Skeleton Ghost

History of the Cloud Riders

"So like, I had to grab him by the jacket and haul him back before the thing landed on him. And he had the gall to say he saw it coming!" Cabana scoffed, Candara spluttering.
"That's not what happened at all! I saw the freaking boulder! I was just looking at the moles! There were actual moles, I'm serious!"
"There weren't any moles! You don't even know what moles look like!"
"Of course I do, they're like rats with big hands and thin snouts!"

All conversation cut short when Papyrus's phone rang, the tall one jumping in surprise.
"Oh! It appears Claudia can call us!" He exclaimed, answering as everyone mutely watched.

"Indeed it did! I had not thought it would be so! What has you calling me at this late hour, human?" He spoke, staring off to the side with a default smile.
It quickly shifted to worry as the small voice rambled on the other end, worry turning into slight fear.

"...Ah. I see. Where is this place? And if you could help me better understand where we are now, that would really help." He strode a few paces from the group, tense.
Candara reached after him, but stopped midway, unsure of himself.

Papyrus continued muttering into his device, typing away every once in a while for several minutes, Bodoni resting a hand on Candara's shoulder.
"Let him speak privately. He'll tell us what it is when he's done."

"Will he?" Candara asked, waving. "You've seen the weirdness he's done and what he says sometimes. What if it's something bad and he lies to make us not worry? I'm.. well I'm worried.."

"He felt comfortable enough to share who he was with us, I think he will know better than to lie." Bodoni explained. Candara rubbed his arm nervously.
"I dunno."
"Then we w-" Bodoni cut short as Papyrus abruptly turned around, phone hung up.

Everyone awaited his verdict anxiously, almost no words having been spoken since his phone first rang. Papyrus slowly clasped his hands together, wincing as it rang with a message.
"The Blue Harbinger was spotted for the first time in a while!" He smiled, though it was more of a grimace.

"And?" Candara stepped forward, concerned. Papyrus sighed, shoulders slumping. "It appears he now has Prince Asriel with him somehow and they spoke with humans living in some sort of portable houses?

"Oh shit, how'd that happen?" Constantia blurted in alarm.
"No one knows right now, that's for certain. But the dragon spoke with the humans there with the Prince, and his name was discovered: his name is Saecshiun!" His smile wasn't a smile despite how much he tried to make it one.

They were confused for a moment before Candara remembered something he'd been told.
"Oh! A dragon that was friendly with monsterkind before the war was named that! ...And Gaasyendietha ca.... oh." He felt cold.

Then Andalé spread his feet, arms crossed.
"Oh, what? I see no wrong here. We have guidance to where he go now, si? We should pack then. We can catch up if lucky."

"But-" "Ah!" The accented one held up a phalange to Spade. "We have not all facts. We will learn when we find Sans, yes? We cannot assume nothing with so little knowledge. So we go as we have been. Following to catch up. We can do that, si? Yes?"

There was silence in the campsite for a few seconds, then everyone was surging forward, racing to gather up the strewn supplies and get going for the first time in about a week.
Papyrus stood where he was, scrolling through his new messages with hunched shoulders.

A few minutes later, Candara hesitantly walked up and wrapped his arms around him as high as he could go, which ended up being around the lower spine. Papyrus looked over, then slowly picked him up, bags and all, and hugged the cousin to his ribs.
"I don't like to admit this, but." He whispered.
"I'm a little scared."