You've Missed Mouthy

Stop Our Wandering

(Ticci Toby's POV)

"I'm going to burn this forest down, I'm so tired of feeling like we're walking in circles!" I hiss, punching the nearest bark covered trunk until blood drips from my knuckles.

"I hate trees..." Kate grows, kicking leaves with her foot angrily.

"Yea!" I shoat into the dozens of branches above us. "Screw your photosynthesizing green bullshit!"

This sucks so badly, these trees are so confusing, we're not having any luck finding Vince, and don't get me started on how terrible company the chaster is! I'm ready to give up and start looking for the Elementary, I didn't want a partner anyways. That dip-shit can take his stupid glasses and shove then up his ass. Better yet, make him do it with the turn-spit he hit Mouthy with and we'll call it good.

I kick the tree one last time before turning to look at Kate as she glares at the floor.

"Any ideas?" I ask and she shakes her head in reply. I sigh, cracking my neck before falling to the ground in frustration, not caring about the damage that the rocks could do to my back. Kate drops to the dirt also, laying with her head close to mine. "This sucks, usually I could do anything! No complaining! But this... I feel like I can't do shit. I've only known the guy for a couple weeks, and somehow he's the one thing that keeps popping into my head. Like my only goal is to find him, even though I think that he's a sour asshole." I mutter out loud, hoping that she's listening. "My brain is putting Vince before food and sleep. It's weird! Does your brain do this with Mouthy? I remember Hoody getting separation anxiety if Masky went on a long solo missions. But, I mean, damn. It's odd..." I continue to rant on, pausing to give her a chance to speak or not.

"...Mouthy..." She whispers through her mask.

"I'll take that as a yes..." I mutter back, and she makes some kind of sniffling sound. She sits up quick, making me believe that she's crying. Concerned, I hold my hands out awkwardly.

"Smoke!" She chirps out, running to the tree I had punches mercilessly, and begins to climb it. Her movements are jerky and rushed as she scales up the branches.

"Smoke? Wait that means fire! And fire means that someone had to light it!" I mentally smack myself, how could I not realize that sooner. It has to be Vince.

I leap into the branches, gaining on our bloodstained friend in search for an opening to look out over the tree tops. I pass her somehow, and scramble to the end of a large branch.

"Whoa..." I blink at the scene before me, pulling my goggles off to be sure it's not a smudge I'm seeing. Around a hundred yards away from us is a column of black smoke, circling upwards dramatically. The source of the rising cloud is a large ring of fire, eating several trees and lapping at the dead leaves on the ground. I inhale the smoke deeply, my head spinning at a slight deja-vu. Fire is interesting, and always makes me feel... strange. I twist my neck to let it pop, before shaking away the feeling off someone poking at the back of my eyes.

"... Five minute run." Kate growls next to me. "Come on." She tugs at my sleeve, pulling me out of my partial daze, and halfway off the branch. Kate leaps off one branch, grabbing one below it, before dropping to the floor with a thud. I follow suit, attempting to look as cool as she. I whip out my hatchet, and hook it onto one branch. I shift my weight into my hand as I hang from the handle of my ax. I reach for tree limb number two, stopping as I hear a crack above me. A curse slips my lips, and the ground meets my back again. Groaning from the lack of air in my lungs, I crack my shoulder and sit up. Kate huffs a sigh, turning towards the smoke column without a word. I recompose myself as she runs in the direction of the flames. Making sure my ax is back on my belt, I too take off into the trees.