And they arive at cave

Mark said. “They won’t be hunting any hard for us if we are with you then if we weren’t.” Vine raised an eyebrow. “Mare is going to take his turning personally. She offered him command of the eastern forces. And I. Well My father was Bans. When he died I was.”

Vine said. “You inherited his work. You were raised at his side, learning by his hand. You were taught not to see us as anything but test subjects. I attended a few state diners, and read the briefs. Once I could read, I was but in the role of secretary. My security clearance was higher than your fathers. I memorized all of her codes and a number of the commanders. You are a valued resource, I am security risk.” She shook her head. “Let’s get on the road. The sun will be up when we have to see the turns. We will stay on the trail these first days, then go off and take a side road around. We have a hard hike ahead of us.”

Jul looked at the people. “Vine is there anyway I can. All these people I don’t want them to separate us.”

Vine took out a blue cord. “Paul’s wrist to yours wrapped once and tied.  Now that will mark him as belong to you. We can run a plain cord among the rest of us for safety. All of the groups will be doing so.”

The inspector said. “I think that will be a good idea, and call me Dan. Do you have another of the blue cords for Mark?”

She handed him a blue cord and the end of brown one, and hand Jul the end to a second brown cord. “Wrist not waist they will hamper movement a bit, but make it easier to make sure we take the same turns. The folks will thin out once the trails start branching. Dan the one you ties the blue is taking control for the other. You are giving me none with the brown if that worries you. The plain cord has no hidden meaning.” Jul was tying her on as Vine was speaking. Vine tied the ends together then to her bracelet.

Dan said. “All right, but it wouln’t matter. We are all following you.” He tied the cord on his left wrist. “So Mark do you want this?” In answer mark held out his hands. “The right one will do. But there is no going back.”

Mark said. “There never was. I told you what I wanted.”

Dan wrapped the cord and tied it. “I will give you what I can.

Vine said. “All right then, we had better join the heard.” As vine had said there were a lot that was making use of ropes to keep track of each other. No one gave them a second look. Once they reached the mountain the pack started thinking. If the others were surprised when Vine walked past the turn off for comp trail they kept it to there selves. The high they went the colder it got.

When she went passed crater that did get her look. Vine sad. “They will check comp and Carson first, as we talked of those places. We are taking Jackson. It will be rougher, but we will manage”

The lady only family still with them said. “Of course you will. We can do it and so can you. Say do you know what the cut off point on the tests was? The real ones, not the wagons we were waiting on.”

Dan said. “Officially it was the top four, but anyone testing in the top six was discharged from the army. I barley made it as mine went from six to eight and kept bouncing. You might have taken the test they sent to the schools? By that it is the top three, but top five. I came in five on that. If you are in range stay clear of towns and do your best to doge solders. Stay to the woods more than roads.”

The second morning on the mountain they all woke to fresh snow, not a lot under the trees but enough. Jul looked at Keven with worry and started to tell him to change but Vine stopped her. “He will be fine, let him have today. The cold will be good for him, he needs it. Needs for you to be curler than you can be.”

It was a hard day, they made camp hastily as the sun was setting. The next morning Vine said. “We are leaving there main trail today. Jul have Keven put on some boots and a thinker shirt under that vest.” Jul nodded and Vine turnd to the other campers. “Guys when you get to Jackson cave stop and start laying in wood and food. A major storm will hit the soon after you make if you keep to the same pace. It will trap you there, but it is the safest place on the main trail. Wait tell evening to leave the mountain and take the road west of the city, they will be looking east. There are going to be a lot of solders around so be carful.”

One of the men said. “Little Jainny said there was something big coming. She can’t tell much tell they are close. But big ones she can feel a few days ahead of. Knew Dan was in uniform in vamp, and expected they’d be look for him, as well as us who ran. The wiped files made them extra angry. But glad they got wiped. That makes getting east possible again. You take care.”

Vine waited until they moved down the trail. “This is going to be a hard two days, but it will be worth. We will have a warm place to spend mid winter. However getting there means hiking until it is to dark to see and move out with first light.”

Don said. “Lead on. We have all tossed our lot in with yours. You are not going to scare us off.”

The light was fading on the seconded day when Vine led them into a cave. They all sank gratefully to the floor. The last mile had been bad, there were a lot of deep drifts.

When Vine had recovered a bit she stood up and took her pack off. Then disappeared around a corner that could barley be seen and came back with a load of wood Keven jumped up guiltily as she laid it in a fire ring. “Out of your wet clothes and into what ever dry thing you can find.” She got the fire lit. “That will heat up in here, there is water down there, and a hot springs so we can wash ourselves and our clothes. But not tonight. We have enough wood tell morning, but you all need to lay it in as Dale and I hunt. I fear we will be held up here a week or two. There is a storm behind the one we saw coming, and we couldn’t make it to a safe place between them. If you are concerned about us seeing you naked you can go behind that wall there but it will be chilly. We will all be sleeping here tonight, I don’t want to waste time clearing the other areas. I will try and get them before tomorrow night.”

Jul said. “Worry about getting food and wood in, there will be time latter for cleaning. Sharing sleeping areas is not going to hurt anyone. Paul do you mind seeing about the water? Keven you get the bedding. Once the storm hits we should wash it as well.”

Keven said. “Right away, Miss Vine would you like me to see to yours as well?”

Vine said. “If you don’t mind that would be a help. Dan if you will come with me there is a area designated as food storage. We should see what is there, if Mark and Jul well see what they can make of the rations?”

Dan said. “This is a nice cave, but hard to find. If you don’t mind just how?”

Vine said. “A few of the camps would dump people in the wild areas, with shock collars, and tell them to get to a certain place on the mountain for pick up in a month or two. This cave is one of the safe areas found to wait out the time. The color made sure you were there to meet what ever was sent for you. I won’t be the only one ho remembers the caves, so there might be some useable items in storage.”

He pulled a lantern out of his bag. “Custom made by a nongovernment manufactory, so no trackers. But it dose make use of the technology. So we will have light, if you can stand it. It must be hard having me here.”

Vine said. “Most of time I forget you were one of hers, but there are times you make me pause. It is good for me though. Now grab you coat, the room is every bit ad cold as it is outside. It is a natural freezer.” She lead him away. They found a good bit more then vine had hoped to.

Dan said, looking around and seeing the frozen and dried fruits. “Someone was up here each season this year from the look of this. Like they were expecting the cave would be used.”

Vine said, looking at the bins of roots and dried herbs. “We know the camps would come back, and so had bolt holes established. People set to maintain each one, but I had no way of know if it worked. It was enough of a danger just letting me know they were, I do not have any idea of any of the keepers. I did my best to limit what I knew of the others. I never knew when I fail. When she would break me. A few insisted she never would, but I wasn’t so sure of my self. Still they insisted that I learn the languages of the camps, and take part in the life of the prisons as much as my life let me. They made it clear they felt I was one of them, even if I was given a guards work at times. I did let some of runaways make it, helped them. But I couldn’t do it for all. I couldn’t miss the shots. When they could force me to kill, how could I believe the day wouldn’t come that she owned me in truth. I know just what it took for you to do what you did.” She took out a few herbs and roots, not looking at him. “This should help make the rations have taste. Looks like the man thing we need is meat. If we can get a few deer hung in here we will be all set. Extra will keep for the next person.”

Dan nodded. “That will be welcome. It shouldn’t be to hard to find and take down some. If we can get one a peace that will see us though the first storm, and we can get a few more in between them.”

Vine said. “The more the better. I don’t like what I can feel of the sconed storm. It is worng somehow.” They made there way back and added the herbs. There wasn’t a lot of talking that night. Everyone ate fast as the food would alwo then fell into bed.

Once everyone was awake the next morning Vine said. “The food stores were kept up. I can even mange some pies for mid-winter out of what’s there. No coffee, but none of seemed to the hickry and there is plenty of that. As it was maintained I bet all there is here are a few bugs and dirt. I will throw some herbs in fire as we gout to get rid of the bugs, but the caves will need a sweeping. The cent of the herbs should be going by noon, but you all want to stack the wood out side tell then. The more the better. What we don’t use the person can, and the second storm is going to be bad. There is no such thing is over prepared.”

Keven said. “Once the caves are clear of the smoke I will handle the cleaning then get the wood stacked inside.”

Vine said. “I will help with the wood if it doesn’t take all day to get a couple of deer into the freezer. It’s not that Dan and I want to skip, just.”

Jul said. “You are tow are the only ones who have the hunting experience. Go bag the meat. We should be able to get a descent stack and can add more between storms.” Vine waited tell the others were out then tossed a big packet into the flames and a thick oily smoke rose from it moved out into the cave.

Vine and dale were able to find a large hared not far from the cave and so were back a bit after new, each having made two kills. Dan said. “I will see to the butchering and storing so you can go help the others.”

Vine said. “If you’re sure? I could send one of them to help? Paul has cleaned game and dealt with it before.”

Dan said. “I can get theses. You go see that that wood dubles. The way those deer were acting has me spooked. I am enough of a woodsman to know they are expecting a big storm.”

When the light was gone they had a made nice sized stack of wood. Entering the cave they found that Keven had made out sleep areas, had small fires in the other rings and supper started. He said. “It should be ready to eat once you are dry.”

Jul said. “Very good.”

Vine nodded. “You have been busy. Nicely done indeed. Has Dan made it in?”

Keven said. “He is washing up now.” The storm hit that night so the next few days were spent getting things washed and making the cave cozier.

Chapter 10 January

Vine was digging in her pack, the others looking at her oddly as she was pulling out candles and smaller bags and strings of beads. “Jul this should do. I am not sure what you need Dan, but likely something here will work.” Seeing there looks she said. “This is mid winter night. You all lost track did you? I know what Jul’s traditions have this night, and Paul’s take place tomorrow, but the rest of you will have to tell me if you need something. I will see what I can do. I will start the pies in a bit.”

Paul said. “I had no idea. At home we would be hanging the decoration and my sisters would be fussing about ball gowns.”

Vine said. “Check the bags there and you will find decorations, and the storm has eased enough you can co bring in some green branches if you want. I am going to leave that up to you all and make some pies. They won’t be fancy, but will be sweet, which will be a nice change. If the storm lies enough we can see about something other than deer for supper tomorrow. I know it is rough, and likely will make you all miss home. But I can’t let it pass unremarked. Even in the camps we hung up scraps of green and brought out hiding treats. Sometimes the guards would toss a bit more food than normal when the day’s rations were given.”

Mark said. “I am glad you noticed. It will be nice to mark the day. Come on, Paul and Keven let’s go bring in a big peace of that downed oak. It will burning all night and day. As we need it to, I think every religion has some version of it. I know I don’t need there to be any more evil sprits walking the land. Mine says the more that let the log burn the less evil the New Year has.”

Vine said. “I am a priestess, part of it is that I can’t not know what day it is in relation to the Holy days. The log will help me as well, if you are up to it.”

Paul stood to go, Keven said. “May I?”

Jul shook her head, he was taking this a bit to far. “Go on, but put some clothes on that are fit for the weather.” He had taken to going around the cave with out a shirt or shoes on.

Keven Said. “Yes Ma’am, thank you.”

Jul looked after them. “I know he needs to stay in the habbit some what incase we meet others once we are off the mountain, but still he could ease it a bit.”

Vine said. “It is no longer an act. You were worried you would get used to it. Well he has. He can’t go back to being your equal. It won’t feel right to him any more. It is the same with Mark, he is just older and less obvious about it. But he looked at Dan before saying anything. If Dan hadn’t of nodded he wouldn’t have spoke. That is why you hear so little out of him.”

Jul said. “It is not what I wanted. I told him that when Grandma said it would be this. He is my friend, I. Well I never meant to have this much power over anyone.”

Vine said. “He won’t take it back, and you can’t force him to. It doesn’t work.”

Dan said. “I wish it did, but he will just refuse and you will end up giving an order. I didn’t know we were that easy to see though. I guess I should have known you wouldn’t care. Too many years of having to hide.”

Vine said. “I know what to look for. Part of how I was trained. I try to shut it off but some of it I can’t shake. In the camps a relationship was a danger so folks hid them. Mare had me taught to spot them and tried to get me to report them. I kept from her and the others as much as I could stand to. That is enough gloom. Why don’t you two see what you can do to make this look festive as I get the pies going?”