To Suffer With

Chapter Seven - A Bargaining Chip

The sewers wasn't a pleasant experience, definitely not one I was keen on repeating. By the time we made it outside the city I was more tired than I cared to admit, my recent injuries reminding me that I needed to be resting not undertaking a long journey.

"You alright?" Connor questions me as we step out into the dying light.

I take a deep breath of the fresh air, the smell of fresh pine and rain a welcome change.

"I'm fine," I tell Connor, "just still recovering," I add at his skeptical look.

Emily grabs my arm to look me over, "We still have a long trek ahead of us and I'm sorry, but we really don't have time to rest," she informs me.

"I'll carry you if you want," Connor jokes with a smile.

I roll my eyes at him, "Stop worrying about me I'm fine. I've been aching to actually do something for the past couple of days," I assure them.

They seem to accept my words and within moments we are on the move again. Being back in the forest was a relief but up until now I had never been afraid of it. While I had spent the last couple of years viewing this as my home, I had forgotten that the werewolves that we were fighting also viewed this place as their home. Before the war between our kinds, the packs used to live away from civilization. Close enough to a human town for supplies, but for the most part they lived a life of seclusion. For centuries that arrangement had worked, until it didn't.

We walked through most of the night. I wanted to stop, I wanted to rest, but I knew why we couldn't. The wolves would be out in force tonight. Connor had said that the resistance would distract them for a time, keep them away from this portion of the forest. I could only hope that their subterfuge worked.

The dappled light from the sun rising across the sky to cover the forest was the first slight change in an otherwise monotonous journey. Connor who I had been walking behind, stops suddenly causing me to a stumble to a stop. He flicks the torch he's holding off, eyes drifting down to the watch upon his wrist.

"How long?" Mark asks him from up ahead.

Connor frowns slightly before it disappears, "Ten minutes, give or take."

"Until what?" I question confused on where our journey was taking us next. When I had asked, all they told me was we were going to their temporary camp. Our temporary camp I supposed.

"Our ride," Connor tells me, turning his head back to send me a grin.

"Right, not vague at all," I mumble as we continue onwards.

We went the same direction, but our pace was more hurried each time I lagged behind, Connor would help me or subtly push me forward. Whatever our ride was it wasn't waiting for us. The answer to the next step upon journey came when we emerged from the forest onto a section of railway track.

"A train?" I question in disbelief, looking up and down the empty track my disbelief growing, "a moving train?"

Somehow, I didn't think that would be possible. I could hear the rumble in the distance, the sure sign that a train was approaching.

"It won't be moving that fast, its going to slow down here," Connor assures me with a hand on my shoulder.

I give him a glare, rubbing my bare hands as a cold breeze blows through. The paste made with the berries had almost worn off, but it left a thin crust glued to my skin. Connor slips off his jacket and passes it to me. I take it with a small smile, the train was getting closer now, the breeze picking up with its arrival.

"Be ready," Connor tells me.

I nod at him, feeling a tenseness in my muscles as I prepare. Connor has a hand on my arm as the train speeds towards us. How much was it going to slow down? I felt nerves running through my body as it flies closer. It was slowing, though barely it seemed. I'm hit with a blast of warm air as the head of the train races past us. Connor's grip on my arm tightens. As the train continues to slide past us, I notice the slowing, just slow enough to get on with a little help. Connor uses his free hand to tap me pointing down the line. Four figures stood at the edge of an open carriage; arms outstretched. I nod to Connor to let him know I've understood. I reach out towards the hands as they blare past and feel a strong grip on my own as my body is pulled up and onto a solid wooden floor. I take a few seconds to gather my bearings, feeling the need to sit and breathe. I recognize one of the members as resistance but not the other three. They must be from another unit.