Wet Fire

Clearing (E4)

Petronel

Petra took some supplies from the medic's tent before she left.

Into a large burlap sack that she found underneath a cot, Petra emptied an entire shelf of pickled roots, and some containers sweet-smelling liquids, and several containers of Auran spices and three cases of dried meats. She tied it together with a scratchy gray blanket and then slung the entire thing over her shoulder, which took a lot of effort considering it was full of supplies. I'm never coming back to this place. Might as well take all of it. Petra doubted that she would survive this encounter. Wet fire only consumes.

Keiko wasn't moving when Petra left the tent.

The breeze was warm, but the heat radiating from the volcanic ground made Petra sweat. She wiped her forehead with her thick glove and then set off to the north, where the glow of the two red moons could be seen faintly through the dust clouds.

Near the edge of village was a makeshift pasture, with about thirty mules tied up around poles made of wood and rock. The mules they used were specially bred for travel in volcanic biomes-their hooves and skin were twice as thick as the common mule, and their fur was long and pyrophobic-shaggy mules they called them. Her father's mule a dirty white female with dangerous brown eyes and hooves clogged with dried mud from many trips across the flats. The mule's name was Princella, after his mother, Petra's grandmother. Princella even looked like Petra's grandmother, as both were reasonably plump and had dirty white hair.

Petra set her belongings down and began to untie Princella from her post. The mule brayed, taking notice of the girl, and kicked up dust into the air. "Quiet, or you will wake everyone." whispered Petra, who patted her head, "I'm setting you free once we get to the chasm, be thankful I'm doing this." Princella gave another bray and then loosened up. Petra secured her sack around the Princella's back, and then climbed into the saddle. When she sat up, Princella reared and sent Petra falling onto the craked ground.

"Where do you think you're going?" said a deep voice.

Rubbing her eyes, Petra saw a tall, fuzzy, black figure looming over her. Please, don't be my father. The figure shifted and then came into focus. Jelen. Petra breathed a sigh of relief and pulled a strand of long orange hair out of her eyes. "Jelen." She could still feel her heartbeat thump in her chest. "Jelen. Whoo. Thank goodness its you."

Jelen held out a large hand and helped Petra to her feet.

"Help me." said Petra, who once again mounted the white mule. Jelen did nothing. Petra scooted herself into place and then glared at Jelen, "I know what you are going to say. You know what I'm going to do, and you want me to stay and not kill myself. Am I right?"

"No, you are absolutely wrong. I want to come with you."

Petra just stared at him. "What?"

"It's my fault to that Vynce died. It was my duty just as much as yours, or Tyrek's, or even Keiko's. The fault lies with all of us. Let me come with you. "

"No. You don't understand, Jelen. I promised Keiko that I would do this. Me. Me alone." Petra remembered what she had said to Keiko in the medic's tent, "I can't go back on that promise."

Jelen's eyes glimmered and he gently took both of Petra's hand I his own. "You don't have to go alone. I want you to be safe."

There was a long pause. Petra felt like her heart was bring ripped apart. Jelen was one of her best friends yet, so was Keiko. If she let Jelen come with her, she'd feel as if she was going back on that promise. The only thing Petra could do right now was smile back at Jelen. "I know."