ELEMENT

Chapter Fifteen: Wither

The east area of the forest was quieter than normal. The sun was setting, but it wasn't like you could see it behind the drifting gray clouds. The world felt cold no matter where you went.

"We can set up camp here," Robin sighed, not used to walking for so long. "So! That's all. Now you know everything about your friend."

Sage and Ethan were just... well, they had entirely mixed emotions.

"Close your mouths, you're gonna catch flies," Robin snorted.

"That's horrible!" Sage covered her mouth with her hands. "That's just awful! How can one person go through so much?"

"And how do you know all of this?" Ethan asked, feeling awkward about not trusting Meadow now.

"Being a bird, it's easy to overhear things," said Robin as they gathered sticks in the middle of a clearing. "People don't think you're going to spread the tales."

"Wait, so are you a bird or a human?" Sage asked.

"...I'm a shapeshifter." They said it like it was the stupidest question in the world, and it kinda was. "I was born a human, but technically I can be anything I want. I only know how to be a bird right now, though. Just takes a little practice."

"Oh. Cool." Ethan nodded, not exactly understanding but going with it. He pointed his finger at the pile of sticks, lighting it aflame.

"Agh!" Robin jumped, standing too close to it.

And so, everyone sat around the fire, just sitting there. Discussing what they'd do from now on out.

"Well, now our goals are merged." Ethan tsked. "Rescuing Meadow and Cole, and stopping the Dark Elements, they're one thing now. Grand."

"That makes it easier, doesn't it?" Sage pointed out. "Still, I don't know if this is exactly what the mage had in mind when she said all this was gonna happen."

"She can probably hear you right now," Robin pointed out, wiggling their fingers out and trying to be mystically creepy. "She's everywhere!"

"Well, she must be pretty disappointed in her little bunch." Sage shrugged. "Especially me. I'm really not best suited to be the princess or anything."

Ethan picked up a stick, twirling it in his fingers. "I think we've got this. I mean, we are the Chosen Children." He said it regally, with a deep voice.

"Well, yeah." Sage smiled, huffing. "I have zero practice, though, so if I could have a choice in who the princess was, I'd probably change it."

Ethan tossed the stick to the right as it landed upright in the ground, before turning back to them. "I wouldn't."

She snickered. "Yeah, sure."

"No, I really wouldn't."

Ethan's eyes were perfectly sincere as they looked at each other, and for a moment, they couldn't look away.

Robin's ears perked, and they pretended not to listen, but they were eating this shit up like candy.

"Oh. Huh." Sage smiled a bit. "Well, then, I wouldn't change you either."

Ethan shuffled a little in his seat. "Meadow, though, she's a little different. I'd never wish for anyone to be in her position."

"I'm super worried about her. I wish we could know what she's doing." Sage sighed, looking longingly in the direction of the palace.