Hope by Megan Rees (best e reader for academics txt) 📕

Raven narrowed his eyebrows and gave another hacking cough, but it turned into a fit. Hope placed one hand on his shoulder to steady him. "Shhh." She hushed him. "It's going to be alright. I'll find someone who can help you."

"No one can help me!" Raven snapped. "You know perfectly well I'm terrified of death and you pretending that I'm not dying isn't going to help me!"

Silence yet again. Once again, Raven was the one who killed the silence. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've done."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Hope insisted. "This is all my fault." She then turned her head to look at the door. "But I could stop this all now."

Hope sat cross-legged at the edge of the boundary, her blue eyes fixed on the tree with the killer fruit. There was a slight breeze in the air, but it didn't affect her in any way. She had bigger things to worry about rather than a little bit of wind.

She cleared her thoughts to everything that had happened recently. First off, the Swooping Eagles invaded and nearly killed several members of the Falling Stars. Then, Sasha got attacked by Nat supposedly and the shapeshifters took Hope in when she was lost. Finally, the shapeshifters took one of Hope's closest friends, and he was weakened by the sickness that was likely to be destorying the Falling Stars.

I could stop all the grief. Hope told herself confidently. If I do what I'm about to do, the Tribe will never know what happened and this would all stop.

Being as careful as she could, Hope placed the blade of her knife against her neck, murmuring a prayer. Tears blurred her vision as she took a few more breaths. "I'm sorry." She muttered.

Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the forest, stopping Hope instantly. She turned round and saw Ignis, Sica, Iocale and Virtus. Sica had been the one who shot the gun.

"Drop the knife." Ignis told Hope calmly. Hope shook her head crossly. "I have to do this! It's the only way to stop everything I've done!"

"You won't erase the past by killing yourself." Sica pointed out sternly. "Drop it now and stop this madness."

"You can't stop me!" Hope protested. " You'll have to kill me first!"

Ignis then nodded at Iocale, who pointed a gun at Hope. She pulled the trigger back and fired.

Everything went blank.

"She's been gone for an hour now. Is it time?"

"Should be. That shot didn't kill her. I wouldn't have shot her if I was using proper killing bullets. Ignis wouldn't have let me either. She's very useful."

"Iocale, since when was she useful? Fortis and the others made a mistake bringing her here. We've had nothing but trouble since she  arrived."

"You don't need to say things like that, Sica! Paulo would shoot you herself if she heard you say that!"

"I don't give a care in the world what the pipsqueak says. She can blab all she likes, it won't affect me in anyway whatsoever."

"How could you say that about your own sister?"

Hope could hear voices around her. She had heard them talking for a while, mainly about Raven and his sickness, especially how it could affect the other shapeshifters. According to Sica, Raven had begged Virtus and Fragosus to take him to their camp, but this hadn't been proven as true yet. Hope guessed that her friend was trying to find out if she had been inprisoned here.

Iocale had also mentioned about Raven getting worse by each cough, frightening Hope slightly. Her eyes suddenly shot open and she could see a strange shape looming over her.

"Hey! The kid's awake!" Sica exclaimed, pointing his finger at Hope. The young girl watched as Iocale smiled, but frowned in the direction of the strange shape. "Mirari, put that away. We don't need you getting involved."

"Wha-what?" Hope was slightly confused. Iocale called, and a small girl appeared. She had bright green eyes and long hazel coloured hair tied in two plaits that hung limply over her front. She also clutched a small, fluffy monkey with black fur. Iocale stroked the girl's head. "This is Mirari, meaning 'wonder'. She's our youngest at seven years old."

Hope took a glance at the young child. Mirari wore a light purple dress with a white cardigan and pale purple tights. Compared to the other shapeshifters, Mirari looked like a princess from one of those Disney films. Hope wondered if Mirari even knew what Disney was, let alone who the princesses were. Someone in the real world like her would be obessed with Disney.

"She's in Protege's hut, mainly because he's good with little kids like her." Iocale explained, her eyes sparkling. Hope couldn't help but smile in amusement, which Iocale blushed at. "Shut up!"

"She didn't even say anything." Sica sniggered. "But maybe I'll mention that to Protege next time I see him. I'm sure he'll love hearing what you have to say."

"We'll leave that subject now, unless you want your head chopped off." Iocale replied briskly. "Now, Hope, let's get you up and out of here."

With Iocale and Sica helping her, Hope rose to her feet with no problems at all. She smiled as Mirari as she smiled brightly and innocently. She's such an innocent child in a world where danger lurks at every corner. If she's survived 160 years of time-freezing madness, how much longer will she survive?

A harsh wind nearly froze Hope's bones as she stepped outside. Storm clouds gathered overhead, causing the shapeshifters to look up from their work and anxiously at the sky. Virtus closed his eyes for a moment before declaring "There's a storm coming. We must be prepared, I fear that it will bring terror and much difficulty."

"How do you know?" Nocte turned on the young boy. "Who died and made you king?"

Quick as a flash, Virtus turned into a coyote and flung himself at Nocte furiously. Nocte swiftly turned into a black panther and avoided the attack, growling viciously.

Nocte will tear Virtus apart. Hope realised in horror. Knowing that she had to do something, the young Captain darted between the two, trying to split them up. Virtus ignored her completely and sweved round Hope, lashing out at Nocte. The black panther responded with a fury of claws, tearing at Virtus' greyish brown pelt.

"Stop this!" Hope screamed, trying to pull them apart. Iocale quickly pulled her away before one of them lashed out on her.

Suddenly, Nocte let out a shrill cry of pain, stumbling back a few steps. Hope glanced up and saw Raven shakily holding his bow. An arrow had been shot into Nocte's shoulder, only just missing Virtus by a whisker.

"Murderer!" Larva howled, lunging furiously at Raven in her snow leopard form. Instantly, Hope got out her pistol from her pocket and pulled the trigger back, the barrel aimed at the sky. The bang startled everyone, even Larva, who had hatred in her eyes for Hope's weak Tribemate.

"Nocte is not dead." Ignis told her sister. "Let the prisoner go, Larva. He did not intend to harm Nocte."

To everyone's shock, Larva refused. Hope aimed her gun at the leader. "Let him go, or I'll shoot!"

"Do your worst." Larva challenged, a vicious look crossing her face.

Trembling, Hope took aim at the massive snow leopard. Larva lashed her tail, but suddenly charged at Hope, roaring. Ignis instantly rammed into Larva's side, while Fortis also changed into a bear and lashed out on his leader.

"You actually dare to rebel against your own leader?" Larva let out a short mildly amused chuckle. "Well, this is surprising."

"I told you that Nocte isn't dead." Ignis growled. "Just because I'm younger than you doesn't make me stupid!"

Angrily, Larva aimed a blow at Fortis, but Ignis shoved him away, meaning that Larva's claws landed on Ignis. Larva's sister made no noise, but her facial expression told everyone that she was in pain. She quickly changed back into a human before collasping, blood oozing from her side. Fortis also changed into a human and crouched down beside Ignis, fury in his eyes. Ready to avenge her friend, Hope aimed the gun at Larva, but Fortis lifted one hand up. "Enough damage has been done here. Put your weapon away, Hope." He commanded. "You can go and check on your friend. I don't think he's injured."

Hope approached Raven and helped him to her feet. He had a few scratches on him, but otherwise he was unharmed. Hope let out a sigh of relief. "I thought she'd killed you!"

"Well, you said I wouldn't die while you were alive." Raven pointed out, winking at her.

Hope gently applied the last of her cream onto Ignis' side, who had recently woken up. Her green eyes were glazed with fear and she had refused to speak upon awaking. Fortis, Paulo and Raven were also present, observing everything.

"That's all my cream gone." Hope told Ignis with a sigh. The pretty teenager also let out a brief sigh. "Is it alright if I speak to Fortis for a moment?"

"Go ahead. We'll leave you alone for a moment." Hope said, ushering Fortis over. He was in human form as a thirteen year old white boy with brown hair, blue eyes, a black t-shirt, blue demin jeans and red trainers. He also had a brown jacket on, protecting himself from the cold.

As Hope turned to leave, she noticed Paulo curled up as a monkey, her chest rising and falling slowly as she slept. The Captain scooped up the white monkey in her arms and carried her out into her hut, where a tall