An hour later, we were back at our safe spot. If you could even call it a safe spot, since no where is really safe.

"Well," I started, looking at everyone. "Things have... kinda changed." Devel snorted.

"More then kinda, Dren," He said.

I forced a smile on my face.

"Well, yeah. And I don't think that guy, whoever he is, is messing around. We don't take chances. Which is why we aren't taking chances by trying to weasel our way out of this." I said. Leo interrupted me.

"Well, either way is sort of a death sentence. Why not try and see if we can just keep doing what we always do?" He asked.

"For us, life is a death sentence, as backward as that sounds. All I'm saying, is why lie when you'll die either way? Why not try this weird quest, see if it's interesting? All I'm saying," I said, getting passionate and standing up, "is that I need something different. I'm sick of all this hiding and running. Some days I feel like running straight into the Capital City and yelling, 'here we are! Kids! Do you really think just a few of us will create over population?' But I know we can't do that. I know that this, hiding, running, is our only chance. So we took that, the easiest option. But you know what? That isn't the easiest option anymore. We have two choices. Each are dangerous. And if each are dangerous, I'm taking the interesting one." I finish.

There's silence for a few minutes while everyone processes this. 

"I'm with Dren," Mel finally says. 

"Leo has the better plan. We'll die the Barren Lands. Everyone there sleeps in armor! They hate kids!" Mart disagrees.

"Dren." Lox murmurs. He's always been quiet.

Everyone already knows what Chel will say, as she always agrees with me, so Devel's the only one left to vote.

"I agree with Dren," he says slowly. "I've been bored too. You know I live for change and adventure." He really does. That's how he got his name, as Leo nicknamed him Daredevil when we first found him. That eventually shortened to Devil, but then when Mel joined us, (after Lox) she was adamant that was a terrible name as for some reason she's always been obssesed with religion and is terrified of the so-called 'devil'. So we told her it was actually spelled D-E-V-E-L.

We all have stories like that, with our names, since no one has ever named us. We have no idea who are parents are. Leo and I think we're twins, or at least siblings, but there's no real way to tell.

"Fine," says Leo slowly. "I don't think there's any reason to discuss this together, Dren, since there's no real better option?"

"Yeah." I agree. This is how we always decide things, voting, and then Leo and I discuss things. We're the oldest, and basically the leaders. Well, I'm a bit more outspoken then Leo. But since we can't always rely on opinions, Leo and I make sure it's the safest option. But there's no real point in doing that now.

I look at my clan. My family. The only people I've ever trusted.

Leo, my best friend and confident. Devel, the bravest. Lox, the thoughtful one. Mel, the smart and sweet one. Mart, the dreamy one. Chel, the youngest. And me, Dren, the music. That's the best description I can think for myself, music, always changing, always reassuring, always...

And then the tears fall, fall, fall from my eyes, thinking of this seven that could be torn apart. The threats we face. All the things, little things, happy, sad, dangerous, exciting, everything, that's happened to us. Us. We are, us seven, always will be, in it together. 

A family.

Not by blood, not by choice, not by adoption.

By love.