storm - a sky cotl au

chapter 18 - vale

I watch as Moon stumbles through the door.

She glances over at Fox, and I can see the despair in her eyes, then disappointment as she realises that they're not going to reply to her.

"Vale." I snap out of my observation and look over at River. That's what they told me their name was, anyways. They're holding out a small satchel. "Here you go. This should be enough herbs."

"Thank you," I reply gratefully as I take the satchel, slipping it around my body. It hangs quietly at my side.

River smiles. "Good luck," they say in that breezy-sounding voice. "I hope your friends heal well. May the Elders watch over you."

"Thank you for the help, and the shelter," I remark as I step back, before bowing. I see them bow back, before I turn to face my two friends.

Fox is wincing, like they're in pain again, and there's that unmistakable look of distrust on their face, while Moon keeps looking desperately over at them.

"Time to go, guys. We need to continue on," I say carefully, trying to keep my tone encouraging.

Fox lets out a sigh and stands up, scratching at one of their bandages frustratedly, while Moon quietly walks over, looking at the ground.

"Good luck!" River calls out cheerily as we walk out the door, into the pouring storm that drowns out all words.

Fox mutters darkly, looking out at the blood-stained river, "So, where are we even going?"

"To the capital," I reply, pointing out towards a ledge in the distance. It's just a small crack in the stone, but I remember it from the last time I came through here. It's a passage to the capital, where the sunlight breaks through the cloudy leaves of the trees.

Gripping both my friends' hands tightly to make sure they don't fall away, I flap three times, landing softly on the grass ledge with the pavillion.

I can see them both flinch a little, but I try to keep them moving, so we don't burn out under the rain. Eventually, we reach the ledge. I flap up once to get in, and then the long tunnel comes into sight before us.

Fox gently lets go of my hand and starts walking down the dark tunnel. I take out a candle and swipe it over my light source, causing it to burst into flame and illuminate the cold rock walls of the passageway.

I start walking down it, Moon following close behind me. Our slow footsteps reverberate along the walls.

"...Vale?" I turn back to see Moon patting my shoulder nervously.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"What...what happened to Fox? What did I do to them?" she asks softly.

"Uh...you...uh..." I'm trying to find a way to put this nicely, but it's kind of hard to. "You sort of kind of pushed them off a ledge into a river and scratched them...?"

I hear quiet silence for a bit, before Moon speaks again. "Oh."

"Wouldn't you know, though?" I question, confused. "You were there."

"...it...I was trapped inside my mind...?" Moon mumbles slowly. "I...I don't know how to describe it, but...it wasn't me that hurt Fox."

"Oh," I murmur. That's strange. But then again, it makes sense. Moon was the one who first became friends with Fox. She would never do something like this to them on purpose.

She wouldn't, right?

I hesitate, then reassure her, "We can ask around at the capital, see if this has ever happened before. After we get treatment for you and Fox."

"Oh...okay..."

We continue walking in silence for a while, before I hear the faint voices of distant people. Fox's footsteps speed up, so Moon and I speed up too.

It's too late when we realise what's in front of us.

"Oh—" I hear Fox's voice before I slip, and suddenly, the three of us are hurtling down a slope. I barely manage to keep my balance before Moon bumps into me, causing me to fall head-first and slip down the slope on my stomach.

I see a light before us, and I close my eyes, hoping for the warmth of sunlight again.

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hi :)
I don't really know what to write here so...uh...have a good day ig :>