(ROUGH DRAFT) Endless Sky ~Elemental Chaos~

Chapter Twentyfive

Avaro didn't feel good. This was the first intelligent being he'd just murdered, even if it was for a good cause, he didn't like it. Despite fantasizing murder on multiple occasions throughout his life, the actual action was no where close to as satisfying.
Avaro felt sick as he turned to a bush and hurled. His head still pounding.
"I need to get back to the others," he panted, spitting out stomach fluid and pushing away from the bush. Checking his surroundings, Avaro pinpointed the way back and started limping to it. Staggering multiple times as he felt dizzy and shaken, just like when Lucerne was trying to wake up.
Avaro staggered again and stopped, realizing. He wasn't feeling shaken.
The ground was shaking.
"The world is starting to collapse!" Avaro thought with horror. Adrenaline started pumping through his veins as he started running. Trying his best to keep off his leg, but at this point, the pain didn't matter. If he didn't make it though the portal, he was going to die.
Avaro gasped for breath as he turned human and ran into the village, holding his shoulder. His shirt destoryed beyond repair, but his pants remaining in tact, just extremely loose.
"Avaro! What happened!?" Lucerne cried, spotting his friend coming in.
"I'm fine! Is every cat through?" He panted, stopping by the celestial.
"Petal lost her kit, I was looking for him when the ground started to shake!" Lucerne replied, eyes wide with fear.
"Then lets find him!" Avaro demanded before turning away, feeling his friend grab the sleeve of his good arm.
"Stop! You're not looking for him!" Lucerne cried, pulling Avaro back and opening a portal. "You're going back to get your wounds treated!"
"Why?!" Avaro tried pulling himself away, but Lucerne kept his deathgrip on the sleeve.
"I can make portals! I can leave anytime! You cant!" The celestial explained as he tried directing his friend into the portal.
"But.." Avaro tried protesting.
"Go! I'll be fine!" Lucerne shoved him through the portal, the shaking ceased instantly.
Avaro found himself in a clearing full of cats. The forest around looking much more greener than the previous world.
He heard Sunset barking orders somewhere over the noises of chatter. Worried voices, cats trying to find friends and relatives, excited voices.
Avaro stood there for a moment, gathering his thoughts and emotions back together. His entire body was stinging and aching in pain, mostly his head and shoulder. He wanted to lay down and rest, but knew that wasn't an option.
Avaro started pushing his way through the crowd of cats, following Sunset's voice and trusting Lucerne to return safely.
"Sunset!" Avaro called, spotting a flash of her multi-colored pelt.
"Shut up!" He heard her snap back, unsure if it was meant for him or someone else.
"Sunset!" He tried again, getting closer.
"Avaro! Finally you made it, damn," Sunset meowed as he managed to push into the small gap with her.
"Most of these cats won't listen to me, luckily they haven't decided killing me yet. They're most likely waiting for Zeru," she explained.
"Well they better stop waiting," Avaro lowered his voice and got close to her ear, not wanting anyone to overhear.
"He's dead, he won't be making it through,"
Sunset raised her eyebrows, but didn't comment.
"Where's Renny?" Avaro asked, straightening up and no longer whispering.
"She's outside the mass, trying to make sure no one wanders and gets lost," she answered, scanning the area and glaring at a cat who was staring for too long.
"Alright, and what's the plan?" He then questioned, already feeling overwhelmed by all the cats around him.
"The plan is to get everyone to LISTEN TO ME!" Sunset screeched, the commotion dying down slightly, but quickly picked back up.
"I've been telling them to shut up for awhile now. Why don't you do it? You can function right? Not bleeding out and dying?" Sunset eyed the blood soaked shirt on his shoulder.
"I think I'm fine. No serious arteries punctured or anything," Avaro replied, hoping he was correct.
"Great, then get these idiots attention," she huffed, sitting down and watching him expectantly.
"Right... Okay..." Avaro cleared his throat and faced the crowd.
"...No I got a better idea," he said, making Sunset groan in impatience.
"Move aside," he told the elemental, getting a dirty look as she scooted closer to the crowd.
With more space, Avaro concentrated and felt his body shift into half dragon. Becoming larger and intimidating.
He took a deep breath, already getting lots of attention, and roared.
It wasn't nearly as loud as what Avaro could do as a full dragon, but it still did the trick. Hundreds of eyes turned toward the noise, the commotion coming to a halt.
It felt good to let off a massive roar, Avaro hadn't done it in a long time.
"Wow," Sunset murmured.
"Now that I have got all of your attention, there are some things you need to know," Avaro yelled, letting his voice carry.
"This will be your new home, Sunset and a few other friends of mine will help you settle," he started. "We just need you all to corporate so everything can be done as quickly as smoothly as possible,"
"Did Zeru tell you to do this?" A voice asked.
"Where is Zeru?" another one spoke, more voices asking questions, the commotion starting up again.
"Calm down! Calm down!!" Avaro yelled, flapping his wings. The cats closest backing away from sudden movement.
He regained attention.
"Thank you," Avaro sighed, thinking up a quick lie. "Zeru will be coming soon, maybe... I hope so," he said, hating his own words, even if he knew Zeru was dead and will never make it.
"You'll just have to listen to us for now,"
Cats shifted in unease, but remained silent.
"That's right!" Sunset yowled, taking the spotlight. "Each one of you elements have your own territory. Wild cats and Prophets, we'll get to you,"
Slight commotion followed her words.
"So in the meantime, group together with elementals of your kind! It'll be easier for all of us!" She quickly added before the noise got too out of hand.
Cats started moving around, talking loudly to have themselves be heard.
Avaro shifted back into his human form, head twanging in pain.
"Hopefully they can follow simple directions," Sunset growled, glancing at the dragon.
"You should go to Renny, she might have something for your wounds," she meowed, motioning to her right.
"Alright..." Avaro sighed, assuming the gesture was directing him. He looked at the sea of cats and decided flight was a much simpler solution. Flapping his wings, Avaro lifted himself off the ground and took off, holding his loose pants to keep them from flying off. He was quick to spot Renny, sticking out like a sore thumb outside the cats.
"Renny!" Avaro called out, flapping down to land nearby her.
"Avaro! Where's Lucerne?" She asked quickly, glancing at the wound on his shoulder.
"Getting any stranglers in the old world, he'll be back. Sunset said you have sometimes for my wounds," Avaro explained.
Renny nodded, digging in her pockets. "I have a few things, but I can only give you one vial. Too much of these things in your system can really make you sick," she said, pulling out a vial filled with pastel green liquid. "Just pour this on your wounds, or at least the big ones,"
Avaro nodded his thanks and took the vial, heading into the forest and behind and tree to take his mangled shirt off. The bite wound on his shoulder looked nasty, the skin torn and ripped, fresh blood oozing.
Avaro wouldn't be surprised if it took the entire vial just to heal it.
He sighed and used his teeth to pull out the cork, anticipating stinging, or burning, pain when he dropped a bit of the substance onto the wound.
Instead it was cold, freezing the wound on contact before it quickly warmed back up.
Avaro watched as his skin started pulling itself back together, similar to how his clothing worked. It didn't last long though.
He blinked before dropping some more of the potion, the stitching resuming.
Avaro continued the process for awhile, trying to reserve as much of the vial he can for other wounds. The commotion behind him nothing more than background noise.
Avaro felt relieved as the pain ebbed away. His head still throbbed, but it was much more bearable without all the other wounds. Avaro held the vial and gathered up the bloody remains of the shirt, fixing his pants.
"Thanks for the help," he said to Renny upon returning, handing back the vial.
"Anytime," she responded before going back to work, directing a lost wind elemental to his group.
Avaro took a deep breath and started walking around the mass. Hoping to get back to the other side where Lucerne might be.
"How long does it take for a fake world to collapse? Or a real one?" He pondered, frowning. Surely if the world was fake and small, it shouldn't take long to cave in. So Lucerne had to be back by now.
Avaro tried not to worry too much, the fear already starting to nip at him. He'd already lost Mystic, he can't lose Lucerne now.
There was a small mass of cats at the place Avaro arrived at, clustered around something. Hope and fear bubbled in him.
"What's going on?" He demanded as he marched over, trying to peer over the cats.
A flash of white, it was all Avaro needed for all his tense muscles to relax. "Lucerne! You made it!" He cried as his friend looked up.
"Barely," Lucerne replied, panting. In his arms was a small fuzzy brown bundle, he'd managed to find Petal's kit.
"Move aside!" Avaro barked before squeezing past and kneeling down by his friend. "Go get Petal, one or all of you, I don't care," he ordered to the cats around him, waving a hand to dismiss them.
Only a few scurried off, the remainders scowling at being told what to do. Avaro ignored them.
"Is he okay?" He asked Lucerne, trying to get a good look at the kit.
"He's a bit shaken, but otherwise fine," the celestial beast answered, petting the little bundle. "He's digging his claws into my chest,"
Avaro snorted. "Hey there scrap," he said, trying to get the kit's attemtion. "It's alright, you're safe now. Your mother should be here any moment now,"
The kit didn't reply.
"He loosened his grip a bit," Lucerne said, continuing to pet. "That's a start, but I'm sure Petal is the only one who can let him go right now," Avaro sighed, looking around for any cats heading toward them.
They waited for about another minute before Avaro spotted a cat. A female earth elemental looking distressed and paniked as she headed over to them. The flowers on her body were closed and shriveled, portraying her negative emotions.
"Mineral?! Mineral!" She wailed, shoving past a wild cat who snarled back at her.
Lucerne raised an arm and waved, flagging the distressed cat down.
"Oh Mineral! You're safe!" Petal cried upon noticing what was in the celestial's arms.
Mineral squirmed and let go, flipping around to his mother. "Mom!" He squeaked, his bobbed tail puffing out.
Petal collapsed in front of the kit and scooped him up in her paws for a hug.
"I'm so glad you're safe!" She continued to cry, nuzzling her son.
Avaro watched, feeling a bit hollow. Knowing he'd never be able to see his mom again without risking his life.
Lucerne nudged hus shoulder for his attention.
"Hm?" Avaro turned to his friend. "Can you catch me up on what's going on?" He asked.

"Oh right," Avaro chuckled in exhaustion. "We have a lot to do."