three
For Shawn and me, time passed quickly before the end of summer were upon us. I had put the guard clean outta me mind, until I noticed him lurking at the edge of the Clan, glaring at Cain and me. I hadna seen him since that awful evening in the wooded clearing. His severed arm caused the sleeve of his tunic to hang limp under his chainmail. At first, I thought I imagined him there, after all, he should be dead.
Running to Cain, I helped him with a wicker basket full of sturgeons. We each carried one, they were small sturgeons this year. It seemed none could catch the beautiful large beasts that our Clan had prospered from in the past.
I pointed out the hateful looking guard. Me gut felt no relief when Cain saw him too, proving the guard were real, and no a figment of me imagination. Me brother just smiled and waved but kept walking.
As we passed Chloe, Cain blew her a kiss. She returned her feelings with rosy cheeks and a bashful grin as she ducked her head and hurried to the wash.
Catriona passed Cain and me with a similar wicker to the one Chloe carried. 'Twas full of clothing to be cleaned at the wash. She seemed happier than normal, even smiling when she stopped Cain. Briefly, they talked while I continued with me basket of sturgeon. Cain returned to me quickly. Glancing over me shoulder, one last time as we left the clearing, the guard were gone. He vanished! I surveyed the entire gathering of the Clan's men and women, seeking him out, but he were nowhere.
It hadna been until me stomach cramps ended, I realized the mere sight of that guard makes me sick.
At home, Cain and me gutted and cleaned our sturgeons. Since the fish be smaller than past years, I got the job of whacking their heads, to stun them, followed by cutting their heads off and slicing open their bellies. It sounds disgusting, but 'tis better than Cain's job. He has to pull out their nasty innards. Yuck! I've held that position every year since I were taught to gut a fish, I hate it. There's so much ooey, gooey grossness me fingers would sift through, yuck! No to mention, the stench takes days to wash away.
Cain enjoys it.
This year, with smaller sturgeons, Cain is verra happy. This has been our chore since Cain became big enough to wrestle a full grown sturgeon. Before that, Da would help. Now, none other than Cain and me gut the sturgeons, for our family. Catriona's chore is the wash. She hates the fish cleaning more than me. The smell of the ooey, gooey innards makes her queasy. Cain used to chase her through the fields with them.
Remembering our childhood, made me realize the day grew late and Catriona hadna returned. Glancing at the sun in the sky – 'tis late! – much later than she normally returns. The sky started darkening as the sun gracefully descended into the West.
Cain caught me expression and began looking around as well.
“Hel-loo.” Shawn bounded up to me in an unusually good mood. “Why'd ye look so worried?” He knows me well enough to know something is wrong by me expression. That happens when ye grow up with someone. Wrapping one arm around me waist, he pulled me close to him and placed a single kiss on me forehead.
“Have ye seen Cat?” Cain asked. He still looked around, straining his eyes to the furthest possible reaches of the grove. He tried peering through the brush and trees that lined the edge of the clearing.
Shaking his head, “Had I seen her, I woulda helped her carry her wicker home.” Me Shawny always is a gentleman. As much as Catriona dislikes other boys, she loves me Shawny. I always figured it were due to him growing up with us.
“She shoulda returned from the wash by now,” I said. The guards face suddenly flashed in me mind and me breath caught deep in me throat as it always does with fear, anger, anxiety, excitement – pretty much any major change of emotion. Reaching out I grabbed Shawn's arm to steady meself. I could see the guard clearly. His head wrapped in metal, his black, squinting eyes glaring down his crooked nose. A smug transgression playing across his horrid face as his chainmail clinked with his every move.
I canna breath!
I bent at me middle, grabbing me gut. That feeling I had in the gathering were back. This time t'were stronger.
“Rhionan!” Shawny pulled me hair back, so it werena hanging in me face. “What's wrong, lass?” he demanded.
Cain turned to me with concern. His green eyes wide and fearful. Truly, this is the first time Cain ever appeared scared to me. Righting meself, I reached for me brother, making him look me in the eyes, “The guard,” slipped through me lips in a choked whisper.
Rage filled Cain as he ran off in the direction of the wash. Shawn and me followed him, hardly able to keep up.
Cain came to an abrupt halt in the middle to the clearing about halfway to the tree line. He grabbed his face and looked around as if he were struck. Now, he grabbed the other side of his face, confusion flooded him, “Did ye see what hit me?” He began rubbing his wrists as he raised his hands up to look at them, “Me arms are bein' squeezed harder than anythin'. I dunna know what to make of it.” All at once Cain doubled over, grabbing his lower stomach. He yelped out in pain, grimacing, but no one touched him.
Confusion frustrated Shawn and me while we helplessly stared at me brother. I couldna imagine what brought this on until I got over the shock of me big brother bein' doubled over and thought of me sister, tryin' to place where she be this late in the day.
They can feel each other! What Cat feels, Cain feels too.
“Catriona!” I cried. “'Tis her pain!”
Helplessly looking at me, Cain mumbled, “Get. Da.” His voice rasped as his breathing became labored. Tears formed in his eyes, causing their green to glow. I ran as fast as me legs carried me to Shawn's place. Da's often there before supper's served. Shawny stayed with Cain, still unsure how to help.
I didna give Da a chance to dispute me once I arrived. I didna explain what happened neither. How would I explain something like that? Hey, Da, Cat's missin' and Cain's in lots of pain. We think 'tis hers, but we canna find her to ask...
That wouldna go over well.
By the time I reached Shawn's parents, I were in hysterics and Da, along with Shawn's father, Shawn, saw it. Scared Cain, or Catriona, became worse in me absence, I lead the way with Da and Shawn fast on me heels.
Breathless, I returned to me brother and Shawny, but Cain appeared fine. He still held himself in various places but the tears that filled his eyes before were gone, his breathing returned to normal and he were able to talk normal again. “We have to find Cat. We should spread out and meet at home later.” Cain already formed a plan. He's good at taking control. After what just happened, I thought he'd still be a little out of it, not Cain. Fear for Catriona, and adrenaline pushed him forward. Which made me wonder – What did happen?
“What's wrong with Cat?” Da demanded. “Where is she?”
“We dunna know.” I rambled. “We think she's in lots of trouble and possibly pain. Ye shoulda seen Cain when I rushed to get ye. 'Twere her pain.” Scared for me sister, I didna have a clue where to begin. Shawny placed a reassuring hand on me shoulder, but it didna help.
“I'll search with ye,” Da told Cain in his booming I willna take no for an answer, voice. “Just in case somethin' else should happen. Shawn, take Rhionan and work yer way around the clearin'. Check everywhere.” Shawny and me nodded, then Da turned to Shawn's father, “Me old friend, get the others. We have to find me lass.”
Shawny and me ran in our specified direction, while Shawn's father, Da, and Cain went their own ways. We came up with nothing along the outer edge. She werena at the wash neither. I made Shawny walk the perimeter of the Clan clearing twice. The first time on the edge of it. The second time a little further in the trees. Desperate to find me sister, I even searched everywhere I thought she might go if she didna want someone to find her.
She were nowhere...
We found no trace of the garments she cleaned or her wicker.
I havena been so anxious in me life. I dunna know where me sister is, but I know she's frightened and hurt and scared.
Darkn
ess began to settle, forcing Shawny to drag me from the woods. I cried. Being useless is the worst feeling in the world, and that's what I am. The tears that streamed me face were thick and flowed over me cheeks.
Will I ever see her again? Nothing scared me more or made me more determined than one thought – I failed.
The reality of it were more than I could handle as Shawny led me home. He tried comforting me, tried to get me to relax, tried telling me all would be well. Constantly, he reassured me Catriona's well and home, and this is a horrible misunderstanding. Shawny put on a positive front as he tried convincing me that everyone got worked up for nothing.
'Twere just a front, though.
The more I listened to him, the more I wanted to believe him. I prayed he were right. The gut-wrenching feeling in the pit of me stomach suggested otherwise.
Finally returning to me hovel, I ran straight for me Mum's arms. She paced worriedly in front of our home. Releasing her grip, she pushed me away to look into me eyes as she spoke. Her delicate hands never left me weak shoulders. “Be prepared. Cat–” her voice broke. Her light, green eyes were almost clear, a creepy transparent, as though she cried the brilliant green from them. “Catriona's no well. Yer Da and Cain came home with her some time ago. She–” Mum stopped, wiping the tears from her puffy, red cheeks. “Ye have to be strong. Do ye understand? She needs strong people with her now. Yer brother willna leave her side–”
I pulled me Mum back to me, in another comforting embrace. I canna stand seeing her this way. For her to be this worked up, Catriona isna well. I looked over me shoulder at Shawny who stepped in, taking me mum into his strong arms while I slipped into our home. I could hear her light sobs through the open door.
Catriona sat snuggled as close to Cain as she could get, his arms wrapped around her protectively. His head rested on top of hers. Her arms and legs were curled up into her chest. Her coppery hair strung sloppily around her frightened, shattered face. She clung tightly to Cain refusing to let him go.
Silently I watched them, occasionally a shudder would course through her body and into his, leaving a sickening grimace behind on their matching faces. Then, Cain would shush her fears. The two of them were so close, as twins, the missing half to one another making them each whole. They've a bond we only understand as shared time in the womb.
I sat down on the other side of me tainted sister running me fingers through her disheveled hair. I didna say anything to her because there were nothing to say. Slowly, she relaxed against Cain and fell asleep.
“We found her in the clearin' that... that monster had ye and Shawn trapped in that day I came lookin' for ye.” Cain has never expressed his anger well. Generally, he's too kind-hearted to stay mad for too long. I felt the tears swelling in me eyes before they slowly began streaming down me face. I were strong, as Mum instructed me, 'til Cat fell asleep.
Somehow 'tis me fault. Especially when Cain explained where Cat were found. I always believed Catriona were untouchable. That's no true. The truth were before me, where she lay shattered across Cain and me. Her face were swollen and badly bruised with a tiny cut, sliced through her bottom lip.
“Has she said anythin'?” Immediately I felt a fool when the words escaped me mouth. What would she say? She wouldna want to relive her nightmare.
“Just kept askin' for ye. Guess she wanted to make sure ye were safe too,” Cain bowed his head, tears flowed over his cheeks, down his neck, and soaked into his tunic. “She finally sleeps knowin' ye're safe.”
That guard settled for me sister. She were found in Shawn and me's clearing. Someone's always with me, rather it be Shawny, Chloe, or one of me siblings. Catriona's a loner, she prefers her solitude more often than no. She enjoys free-time by herself and is a dreamer who constantly looks for ways to make life easier. Happier.
That guard chose her because she were easier to get to.
I never noticed until now, Cat's smaller than me...
She were an easier target.