take me to happier places

hail mary (chapter 7)

frozen shoes shuffled through the depth of the snow; Ryon almost wishing he had protective kicks just like Kitta had. her boots hugged her small feet, and traveled up her tights just right above her ankles. she shivered occasionally, but only to complain that her legs were 'fixing to fall off' as she would state frequently. Ryon didn't mind her nagging that she would expel from her violet lips.
she were talking.
she seemed happy.
and that's all he cared for.

his thought process went from his friends natural inner beauty to a realization that he had never captured his kill he made a day ago. knowing how the infamous weather was in this forest, the storm could possibly come back any second now, and that bunny could be long gone.

stepping aside Kitta, he kept ahold of her right hand that he treaded next to until he noticed her other hand was exposed to the cold. barely, at least. she tried to tuck in her digits as much as possible from the annoyance of the chilling atmosphere. by now the two should be used to it, which Ryon was. Kitta grew up in SoniaVille; which was a valley mostly known for its morning rays that shine down upon a small village. just like Kitta, every civilian stuck to the same spirit. everyone had a pair of feline ears.
everyone had an adventurous heart.
everyone was almost as unique as Ryon's special friend. even though he never knew Kitta that long, he was glad that she had tagged along with him. no matter if she seemed like extra weight, she was still a nice person to hang around with;

"i'm sorry," confessed Ryon.

"what?" asked Kitta.

"your other hand. it's getting blasted with this wind."

"it doesnt matter. youre trying your best."

and with that, Ryon fell quiet. for some reason those words traveled straight through his ears and passed toward his cardiovascular organ that withheld in his chest. he needed to hear it, for whatever reason that may be. the thought of her sweet voice pouring out her admiration of his 'best' made him grow a faint smile on his lips. that expression was painted with chalk, right until the rain washed it away;

"why do you care about me so much? i've been snappy, annoying, bipolar, needy," she paused and sighed, letting go of his hand. "i just dont get why youre giving me so much protection."

"well, i guess i want to be the opposite of my father. i cant remember much but he was always so," he, too, paused. settling his words blankly. "aggressive."

"if it makes you feel better, i think youre a pretty nice guy, " she looked away from him and smiled as she stepped over a fallen branch that almost seemed invisible by the snow that covered it.

Ryon felt his cheeks grow warm. he didnt know how that were possible, due to the weather making both of their physiques almost frost bitten. but it were possible when she were around. he almost felt as if these words would go on for an eternity, falling across the lemniscate scale of euphoria; something he never felt on occasion. he liked the comments, the reassurances, the compliments, whatever they were; he liked them.
he liked them from her;

"i miss Mary. im her only friend. i bet she's worried," Kitta said.

"it'll be just a few more minutes. we didn't tread too far. . . i think."

"you think?"
she turned to him.
"wait, are we lost?"

"no. well. . . maybe? i dont know. we'll be okay as long a--"

"no! no, God, no. i gotta get back to camp, im in charge of rations, im in charge of clothes, im. . ."

and she kept ranting on and on about her duties. pacing back in forth in the now thin sheet of snow, almost putting on an act for Ryon. his lips curved into a smirk before he stepped up and grabbed her wrist;

"these trees are familiar," unnoticeably lying as he attempted to make her feel better. "camp is near."

and with that she stopped her worrying. that is right up until she noticed Mary's bandana that was embedded in the frosty rain drops that settled there. walking toward the cloth, Kitta snatched it from the ground and twirled the red fabric throughout her appendages;

"we need to hurry, now. she would never take this off," she spoke with obvious uneasiness.

Ryon didnt question. he waited for Kitta to place the item into her pocket, but instead she tied it around her neck. just like how Mary wore it. the two had been friends ever since kinderhood, romping around in the tulips that blossomed by the river just outside of SoniaVille. so Ryon could just only imagine her worry at this moment.
Kitta kept behind Ryon as he attempted to successfully find the base camp. they had already passed charted territories, taking note of the rabbit he killed around this time yesterday. which made his mind uneasy at the thought of the storm coming sometime soon. feeling as heat parted from the trees, Kitta's eyes peered open at the cedar logs lit ablaze. pushing past the boy, Ryon quickly sprinted behind Kitta in order to check out what the hell was going on.

but it was their camp.

everything was torched; the tents, the chest full of supplies and rations, and even the trees around it. the snow was no longer present around this camp, which made everything seem so fresh and springful. but that was the least at his mind, trying to stay close to his friend as she searched for Mary through the heavy smoke;

"she's not here, Kitta."

"how do you know?" she exclaimed just as he did, over the roaring flames.

"if she was, she would be dead! we need to go!"

"i need to search!" she snapped back, not noticing the creaking of a loose branch above her.

just as the pine log were to fall above her, Ryon pulled her tricep toward him, letting their bodies cascade against eachother;

"no. we need to go, now," Ryon mumbled gravely.

"fine," she replied.

the two evacuated the area, trailing along the heavy footprints of their teammates that could have possibly made these. they looked fresh. this fire must've been fresh. Kitta stopped in her tracks as she realized the two were going away from where they found the bandana.

"wait. Mary could be the other way."

"Kitta, i doubt she would tread from the group."

"Ryon, just listen to me! im fucking scared, just let me be the leader for once! yes, you have been right all this time, and yes you saved my life back there, twice, and i couldnt be more thankful. but i know my friend, and i need to save her. please let me do this."

and Ryon didn't speak. he let Kitta lead the way, and followed close behind.

the two walked immensely quick, taking larger strides than they ever have in their lifetime. he knew how determined she was. but he didn't know how dangerous.