This story is very short and is only a way to explain things that aren't explained later. I also pre warning change narrator because I have found that at points I care about Aimee more than Katie . . .

Chapter One

Caves

KATIE BILLING

My legs bashed against the hard rock I was sitting on. I watched the sun gleam behind the tall trees protecting us from the outside world. The grass rustled in the wind. The field was hidden by the trees. If I fell, I don’t know if I would have caught myself. I stared down at the harsh cliff face. I could see familiar faces walking through the trees. I glanced at the ‘safe’ path down to the field. I stood up and started to make my way down the steep slope. I could have just teleported myself, but then they would have found us. They could track our powers so we had to do everything without them. It was hard but we managed.

The slope was covered in moss and other plants. I pushed the branch from the willow tree out of my face. The path twisted around the trees and bushes. The sunlight penetrated the cliff. The ivy latches on to the hard rock, the intricate stems intruding in on the rocks cracks and crevasses. I traced the ivy’s shape, it was now part of the rock, the rock supported it, without it the ivy would collapse. The ivy would just be a green heap on the floor.

I reached the field. The long grass tickled my bare ankles. I sat on the large tree stump. Simon came over and kissed my forehead. Aimee made a gagging noise. I had become quite close to Aimee in the past months. She had become like a sister to me. Although, I always felt as if she was slightly robotic, like she knew what was going to happen (well, she can see the future, but that isn’t the point). She handed me a large bag of apples. We had to buy human food as we couldn’t buy anything from the magical community.

I sighed and dragged the apples back up the slope. When Aimee, Simon and Adam weren’t running they were quite slow. They had to be careful not to go too quickly, because the second they started to go at any pace the magical world would be able to track us. We arrived at the entrance of the cave where Tanya and Henry were hard at work attempting to start a fire. Jessica ran over to me and hauled the apples into her own small arms. She walked back over to James and they started to divide the apples equally. Aimee handed out a water bottle to the rest of us complete with sugar and salt packets. She produced a large tub of blood.

“Where did you get that from?” asked Lydia. Aimee handed a straw to Simon and Adam.

“The Butcher, he can be persuaded very easily,” she answered. When they drunk blood it made me feel slightly sick. They slurped it up through their straws. I gagged slightly as they fought for the final remains. I silently sipped my water. My stomach churned. Soon they were finished. They licked the last remains off their mouths.

“Look who’s up today everyone,” yelled James, Ellie appeared behind him. Her hair was limp against her cheeks and her eyes had shrunk back to a dismal grey. Her eyes had large bags under them. Her cheeks were shallow. She smiled slightly as she saw us. My heart shattered every time I looked at her. She was a shadow of her former self. We had no way of making any ice for her without forcing 

her to use her powers. The thing was I couldn’t stand to watch her weak and feeble like this. She wasn’t even like this after we rescued her a month ago.

“I think I might sleep more, to tired and hot,” she stuttered her body shaking as she forced each syllable out of her mouth. We smiled and James helped her back into the back of the cave. I rested my head against the stone wall. The silence deafened me. I heard Lydia stand and shuffle out of the cave. I followed her.

She led me to the small stream running through the field. She removed her shoes and walked into the water. The gold bubbles swirled around her and her tail appeared. It shimmered in the evening sun. She swirled the water around it. I loved Lydia’s tail.

After a few minutes of sitting by the stream (and after Lydia had dried off) we walked back up the slope. Everyone else was either asleep or playing cards. Lydia walked up to Liam’s sleeping body and laid next to him. Soon she was fast asleep. I walked out to the ledge and sat down. My legs hung over the edge once again. The sun was setting. Reds and Pinks swirled in the sky. They clouds appeared to skim the tops of the trees. I watched as the night approached. The wind swept across my cheeks. It was so real. Shivers slipped down my back. The stars sparkled in the sky. I felt two stone arms wrap themselves around me.

“Come inside you’re cold,” Simon whispered. I smiled.

“It isn’t much warmer in there,” I answered. His arms surrounded me and held me in position. I felt like the ivy. I was part of the stone now and without it I would just be a crumpled heap. My body was lifted off the hard stone floor and carried into the cave. Simon placed me between Tanya and Henry.

“There you’ll be nice and toasty there,” he whispered. I rolled me eyes. I was warmer though. I felt my eyes drooping and I fell asleep. In my dreams I watched Simon, Aimee and Adam play cards. Then the dream turned into a nightmare. I was woken abruptly by loud screaming.

“Ellie! Ellie!” screeched James. I saw Ellie. Her eyes were large and glazed. Her body shook and she was sweating.

“Simon go and get some ice!” I yelled. Simon looked at me bewildered.

“I can’t run or they will find us,” he answered.

“I don’t care! Ellie needs ice!” I shouted. Simon shot out of the cave. I tried to cool Ellie down. Her blonde locks were flying in all directions. Simon came back with some ice. He dumped it all on Ellie. It steamed on contact with her skin. She screeched in what I can only assume was agony. Her body stopped shaking. She gasped for air and laid back on the stone floor.

“Are you OK?” asked James. Ellie smiled and nodded. She sat up and hugged him. We all sighed in relief.

“Now all we have to do is wait for the forces to arrive,” laughed a breathless Ellie. We wouldn’t have to wait long.