Taking Back What's Ours || Cookie Run AU

Chapter 8

♧ CLOVER'S POV ♧

An exhale of relief escapes Clover once reaching the top of a hill. The blazing hot sun burns the ground and his body, making him sweat a little. He sits down on the ground as the burning pain in his chest start to grow, trying to take smaller breaths to ease it somewhat.

He watches as Wizard and Custard climb to the top with a little bit of help from Chili Pepper from above. They look understandably exhausted, especially after the group has been walking and hiking for at least 3 hours without a break.

Well, everyone is exhausted, but not Princess of course. She has rushing adrenaline almost every time she goes out on an adventure. Clover knows this from experience.

As soon as the previously climbing cookies reach the top, the two kids flop to the ground, letting out their heavy breaths. At some point, Clover can hear one of them almost letting out a cry.

"Oh, goodie! You made it! Now onward!" Princess enthusiastically marches, to which everyone else but Knight interjects by shouting "NOO!"

Princess lets out an audible confusion noise, raising her eyebrow as she glances at everyone else.

"Why not?" she holds her chin in confusion.

"While we... apPREciate your enthusiasm... we need a bREak!" Wizard squeals as he face-plants himself back on the ground to take deeper breaths.

"We've been walking for... I dunno... hours?! I'm exHAUSTed!" Chili Pepper groans, the kids nodding aggressively to her statement.

"Her Honor wants us to... conTINue. Sooo..." Before Knight can finish, he drops to the ground, seemingly fainting to Herb's concern, maybe Clover's too.

Princess giggles, covering her mouth with her hand, "Oh, you silly knight."

The little king clears his throat, waving his staff and standing on his toes to appear taller. "As Your King... I command that... we rest!" he lets out a sigh of exhaustion afterward.

Princess' lips form a pout but she eventually gives in, letting out a sigh. "Alright. We can rest for a moment."

Everyone who was standing up before lays down on the ground, each letting out their own wave of groans. Herb, however, didn't waste a breath relaxing just yet.

He immediately runs over to Knight to lay him down with Princess' help. With the bit of strength he has left, Clover slowly stands up and walks over to the cookies handling the injured knight.

Taking a closer look, Knight is still very much breathing, but he's not opening his eyes. "Can you take off his helmet for me please?" Herb instructed as he pries off Knight's right greaves.

"Clover, help me out!" Princess whisper-yelled, to which the mentioned bard nodded and kneels opposite her.

With both hands, Clover holds on to the visor and the smooth top of the white chocolate helmet, Princess following his grip on her side. She whispers a countdown and at her mark, both cookies slowly pry off the helmet from Knight.

It's a bit of a struggle, mostly because Clover's chest is hurting while he's doing it that they have to stop every second before trying again. Eventually, Herb takes his place when he notices him doing hard work, pushing Clover aside for health sakes, which annoys him a little.

After the helmet is successfully pried off, Herb crawls over back to Knight's legs. Clover stands there, watching as Herb takes off Knight's left boot, unwrapping the familiar blue cloth that was Knight's cape, revealing a small crack on his left foot, thin strawberry jam leaking out with very small crumbs sticking to it.