The Chronicles of Meriden

Meret Silverstream

It took Meret a while to decide where to settle. She tried the main entry room, but there was a strange creaking sound that the floorboard made there that reminded her of just how high up they were. Instead, she decided to lay to rest on the floor in the kitchen beside the table. Just before Hunter had left the room Kay had thrown her an armful of tattered blankets and Meret had thanked her. Worn and threadbare as they were, they were the best she'd had in months. The floor on the kitchen felt more solid than the one in the main room, and Meret assumed that it had been built over the top of a supporting branch. This, at least, was what she was hoping as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

Sleep came slowly and fitfully. No sooner would her mind finally slip into unconsciousness then some sound or another would wake her. Whether it was the nocturnal bird life outside or the wind rushing through the canopy she wasn't sure, but whatever it was always morphed into Bears in her dreams. It wasn't until very early in the morning that the nightmares and imagined sounds finally let go and she managed to fall asleep in earnest.

Meret woke with and she sat up, her blanket falling to the ground as she looked around. With eyes wide and alert she saw Hunter's door shut slowly, and then Meret relaxed. Knowing that it was probably only one of her new companions she closed her eyes and tried (and failed) to go back to sleep. Even if she couldn't sleep she would at least get some rest; something she desperately needed.

Now, when I was younger, I didn't give dreams a second thought, but Kay told me that some dreams, especially dreams that stand out, usually hold importance for the future. This dream definitely stood out, so if Kay was rit, than things weren't looking good for the future.
As far as I could tell, there was only one thing I cold get from my dream; we would be attacked by a massive horde of Bears, someone would rescue us, we would kill many Bears, but then the rescuer would be killed, and then I would transform into something. And that didn't sounds realistic. I had seen the face of the rider, but I refused to accept who it was. When I saw the face, it looked like two people at once: Kay and Meret. Now this was the most confusing part. Maybe it meant one of them would die and the other wouldn't. Maybe it meant both would die. And maybe the dream meant I would save one but not the other. And there were still more interpretations that could be derived from it.
Tired, my brain hurting, and just wanting to stop thinking about death, I tried sleep one more time. I laid back in my bed, and almost immediately I fell asleep.
Thankfully, it was dreamless.

Meret Silverstream

Meret spent the rest of the time until Hunter and Kay awoke listening to the world around her. She tried to sleep but it evaded her furiously. Either way, she decided that it was good for her to relax for a while anyway; she certainly needed it.

There were several occassions where she was tempted to get out of her makeshift bed and look out the various shuttered windows. She was morbidly curious about whether or not the bears would be there, but she had no idea what would happen if she did so. What if the bears saw her? What happened if Kay or Hunter would be offended by her operating their windows like that?

Either way, Meret waited for the others to come into the main room before moving.

After a while of my dreamless sleep, I awoke. I don't know what caused it, but I just did. I decided now was a good time to get out of bed, so I slowly and quietly stood up out of my bed and stretched. I put on my clothes and left my room, entering the main room connecting all the other ones.
Kay was already up, sitting at the kitchen table. Apparently, Meret hadn't noticed her for she was still on the ground. Not sure if she was sleeping or not, I decided to wake her. Even if she was sleeping, it was time to wake up. Not sure how to do it, I did the kindest and least rude way of awakening her I could think of. I opened the windows in the room, letting the light spill in. I saw her begin to move, and didn't stop until all the windows were opened.
"Good morning Meret, good morning Kay." I bowed to each of them. During the time when we were bored, I had asked Kay about proper manners in human society. She told me a couple of things, like it wa sproper to bow to a lady and speak with respect. Up until now, I didn't see a reason to use it. I looked out the windows and thankfully, there were no Bears. But they would return, no doubt, looking for us.
Kay didn't seem like she had had a good night. During the time she was awake as a bird, she hadn't slept at all, and when she had slept, apparently it hadn't been very good sleep. She yawned, her usually flawlessly done hair a mess.
"How did you two sleep?" I asked the both of them.

Meret Silverstream

Kay turned around as Hunter wished her and Kay good morning. A look over her shoulder showed that the sphinx was in the room.

"I slept well thanks," Meret said with a polite nod, "though the thought of those Bears did taint my dreams."

When Meret had responded before Kay, the sphinx gave a sour look. When Meret wasn't looking, she stuck her tongue out at her, making a funny ace, and I couldn't help but laugh. Puzzled at my chuckles,I saw Met's face fill with confusion. I shook them off, silencing them, and when Meret turned to look at Kay,the sphinx quickly stopped, looking as if nothing had happened. She took a breath, and then she spoke.
"I slept well, thanks for asking," she said, an annoyed tone in her voice. "Though I did have the strangest dream last night.i am not sure what to make of it." She yawned before speaking once more. "Though I shouldn't bore you with the details. Shall I make breakfast?" she offered. I was very surprised when she offered cooking. She didn't like Meret at all. Why would she offer to cook for her? Dismissing my worries, not wanting to think whether Kay had more spinster motives than generosity, I answered Kay.
"If you would like, you could. Though I would be more than happy to cook myself." Kay shook her head no, and quickly transformed. It was the same body, just more neat. Her hair was brushed, no longer a mess like before, and she was in her day clothes. All sense of sleepiness had been removed from her face as well, and she looked like she had awakened from the best sleep she had ever had.
"I will get started right away!" she said, grinning. Once more, my suspicions were aroused. She had to have some ulterior motive to "punish" Meret, but I once more dismissed them.
I probably shouldn't have been so foolish.

Meret Silverstream

Meret was surprised that Kay had so eagerly volunteered to cook breakfast, but if Hunter didn't make a point of it she decided to keep quiet. As Kay was busily going about cooking, Meret went over to Hunter and smiled at him.

"So, what is the plan for the day?" She asked. Now that she was staying with them she no longer had any direction as to where to from here, so she was hoping Hunte rwould provide some for her.

When Meret asked for the day plan, I was a bit at a loss. I hadn't really thought out the day too much. I hickey made a decision about what would happen. With the Bears outside, it would be better to stay in.
"Well, I was thinking that, since there are Bears outside, we should hunt a little bit, as close to here as possible, and then run back her, stock up, and stay inside for as long as our materials will last for. Hopefully they will go away before we run out." It wasn't the best of plans. For one thing, the Bears might not leave at all. Then they would have no choice but too fight for survival.
Before I could say anything else, Kay interrupted my thoughts.
"Breakfast is ready!" she announced. Se put three plates kne the table, lne for each of them. I was a bit confused. She couldn't have cooked that quickly. But once she had set the plates down for the both of them, it looked very well cooked. His mouth began watering. There was some bacon and eggs. We rarely cooked eggs or bacon, since pigs were scarce in the wild and eggs were hard to come by. But they were both absolutely delicious, especially when Kay cooked them.
"Eat up! I cooked it just like how my Mother did, and she mad ethe best eggs and bacon I have ever tasted!" she told them cheerfully. This newfound joy puzzled me, but the aroma overtook my senses. Before I ate, though, I was able to see Kay's mischievous grin, though.

Kay
While they had been talking, Kay had cooked alright, but she had used two pans, one with her and Hunter's food, one with Meret's. She had put an herb into Meret's food, an herb that she had made sure would not arouse Meret's suspicions. It just looked like some spice on the eggs, nothing to be worried about. The herb, however, was an extremely strong laxative. One nibble of it and you would be going to the bathroom all day.
What she hadn't planned for, however, was that Hunter might she through her. She didn't see Hunter move around the three plates, so that the one for Meret would be given to Kay instead. All the plates looked exactly the same, so none would be the wiser. Hunter ended up with his plate, Meret with Kay's, and Kay with Meret's. They then all began eating, no one having noticed what Hunter had did.

Meret

"These eggs are delicious, thank you," Said Meret after the first tentative bite of her breakfast, completely unaware of the trick that Kay had played.

"I'm so glad you like them," Kay purred in a manner that made Meret patently uncomfortable. After a moment and glance at Hunter's reasuringly calm face Meret decided to enjoy the home cooked meal.

After a few minutes, it seemed as though all hell broke loose. Kay let out a loud groan and doubled over. After a second of looking at the table her head snapped up and her sharp eyes glared at Hunter.

"How could you?!" Kay cried, before scrambling from the table and running through the door that led to hers and Hunter's room. Meret's eyes widened in confusion and she looked at Hunter curiously.

We ate the eggs in silence, but I cold see how Kay was waiting for whatever she had done to take affect. What she didn't expect, however,was that she would be the victim.

Kay's stomach growled, and she moved her hands to her stomach, groanig. It took her a moment to realize what was happening, and a moment more to understand that I had done it.

Her head shot up, glaring at me. I would have been very intimidated, and almost scared, was I not angry myself. How could Kay be doing this, when we have greater things to worry about?!?! I thought to myself, barely keeping ahold of my anger.

"How could you?!" Kay cried, before she ran off to relieve herself. I took a deep breath, trying to relax. Thankfully, it was effective. Meret was extremely confused, her expression not hiding it. She looked at me curiously, and I felt obliged to tell her what had occured.

"Kay put an herb of a sort into your meal. It was an extremely strong laxative. I, suspecting her, switched the plates around so that she would eat your meal instead. And, of course, the herb has taken affect. Now, if you would excuse me, I must go talk to Kay." I stood up, my chair scratching against the floor as it was pushed back.

I walked over to where Kay wold be, and stopped just before the doorframe, her being out of sight. I knocked on the frame, grabbing her attention.

"Why, Hunter?! I thought that we were family, yet now you are replacing me with Meret!" she yelled at me, before groaning some more. I gave her a moment to compose herself before speaking.

"How can you be trying to get ridof Meret when we already agreed about this?!?! And there are Bears outside too! We can't be fighting amongst ourselves, we have to stick together! Why can't you get that?"