Claire didn't like the plan. Going into the tents, full of people, and taking Juniper for a "little talk", as Onay had explained.
She had been explained how Juniper made her remember of old stories their parent would tell them as a child, how the founder of the place could also summon animals, and so named the place "The Wolf Lair". A place were people who were seen as wild and dangerous could live in peace. And she had been told how that man had left and given up his state as leader to Onay's ancestors. Yet that kept Claire wondering, if at the age of twenty they were supposed to leave, how could a single family line keep power for several generations? Nobody would allow a baby to reach power, and she didn't even wat to imagine another option. Then again, people could have several children, and at different times, but that still left the question of where would those children be all this time. Out of the kukai? would be dangerous. Inside? Why did they not yet fight for power?
-Why do you need to talk with Juniper?- A blonde girl sitting next to Clara spoke up, and Claire could feel the eyes of several other children coming back to conciousness, staring at them through the darkness.
Claire was sure she didn't regret being in the party. Not only had she not been able to change clothes, still in her rainbow feathered dress, although long ago tattered. She didn't mind, back at the Program she would also wear the same clothes for several days, but this dress just caught too much the attention, and Claire was bothered about it.
-Onay, we should take this outside...
-It is a personal conversation with her. And you don't need to be informed about it yet, Miss Clara York. Your friend may tell you about it aftwerwards.
Onay talked with such calm, but from behind, Claire could see their legs shaking. There was no mask they could wear, no tunic to use, that could hide fear like the one they were going through. And while Claire had been exesively trained with no stopping since she got there, she had not been taught about Onay's personality. And it was hard to understand it by oneself. Yet Claire thought she understood this behaviour, specially since Onay acted the weakest when refearing to something of their own cause. The missing building had been their doing, and they had not hesitated to cry in front of her for that, which put Claire in a defensive position once more.
Claire didn't care for this Juniper. She had only given her a horse to travel on, made awkward questions, and if it was up to her, she would have still done nothing for herself and other children at Program Imaginaria. This girl was there just because she had to, just because now, her life was in danger for discovering she was just like the other Imaginators she faked to love so much.
Juniper took a step forward and gently pushed Clara out of her way, keeping her im her seat when she tried to stand up.
-Hey. One night without sleep won't kill me. But try to make the conversation quick.- Juniper crossed her arms and left the tent, and Claire decided she was more confident that she looked. For all she knew, Onay could kick her out forever, left alone in the wilderness, but she showed no fear for it. Like yeah, kick me out and I'll find my own way to get back.
Once outside, Onay signaled Claire to close the tent, and while she had never done it, and it took her some time to figure it out, she managed to close it using buttons, zippers, and fasteners. She wondered how they would open it from inside.
-Juniper, do you have any family background of Imaginators?- Onay asked, now in an actually sure tone. Perhaps what they were afraid of where actually the children, their opinions, and their multiple powers, not really of Juniper herself.
-Nope.- Juno didn't even think about it, but after a few seconds of silence chose to speak again.- I never met my paternal grandparents, but that's about it. No actual ties to anyone named... what was it? Talaivar? My mother's called Martel and my father Yaro.
Onay chuckled nervously, like Juniper had not seen the blue of the sky.
-Your father is called Somebody? Jupitar, you certaily have some ties to this place.- Claire, and taking Juniper's expresion, she did too, couldn't believe Onay could jump so easily into conclusions.
-Leader, Juniper,- Claire reminded Onay of her actual name,- She is just unfortunate enough to have been brought here, she was never actually made to come here in the first place.
But everyone's words were cut short when a quiet explotion was heard in the distance.
-Jupitar, defy me to a duel.- Onay begged- If you win, you will become the leader, and you can make your own rules. You can keep Alex and Mariluz here, and people to come too.
-What the hell are you talking about?- Juniper took a step back, and Claire followed her. She had seen Onay be a strong determined leader, but now she was bowing and begging, begging to be taken from her powerful position. But Juniper joined the ties faster than Claire.- How old are you?
Onay didn't answer, but their mouth was opened. Yet it was not fast enough, and another voice talked over theirs.
-Hello sibling. Missed me?- A high pitched voice spoke, but it was not feminine. Claire could listen to it as a young boy who was just hitting puberty.- Tonight starts your twentieth birthday.- The voice scratched against Claire's ears like fingernails on a blackboard or a knife against a whiteboard. Not only was the sound horrible, but the situation of such knife in a place with children was even more terrifying.
Onay breathed heavily, so much so that they had to take off their mask.
-What happened to your face?- Juniper spoke against the horrible sounds, but even louder when she protested.- And who are you?- She spoke to the voice.- Show yourself to the leader and myself.
The earth shook, and even cracked. Onay raised their hands, and spikes came out of the ground, but just like smoke, they were blown by the wind.
-I am the leader. And the wolf is here against the rules.- From the smokey cracks, a young boy no older than thirteen crawled out, and slided dirt away from his face. Claire would have laughed, but when she tried to take a step back, her feet had been stuck under a pile of pebbles. They were not heavy enough to keep her in place, but round enough to make her fall back on her neck.
The last thing she remembered was listening to Juniper shout something she could not understand, and the loud screach of a red tailed hawk.
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