Chapter Five
I Blame The War
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"Wake up," Someone sneered, kicking me roughly in my side. I moaned and rolled over, blinking dully.

"Don't do that," Hawke growled, jumping to his feet. He spit in the Hunter's face. Just to make him angry, the Hunter kicked me again. Imoaned lightlyand sat up, rubbing my eyes and clutching my side.

"You bastard, don't tell me what to do." The Hunter turned on Hawke, leaving me to nurse my bruises.

I looked up at the two of them, wanting to cry. I could see now, and I didn't want to. I didn't want to see the rage on Hawke's face, or the hurt in his eyes. I didn't want to see the smirk permanently fixed onto the Hunter's sweaty face. I had to, but I didn't. I wished I could be in the dark again. That the sunlight didn't stream down from the ceiling of our cell…

"Sit. Stay. Good dogs. I'll be back later, maybe I can get somethin' out of you." The Hunter bent down and tilted my chin, so that I was forced to look into his black, colorless eyes. "Your friend here has refused to tell me anything, though I'm sure I can break him. Just remember who you care about." He smiled and flicked out his knife, then threw it at Hawke. He managed to duck, so that the knife avoided his chest, but it cut his arm. I winced as he slid to the ground. "He might get hurt. Accidents happen."

Laughing, the Hunter retrieved his blade and spit in Hawke's face. He left the room, slamming the large metal door behind him.

I crawled towards Hawke, my eyes widened at the sight of blood flowing past the cut in his black shirt. "Does it hurt a lot?" I asked him, ripping part of my cloak.

"Uh, no," He grunted, wincing as I tired the strip of cloth around his arm.

"Don't lie," I said, pressing on the wound with my fingers. I closed my eyes for a moment, then pulled away. "Please don't lie to me."

Hawke smiled, "That's a new trick. And no, I could never lie to you."

I sighed and sat beside him, watching the blood on my fingers. How long could I do that…? When did it start?

Taking someone's pain away…if even for a moment… That was a gift. It was now my gift, my curse. I could take Hawke's pain away, but not my own. And not his emotional problems, just psychical. That was it. We were cursed to have Powers, but that still didn't help us live our lives. We couldn't live without pain or fear or worry. We just couldn't.

My eyes drifted from the black blood on my fingers to the rest of the cell. It was all cement and metal. Just a large, cold confinement. I yawned then laid down, folding my cloak and resting my head on it.

"Aren't you hungry?" I heard Hawke mumble in disbelief.

"Huh?" I turned to him.

"Over there," He pointed with one of his fingers. "Go get it."

I mumbled something under my breath and got up. It took me a while, in my heavy anklets, but I managed to grab the tray and bring it back to where Hawke was. It was nothing but a gray mess, some slob that fell over the sides of the tray, a bruised banana, and half of an apple. Not my choice of food, I'd rather starve. But then again, I hadn't eaten for days.

"You have it," I said, not exactly being nice. The way the thing smelled, I wanted it gone as quick as possible.

Hawke snorted at the revolting meal and pushed it away with his foot. "Maybe later…"

I laughed and nodded in agreement. Of course, Hawke wasn't being a gentleman, he just didn't want to get a stomachache from eating rotten food. It was understandable, after all the Hunter may have put poison in the food.

I yawned and laid on my back, staring out through the cracked ceiling. The sunlight hurt my eyes, and I was forced to squint. "I wonder how Snowe and Shade are doing…"

"Come on, Snowe!" I yelled, grabbing the girl's pale arm. For hours she had been complaining, and now it was getting to me. "Shut up all ready."

"Fine," Snowe hissed, her bright green eyes glittered dangerously. "Fine, I will shut up. But you should know they're dead. DEAD."

I turned to her, my eyes hard. Haze wasn't dead; my baby sister wasn't dead. She couldn't be. Hawke must have found her and protected her. Yes, that was it. "They're fine."

Snowe snorted and yanked her arm away from me. She narrowed her eyes and shoved past me, her bare feet stomping in the ground, full of anger.

I sighed and followed her. We had found blood the night before. Dried blood that was stuck to the leaves. I could only hope it didn't belong to either of them…

"Shade," Snowe hissed suddenly, pulling me back. I blinked and looked down, my eyes narrowed. In front of me was an obvious trap. Probably a deep pit filled with spikes or the like. How could I have missed it?

"You need to be more careful." Snowe mumbled, dropping my arm. "Let's go."

Sighing again, I ran after her. After all, there was nothing else to do. We had searched the southern part of the forest and were now making our way to the clearing. Once there, our cover would be blown.

Over and over things went on in my head. How I could have kept us together. What I should have done to keep them safe. Why it was them and not me…

I shook my head and stopped, panting as I rested against an old, dying tree. Dying. Dead. It was so final, the word. The end. Once you got there, there was no turning back. The world was starting to die, starting to wither away to nothing…

"It was those Russians," Snowe growled, sitting down beside me. I watched as she picked up a dried leaf, crunching it in her white fist. She opened her hand and blew the remains of the leaf away, her eyes glittered as they turned into black butterflies in the autumn's wind. Transforming a thing from one miserable shape to another. It was beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. Knowing we had our powers, our gifts. They were beautiful, rare things. But evil. Dark and unknown. That was why we were in our predicament.

"Those Russians and those damned Americans." Snowe's voice was hard. It had a bit of an English accent. One of the many civilizations lost years ago. Since Russia and America's nuclear war, many countries dissolved and became the one miserable planet we had today. For instance, if I and Haze lived two millennia ago, we would be called Africans. An odd word, I think. Just because we have dark skin we are separated from everyone. Because Snowe has her accent she would be called one thing. Having separate lifestyles is a weird thing to me. Even as weird as watching Hawke eat a beetle…

The thought made me laugh softly. Hawke had been ten years old, wanting to prove that he had a stronger stomach then me.

It just so happens that he does.

I sighed, my eyes searching through the trees, hoping to see their familiar faces. I was greeted by nothing familiar. Just shadows that loomed across the forest, made by the sunlight that was trying to peek through the heavy branches of the trees.

"Yeah, Snowe. Blame them."

"Time for punishment," The Hunter growled, pulling me up roughly by my arm.

"Don't take her," Hawke hissed, starting to stand as well.

Laughter erupted through our hollow cell as the Hunter kicked Hawke roughly in the stomach. I cried as he fell back onto the floor, yelling a string of curses as he started to get back up again.

"Hawke!" I cried, reaching back for him as the Hunter dragged me out of the room. "Hawke, don't leave…"

"Stay strong Haze," He said as his fingers brushed against my own. The door slammed shut and I shuddered. I could hear him yelling in rage.

Stay strong.

/end

Author's Word: Was that right...? -thinks- Well, whatever. Hee hee, soooo off to type next chappy. Oh, and btw, I have nothing against Russia or America -waves flag- Just thought it'd be funny for Snowe to say, as she is the ticking time bomb of the group. M'kay, gonna go type now... -whistles and walks away- Oh yeah, thanks to all for reviewing, let's see if it can get more reviews than TC...

Ame Megami: -nods- Yeah, sure, Chance's yours. XP Mmhmm, thanks for the review.

Mauree W. Renaee: Sokka ROX my flippin' SOX! Yeah, I thought that tiger moose thingie would follow him. Twas so cute... When he started talkin about karma, I laughed so hard. Hee hee, wasn't funny. I was fryin plantain in the kitchen... Oi, burned myself with oil... Okay, did I do that right? The narroratin with the other peoples (Shade). Yeah...every fifth chapter shall have the middle part narrorated by someone else, I guess... Thankies for the review.

Daedal: YES! Another chapter so soon! I must beat my mother, remember? lol, Hawke and Haze, sittin in a tree...

WaterHealer: Yay! Thankies, yesh, Hawke and Haze must be the ultimate cuteness... I'll find a way to ruin the romance somehow...

Almree: NOPE! You shall NEVER know what's going to happen! MWAHAHAHAHAHA -chokes- ha? lol, you'll find out eventually...