Desperation's Summit

9: Undeterred

"Rakash, Ebra has been sick for three days!" Cordelia trailed along, behind Rakash, as he strode from one end of the cabin to the other. He was tidying up, putting things away. Or pretending to, Cordelia thought, as she watched him change where his hunting gear belonged for the sixth time that morning alone.

He refused to look at her, his eyebrows dipping in irritation and a scowl on his face. This was a useless conversation to have with Cordelia. Ebra was a troll! They were fine! This measly cold wouldn't take the young trolling out. Rakash's hands tightened on the toys he was putting away. The wood creaked under his grip, reminding him to be gentle.

To make matters worse, Rakash could feel Zalmir and Kazri - and to a lesser extent, Ebra - watching the two adults bicker.

Cordelia swerved around Rakash, putting her hands up to cease his movement. He very nearly bowled her over, before managing to stop. The thought to swerve away, to continue with his mindless chores, reared up in Rakash's head, but Cordelia's words kept him tethered in the spot. "You really should go get a doctor or healer or whatever they're called here in the mountains."

"I don't understand why you're making a big deal of this." Rakash growled, stepping around Cordelia to put the toys in their assigned bucket. On his heel, he turned harshly, heading for the kitchen. "It's just a cold."

"I really don't think it is." She dogged at his heels, concern crimping her voice and making her eyes glassy. Risking a glance to the trollings, something in her chest clenched. Even from the distance, she could see Ebra struggling to breathe. A morose aura swathed Ebra's siblings, even as they strained to keep their sick sibling entertained. What else could a pair of tots do, other than amuse one of their own?

"Are you a doctor now?" Sitting himself down on his cot, Rakash pulled a basket over to him. It was full of things needing mended. A chore he had been holding off for quite awhile, given how large and clumsy his fingers were on such small clothing. He supposed he could have had Cordelia take up the job, but he was here now.

Cordelia's attention flickered back to him. Her eyebrows furrowed as she regarded Rakash. Something was wrong, wasn't it? He had to know. She felt it in her bones and she wasn't even a parent! Shouldn't he have some sort of sixth sense about this? "No, but something doesn't feel right."

Rakash made a sound and rolled his eyes, as he started to darn socks much too small for his hands.

Cordelia glared at him, her lips pursed. Why wouldn't he listen to her? It felt like he was just being stubborn to spite her, but in this case, Ebra was going to suffer. She turned her attention to the trolling, currently laid out on the floor in a mountain of blankets so their siblings could be close. Another thing Cordelia had warned against, concerned about contagiousness.

After three days, it didn't matter, she supposed. The other two were going to get sick, if this illness was easily transmissible.

Kazri practiced their reading from the Every Book, while Ebra was awake, and Zalmir got Ebra water, whenever requested. Otherwise, Ebra slept and the other two sat near, looking sullen and morose.

The scene tugged at something in Cordelia's chest once more.

As her eyes skimmed over Ebra, that something in her chest knotted dreadfully while her bones tingled. Pale, but sweaty from fever, the little trolling looked worse than they had yesterday. Their hair stuck up in various directions and bags sat under their eyes, having coughed most the previous night. There was a scent - not something she could easily describe - hanging heavy in the air. Sadness or sick or dread.

Or creeping death.

Every one of Ebra's breaths had turned into a wheeze, as if they were desperately gulping down air.