The Spirit Academy

Chapter 6 - Survival Camp

Dahlia

The next few days passed by in a blur, Leilani had not come to her, on Thursday in the dinner-room she had almost lost all hope of returning home. She'll come, they all reassured her, just don't stress over it. She didn't care about going home anymore anyway, these people knew her grandma, she could find her here.

"Ooh, something smells good," Bryony whispered to Dahlia.

"I think that's just me," Mishal's voice came from behind them.

Dahlia smiled and turned in her chair, "How'd fire class go?"

"Oh you know the usual," Mishal grinned taking a seat opposite her, "Joash almost burned the whole academy down."

Dahlia didn't answer. She couldn't tell if Mishal was joking or not. A girl came up to their table and took the last seat, next to Mishal. Dahlia had met her before, but she couldn't remember her name. She had shiny black hair in a short bob, pale porcelain skin and dark brown catlike eyes.

The girl smiled at her. "I'm Guthrie, I'm an air spirit."

Dahlia nodded, "I'm Dahlia."

Then two other girls sat in the table next to them, pushing it closer and dropping in. The first girl had dark brown ringlets and dark skin.

"I'm Ilesha, an earth," she said to Dahlia,

"I'm Dahlia," She said for what felt like the thousandth time in the day.

"We know," Ilesha gushed, "You are a huge deal. We never ever get exchange students or new students ever. It's exciting to see a new a face around here, I've been with this lot for three years now."

"Don't you go back home? Have friends back home?"

"Uh..." For the first time since Dahlia had met her Ilesha seemed at loss for words. "We don't get to go back home... not until we finish the academy."

"Oh!" Dahlia said, suddenly feeling stupid, this wasn't the boarding school. She was in a completely different world.

"Isn't it like that at you're school?"

Dahlia glanced around. Mishal had paled. Guthrie and Bryony leaned in, eager to hear about the school.

"Yeah, you're right," Dahlia said dumbly.

They all stared at her for a moment before Ilesha shrugged and everyone returned to their own conversations. "So," Mishal said, "what are we doing this weekend?"

Guthrie beamed, "What are you thinking?"

"We could go ice-skating, we could get Ana to freeze the lake."

Bryony shook her head, "Anahita would never do that, she's basically Auretta two point oh."

"Know any other water spirits that would do it then?" Mishal said leaning back.

Dahlia smiled, "I only think fire spirits are-"

Mishal narrowed her eyes at her, "Be careful."

"I was going to say brave," Dahlia laughed and then suddenly felt weird, she couldn't remember the last time she had laughed. She hadn't laughed since she came here.

"I think only fire spirits are brave enough to do something like that." She repeated.

"Fire spirits aren't really practical. Who's going to say, 'let's make fire rings and train monkeys to jump through them!'" Guthrie said.

"Hey fire spirits can do much cooler things than that," Mishal protested.

"Like what?" Bryony asked.

"We could all be flame eaters!"

"That's not a thing," Dahlia countered, even though she had heard of it before.

"I swear I've heard of it before," Mishal prostested.

"Well, whatever crazy thing you lot are doing for the weekend, I'm not going to be there."

"Why?" They all asked in unison.

"I've got survival camp," Dahlia sighed.

"Survival camp?" Mishal echoed, "Sounds like fun."

"It sounds like torture." Bryony said.
______________________________
"Talise, Dahlia, hurry up,"

They both looked up where everyone else was gathered round, Phoenix looked at them with amusement and impatience. They both rushed over.

"You will set off in partners through the mountain here." He said pointing to a place on his map, "you will each have different routes and you'll be judged on your ability to work together, read the map, hunt for food, find water and set up camp."

He met gazes with everyone in the class and then spoke again.

"The whole group will join together here." He said pointing to a red cross on his map, "Then reach the academy Sunday noon."

He looked up and smiled. "So the partners..."

Talise grabbed Dahlia's hand. Mr. Phoenix glanced at Talise and gave her a small smile, "Actually, I have chosen the partners for you myself."

There was a collective groan from the group.

"Talise and Damek, Kaja and Anala, Dahlia and Betha."

Dahlia quickly went over to collect the map and the compass.

Dahlia studied the map; it would be a long walk north through forest. And then they would have to go east over a mountain. They could cut through a stream – or was it a river? Then they would set camp on the other side.

Dahlia turned, but then realised she was alone. Mr. Phoenix had disappeared, and so had Kaja and Anala. Talise and Dameka were walking ahead of her. Where was Betha? She turned to see her walking in the complete opposite direction of where they were meant to go, a wolf padding along beside her. 

She marched up to wear she was, Milo tagging along. "You're going the wrong way,"

"What would you know? You only joined yesterday." She replied, not glancing back.

"Look for yourself," Dahlia groaned.

"You're wasting time."

Dahlia stopped walking.

Betha turned around, her sword making a clashing sound. She stomped over and looked at the map. Her expression darkened and she thrust the map back to her.

"Lead the way." She growled.

They walked back down the way they had come.

They came to the end of the grass plain and started to walk through the trees. Dahlia's boots were long, so she didn't get scratched. As they went deeper and deeper into the forest the trees became taller and there were more vines and logs that appeared in front of them. They had to push things out of the way or climb over things. They began to pick some berries on the way, and they found some bananas to eat. 

They walked for a little longer with Dahlia at the front, and Milo and Betha's wolf tagging behind, when Dahlia decided to make some conversation.

"So why are you like this anyway?" She asked and then regretted it. But she was mad. What was this girls problem?

"Excuse me?"

"You know, like rude?"

"Listen," Betha started.

"Do you not have any friends? Or were you born this way?"

"Dahlia stop-"

"You know for someone who's a life spirit, you aren't very lively, so-"

"Stop,"

Did something happen to your family-"

"SHUT UP!" Betha pressed her sword to Dahlia's neck.

She stayed there for a few seconds before putting the sword back. Dahlia glared at Betha; she didn't trust herself to speak. Then Dahlia marched on ahead, her hands shaking and her heart racing.

"Bunch of lunatics," She muttered under her breath.