She stared. She didn't know what else to do. What else could she do? She just lay there, staring at their faces, which she didn't quite know how to describe. It was a weird expression. Somewhere between shocked, and really pissed off.

"What... the hell Alania. What the actual... fuck."

Yep, definitely closer to 'really pissed off'.

She got up slowly, raising the tents edges off of her dimpled skin and placing it next to her. The wind was malicious. It blew the tent edge straight off the ground and smacking her in the face. The zip smashed here cheek, leaving a prominent red mark. She winced, clasping her hand to her face, but the pain faded quickly, and she rose, and stood up to face them. She stood up, looked around and then spoke.

"Uhm... Hi?"

"Don't you dare say hi to me one more fucking time or I swear to god I will-"

He walked towards her. You could tell he was angry. His feet stomping as he marched. He wouldn't have actually hurt her. He never would do. He just wanted her to think he might, because then she might see things from his perspective. See how dangerous of a thing she's done. See how much she had actually hurt him, just by doing this. This one, tiny thing. Once he got close enough Lucas frantically pulled him back. Nathaniel was rather relieved that he did, to be honest, he didn't know what he would've done of he hadn't. He didn't want to seem awkward.

Would he just have stood there? Would he actually have done something? He was beginning to get rather afraid of himself, not in a good way. He didn't want anything bad to happen. Followed by Marcus, grabbing Nathaniel's other arm as he saw what Lucas' intentions were. It may not have bee as late as he thought, but he didn't know what else to do. He did just stand there. Speaking nothing. As he stopped, Lucas and Marcus slowly let go of his arms, and that's when he decided to speak.

"Why? Why would you do this to me?" Nathaniel said, his voice began to break as he spoke those shallow words.

"I- I didn't want to be mean. I promise, I wasn't trying to... to hurt you... You have to understand, you must, you have to...," his eyes began to tear up as he said those last words. To which he frantically wiped his eyes before speaking again. "You... you're all..."

Alania looked towards her feet, pointing them towards each other and shuffling around. She didn't know what to say. She was stumped. She just stood there, and looked.

"Surely-" Lucas blurted out. "Surely if you want to make sure she's alright... she should stay? If I was in your shoes I- I know I would like to keep an eye on her..."

Nathaniel removed his ring from his index finger, placing it on his pinkie and then twirling it around. He was visibly nervous about something. Nia looked up, for once in her life she was hopeful, hopeful Lucas may have saved her back.

"You have to admit Nath... he does have a point," Marcus said.

When he put it like that, him doubt himself.

"Yes I fucking know." He whispered to Marcus, his words blunter than ever. He sighed, "Come over here a minute. I need to talk to you."

He didn't know what was happening, but for some reason Marcus trusted him. He grabbed Nathaniel's shoulder and he followed him deeper into the woods, where they stood. The woods around them was pretty, much prettier than around his home. The leaves rustled and the branches creaked as the wind blew them from side to side. Sticks breaking beneath their feet, birds singing, fireflies humming in the dense, dusky forest around them. Looking at their surroundings, it should have made them feel tense, scared even. But for some reason, the both of them felt completely at ease. Marcus eventually broke the silence between them.

"So... what do you think?"

"I don't know... I don't fucking know. I don't know anything anymore. I thought keeping her there would be safe, but now I'm thinking and no she wouldn't. She would be alone, no one there for her. Even if God forbid she was there, she may get hurt, with no one to help her. Which would be even more dangerous than her being here. But if she stays she will most definitely. She will be in danger- I don't fucking know anymore. I don't FUCKING know, I-"

He finished his monologue with a sigh, he was relieved to get all of that off his chest, but he didn't know how to act now. He couldn't finish his sentence. It was too painful. He waved his hands around in frustration. He didn't know how else to express himself. He found it very difficult. He had finally told someone about his feelings, and it felt damn good. But it also hurt, it also hurt because by saying it, it reminded him of everything bad that had ever happened to him. A tear rolled down his cheek, and now he couldn't stop. One drop turned into a whole ocean. He buried his face into his hands as he cried uncontrollably. But it was a soft, inaudible crying, that would not draw attention to himself had Marcus not been there. He didn't like the idea of others physically seeing his sorrow. He didn't know what to do. He rested his head on Marcus' shoulder, and he embraced Nathaniel in a hug. One that was warm. One that felt as if it had been lit by a thousand fireplaces. One that felt as if it took all his pain straight away. One that made him feel safe.

"I don't think she will be safe either way," Marcus said, rubbing Nathaniel's back in a comforting way. "You just need to think. Do you want to be there for her? To make sure she's OK?"

"Yes," he sniffled. "I would never forgive myself if I lost both my siblings."

"Well then there's your answer. Ok?" Marcus smiled at him. He wiped Nathaniel's eyes for him, briefly holding his chin between his hand and smiling again. They then began to walk back to the other four.

~

"Come on Nia! I thought we agreed! We were talking last night, and you said fine. You have broken him now... you know that?" Neve said. She was concerned, but Nia couldn't tell if it was for her or Nathan. Maybe it was for both.

"I know but... I don't like being by myself. I know my dad's is there, but he can't do anything. If Blainey had returned already then I probably would have stayed, but I just can't stay by myself. I'm sorry."

Her apology was genuine. As much as she liked being by herself, she didn't like being alone. She was scared. She looked towards the forest and saw the two of them in the distance walking back. Two silhouettes, gradually getting closer and closer to the 4 of them.

"I can't do it," Nathaniel said, lifting his arms up to the sides of him and then releasing them. "...I can’t leave you at home by yourself. Like Lucas said, at least here I can keep an eye on you, make sure you're OK. OK?"

"OMG. Thank you so, so much Nathan. I promise I will help you and I will do whatever you say. I- I don't like being alone." She screamed. She ran up to him, wrapping her arms around his whole body, clasping him in hers.

"Seeing as you're staying... do you want to help Lucas set the fire? Set some flint and start making one with the wood we have already collected. Yeah?" Marcus said. He had started acting like Nathaniel, which wasn't a bad thing, it just showed they were spending A lot of time together. Even if he only met him a day ago, It was nice that Nathaniel had found such a good friend, someone he could trust. But for some reason, she found it a bit weird. It was odd.