Mutated

Trista blushed when his hand went around her waist, but she let him keep it there, following wherever he led. She stared at the camp around her curiously. it was weird to see everyone happy.


Lexa looked over at him after stumbling into a wall. "I think if we have tents, then we can all move them out there. That way we have more help getting the treehouses actually put up."

"We'll need food as well." He tapped his chin, but watched her cautiosly, not wanting to allow her to fall. He paused as he felt stuble on his face and sighed, knowing he'd have to shave soon.

Hermes continued until they were almost to the place where Lexa and James were. "So, what exactly were you doing in the shadow when I found you?"

Trista looked up at him and swallowed hard. "Hiding from Carson," she said quietly, looking away and back to the rest of the camp. "Where are we going?" she asked quietly, refusing to meet his eyes.



Lexa sighed and gave a small nod. "In my tent, there is a metal box filled with seeds that I've been collecting. We'll have to create a small store of food and keep stealing until we get our crops up though," she said as she shoved off of the wall and started walking again on her own, only to have her legs collapse on her. Curses streamed from her mouth as she hit the ground.

James hurried to her side and helped her up. "Are you ok?" He lead her over to a couch and sat down with her on it, his face clearly worried as he looked her over.

Hermes looked down at her. "I've two friends who're staying out in an abandoned house. One of them was sick and the other stayed to look after her. We're just going to drop off supplies and make sure all is well."

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Lexa said as she leaned against him. "I may have sprained my ankle though," she frowned and shook her head. "I feel like this is hopeless," she muttered.


"Oh," Trista said with a small nod. She continued to follow, her eyes watching their feet move in unison.

Hermes came to the door and knocked, somthing odd for him and waited as James frowned, kissed Lexa's forhead and went to open the door, letting Hermes and the girl in. He lead them to the couches and motioned for them to sit across from them. Hermes smiled at Lexa. "How's it going girly?"

"Terrible," Lexa muttered with a pout. "I still can't walk and I think I just killed my ankle." She sighed and looked at him, then at the girl he brought with her. "Trista?"

Trista glanced up and looked at Lexa, her eyes going wide. "Lexa!" She quickly got up and moved over to her, hugging her tightly. "The whole camp's been worried about you, Lexa. We thought Carson killed you."

"Not with me around..." James growled, leaning back on the couch and crossing his arms over his chest with a dark look in the general direction of Carson's camp.

Hermes patted Lexa's knee. "You're strong, you'll make it." His eyebrows raised in surprise at seeing that Trista knew Lexa. He crossed his arms as well, laying back on the couch.

Trista looked to the boys, not sure she liked the look on James's face, then went back to Lexa. She spoke quickly so the two boys wouldn't catch what she was saying. Lexa gave a small nod, Trista's words being in a separate language than the one commonly used. Lexa would interject every once in a while with a comment of her own, also in the strange language.
"Maltos, Lexa." Trista's eyes stared at her, pleading. "Heiro maltos, heiro."
Lexa's eyes in turn were filled with pain and longing as she gave a small nod. "Bartoss, bartoss!" Trista threw her arms around Lexa and Lexa hugged her back, her eyes flickering between the boys as if asking for some sort of help.

Hermes reached over and rested a hand on Trista's back. "What was it you were saying?" He raised an eyebrow and looked to James and spoke in Greek if he understood a word he was saying. "Τι ήταν αυτό που έλεγε;" James shook his head and shrugged.

Trista jumped slightly when he touched her back but relaxed when she realized it was Hermes. She pulled away from Lexa and looked at him, her eyes darting between him and Lexa. "I was just telling her about the status of the camp," she said quietly, though that was not all she told Lexa.

"We don't believe you." Both the guys said it at the same time and then looked at each other, raising an eyebrow at the same time as though they could read each others mind they nodded to each other, deciding that yes, that's what they thought.

Lexa gave Trista's hand a small reassuring squeeze, followed by a small nod. Trista looked between the boys for a moment before she settled back against Lexa as if looking for protection from any wrath that might ensue after she spoke. "I....I was asking..for protection..." she said quietly, her eyes stuck to the ground. "...e-ever since Lexa left..... ... ..I've been Carson's new...target..." That was the easiest way to put it. "That's why I was hiding in the shadows when you found me..."

"We'll all protect you." James and Hermed nodded at each other in agreement, then settled back against the couch, both crossing their arms over their chests and looking at the girls.

Trista looked at them, her eyes only barely trusting. She gave a small nod, relaxing slightly before she pulled her knees up onto the couch. Lexa sighed and rubbed Trista's back gently, looking tired and worn out. She looked at Hermes and sighed. "How are the food stores coming?"

Hermes crossed his arms and put up a fake hurt face. "Do you really have to ask? Me, the Thief of Lords failling to excel at this?" He laughed then and shook his head. "I've got plenty to last us a few months hidden."

James nodded, looking slightly impressed and he closed his eyes as he leaned his head back against the back of the couch, desperate for a few moments of rest.

Lexa rolled her eyes and gave a small smile as she settled back against James. "Good...good...Now in three days time we're going to be moving the camps. You'll have then ready by then?" she asked, searching his face. Trista sat there beside Lexa but quickly moved to a different couch when Lexa had moved.

Hermes crossed his arms and pouted, giving her the same look. "Again, do you even have to ask? Dose no one have any faith in me? Eesh?" He looked away from her with a 'hmph'.

Lexa rolled her eyes and gave a light laugh. "Oh Hermes, you know I just worry," she said as she watched him. "I have perfect faith in you, I just have to make sure otherwise I go nuts." She felt her eyes begin to drop and she sighed. "And we have healers coming with us?"

Hermes nodded and said in a dramatic voice. "Of course, and I still don't believe you have faith in your own half-brother." He pouted and stood to go to a window to check the outside, though he knew if danger were to be near James would know.

"I do, I do," Lexa mumbled, her eyes half closed by now. She was tired, having spent most of the day attempting to walk had drained her. "Just want to make sure they will be cared for," she said, adjusting herself so she was cuddled against James.


Trista sat watching them all interact, keeping quiet. She say a patch of shadow and slipped into it, backing into it's dark recesses to disappear.

James blinked and shook his head, a arm going around Lexa. "Another Shadow Walker? Really?" He sighed and shook his head in mock annoyance.

Hermes huffed and went into the shadows as well and went to stand near her. "What's wrong m'lady?" he tilted his head curiosly, his light brown eyes curios.

"Mhm," Lexa murmured, by now half asleep. She cuddled him a bit more, then found herself falling into the world of dreams.


"I...don't...belong...here..." was all Trista could get out, hiding in the farthest recesses of the shadows that she could manage to get to.

"Of course you do!" He reached a hand out to comfort her, then dropped it with a sigh and knelt next to her. "You belong here as much as anyone else."

James sighed and closed his eyes with a long sigh, wondering what Hermes and the girl were talking about. His mind wondered on the next few days and he finally fell asleep.

Trista shook her head, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "No.." She took off, running through the shadows until she was well away from all the camps. When she stopped she stood there shakily, looking around as if she was waiting for something. She shuddered, wrapping her arms tight around herself.