Island of Darkness Read Online Free Page A

ignored HawkShadow and peered into the woods. She turned in a complete circle. Her face clouded over with concern when she did not see anyone.
    “Why have we stopped here?” questioned Mistake. “MistyTrail is not here. Please take me to her.”
    “Patience, little one,” smiled HawkShadow. “She will be here shortly. She must make sure that this is not a trap.”
    “But surely she knows you and StarWind?” frowned Mistake. “Why would she think that you would trap her?”
    “She does not know you,” StarWind pointed out. “MistyTrail knows what the procedures are for incursions into the Sakova. She takes her obligations seriously. Have patience, Mistake.”
    Mistake pouted as she fiddled with her short brown hair. She straightened her clothes and brushed off the trail dust as her eyes continually scanned the forest around them.
    Several minutes later, Mistake saw a brown blur dash from one tree to another not far outside the clearing. A knife reflexively slid into her hand from its arm sheath. She concentrated on the tree where she had last seen the movement, but she could see nothing.
    “Tayo, HawkShadow and StarWind,” said a soft voice from behind Mistake. “Who is this with you?”
    Mistake twirled and gaped at the diminutive Sakovan who had snuck into the clearing from the opposite direction. She was dressed entirely in brown and was short like Mistake. She had the same short brown hair and was holding a knife in her hand. Mistake’s eyes rose and peered at MistyTrail’s pointed ears. She locked eyes with the small Sakovan, and for several long minutes the clearing was silent.
    “I thought they looked alike,” HawkShadow finally said, “but to see them both at the same time is remarkable. There can be no doubt that they are sisters. They might even be twins.”
    “I agree,” StarWind nodded as she stared at the two small women.
    “Will someone tell me what is going on?” demanded MistyTrail. “Is this some kind of a joke, HawkShadow? Because if it is, I am not laughing.”
    “It is no joke, little one,” chuckled HawkShadow. “Put away your knives. Misty, this is Mistake. She is from Fakara and is a special friend of Lord Marak’s. Did no one tell you that we were bringing her with us?”
    “I did hear that you were bringing in an outsider,” admitted MistyTrail, “but nothing more was said of it. Why is she coming to the Sakova?”
    “To talk to you,” interjected StarWind. “She thinks you are her sister.”
    “Sister?” croaked MistyTrail. “That cannot be. I have no family.”
    “You do now,” grinned Mistake as she dropped her knife and ran across the clearing.
    MistyTrail gaped in confusion as Mistake charged towards her. MistyTrail’s hand holding the knife rose instinctively. StarWind gasped as she realized what was about to happen. Suddenly, HawkShadow’s foot swung up and kicked the knife from MistyTrail’s hand. MistyTrail uttered a cry of surprise as her knife went flying, and Mistake collided with her. Mistake wrapped her arms around MistyTrail and hugged her tightly.
    MistyTrail looked to HawkShadow with confusion on her face, but the Sakovan assassin merely grinned back at her and nodded. MistyTrail embarrassingly wrapped her arms around Mistake, but she still did not believe that the stranger was her sister. The embrace lasted for several minutes. HawkShadow and StarWind moved away from the sisters to tend to the chokas. Eventually, Mistake broke the embrace and pushed MistyTrail to arm’s length. She stared into Mistake’s eyes.
    “I know this is probably hard for you to understand,” she said, “but I have been looking for you all of my life.”
    “But how can you be my sister?” asked MistyTrail. “My family died at sea. Any Sakovan can tell you that.”
    “I know,” smiled Mistake. “You were rescued from the sea in the Year of the Storm. So was I.”
    “You were?” MistyTrail gasped with hope in her eyes. “Why weren’t you rescued by the