"Another civilisation?" Markus exclaimed once Caleb had finished telling the hunters about their journey. "Are you sure?"
"Of course," Caleb said. "And I am positive that they are holding Olive and Faye captive."
"What are we waiting for then?" Jacob, the twins' father, yelled angrily. "Let's go and save them!"
"Jacob," Caleb said calmly, stepping forward and putting a hand on the man's shoulder. Jacob was a good foot taller than Caleb and very well-built, but despite his tough appearance, he couldn't fight the tear that trickled down his cheek. "We have to be strategic about this. They are armed."
"So are we," Koda said, standing beside his brother and staring Caleb straight in the eyes. "We have some of the best hunters."
"I know, Koda," Caleb said, his voice firm, establishing authority. "But we still need to plan what we're going to do. And, again, I'm not taking all of the hunters with me." Caleb ignored the groans of protest.
"Caleb," Jacob said harshly. "You are not leaving me behind again. I will not stand here while everyone else fights for my daughters. I will be there to rescue them." Caleb's eyes softened when he saw the fiery determination in the man's eyes.
"Very well. Markus, Aidan and Cameron-" The three men stepped forward. "You will stay here and continue your duties." The men thought best not to protest and nodded. "Go and sleep," Caleb instructed. "Be up early for tomorrow's hunt." The three men were dismissed. "The rest of you, come into my hut."
The Sun was only a few hours away from setting when the men finalised their plan. They'd had to be quiet since Grace had already been asleep when they began. During their meeting, Tanya and Tobias arrived at the hut. Tanya put her younger brother to bed before joining the men and silently listening to their strategy.
"We will strike at night," Caleb ordered. "All of you go back to your homes and sleep. I will wake you all when it is time. Prepare everything you need before you sleep - you will only have ten minutes to be out of your homes before we leave without you."
The men dispersed from the Arrow home and Caleb was left alone with Tanya. Tense silence smothered them until they finally caught each other's gaze from across the room. Caleb sighed and walked over to Tanya, sitting beside her.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around," he said softly. "I know it's a rough time."
"It's okay," Tanya murmured, looking at the ground. "You have responsibilities."
Caleb wrapped his arms around his little sister and held her close. "My greatest responsibility is you. All three of you. You know I'd do anything to protect you, don't you?" Tanya nodded.
"When do you think you'll be back?" She asked.
Caleb ran a hand through his hair. "It's hard to say - we don't know what it's like over there or how long it will take us to find the twins. Hopefully, we'll be back before sunrise. But if I'm not, you'll look after Tobias and Grace, won't you?" Tanya nodded. "In the morning, find Zahra. She might give you some extra meat. Go to bed for now, though." He kissed his sister on the forehead before watching her disappear to the next room. Then, he looked over the plan and spent the rest of the evening scouring it for any flaws.
"Of course," Caleb said. "And I am positive that they are holding Olive and Faye captive."
"What are we waiting for then?" Jacob, the twins' father, yelled angrily. "Let's go and save them!"
"Jacob," Caleb said calmly, stepping forward and putting a hand on the man's shoulder. Jacob was a good foot taller than Caleb and very well-built, but despite his tough appearance, he couldn't fight the tear that trickled down his cheek. "We have to be strategic about this. They are armed."
"So are we," Koda said, standing beside his brother and staring Caleb straight in the eyes. "We have some of the best hunters."
"I know, Koda," Caleb said, his voice firm, establishing authority. "But we still need to plan what we're going to do. And, again, I'm not taking all of the hunters with me." Caleb ignored the groans of protest.
"Caleb," Jacob said harshly. "You are not leaving me behind again. I will not stand here while everyone else fights for my daughters. I will be there to rescue them." Caleb's eyes softened when he saw the fiery determination in the man's eyes.
"Very well. Markus, Aidan and Cameron-" The three men stepped forward. "You will stay here and continue your duties." The men thought best not to protest and nodded. "Go and sleep," Caleb instructed. "Be up early for tomorrow's hunt." The three men were dismissed. "The rest of you, come into my hut."
The Sun was only a few hours away from setting when the men finalised their plan. They'd had to be quiet since Grace had already been asleep when they began. During their meeting, Tanya and Tobias arrived at the hut. Tanya put her younger brother to bed before joining the men and silently listening to their strategy.
"We will strike at night," Caleb ordered. "All of you go back to your homes and sleep. I will wake you all when it is time. Prepare everything you need before you sleep - you will only have ten minutes to be out of your homes before we leave without you."
The men dispersed from the Arrow home and Caleb was left alone with Tanya. Tense silence smothered them until they finally caught each other's gaze from across the room. Caleb sighed and walked over to Tanya, sitting beside her.
"I'm sorry I haven't been around," he said softly. "I know it's a rough time."
"It's okay," Tanya murmured, looking at the ground. "You have responsibilities."
Caleb wrapped his arms around his little sister and held her close. "My greatest responsibility is you. All three of you. You know I'd do anything to protect you, don't you?" Tanya nodded.
"When do you think you'll be back?" She asked.
Caleb ran a hand through his hair. "It's hard to say - we don't know what it's like over there or how long it will take us to find the twins. Hopefully, we'll be back before sunrise. But if I'm not, you'll look after Tobias and Grace, won't you?" Tanya nodded. "In the morning, find Zahra. She might give you some extra meat. Go to bed for now, though." He kissed his sister on the forehead before watching her disappear to the next room. Then, he looked over the plan and spent the rest of the evening scouring it for any flaws.
