The Snow Ferrets and the Shinju Necklace (completed)

Chapter 8

My brain wakes up, but my eyes don't.

I lay there, wherever 'there' is, suffering the sunburn I have all over my body and the horribly dry feeling in my mouth, trying to ignore the whole thing. I know I've had worse in the Harmony Games, but that doesn't mean this doesn't hurt too.

I groan a little, but I'm not sure any sound comes out. After a couple minutes of just laying there, I become aware of voices around me. However, it still takes me a moment to tune in as I don't really care what is being said, I just want the pain to stop, but I guess that maybe the people talking will be able to let my confused and bewildered brain calm down at least a little.

I am just about to focus my brain and try to listen when it hits me and I mentally gasp, my eyes shooting open.

Neve!

I am only able to open my eyes halfway right now for a minute before they slide shut, so I open my ears as wide as possible and listen in on the voices.

"Yeah!" An unfamiliar voice says, but it sounds male, "We just came across her on the ground with the other girl. It was too hot for them, plus the lightning elementalist had exhausted herself trying to get her friend here."

The only thing I hear in the whole sentence, however, is the end.

'Trying to get her friend here.'

Here. Which means we must be in Kasai City!

I mentally rejoice but then listen back in on the conversation.

"Yeah.....thank you for getting them and taking them in, by the way." I hear Ignis say. Ignis.

I listen really close to hear any emotion of sadness in her voice to show that Neve didn't make it, but I come up empty handed, which I cheer to in my head.

"No problem lil' sis."

My eyes nearly bug our of my eyes and they open all the way.

Light bombards my pupils and I immediately close them again. I squeeze them shut before peeling them open again, making sure to only open them a little at a time.

My vision is a little blurry for a bit and all I see is three distorted bodies, each smudged with orange, red, and yellow. Fire elementalists.

"Ignis." I mutter, but it sounds more like Ey-nis.

She turns, looking exhausted, and when she sees me she smiles in relief, "Oh my gosh Blitz you're alright!"

Her eyes suddenly change to concern and she walks closer, "Are you okay? How are you?"

"Fine, fine." I mumble, the corners of my vision starting to fade. I knew I was sinking back into oblivion.

But I had to know.

"What about Neve?" I barely breath. For a split second I am worried Ignis couldn't hear me, but then she smiles softly and says, "Fine, Blitz. She's fine. They're all fine."

And just before the world disappears completely, I let out a sigh of relief.

And I sleep once more.

. . .

Now that my brain is no longer plagued with concern and fear for both Neve and my other friends, I sleep easier and longer. Time passes. I am half aware that I wake up a couple times. Every time I get food and water and one time I woke up to find all my friends by my bed. All except a certain ice elementalist.

After what feels like forever I'm finally strong enough to stand up, although I need the help of Kin, who looks fully refreshed now that we're back, her light blue hydrate suit covering her body. I have one too. Apparently if visitors who are not fire elementalists come they are sent these and are able to make it across the vast expanse of horrible, cracked dirt we walked through. It has cool, refreshing water in it that soaks your body as you walk, keeping you cool and safe.

Kin walks me to Neve's bed so I can see her and I am glad to see her face is no longer red and she looks way better. However, it frightens me to see how ghostly white she is, her colorless face practically absorbing the red of her clothes and bed. Her eyes are closed and her chest is softly moving up and down, sending waves of relief through me.

I let out a long breath of relief, closing my eyes, feeling the weight on my chest get pushed off by the breeze and leave me. For a second I just stand there with my eyes closed, but then I hear Kin speak so I open my eyes and look at her.

"It's been two days." She says, cringing at her own words. I wince too. Two days? That has got to be bad! And Neve's not even awake yet!

She sighs, turning her eyes to Neve, "The doctors don't think she'll wake up until tomorrow though, so then it'll be three and however long until Neve can move and walk on her own." She pauses and then adds as an afterthought, "Oh, and we got our food and water supplied refilled."

I nod. Good.

"What about Frost?" I suddenly ask, wondering about the little ferret.

"Oh yeah....while we were walking, she kept trying to create a cool breeze and help cool off Neve. It worked for a little bit....but then she passed out, resulting in Neve passing out not long after." Kin sighs, "The doctors say that if Frost hadn't been blowing cool air at Neve, she might not be alive right now."

Suddenly, Kin laughs, catching me off guard and I blink a couple times, "I guess we don't give that ferret enough credit!" She exclaims.

I grin a little, "Guess not."

Kin barks a laugh again before tugging on my arm slightly, "Here, let's let poor Neve sleep. You'll see her when she wakes up. Plus, we should get to bed too." She adds at the end, tugging me out of the room and down the stairs.

I stumble after her, still a little dizzy with relief that Neve's okay, embracing the warm bed Kin throws me into and falling asleep quite easily.

. . .

The next day, Neve wakes up.

The minute I get the news, I race upstairs and barge into the room, startling the nurse who is giving Neve some soup.

"Whoa!" She exclaims, jumping a little, sending a little bit of the liquid meal into Neve's face. Neve yelps as the hot liquid splatters over her face and I leap forward, groping my shirt and using it to wipe the food off her face, all the time muttering 'sorry' over and over again.

Once I back away from Neve, I look at her uncertainly, giving a nervous laugh. I shrug, "Haha.....sorry."

She laughs a little before nodding, "You are forgiven."

I smile, relieved she's not mad that I just spilled hot soup all over her face, and just then Kin and Nero burst in, followed by all the others.

I laugh as Nero, who is in the front, trips, sending everyone else down on top of them.

"Whoooaaaa!" Anemos yelps as he too appears, speeding through the door before toppling over the mass of bodies right in the doorway which he was too fast to avoid.

I laugh harder and I feel Neve laughing behind me, and I feel my heart lift. We're back to normal. We had a slight delay, but we should be able to make it before Mr. Baja. We are, after all, only a day or two behind.

We can make it. We can do this.
***********
Hmm......I was wondering.....you know darting? Well, do you think it would be better if I used the word 'bolting'? Also, those wouldn't be capitalized would they?

I don't know.

HEEEEELLLLPPPP MEEEEEEEE!!!!!

I AM NEEEEDDDDDYYYY!!!!

Okay, I'm done.

Please answer, 'cause I need some answers so if you say yes then I need to go back and fix all the words.

Sorry it's short.

Do you guys even read this stuff?

XOXO,
MoOo
◊Rascal◊