The Depth of Perception

Meeting in the Trees

Wrench stepped into the clearing with Frederick's arm over her shoulder and hers behind his back, not supporting his weight entirely but helping him gingerly along. James dragged the remains of his lute across the ground behind them, in his despondency not noticing or caring when it got snagged and tore itself further into pieces.

Bringing up the rear was Kelly, who was walking backwards and watching their retreat with a keen eye, looking more stern than usual until she caught up with the rest of the group. The sight of the foresters brought a smile to her face that shone through the blood drying on it, and her exhaustion seemed to fade as she celebrated what could only have been a reunion with close friends.

"Are they alright?" Zane said, white as a sheet as he took in the sights of Frederick's posture, Kelly's face, and James' mood.

"Well he's winded and bruised somet'in' fierce, but he's tough," Wrench said, playfully placing a fist on Frederick's jaw. "Kelly jus' got grazed. And James, he's jus' poutin' about his lute dere."

"Thank goodness," Zane sighed, but anxiety still pulled on his shoulders.

"But lookit ya, all worried! I t'ought dis was yer big plan?"

"Well evidently events didn't transpire as they were meant to!" Zane said. "What happened? How did you escape?"

"Well, ya were right about da Crown not much carin' about us wit' Ori not dere. But I don't t'ink dey believed fer a minute dat we had not'in' ta do wit' her. More dan likely dey just wanted ta follow us ta her. Seems deir Shade buddies were impatient dough. Dere was a fight."

Zane waited for Wrench to go on, watching her grin widely as she helped Frederick into a sitting position in front of a nearby tree, but she seemed too excited to even continue the story.

Zane, eye wide with curiosity, jerked his head between the four of them, waiting for someone to explain what had happened.

"You... won, I take it?" Oriana asked, clueless as to how they could have but taking no other conclusion from the glee on Wrench's face.

"But at what cost!"

Everyone turned to the source of the outburst and watched as James fell to his knees, cradling the remains of his instrument to his chest.

"Damn right we did," Kelly answered, stepping back toward the group with her friends in tow. She was trying to wipe the blood from her face with a scrap of cloth she had been given but was only succeeding in spreading around and diluting it. Her entire cheek looked like a grim painting.

"Thanks to James here, jumping to my rescue like a real hero," she beamed, clapping him on the back.

"But at what cost..." he repeated in a whimper.

Kelly rolled her eye and crouched in front of him, clasping his shoulders. "Chin up James! After that performance, I'm sure the gang will all chip in and buy you a new whatsit."

"Lute?" Oriana said—half informing Kelly, half asking the question she was sure was on everyone's mind.

"Yeah, it made a hell of a weapon while it lasted. It wasn't the lute, though, it was the gold on it," Kelly said, rising to her feet again. "And there wasn't much there either, so they must be pretty sensitive. Wrench there halved one with one swing, when she put some jewellery on her weapon."

"And Frederick punched one's head right off!" Wrench raved. Seeing the wide eyes, slight frowns, and outright slack-jaws this revelation invited from the group, her brow momentarily furrowed.

"Oh. Dey just turn ta dust an' float away. Wasn't dat bad."

While the news that they could finally fight the Shades was sinking in and quiet celebration was flowing through the clearing, Zane frowned.