Famir was busy sorting out herbs when the covers of his tents were pulled open and Ryven burst in without an invitation. Nearly sweeping off the neatly arranged bundles he had set aside onto the floor. Famir's eyebrows twitched uncontrollably as he tried to maintain a calm demeanor.
"Ah! yes welcome, to a gracious entry" He said as he arranged the scattered bundles without turning around, sarcasm dripping in his tone.
"Tell me what you need before I consider quick ways to use you as nourishment."
"I need you to treat him," Ryven said, whilst dropping an unconscious Sapphire onto a bed behind him.
"You said 'him', Not a sack of potatoes, right?"
"Just treat him"
Sighing, Famir turned around, facing the unconscious Sapphire. immediately spotting his injuries, he looked back up to Ryven, the culprit. Ryven gave him a questioned look,
"What?"
"Did you send the first one"
"First one?. what do you mean?", seeing Ryven confused look, 'he's not the one huh' Famir thought,
"Nevermind, what happened to this one?"
"Punishment" Ryven stated plainly,
"And here I thought I won't be dealing with a pile of bodies until he takes over. Seems like you're already doing his job"
"Mine comes out alive not dead"
"you forgot the unconscious part and broken bone" Famir added, his hand moved like he was advertising Sapphire that laid before him.
"Now step aside, let me begin treatment" he continued, cutting off Ryven before he could retort. Ryven moved away, sitting on another bed.
______
Vision was blurry as Kira gradually regained consciousness, her skin grazed the damp ground as she shifted. eyes fully open slowly adjusting to the darkness around her. Hissing in pain as she got up, her leg seemed to have sprained during her fall, along with other scratches along her body she began to feel now that she was conscious. Her hands dragged across the stony wall as she felt her surroundings.
When all she felt was endless walls of the crevices did she strain her neck to look up. Not knowing how deep she was in, the only reference was the thin line of white sky above. She tried to climb, grabbing onto the protruding ends of the wall of crevices, setting her good leg on one part and using her knees to support the other leg.
She lifted herself but the damp walls became an issue as when she tried pushing herself with her good foot so her hands could reach for the other Stone above her foot slipped and her body gave way, crashing back down to the ground scratching herself against the sharp edges.
Several times over and over again she tried but it was the same results and her arm and butt kept paying the price for her failure. Hopelessness was already reaching out to her as she started calling out for someone after she took another fall, knowing she cannot get out. Her voice was laced with panic.
"Kealor?!... Nirro!..." pausing between every name she called hoping they could hear her but no answer came. She was about to call one last name she knew, " Sapph…" remembering what happened to Sapphire she stopped. "Anyone?" her last plea before she slumps down to the ground pulling her knees as she hugged herself.
______
Splash! as the sound of buckets clunked to the ground spilling its content "Hey!, stop pouring the water on the ground. you're only dragging us down" A boy called out, shouting at Kealor, to which he only apologized as he went back down the trail to go and fill his bucket. His mind wandered far as he was out of it.
Dancing between the uncertainty of Kira and the injured Sapphire or the missing Lucian. His mind was in turmoil, worry plagued his thoughts. He was only brought to reality as he felt a nudge from his buckets which nearly swamped away if not from him holding it.
With a sigh, he raised his buckets filled with water and began ascending the mountain. By the time he reached the drum he was already on his fourth sigh. Pushing his thought to the back of his mind, he turns the water from his bucket into the drum.
Just as he was about to go back down to the stream while resuming his sighing, a figure approached him. Kealor did not spare the person a glance as he thought he was another child like him. He's mind already in wondering land. It was only broken when he had the familiar voice,
"Kealor, where is sapphire?",
"Lucian… Lucian!" Kealor called out, as first felt foreign before beaming in recognition that Lucian found himself in his joyful embrace "Lucian!". confused on how the situation escalated, arms bound by his side leaving space for only the flexing of his wrist tapping Kealor's side.
"Okay. you have hugged enough, let me go" signifying for Kealor to let him go to which he obliged, "What is up with you?" his questions were left unanswered as Kealor unleashed a barrage of questions that seemed to contradict.
"Where have you been?"
"Where were you?"
"You weren't in your bed this morning?"
"Were you punished?"
"Are you hurt?"
"They didn't spot you right?"
"How are you here?"
"Why are you coming now?"
"What happened?"
At this point, Lucian couldn't remember the first question being asked, "Hey, Slow down" Lucian said as he grabbed Kealor by the shoulder to calm him down, "You're talking above yourself" he exclaimed, then continued,
"First, I am just coming from our sleeping area after getting dressed. I woke up in the healer's tent that's why you didn't see me.", "Now, where is sapphire?" he asked,
"Didn't you see him as you left the healer's tent?" Kealor said, "No, should I",
Kealor appeared downcast, sensing something had happened while he wasn't around. he dragged Kealor away for him to recount what had happened,
"Eh, where are we going" Kealor asked,
"To talk"
"But I haven't finished…"
"We will be back before you know it" Lucian said, pulling him.
Nirro spotted the two leaving before continuing his descent.