Survival over Friendship

Luke stood in a Guard tower, looking down at the unguarded flag below. Silently, he scrambled down the ladder and inched his way across the platform. Hearing footsteps, he ran to the railing and jumped over it, onto one of the trees limbs. He held his breath as an older girl walked interview. She glanced around, then turned her back to Luke. Luke grasped the railing and slowly pulled himself over, reaching for the flag.

“Hey! Yeah, you! Over here!” Luke jumped in surprise and vaulted back over the railing. The girl ran towards a red haired boy that was jumping up and down and yelling at her. “Come get me!” The boy ran as the older girl ran after him. Just as Luke through her leg over the railing, another girl and into view . She snatched up the flag and ran back down the path with it. Luke slumped and followed.

After a few bends in the wooden path, Luke found a group of kids cheering. The younger girl was smiling broadly, holding a flag above her head.

“Luke! I got it! We win!” She called to him. He faked a smile.

“Great job, Sky!”

“Thank you. Really, Jay did a good job, too. He distracted the guard.” After talking for a few minutes, the group dispersed. Luke walked back to a small, lonely heart and disappointment.

Luke stared in frustration at Sky. Though she was wrapped in blankets, Sky was shivering. It was no wonder, for she was soaked. Her light blonde hair hung in wet clumps around her face, and there was a bandage on her right arm. She had been gone all night and most of the day. Everyone had been freaking out, especially her parents. She had come back with a tall tale about escaping their enemies after shooting their prince in the shoulder.

Sky was talking to her parents, leaders of the rebellion. A rebellion that would fail when Sky became its leader. Luke was technically what you would consider her best friend, but the feeling was not mutual. Luke knew their rebellion wouldn’t survive with her as its leader. He knew that he had to assure his own safety, but how?

As he is eavesdropped through the window, he realized what he had to do.

Later that night, Luke trudged through a gloomy Forest. He strained to hear any noise but the pounding rain. He was looking for the wolves camp.

As he walked, the hair on his neck stood on end. He spun around to find A large Wolf walking towards him. A sword was in its fist, and a smirk on its face.

“Wait! I come bearing a message, for the Prince Fang.” The wolf stopped.

“Am I supposed to believe that?” the wolf snarled. Luke fumbled with his satchel, until he withdrew a letter.

“This contains valuable information for the Prince, and the Prince only.” The wolf stepped forward and snatched it away from Luke.

“Very well done. I’ll deliver it to him. If this is a fake, will hunt you down.” The wolf said. Luke took a deep breath before replying.

“I sure you, it’s not fake. It’s information on the girl who escaped you today.” The wolf’s eyes lit up.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

The wolf smiled. “Good. I will take any information I can, although I already know who her parents are.” LIke nodded, then stopped.

“Wait. You are the Prince, aren’t you?”

“Yep. And I assure you that if this information is useful, you will be rewarded.”

It was Luke’s turn to smile.

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“Come on!” Sky shouted back for the fifth time. “We’re here!”

“We can see that, Skylar.” Luke rolled his eyes as he untied a rope.

“I’m First!” Jay grabbed it and jumped off the platform. He swung out over one hundred feet of nothingness. When he landed far ahead on the next platform, he threw back and Luke caught it.

“After you.” Sky punched him in the shoulder.

“I’m going, though not because I am a girl.” Sky swung out.

In this way they continued. The closer they got to the last platform, the more jumpy Luke got. Over and over, he thought to himself, can I do this? A surprise play a head for Sky. Five teenage wolves were waiting on the last platform for her. One of them was Prince Fang, the one that had been shot in the shoulder with an arrow by Sky.

Can I do this? The voice repeated over and over in his head. Yes, was the hesitant answer. I need to survive. Survival is more important than friends.

At the second to last platform, Luke handed the rope to Sky. “You first.” Sky swung out to the next platform, laughing in delight. After she had thrown the rope back, Sky turned. Her scream of terror echoed through the air. Jay called out in alarm, but Luke stood stock still. The wolves were now visible, and Sky screamed once again.

“Jay! Luke! I need the rope!” She yelled as one of the wolves reached out for her. Jay threw the rope over, but it was obvious it wouldn’t reach Sky in time. To everyone’s surprise, Sky jumped for it, clasping it with one hand. She swung over to Luke and Jay.

Together they ran with the phrase padding over and over in Luke’s mind. Can I do this? As they reached one of the last platforms, Sky hurriedly told them that she was going to drop onto a suspended pathway below. She hoped that it would confuse the wolves, and that she would buy Luke and Jay time to escape.

Luke swung first, a sick feeling in his gut. He watched as Sky dropped onto the path below and took off. Jay swung over to Luke.

“Come on!” He hissed as he ran to the next rope. Behind them, Prince Fang landed on the platform they had just been on. With one glance, he perceived that Sky was not with Jay and Luke. Fang looked up at Luke, who froze.

Him? Prince Fang wanted him to tell we’re Sky went? After a brief hesitation, Luke pointed down at the path below. Prince Fang nodded, and jumped down after Sky.

And Luke smiled.