Dystopia (BoD Book Three); A Camp Minecraft AU

Chapter Six; Loaf

Loaf stood by the river, rubbing his arms in comfort.

The sun was starting to set, coating the forest in a golden-red light. The castle loomed like a shadow over the land, with it's features obscured.

Loaf exhaled shakily and turned to the river, hoping it could answer the questions swirling through his mind. Blinking away the darkness at the edge of his vision, he freed one arm and held his palm up, facing the sky, and commanded the smoke to form at his finger tips. The grey tendrils snaked around his fingers, swirling in the gentle breeze. They twisted and funneled upwards towards the sky. Loaf followed the movements with his gaze, watching as the smoke gusted to the tops of the trees. 

A figure flew overhead, quickly zipping out of Loaf's sight. Moments later, the figure banked back towards Loaf, dropping towards him and carefully dodging the branches that tried to ensnare their wings. Florian gracefully dropped to the ground, crouching slightly to weaken the collision force. Florian straightened and flapped his wings once, then carefully folded them to his back.

Florian nodded towards the typhokinetic, "Hello, Loaf."

"Hey, Flo," Loaf waved a hand with a small smile, "What are you up to?"

The avian shifted, folding his hands behind his back, "Flying. Surveying the land. That sort of stuff. Zud told me to find Alxton. Said he stormed off into the forest. Keep an eye out for me, please? He found out about Death and is a little shaken."

Loaf nodded, "Can do."

Loaf turned away, expecting Florian to take off again, but he lingered for a moment. Loaf tilted his head toward Florian, but didn't turn to look at him, "Aren't you busy?"

Florian shifted, "A river can't answer your question."

Loaf watched the river flow, exhaling a slightly shaky breath, "There was someone else there. They died before I had. I should remember who they were."

Florian stepped beside Loaf and drew a wing over the smoke-manipulator's back. He searched Loaf's guarded expression, then shook his head when he found nothing, "I wish I could help."

Loaf whirled to him, expression breaking as he pleaded, "You remember them- him- don't you? You were there. You know there was someone else with me."

Florian shook his head slowly, pity in his eyes, "It was just you, Loaf."

Loaf stared back at Florian, hopelessness climbing into his mind. Loaf slowly sank to his knees, kneeling beside the river. The two stood at a section of the bank that dropped away into a steep slope into the river. Loaf spread his hands over the grass, trying to calm himself. 

Florian knelt down beside him, curling a wing around his friend.

Loaf let out a strained laugh, "Did- did you know clouds weigh over a million pounds? H-how crazy is that?"

"Mhm," Florian murmured, not in agreement nor disagreement.

The two were silent for a few moments before Loaf quietly whispered, "I understand why you were so worried about this river."

Florian's gaze softened, "Mhm."

A flicker of orange caught Loaf's attention. He turned, seeing a disheveled Alxton push out of the bushes, dragging a tangled mess of brown behind him. Alxton released what Loaf thought was a leg, then crouched beside the river and scooped water onto his face, cleaning off his dirty fur. Loaf tilted his head and called out, "Alxton?"

The fox hybrid's head snapped up, widened eyes locking on Loaf. His pupils rounded in recognition and he relaxed, standing up and shaking his head, "Hi."

Florian stood and stepped off of the ledge, snapping his wings open and soaring over the river, following the downward slope of the land. Florian touched the ground on the opposite bank and carefully held Alxton's paws in his hands, examining them, then Alxton's face, "Are you okay?"

Alxton pulled away and flicked an ear, "Yeah, I'm fine."

Florian's attention turned to the deer carcass beside Alxton, "Did you catch that?"

Alxton turned to look at the deer, "Oh. Yeah."

Loaf stood and trotted over to the log laid across the river, connecting the two banks. Loaf lingered at the edge, too nervous to step onto it, as Alxton grabbed the carcass and started dragging it towards the log. He tested the stability, then carefully picked his way across. Florian, obviously, lifted into the air and soared over the gap. The three silently agreed that it was best to head home, especially due to the rapidly setting sun. Florian and Loaf walked a bit more briskly, knowing the dangers that awoke at this hour.

Alxton tipped his head, "What's wrong?"

"The Darkness," Florian replied simply, "Wait- that's right, you just got here."

"Darkness..?" Alxton asked, tilting his head again.

"These creatures come out of the forest. They're sort of just clouds of smoke that can shift into different creatures for advantages. They'll kill anything they find."

"Oh," Alxton murmured, "That's not fun."

Loaf nodded in agreement, "We're safe indoors, though. We just have to be quiet."

The trio fell silent as their paces quickened, Alxton still lagging behind due to the deer.

The trees thinned, revealing the small town, all lights turned off.

Rafessor and Frost, who were standing just outside of their house, were watching the sky, presumably for Florian. Florian flapped his wings and a gust of wind blew from behind the trio, pushing them forward.

Florian brushed his wings against the other admins' backs and guided them inside. Alxton and Loaf eagerly followed.

Loaf turned to the fox, "Leave the deer outside."

Hesitantly, Alxton released the corpse and entered the house. Loaf looked around, taking in the view of the valley as a dark fog rolled out of the forest.