Wielding Colors Within the Dark (Cancelled)

Survival

Rowan held him close and kept walking for hours, looking for medical supplies of any kind, or at least a suitable shelter.

Thorne's eyes opened weakly. "Ro-wan."

"Thorne," he said softly, showing a gentle side he'd never shown anyone before.

"R-Re..st." Thorne mumbled.

The area around them had changed into a desolate plain with bare ground and random scraps of garbage laying around.

He sighed. "Alright," he said quietly, managing to find an old dusty blanket, a hollow spile, and a few newspapers. He carefully lay the blanket out, placing the boy gently on top of it and wrapping it around him, then sat down right next to him, alert, his knife held at the ready in a trembling hand.

Thorne sighed lightly his dull eyes glancing around.

"Get some sleep," he murmured, looking down at him. "I'll protect you now. You've done enough, and I'm grateful. Thank you, Thorne."

Thorne smiled a little and managed a laugh. "Y-ou...fe-eling..." He coughed which interrupted what he was trying to ask.

He raised his eyebrows. "Am I feeling what?"

Thorne shuddered a bit as some blood came up from his cough. "B-etter?"

"I'm better, yeah," he said distractedly, looking concerned as he ripped some of the fabric from his sleeve and wiped the blood away. "But you're not. You need to get some rest," he said softly, brushing his hair out of his face. "Don't worry about me."

Thorne couldn't handle talking but he grabbed you hand weakly his eyes looking hungry.

He gently rubbed the back of his hand with his thumb. "Hungry?" He asked quietly, looking down at him with calm, for once clear green eyes.

Thorne didn't reply he looked a bit ashamed.

"Hey, it's alright. I told you, I'm gonna take care of you now."

Thorne gasped a little trying to sit up.

"No," Rowan said sternly, gently pushing him back down. "You don't have nearly enough strength for that. I'm surprised you managed to carry me as far as you did. Just stay lying down, alright?"

Thorne bit his lip his stomach growling.

"I'm going to get us something to eat, alright? There's bound to be... a rabbit hole, or something out here."

Thorne panted again his vision blurring again.

He brushed the boy's hair back out of his face again, then stood, holding his dagger. "I'll be back soon, alright? Try and get some sleep."

Thorne closed his eyes tightly in pain.

He resisted the urge to stay with him, guard him with his life, and headed off.

Thorne groaned and blinked noticing one of his wounds had reopened. He put a little pressure on it and struggled to sit up and refused to use the filthy blanket on it.

Sighing, he looked around, soon spotting a dark spot not far away. Maybe it was a rabbit hole, he thought hopefully.

Thorne wiped away his tears he could so faintly feel his siblings and that comforted him.

He approached it and saw two long ears sticking out of the hole, and a small smile spread across his face. Silently he crept up behind it as it hopped out, coming from behind and downwind of the rabbit so it wouldn't see or smell him too soon. He got closer and closer, and just as its ears started to twitch he lunged, driving the knife into its skull. Its squeak was cut off abruptly, and it fell limp in his hands.