Birds cirlced overhead, and I knew trouble was near. I heard tens of footsteps from behind me, I whip around and realize I've been caught.

Scud!

My name is Nyla Thyne, and I've been on the run. Three months ago, my parents died in a house fire, and I was blamed for it. You see, my parents worked for the government of our country, Ironvale. I don't know exactly what they did, all I know is that they were important people, and they had important intel about top secret operations inside Ironvale. Ever since my parents died, the officials they worked with have been trying to force me into some type of protection program from the city police force. Me, being me, didn’t listen. And now I'm running. Running and running.

When I turn, I'm met with the glares of the top police officers in the country. My heartbeat quickens, they’ve found me, but I have to keep running. I sprint deeper into the sunlight forest, away from the pigs. As I run through the trees, small branches that hang down whip my face, stinging my cheeks. I look down and I see my dirty, old converse flying through the woods. Leaves and twigs crunch under my feet.

Running and summertime, what a combination. It was already hot out here, I didn't need pigs chasing me through this heat. This is just another example of power-abusing scoundrels, and I already had an authority problem. I really don't like when people tell me what I need to do when I already know what I want to do.

I’ve never ran so fast in my damn life. Sweat beats down my face as a stick snaps under my footfall. As I sprint through the woods, between the sound of my racing heart and the wind blowing past my ears, I can faintly hear the sound of the pigs’ rapid footsteps catching up to me. I reluctantly slowed to a jog and frantically dug through my side satchel. I pull out my magnet ring and slide it on my finger, twisting it to the left and a portal opens up about a meter in front of me.

Only a few select people have magnet rings. You either earn them because of your government position…or you steal them. I got my hands on this one after my parents died, this one was my mother’s. Magnet rings mess with the time field and manifests portals.

I jumped into the purple-ish air that surrounded the near area in front of me where I sent the portal command. I land in my bedroom, well, it’s not really a bedroom. It’s my treehouse that me and my best friend Malakai McCoy built. He’s been helping me with my clear out of Ironvale. As I land on the floor of the treehouse with a thud, Malakai runs over to where I lay on the floor. I look back through the portal and see Chief Callahan glaring at me as the portal closes and dissipates.

Now they know I have a Magnet Ring…

“Ny, what happened this time…?”

Kai asks, taking my hand and pulling me up off the planks of the treehouse, his dark brown hair falling in his eyes. I stand up, answering as he pushes his hair back, running his hand through his hair…

“They found me while I was looking for Sunny. He’s still out there. He went to check on his family.”

I mutter, wiping the front of my pants of dirt, looking slightly down into his ice green eyes. Malakai has always been an inch shorter than me, and I’ve reminded him everyday since our 4th school year.

“That stupid fox…”

Kai grumbles, rolling his eyes and sitting down on his cot. At about the same time, our friend Logan climbs, well, more stumbles than climbs, into the treehouse.

As Logan stumbles in, their fire colored hair falls in their face and causes them the trip fully. They land on their ass and start laughing. They’re so odd. I’ve never seen anyone laugh after getting hurt. As Logan’s laughing like a maniac, they manage to speak.

“I got the berries!”

They exclaim proudly, holding up the bag of berries in triumph.

I walked over to where Logan sat on the floor, taking the bag of berries from their hand, rolling my eyes despite the short chuckle escaping my lips.

“You alright, Lo?”

I ask affectionately, knowing Logan is slightly sensitive. I reach out with my other hand, pulling them off the ground.

“I’m all good!”

Logan exclaims, regaining their balance and giving me and Kai two thumbs up, their eyes squinted with a giddy smile on their face.

Kai walks over and takes Logan's bag of berries from my hand. He opens the bag and smirks.

“Scud, Lo…this is a good batch.”

He uttered, placing the bag of berries on the makeshift table.

“Well, after I go hunting…”

Kai continues.

“We’ll have enough food for the next couple days…hopefully Sunny can make his way back home before the pigs get him.”

Logan’s eyes go wide, their playful, fun, carefree demeanor diminishing.

“What!?”

Logan exclaims, but this time, instead of out of excitement, it’s out of dread, and it’s my fault. I can tell by their tone that they're clearly distraught and nervous. And they have the total right to be. They were the one who found Sunny, our fox, and they cared for them deeply.

Suddenly, I feel a pang of guilt shoot through my chest. Logan had trusted me with their pet and I had lost him…

“Yeah, he got away from Ny when she was running from the pigs…”

Kai answers. Instead of trying to explain or justify my actions, I take a few steps toward Logan until I'm right in front of them. I pull them in and wrap my arms around them in a tight hug, resting my head on their shoulder. Momentarily scared they’ll push me away and yell at me for losing their fox until they hug me back, and I relax in their arms.

“Hey, I'm so sorry I lost our Sunny, but he’ll be okay. He’s tough. We’ll find him, I promise…”

I whisper, my voice laced with regret, but also reassurance that we’ll get Sunny back.

Logan nods into my shoulder and I close my eyes, immediately realizing just how incredibly exhausted I am. I’m still catching my breath from the pig chase, my legs are sore and my arms heavy. i have to force my eyes from fluttering shut.

After me and Logan pull away, I walk over and sit on my cot, opposite of the room from Kai’s. I slip off the leather boots my parents had given me, and take off my Magnet Ring and satchel ; carefully slipping the ring in the front pocket and placing the satchel on the floor beside my cot.

My gaze flickers to Kai, who’s noticed my exhaustion, before it lands back on the floor. He walks over to my cot, stopping right in front of me, his fingers come out to tilt my head up to look at him. It’s weird, looking up at Malakai, I mean. He’s always been shorter than me.

“Ny…”

He starts, speaking in a voice so soft you would’ve never thought it was Kai. He’s usually so stoic and serious, it’s rare to see him like this.

“You go ahead and get some rest, it’s getting dark anyways. I’ll go hunting. You’ve done enough today, Cloud.”

It’s supposed to be a compliment, i know, but Kai saying I’ve “done enough today” just hits wrong. The use of my nickname makes me feel slightly better, but it doesn’t matter. I lost Sunny. I don’t deserve rest. My eyes find Logan’s, when seeing the hesitation in my gaze, they nod, reassuring me to rest, and I relax slightly. Kai gives me a small smile, before dropping my chin and stepping back.

“We’ll be back in a few hours…”

Kai explains, regaining his usual serious and detached persona. Kai walks over to his wall of the tree house, picking up his crossbow and hunting bag.

“You go ahead and go to sleep, Cloud. We’ll be back before you wake up.”

I nod my head, dropping Kai’s gaze as I lay down in my cot, pulling my jacket over me to keep warm. I listen to the sounds of Kai and Logan climbing down the latter, and finally stepping onto the grass of the mountain. My eyes flutter shut as I catch a final glimpse of the setting sun shining through the cracks of the unevenly placed boards of the treehouse walls.