The Hyenas {Dreamnotfound AU}

17. Brave

George's POV

The breakfast Clay made in reconciliation for burning the first is actually really nice. We can't afford to eat very luxurious every day, it's ration to ration, but every once in a while we treat ourselves. Today is one of those days, as the emotional undertone of the day clouds the atmosphere. We are running out of supplies though, so on our way back from Eret's grave we'll pay a visit to Bad.

When we finish breakfast, we put on our disguises and head outside. The ground seems damp from some rainy weather, but the sun is shining. The light reflects through little raindrops on leaves, making our bushy hideout somewhat of a more magical scene. I breathe in the brisk morning air to refresh my lungs. It's not only been an emotional week, it's been a week spent in total isolation from the outside world. I close my eyes for a second, listening for any sounds of nature, but they are lacking.

I haven't heard a single bird around here since the day I came. My guess is they know they will be killed if they stay here for too long. Any living creature could be considered a prey out here. The birds must have learned this as well.

I hear the rustling of a few bushes in the breeze, and Clay shifting on his feet beside me. I open my eyes and turn to meet his gaze.

"You ready to go?" he asks me sympathetically, and I nod with a sad smile. We make our way through our usual route, and we walk for a while until we get to the flower field we had seen from the rooftop of the building. I look back and indeed spot it, towering over the rest of the buildings. I smile at the memory of that sunset and the conversation we had, that pops into my head. 

The field has a very particular smell right after the rain. A smell that can only be described as a reminder that you're still alive, that you still have a pair of working lungs and a beating heart. I take a deep breath, taking it in as I look over the many flowers that pop up between the grass. Eret would have loved this. One thing I always admired, was how he could extract happiness from the little things in life, even when negativity loomed over us. All these flowers would have brightened his day. 

Clay has walked into some random direction, but he never strays too far from me, and always keeps me in the corner of his eye in case something happens.

I start picking all kinds of flowers. Dandelions, cornflowers, poppies, and so many more. Most of these I had never seen in real life before, only painted on Eret's wall. I sit down in the grass and start arranging them to make a little bouquet. I inspect every flower, taking a mental photograph to remember what they look like, and smelling every one individually. When I'm happy with the way it looks, I get back up, feeling the back of my pants are wet from sitting in the grass. Clay walks over to me, a single dandelion in his hand, which he carefully places behind my ear, and he lifts his mask momentarily to shoot me a smile. A comforting warmth spreads through my chest as I smile back at him.

"Let's go," I tell him, and we start making our way back through the field. I try to take in every little detail of this place. It seems like a good image to have in mind when I need to calm down. It feels like a safe place, even though you really aren't safe anywhere. The illusion of it being safe is enough for me right now.

"I'm a little nervous," I admit to Clay as we walk through the empty streets. He looks over to me and quickly wraps his arm around my shoulders, holding my head close to him as we walk.

"That's alright, this is way out of your comfort zone," he says consolatory, laying his head against mine.

We find our way through the many alleyways until we get to the house where Eret and Fundy were based. I look at it for a second, the memories fresh in the back of my mind. Clay takes my hand, already knowing what I'm thinking, and he squeezes it softly, leading the way to the grave.