Chapter one!
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The flickering flames of the fire almost hypnotised Emma. She was snuggled in her warm blanket listening to the adults tell stories. She loved the evenings best. After a long day of travelling and looking after her siblings she could relax. Emma was part of a nomadic tribe. Every day the tribe would pack up camp and travel. Emma was in charge of her younger brother, Tom, who was 8 and her younger sister Katy, who was 5. Emma herself was 16. She was of medium height and had long black hair and large blue eyes. Her other brother, Bill was 13 and looked after their sheep and cattle with their father, Will.
Today had been especially hard for Emma as Tom and Katy would not listen to her. Emma’s mother was 8 months pregnant and couldn’t help her. Her elder brother, Emma’s uncle Matt, was looking after her. It was a hard pregnancy, because of her age, and Emma was worried about her. She shook her head, she shouldn’t worry about such things, now was her time. She blinked her eyes as she tried to stay awake. The hypnotic power of the fire was making her drift off to sleep.
She was woken by a scream. The first thing she saw was fire. But not the small camp fire, one of the tents was flaming. Then the next thing she saw was men. Lots of men. More men than there were in her tribe. Emma stood up and looked around. Men, women and children were running every where.
“Mum, Dad, Uncle Matt, Tom, Bill, Katy, where are you?” Emma shouted, adding her voice to the chaos.
As she looked around, fear for her family rising in her chest, a small fairy flew passed her, one of its wings on fire. Emma grabbed it, smothering the flames, and placed it in her pocket.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm and she screamed.
“Emma, it’s okay. It’s me.” Emma nearly sobbed in relief.
“Dad, what’s happing?” she asked.
“The camp is being attacked by an enemy tribe.” Emma gasped. If a tribe attacked another and won they took the animals and the people as slaves.
“Come on Em’ we got to go. They’ve won. Mum and the others will be at the meeting place.”
Emma nodded and they ran to the out-skirts of the camp, only to find an enemy blocking their way.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asked. He reached out to grab them but Emma’s dad threw a rock at him, breaking his nose. The other man’s only response was to stab Will in the arm. Then he pulled a length of rope and bound them hand and foot.
“Come on,” He growled nursing his broken nose. He half dragged them to a growing group of their tribe mates. He handed them to one of the guards and left. Emma and her father looked over the crowd and their hearts sank as they saw the rest of their family. They struggled through the crowd until they reached them. As soon as they arrived Emma’s mother bandaged up Will’s arm. She was sobbing all the while.
“What’s the matter, Amanda?” He asked.
“Oh Will, It’s Matt. He tried to protect me but, t-the man, h-he.” She broke down sobbing, leaning on Will's arm. Emma gasped; no more Uncle Matt.
“At least we have each other.” Will said. Yes, at least they had each other. And, as they headed away from the only life Emma had ever known, and left a loved one behind, Emma knew they would be glad of that fact.
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That's too bad, but it happens, eventually more people will join I hope.