© Jojo B 2018

All rights including those in copyright in the content of this story are owned by Jojo B. It's Illegal to steal and/or copy.

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Flaws and Feathers

Chapter 6

Early in the morning, I found myself dressed and ready for college in good time, which was not normal. Gwen usually had to wake me up, and I would get ready in about twenty minutes before leaving.

Of course, the first thing on my mind was the little episode last night. I wasn't sure if I was ill, or if something else had been affecting me, but it was starting to make me feel uneasy about going to sleep at night. Part of me felt that I should ask the boys, Raphael and Cassiel, about it. But I didn't really know why they would have any answers. I just figured that since they arrived, I had been noticing strange things. I had a bit of time to go and see how they were doing, before I had to go to college.

I still hadn't found my keys that I dropped in the woods that first day Gwen and I had found Raphael, so I walked right into the cabin, which was unlocked anyway. Seeing Raphael and Cassiel sitting at the dining room table, both their heads bowed down as they viewed something, had me pause in interest. They were talking in low voices, although that was just how they spoke in general, I supposed. The contrast between Raphael's raven hair and Cassiel's golden locks, had me looking between them for a couple seconds. They were so unusually attractive. Though personality wise, Raphael, was certainly not my type.

"What's that?" I asked as I walked further into the cabin.

As soon as they heard me, Raphael and Cassiel both hid whatever they had been looking at. There was more than one item, as each of them put something into their pockets.

"It is nothing," Raphael lied, not even attempting to come up with an excuse.

I looked at them both blankly, knowing that to press them would lead to nothing, so I didn't even bother. I noticed how Cassiel had changed out of the worn, scruffy clothes he had been wearing before, and was now dressed in some of Joe's jeans and a hoodie. They were lucky my brother had so many of them stashed away here. Raphael's dark stubble had gotten thicker, though on closer inspection, Cassiel was still clean shaven. Whatever he had used to shave, was beyond me.

Placing my hands on the back of one of the chairs, I wanted to ask them about the weird feeling I had had the night before, but I had no idea how to explain it. I would probably end up sounding like a complete weirdo. Deciding against it, I looked up to gaze over at each of them.

"Hear anything on the news about your friends?" I asked casually, not thinking it was likely they would. "You know, your best shot is the newspaper. They often have random stories in there that no one reads."

They both looked at me blankly, and I slowly grinned.

"What?" I shrugged my shoulders. "Your friends aren't exactly celebrities, are they? It's unlikely they'll make the 6 'o' clock news."

"Don't they show the news in the mornings too?" Raphael questioned.

I shrugged a shoulder loosely, "They do, I guess."

Walking over to the living room, I grabbed the remote from the coffee table and plunked myself down on the sofa. It may have been more than a little chilly, but I was wearing a pinafore dress with a long sleeved top and thermal tights on underneath. The TV was already on the right channel, so I increased the volume a little as the news was broadcasted.

I heard light footsteps was both Raphael and Cassiel came to join me. Cassiel planted himself on the arm of the sofa and Raphael stayed standing, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

The screen was showing footage from earlier this morning. The skies were still grey and dark, though I soon realised that a lot of that was due to the smoke. A reporter was live stood in front of a burnt out building, describing events of last night. A suspected deliberate fire had started at a cricket pavilion, and practically everything had been destroyed. They had a few members of the cricket club talking about how the fire had ruined great memories, and had caused a lot of irreplaceable damage. Their team trophies, awards, team photos dating back decades. All gone.

"That's such a shame," I murmured as I watched the TV.

I hadn't noticed Cassiel and Raphael murmuring quietly, clearly thinking about something else other than how unfortunate it was for the cricket players.

Then it clicked.

"It was one of your other friends, wasn't it?" I turned to look at the two.

Raphael and Cassiel both looked at me in silence for a moment, before they nodded in unison.

"Nathaniel," Cassiel clarified.

"So he's an arsonist?" I asked in interest, knowing that if Gwen or my mother were to hear me showing such curiosity in arson, they would scold me mercilessly.

"I suppose you can call it that," Raphael replied, his grey eyes shifting back to the TV.

The reporter mentioned the name of the area affected, and I actually recognised it. It wasn't too much of a distance, though it would take a little longer to get there if we weren't driving.

"Where is that?" Raphael looked at me with furrowed brows.

"Next town over," I replied casually. "It's about thirty minutes on the bus."

"Bus?" Raphael frowned.

"You don't know what a bus is?" I sent him a look of disbelief.

"I do," he replied blankly. "I thought Gwen would drive."

I scoffed in amusement as I got up to my feet, "Today is Monday. Gwen has college."

"Do you not have college too?" Cassiel arched a brow at me.

"Technically, yes," I answered, trying not to smile. "But I'm not going in today. How else will you know how to get to Nathaniel?"

Cassiel seemed to be trying not to smile too, and Raphael sent him a look that said something like 'don't encourage her'.

"She has already made up her mind about skipping classes," Cassiel said to his friend as he passed by Raphael on his way back to the kitchen.

I pulled my phone out, seeing I had received two missed calls from Gwen. I called her back, holding my phone to my ear.

"Vienna, where are you?" my sister answered on the second ring.

"In the cabin with the boys," I replied, glancing over at them as Cassiel and Raphael went to put shoes on. "You can go to college without me. I think I know where to find their friend Nathaniel."

"Are you serious?" Gwen sighed. "Mum already said that she didn't want you getting into detention again."

"Well that's unlikely, if you cover for me," I absentmindedly twirled a strand of my dark hair around my finger.

Gwen exhaled again making clear her disappointment, "Fine."

"Thank you," I grinned, glad she was on my side. "I'll see you after college."

"Okay," Gwen said before muttering to Joe in the background. "She's not coming...Bye Vienna."

"Bye," I cut the call and slid my phone back to my jacket pocket.

The two males were already stood by the door, waiting for me to join them.

"Ladies first," I motioned to them, a smirk on my face.

"Very funny," Cassiel remarked, though he still waited for Raphael to be the first to head out.

Raphael rolled his eyes and opened the front door, heading out into the woodland. The ground was much dryer now that it hadn't rained for a almost a week, but I didn't trust that it would stay that way for long. My Doc Marten boots were sturdy enough not to get my socks wet or my feet too cold.

"Where is this bus stop?" Cassiel asked me as he walked by my side.

"We're taking a short cut through the woods," I explained. "It's like a seven minute walk to the main road from here."

Raphael was a few paces ahead of us, but close enough to be within earshot.

"So, what's Nathaniel like?" I asked them both, trying to start up conversation. "Do you think he'll still be near the wreckage?"

There was a pause, where they seemed to be thinking about what I'd asked.

"He is...a little impulsive," Cassiel ended up saying.

"What? Like you two?" I let out a laugh. "You guys aren't the most relaxed people I've ever met. Raphael can never even keep still, for one. And you, Cassiel, you got hit by a car yesterday because you couldn't stop and look before crossing."

Raphael turned to give me a dry look over his shoulder as we continued down the dirt path, but he didn't seem annoyed. I supposed it was progress. Cassiel didn't react at all, and I looked up at him with a teasing smile.

"Did I hurt your feelings?" I nudged him in the side.

His brows furrowed and he shifted his blue gaze to meet mine, "No."

I budged him with my elbow again, just to get a reaction from him other than a frown. Cassiel responded by reaching out and pushing me back. I stumbled off the path a little, and looked over at him with raise brows as I sensed a challenge. Joining him on the path again, I went to push Cassiel when he reached out with his hand to stop mine. When our hands collided for a brief moment, palm against palm, I felt an electric shock which made me pull back quickly.

"Ow," I waved my hand in the air.

"What?" Cassiel replied, apparently oblivious.

"Don't tell me you didn't feel that," I creased my brows at him dubiously. "I saw you flinch too."

Cassiel blinked his fair eyelashes, looking away from me and down at the path we were taking. I sighed in faint annoyance at being ignored, but I wasn't surprised. He and Raphael were keeping secrets, and I would make sure to get answers from them as soon as Gwen and I helped them find the rest of their friends.

After a couple more minutes walking under the canopy of naked tree branches, we appeared at the side of the road.

"There is it," I pointed to the bus stop where we could get the bus to the next town.

It was only every thirty minutes, so hopefully we wouldn't have to wait too long. Thankfully within minutes of reaching the bench, I spotted the bus coming down the road, and I motioned for it to stop. I paid for a family pass, though on closer inspection, it was clear none of us were related. Choosing to sit at a set of four chairs that faced each other, I looked across at Cassiel and Raphael who sat opposite me. Their shoulders were touching, as they were so broad.

I could tell by their expressions that they didn't much like the bus, perhaps because it wasn't as clean as Gwen's car. I had once watched a video of someone whacking a bus seat and seeing the amount of dirt that billowed out of it. No wonder they were such an interesting mix of colours, that way it was easier to hide when they got dirty.

"Back to your friend," I said as I shuffled my feet, trying to kick off a twig that was stuck under one of my boots. "Why do you think he did what he did?"

Raphael sighed, rubbing his dark hair, "Nathaniel likes fire."

"I gathered that much," I said sarcastically.

"Nathaniel can act crazy at times," Cassiel tried to explain.

"He's crazy?" I arched a brow, struggling not to grin.

Cassiel actually laughed, making me look at him in surprise. It was a genuine laugh, not a mocking one.

"I meant crazy as in wild, not crazy as in insane," he shook his head to himself, still smiling. "Though it could be debated."

Raphael cracked a smile too, nudging Cassiel's leg with his own as he gestured for him to stop. I smiled faintly as I looked out of the window. The trees were blurring past backwards, as my seat was facing in the opposite direction to the movement of the bus.

Within half an hour, the bus arrived at the next town, and we got off. I roughly knew where the cricket club was, and after following a few signs, we set off in the right direction.

"I think we should search the surrounding areas instead of going right to the burnt out pavilion. The news reporters might still be there," I look up at Cassiel and Raphael.

"I am sure Nathaniel would be staying in the woods anyway," Raphael nodded. "Hopefully not too far away."

"Hopefully," I agreed.

The three of us started to search through the maze of trees, disturbing several squirrels who were hunting for nuts. There were times where we would split up, but not too far out of sight, as the boys didn't have phones. Not that there was much service in the woods anyways. After what seemed like hours, Cassiel caught sight of something.

"Nathaniel?" he called out, causing me and Raphael to walk over to where he was standing.

Cassiel was looking straight ahead, and I found myself holding my breath as I watched a figure emerge from behind one of the trees. The male was tall and well built, a common trend that seemed to be shared between these guys. He had dark red hair and an expression that was difficult to read. For someone who had been in or near a fire, he was completely free from any soot or singed clothes.

"Nathaniel," Raphael said softly, when his friend stayed where he was standing.

At the sound of his name again, Nathaniel took a deep breath in, his body shuddering as he tried to keep calm.

"Do not call me that," he jutted a finger in his direction angrily.

He started to march forwards, pissed off, but when he laid eyes on me I could have sworn Nathaniel saw red. His eyes looked like they were blazing infernos, and I took a step back, my heart pounding in my chest.

Cassiel stepped in front of me almost protectively, I didn't think he even thought about what he was doing.

"Nathaniel, what is it?" Cassiel pleaded with his friend, the concern very much audible in his voice.

Nathaniel gripped a handful of his hair, sending Cassiel a deadly look as he stopped walking.

"I said, do not call me that!" he raised his voice. "It is Nathan now. I am not who I used to be, so do not call me by that name."

I could hear the tremble in his voice and even though I didn't understand what he was talking about, some part of me felt sorry for whatever he had been through.

"Okay, okay," Cassiel raised his hands in submission. "Nathan. I understand."

Nathan nodded, his hands shaking as they hung by his sides, and his head drooping now that he had gotten over his outburst. Cassiel closed the distance between them and engulfed Nathan in a hug, holding him tight. To my surprise, Nathan didn't pull away, he held onto Cassiel just as hard and started to sob into his shoulder. Raphael approached them and put his arms around them both, rubbing Nathan's fiery hair.

I stayed where I was standing, not feeling the need to get involved in something I had no clue about. As I watched the three friends, I couldn't help crave what they had. They were clearly so close. I had never experienced any type of friendship like that. My siblings and I were close, but we were family. It was different when you had friends that may as well be part of your family.

When Nathan pulled away from Cassiel's shoulder, I saw black tears running down his face. My first thought was that he was wearing mascara, but although his lashes were black, I didn't think he had any makeup on. He didn't strike me as a makeup person anyway.

Nathan used the back of the plaid shirt sleeve he was wearing to wipe his eyes, before he stepped back from his friends.

"Where is Micah?" Nathan sniffed as he looked between his two friends.

"We have not found him yet," Cassiel answered. "But he cannot be too far."

"We will find him," Raphael said firmly.

Nathan nodded, "I know."

"Have you been through mutatio yet?" I heard Raphael ask him in a lower voice, making me think that was the same thing he had asked Cassiel when we had found him the day before.

Nathan shook his head, before asking them the same question. Raphael nodded, and Cassiel shook his head.

"What's mutatio?" I stepped forwards, making them all turn their attentions to me.

"You have some sharp ears," Raphael commented, before Nathan elbowed him aside so he could get a better look at me.

Again, he seemed furious at me, but I didn't know who he was, let alone why he was so mad.

"You humans," Nathan practically spat out in hatred, and Cassiel quickly pushed him back, sending him a look.

"Aren't we all human?" I scoffed, trying not to look as afraid as I felt inside.

"Why is she here?" Nathan demanded, scowling at Cassiel and Raphael.

"I'm Vienna," I took another step towards them. "I have a name."

Nathan's shoulders were heaving as he glared at me, and Cassiel kept a hand against his chest to keep him back. I was seriously doubting that having Nathan stay at the cabin was a good idea. He seemed quite aggressive. Okay, more like very aggressive.

"You must calm down Nathani - Nathan," Raphael corrected himself. "Vienna and her sister are letting us stay in her family's cabin. They have been very good to us."

"Yeah, I'm starting to think that Nathaniel here isn't invited," I folded my arms across my chest, glaring back at him.

Nathan clenched his jaw so hard it had to ache, when I called him by his full name. Cassiel and Raphael sent me astonished looks, but I stood my ground. I wasn't a stranger to the degree of anger Nathan was dealing with. He wasn't the only one who could blow his fuse.

"Let us just, relax," Raphael looked between me and Nathan, holding up his hands to signify peace.

"Forget peace," Nathan growled as he tried to shove Cassiel aside.

I felt the rush of heat at the back of my neck, and to my surprise, the demeanour of the boys changed instantly. Nathan stepped back, instead of forwards, and Cassiel looked wary and Raphael almost appeared sad. I felt another presence, and I was reminded of last night. The feeling I had experienced in my room. A presence I couldn't withstand. It was similar to this. I should feel my hands trembling and my heart hammering. There was power surrounding us, but I knew it wasn't from me.

"What is it? Can you see something?" I blurted out, not caring right then if it was a silly question.

The boys were looking in my direction, but not at me. I turned to look over both my shoulders, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"I see nothing," Raphael muttered, walking past me, back the way we had come.

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What did you think of Nathan rejoining the pack?

Favourite part?

J

X

Ps. This is a pinafore dress.