where we decide to exit”

Kaden raised his hand, “I also have an Idea.”