Tribal

24

Reed and Stan caught up to Clover and Haley, who had been walking away from the village as quickly as possible. Clover was relieved when she saw Reed approaching them. 

"Thank the heavens you're safe!" She cried.

"Nothing could keep me from you, my love," Reed responded, embracing his wife.

"I don't know how long he'll be out for, so we need to get moving," Stan commented.

"Very well, let us go," Haley said.

The group began to make their way through the Fungal Wastes, avoiding the sentient mushroom beasts that roamed the spore-filled wasteland. Many times they would stop to rest, and a shrumal ogre would appear out of nowhere and attempt to attack. The amount of times the group was attacked was uncountable, they posed no threat to Reed and Stan. There were even times when Haley showed her strength. Clover felt useless watching all her friends and lover fighting so hard to keep her safe, and all she could do was sit and watch. She was reassured by Reed constantly that she was not fit to fight and it was his job as the husband to keep her safe. These reassurances did nothing to make her feel better, but she kept these feelings in. She knew that she was not fight-ready; she had to prioritize her safety and the safety of her children.

"Reed, sweetheart, I don't wish to burden you, but I feel as though we should stop for food," Clover said. She hated constantly nagging Reed for food; she felt like a child. Reed, of course, was never bothered by this. She would help keep Markus in check when Haley had to pitch tents or cook, so she was at least doing something. Clover wasn't sure why, but the child had a strange attachment to her. Clover thought it was cute but wondered what she did to earn the little Pillbug's favor. She wouldn't complain, as she enjoyed the title of 'Aunt Clover,' as Markus would put it. This trip had given her a chance to connect with Haley's husband, Stan. They would sit and talk about things often. Stan would always talk about how much he loved Haley and Markus; he was a true family man.

"I was young when the infection was destroyed. I pretty much had my whole life to myself, which is more than what can be said for many pillbugs. A good amount of pillbugs had large portions of their life taken from them; they were forced to wander as zombies that attacked anything on sight and had no thoughts of their own. All they knew was the light. But when I was young, I always knew that I wanted to have my own family and to keep said family safe from the wrath of stronger creatures. When Haley was pregnant with Markus, it was the happiest time of my life, but it was also the scariest time of my life. Anything could happen, and I would lose the things I spent my whole life trying to have for myself. Luckily for me, Haley gave a healthy birth to Markus, and they both made it through unharmed. I was lucky." Stan loved bragging about his family. He believed that whatever Markus became when he was older, he would do greatly.

"Clover, sweetie, come and let's sit Markus down to sleep, and then we can get you to bed yourself," Reed called to her. She stood and began to slowly walk to Haley and Stan's tent, supported by Stan, when a scimitar landed in their fire pit.

"You traitors think you can run and I wouldn't find you?" Ash's voice was heard from above. He fell and landed in front of the fire, badly bruised and with many broken bones. "I've been tracking you all for quite some time. I think that now would be a great moment to dispatch one group of TRAITORS!" Ash screamed and lunged at Clover. She didn't have time to dodge correctly and was almost hit when Reed blocked the attack with his own blade. "TRAITORS ALL OF YOU! ALL SHALL FALL AT MY HAND!" Ash tried to swing at Reed, but missed and his scimitar collided with the ground. Reed sent a barrage of punches at Ash's face, and Ash flew back into a nearby wall and lost grip on his other scimitar. He tried to stand again, but Stan, who had gotten Clover over to their tent and grabbed his club, drove Ash's head back into the wall. Ash was badly hurt, but he stood back up and reached for his scimitar next to him.

"Ash, stop! Look at yourself, you keep this up and you'll die!" Clover called out to her cousin, who looked up and spoke coldly to her.

"Then I die, but at least I'll die with dignity, knowing I honored the tribe." Ash hobbled forward, but a snapping could be heard and Ash's leg bent in the wrong direction, and he fell on his face. Ash continued to try and drag himself forward with his hands, but Stan stepped on one of them and broke it. Ash cried out in pain but continued to drag himself along with his good hand.

"Ash, stop! Look at what you are doing to yourself!" Reed shouted. But Ash wasn't listening; he just kept going forward trying to get to Clover. When Clover saw how much her cousin was hurting, she knelt down next to him and removed the scimitar from his hand.

"Ash, cousin. Please, just go home. I can't bear to see you like this," Clover leaned down and kissed his forehead, but Ash still tried to throw a weak punch at her. It felt like a lumafly had landed where his fist had hit. He was so weak and tired that he could barely continue.

"I... Will... Honor... My... Tribe..." Ash continued repeating himself, not listening to a word that was being said to him. Clover turned to Haley with tears in her eyes.

"Haley, what's wrong with him? He was never like this before. I can't look at him anymore. Please, we need to get him fixed up. I can't leave him here like this!" Clover was begging Haley to heal Ash's wounds.

"I... I can't, Clover. What if he comes for us and then Markus gets hurt? I have to look out for my family," Haley hated denying her friend this, but Markus came first.

"Come, dear, let us go. We will begin preparations to leave; you can sit with him until then," Reed said.

"Okay," Clover responded tearfully. The others began packing their things, and Ash was still trying to attack Clover.

"Honor... My... Tribe..."

"Oh, Ash, what has become of you? Why do you do these things?" Clover asked.

"I... Will... Honor..."

"Please, Ash, talk to me! I'm here for you! Why won't you say anything?" She raised her voice.

"My... Tribe... I..."

"Ash! You fool! Why? I can't believe you would do this!" Clover shouted.

"Will... Honor... My..."

"WOULD YOU SAY ANYTHING ELSE?" Clover screamed.

"Tribe... I... Will..."

Clover began to cry. She could not get through to him; he was long gone by now, just a soulless husk of what he used to be. Where was the strong leader she knew? Where was the kind-hearted man that always listened to the people around him? Where was her cousin? Where was Ash? She cried over his mindless body until Reed approached her.

"Darling, we have to go," Reed said.

"I..." Clover pulled her face into Reed and cried. He held her as she cried and caressed her. "He's gone... Isn't he?" She asked.

"We can't say for certain, but there is nothing we can do for him. Nothing that wouldn't endanger us also," Reed said. Clover stood, gently laying Ash's mumbling head on a nearby mushroom. He wouldn't die; no one had hit him that hard. But his bones were broken, and he was losing consciousness. Clover placed one final kiss on Ash's cheek and stood and walked away. Ash didn't even realize she was leaving; he just kept repeating.

"I... Will... Honor... My... Tribe..."

As he slowly faded away to sleep, a familiar yellow insect arrived just in time.