Rehabilitation: A Skephalo Fanfic

Chapter Four: Campfires and Streams

Rehabilitation: Chapter Four

Skeppy looked down at his compass and then to the map, he was on the right course but very far off. At the moment he was walking in the undergrowth of a birch forest, the smell of lilacs had rolled on the wind as he kept his course. For now he had to push aside the forced exit he made at Ant's house, right now Bad needed his attention more. As Skeppy walked in the pale woods he felt slightly relieved, he now had a way to Bad and the simpler part of his plan was in the works. All he had to do was keep venturing and release his broken friend.

Morning had turned to noon and noon had turned into dusk, it was calmer now as crickets chirped softly all around the lush forest. As warm pinks turned to dreamy blues, Skeppy was setting up his camp. He had situated himself near a small stream with a campfire and tent under a circle of birch. From where he stood he could see the white woods taper off into a vast spruce hill, just as the map told but as night grew his body ached. Sore from the rough terrain of a birch forest and the thickets he had to cut away Skeppy pulled out his meal for the evening and sat near the warm glow of his fire. He pulled out some of Puffy's teabags and the container of mushroom stew he packed from home. Careful he placed the stew near the fire to warm as he left to fill the kettle, he walked slowly to the stream and kneeled down. He sighed as a cool night breeze kissed his cheek and listened to his surroundings. The soft crackle of his fire, the rush of the stream before him and the song of the night, all so beautiful and calming. He returned to his fire with the full kettle and popped in two bags of chamomile tea for the evening, by then the stew had warmed enough for his liking and he sat to eat. It was a starry night above him which caught Skeppy's eyes in wonder, how pretty it was out here so far from the smp and how much he wished his friend could be there to see it. In all reality he knew bad could see it, they were under the same night sky after all. Quietly Skeppy went into the night comfortably, the fire dying out and the stream whispering to him a lullaby, the tea was working it's magic as he grew tired and warm under his blanket.

The morning had loomed over Skeppy in an unforgiving manner, the sunlight harshly waking him from his cozy slumber. He woke with a gasp as he over slept, maybe one teabag would've been enough for him. Quickly Skeppy scrambled to pack away his supplies to start the rest of his journey. He looked towards the spruce hill in the distance, by nightfall he'd be upon Bad and he'd have his demon back.

Meanwhile back with the others Sam was fuming at what Ant had just informed him. Skeppy would be freeing Bad and returning him home, obviously Ant had the same distaste towards the idea but why had he given the map to Skeppy?

"So you're telling me he asked for Bad's location and you gave him a map? You didn't get me or Puffy but you gave him the map?? And you let him leave???" Sam glared down at Ant, he gulped and nodded.

"I-I did but n-now-" Ant strained as Sam took out his trident "and now I have to take care of this again" Sam interrupted gruffly.

The creeper stalked away and hissed softly to himself as Ant followed behind, he turned to the cat

"Get Puffy and tell her to meet me at church prime" he ordered "and tell her I'm not happy" and with that Ant scurried away to Puffy.

Sam sighed in annoyance as his walked to church prime, it was hard enough with Dream in captivity but with Bad freed he'd have another mess to clean up.

Skeppy had made it into the spruce woods. As he walked through the ferns and bramble he found himself a few berry bushes to harvest. He squatted down and plucked away some berries to bring home or snack on, whichever came first. The rest of his walk was plain as the grass crunched under him. Eventually he stopped at a waterfall and took a break, he sat on a fallen log and pulled out some of the cookies Puffy had packed for him. He sat and looked around at the serine setting, although it was peaceful he knew what pained creature had been trapped there.

Time slipped away from Skeppy as he kept walking deeper into the woods, the sun was dipping closer to the other side of the horizon as Skeppy kept his pace. Hopefully he'd find the spire before dark and he could have a sleepover with his friend, or was he more than that. Skeppy kept pushing forward although the light was fading and the ground below him became hard to see. The trees seemed to form a cruel maze as the map in his clutches grew useless in the dark, he became frantic as his eyes searched for light or a landmark. All he could do was run, run to some place higher to find a way to ground himself. He could see the undergrowth incline under the soft moonlight, it was half full as he strides to the top. Skeppy leaned onto the thick trunk of a hardy spruce, some of its needles fell onto his sweater. In the vast sea woods before him he could see a soft glow, not of lava or of lantern but glowstone. His chest tightened and blood rushed, he could see the tip of the black spire. He would see his friend again, he'd finally get him back and perhaps his heart would feel warmer.