Another Way

Chapter 29: Dissonance

The return to fresh air didn't have anywhere near as large an effect on Sue's mental state as she wished it had.

A light gust left her shuddering as she followed Solstice down the stairs, resting one hand on the wall of Sundance's dwelling, just in case. Her injured leg hurt a bit with each step, but she managed. Between the uneasy discussion at the vixen's house and the earlier scares, the ever-winding worries made it hard to focus on bodily sensations.

Neither Forest Guardian was oblivious to their shared troubles, either. And yet, they remained silent, hesitant to look at each other in their current state. Praying under their breaths that the murk coiling inside their heads would just slither away on its own in time. Anything but facing it. Facing each other.

Thankfully, they wouldn't be sentenced to a silent death march—not with the door to the dwelling downstairs from Sundance's den opening right as they got going. The younger Forest Guardian paid little attention to the movement in her peripheral vision, eager to get this done with as fast as possible. The older one, though, wanted to check up on the craftsbug just heading out of his house. "^Good afternoon, Kantaro.^"

The familiar name finally grabbed Sue's attention, redirecting it onto the bipedal beetle carrying a large chisel and several pieces of carefully cut limestone. His movements weren't as steadfast as the first time she saw him, but he was managing, to the relief of both of them. "Afternoon, Solstice," he answered, grunting as he corrected his hold on the off-white stone.

"^How are you holding up?^" the Mayor asked as the three of them got going, the memory of Root's furious outburst still fresh in her mind.

"I'm doing well. The incident at the Pale Lady's shrine may have hurt my pride and body alike, but I am recovering fast," he added, his occupied hands twitching as if praying at the mention of the lunar deity.

Solstice put on the most confident smile she was capable of, glad to have at least that relief. "^That is great to hear, thank you.^"

"The knowledge we have avoided the worst helps, too."

Sue shivered, feeling the group's attention be drawn to her at the beetle's remark; the ordinarily neutral sensation turned unnerving with everything going around in her mind. She nodded shyly as she held Twinkle closer to her chest. The tiny ghost wasted no time wrapping their tiny tentacles around her hand, squeezing it as strongly as they could. She mumbled, "Y-yeah, we have."

Kantaro continued, "You are a strange one... Shu-eh? Sh-khae? Su-u-eh. I suppose the old truth of the value of an outside perspective is no less true here than it had been back at my hive, though. Even if I would never have thought you fierce enough to stand up to Root, you did so anyway. For that, you have my gratitude."

The praise might've been veiled in stiff wording, but as far as Sue could tell, it was in earnest. She hadn't gotten any better at taking those over the few days she'd been here, resorting to a nervous chuckle and an awkward nod as Solstice spoke up. "^Indeed. If not for her, I don't know what would've happened.^" Her voice was slow, regret in it heavy enough for even the mighty beetle to hear clearly. Still, she tried to not draw any more attention to it. "^What's the status of the broken wall at Her shrine, Kantaro?^"

The craftsbug wasn't a fan of the clumsy misdirection, but the topic being invoked grasped his interest immediately. "To the best of my knowledge, it hasn't been touched since it fell over. As of now, I have no plans of doing anything with it, or moving it anywhere."

Solstice nodded absentmindedly, glad that at least that mess hadn't gotten any messier overnight. "^I see. How... how difficult would it be to put Night Father's monument back together, d-do you reckon?^" she asked, wrestling with—and defeating—her leftover discomfort with each word.