"How in the Hell is this possible?"
The entire group, including a bandaged up Mikey, stood at Daniel's bedside struck with awe.
"He actually grew his arm back?" Konnor asked in confusion.
"It must be the beast blood," August pointed out. "It makes sense in a way. Dark Hounds do have amazing regen."
"I wish the arm would've just stayed gone," Konnor grunted with clear distaste for Daniel.
Noticing the tension that was sure to arise, Ali wrapped herself around Konnor's arm in an attempt to calm him.
"Let's not be too hasty in picking our words, doll."
With a sigh, Konnor left the room followed by Ali right behind him.
"You guys really don't have to worry about me," said Daniel. "You should worry about growing some potatoes."
"Potatoes? Why would we grow potatoes?" August asked.
"Because are all that matters. Duh!"
"You know, Alice was really worried about you. It took so much resolve just for her to use her Enchantment Magic for you."
"We got our tails handed to us because of how scared she was to use it," added Mikey who was still in the room.
"I really didn't want this to happen. I'm sorry."
"Forget about it, bro," said August as he took a seat next to Daniel's bed. "We all have ups and downs."
"Yeah but it seems like we're hurting ourselves more than we're hurting the Nobles."
August sighed as his eye contact wavered and his head hung low. He felt somewhat disappointed in himself. The entire group was easily being played by a group of Nobles and they could do nothing to stop it.
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything?" Daniel asked as he sat up.
"It's just that you're right... you're right about us losing to ourselves."
"Crap," he thought upon realising that he had ruined the mood. August was his best friend and he felt no desire to make him feel as though all the blame was on him.
"Listen, we're gonna own those bastards. We'll show 'em who's boss," he said with an uplifting smile.
August stood up from his seat and left the awkward silence that had followed, leaving Daniel and Mikey in the dark room together.
"We need to figure out a plan to end those Nobles," Mikey said.
"Sorry but I'm not up for a conversation right now, man."
"Don't worry," he responded with a smile. "It's cool. How about we grab some rest?"
With that, the two boys were out like a light. The group had fanned out and we're each busy doing their own thing... except for one pair.
"A drunkard and a herbalist make for the perfect pair, huh?" Laughed Konnor as he sat with his hand holding Ali's.
Ali smiled in return as her head rested on his shoulder. That smile... it was one of the things Konnor lived for. It had been a while since anyone had been this important to him.
"Sunsets are pretty," she smiled.
"Aha, there's the flower child we know and love. Been playing with your alchemy ingredients again?"
"Maybe... you been drinking again?"
"Is that even a question?" Replied Konnor.
The two laughed together as the sun faded graciously passed the horizon.
"You know, you're my best friend," said Ali as she cuddled up closer to Connor.
"Yeah... you're mine too..."
The forest would finally have a bit of well-deserved peace tonight. The tension had thinned out and the forest beasts themselves were clearly less uptight.
Tonight was the perfect night for Alice to roam. She strolled peacefully through the forest as a faint aura of light emitted from her small frame.
She had decided that she needed time to think about the events that had transpired. Especially her use of the magic she forbid. That day on the hill, she had no clue how something so innocent could have gone so horribly wrong. She had put that magic away and hoped to never use it again up until she created the Wolf Totem.
"Why did I let myself do that?" she asked herself as she kicked a rock that was in her path. "Stupid August! Stupid Daniel! Such a stupid Daniel!"
In the middle of the forest, she fell to her knees as her eyes allowed her tears to fall. In the presence of no one else, it was okay for her to cry. She didn't always have to be strong.
As each passing tear fell, she began to glow brighter... she began to glow stronger. She began to become stronger.
She had allowed herself to become vulnerable and in doing so, she was unknowingly allowing herself to become stronger.
"He's so lucky I did it... stupid Daniel..."
In another part of the forest, on a cliff similar to the one Alice and August used to share, sat August himself.
He sat cross-legged at the edge of the cliff holding a picture in his hand. It was crumpled and worn out and showed a picture of what seemed to be a beautiful young princess. She wore a crown of finely cut diamonds and a beautiful white and blue gown. Her hair was let down and her smile could have lit up the night sky.
August chuckled to himself as he folded the photo and placed it back into his pocket. He carried on laughing as passionate, roaring flames began to swallow his hands. At first, they burned red. They then turned orange. Finally, they began to burn yellow as pure anger had overcome August.
"I was too late... too damn late!" August continued to laugh to himself as tears sprung from his eyes and his flames died down.
"Too late..."
"Why are you being so hot headed," said an instantly recognisable voice. "I feel like crap right now, too..."
August sat in teary silence as Daniel continued to speak.
"I snuck up here cause I couldn't take being in bed anymore... and the best way not to think about someone is to have 'em outta sight, right?"
Alice immediately made a sudden appearance within Daniel's mind.
A dead silence hung in the air as August carried on refusing to speak.
"Listen, whatever has you all strung up like this, forget about it... cause I'm more important. I'm always more important." Daniel smiled arrogantly. "If you need my help, I'm right here. That's what best friends are for."
Daniel patted August on the back as he stood up and walked away followed shortly by August who had decided that he wanted to return home as well.
"Best friends..." he whispered to himself as he began his decent from the cliff overhang. "Feels pretty damn good to have one..."
