The A Team

Chapter Eleven

Trigger warnings: violence, abduction, sedation

Still day 105

"Hi X!" Grian exclaimed flying down the banister and landing next to the team leader. 

Just seeing his smiling face made Xisuma's stomach twist up. He nodded curtly in reply.

"I need you to go collect firewood" he said holding out an axe. "I wasn't expecting snow and we aren't prepared"

Grian looked confused but accepted it anyways. 

"Um... why me?"

"Is it too difficult a task for you?" 

"No!" Grian said, regretting his words. "I'm just not the... the strongest... but no worries it's fine! I'm sorry"

X put on a twisted expression that Grian couldn't read. 

"No I'm sorry. I... I just need you to do it because you are the fastest. Ok? We need dry wood, so go to the place near the cliff right next to the stream. The one with the overhang"

Grian offered him a small smile. 

"Got it! I'll be back soon"

He ran out the door, clutching the axe in both hands. 

Mumbo, Iskall, and Stress had congregated outside the front door. From the looks on their faces, Iskall and Stress appeared to be teasing Mumbo. 

Grian smirked. 

"What are you guys talking about?"

The three of them froze. Mumbo's face heated up at once, and Iskall looked as though he were trying not to laugh. 

"It's nothing" Stress said giggling. "We were just making fun of Mumbo"

"Oh my favorite activity!" Grian laughed, winking in the direction of the tall blushing mess in the corner. 

Iskall chuckled.

"Where are you going?" 

Grian held the axe out. 

"X said we aren't prepared for the snow and asked me to go collect fire wood!"

"By yourself?" Iskall said crinkling his eyebrows together. "That's a lot of work for one person. We can come with you!"

Stress and Mumbo nodded in agreement and Grian gave a sigh of relief. They all grabbed axes and the four set off across the snowy clearing. 

"We need to go this way" Grian called to Stress and Iskall, who had begun to turn down the wrong path. "X doesn't want the bark to be wet so we need to go to the place by the river that has the overhang"

Iskall and Stress changed their course, running ahead and throwing snow at each other as they laughed. 

Grian turned to Mumbo, who had a perturbed expression. 

"What's wrong?"

Mumbo took his time before responding. 

"I don't know yet" he said finally, looking pensively into the trees. 

Grian smiled. 

Classic Mumbo Jumbo. Always so anxious. 

"Don't worry" Grian said hooking his arm around Mumbo's elbow. "There is no reason to be jumpy"

Well now there is Mumbo thought as the warmth from Grian's arm radiated up his body and colored his face. 

They walked in silence for a while. Well, Mumbo walked in silence. Grian chewed his ear off nonstop, rambling on about random topics, such as the weather, different types of paint, birds, and the color red.