The first group to return was the one that went south. They quickly found a stream, drank from it, then the ones who remained went there to get their fill too. Upon seeing the wounded boy return there was a surge of panic, though the retelling of how it happened left most feeling more confused than afraid.
“So it’s a puppet?” the words came from a girl named Urta, one who had stayed behind.
“No strings on it, but maybe? No idea what it was. You can go check out for yourself.”
Layah was the one speaking, one boy left alone after being hurt to rest, the other only giving one word answers and boring the audience.
The tall boy sat by Hitch.
“How are your hands?”
“Better, I think.”
“Good”
They sat there for a good bit, Ponneltor getting up to grab them both dried meats of some sort, though eating was still difficult for the smaller boy, only a few fingers unwrapped.
“Thanks for the shirt.”
“No problem.”
“It does feel like I’ve got my hands tied up though.”
“Didn’t want to tear clothes, don’t have spares.”
“Right.”
Ponneltor got up later, then looked down and waited for a few moments.
“Wanna go get water with me?”
Hitch nodded, following after, the two making their way to the stream for a drink and a wash.
Hitch unwrapped his hands, the blood no longer flowing, then started to wash the cuts. Ponneltor stood by, then wandered off a bit, cresting a hill. He returned, passing the stream by, going back to the gathering and here again. Surprisingly hectic for Hitch’s perspective for the boy, the wounds stinging slightly as he started to try and wash the blood from the shirt. He was stopped by Ponneltor.
“I think there’s a river over there somewhere. Wanna walk?”
“Uh, yeah, sure. Why do you think that?”
“Just a hunch.”
The wounded boy got up, then they made their way southwards some more. Not fifteen minutes later they found a small river flowing between two hills, trees covering it from either side.
“Huh, guess your hunch was right.”
“Seems so.”
The taller boy started to strip, then jumped into the river, water barely above his waist. Hitch followed soon after, the two happily floating in the water.
“You know… I thought you were kind of slow at first. But you really do just do things. Like tying my hands with your clothes or going to the river on a hunch.”
“It’s not like I come up with those ideas on the spot. I just was thinking about what would happen if someone got hurt, and I also figured that there has to be more water somewhere close. I’m impressed how you just chased that thing, I froze up on seeing it.”
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“I only went after it because… I think I was scared and it seemed different, so maybe it knew something. It sucks that I broke it. Or killed it? Was it alive?”
Hitch’s breathing sped up, the boy clenching his fists for a moment before letting go due to the pain. He looked at the other boy, then got a reply in the form of a splash in the face.
“Don’t exhaust yourself overthinking it.”
They chatted for a bit after, talking about their families and where they were from, sharing a bit of their anxieties. Eventually, they got out of the water and headed back to the group.
—
“Is it true you killed a monster? Didn’t think you would be the first to do it, truth be told.”
Hitch was sitting by a fire, the sky dark already, Voysh sitting by him and smiling as he looked at him in amazement.
“That’s really fucking cool, you know? All we found was some fruit. Blegh.”
He shook a greenish-yellow ball shaped thing they found on a tree in one hand.
“Don’t even know if it’s edible or not and I’m not too eager to try it out.”
“We’ll test it out, so quit complaining!”
Anika chastised the boy, who replied by shrugging and nudging Hitch with his elbow.
”I could sure use some meat. Though you said that thing you killed didn’t have any on it?”
“I didn’t - it was an accident and I’m not even sure it was alive. But no, meatless. It was - I’m glad everyone is well, but I think I’ll turn in for the night. Take care.”
He got up, then shuffled further from the bustle and settled by his things, trying to fall asleep. The sleep came eventually, the day too exhausting for it to be kept away.
—
The Moon looked down at the world and drifted on and on, reflecting the part of light it could down.
—
They had a short meeting in the morning, splitting up tasks once more. Hitch stayed behind this time on account of his wounded hands, with no real tasks to do for himself. Tar was there, his hands on one of the tomes, focused on it. Seemed he had managed to get his hands on it after all. Hitch approached the boy and nodded at him.
“How’s it going?”
The boy took a while to reply, having to tear his attention away from the pages.
“Oh. Well, I think? There’s a lot of terms I don’t understand, but it’s helping me. Like something trying to pour itself into my head and the vessel getting stretched to accommodate.”
Hitch frowned, eyes focusing on the crimson cover of the book.
“Sounds unpleasant.”
“It’s not all bad. Makes me feel more ready. Though not like I can do anything with that more yet.”
Hitch nodded, then left and went to the place where wood was being piled together, getting worked into something that could be then used for building. Palia was there, stripping some wood and smiled at him as she saw him looking.
“Hey.”
“Hi. I’d offer to help out, but hands are…”
“I know. It’s okay, I don’t mind if you just want to sit and chat. Or if you’re just anxious and wandering the camp.”
He frowned a bit, sitting by the girl and looking at the pile.
“I’m not anxious. Maybe just bored? I wish I could help out, you know?”
“I get that. I want to go out to explore so bad right not, but no one else can do this well. I said I’d do this for today, teach some others and then go out tomorrow. Anika and Mayhe agreed to that, so I’m just trying to do my best today here.”
“Anika was the one leading today’s morning meeting too. Interesting how they ended up as our leadership.”
“What’s interesting about that? Some people simply take to some roles. People have things they’re good at - like me and working this wood. And fighting. And cooking.”
“Oh, yes, you’re the best. Not afraid they’ll ask you to keep working on the wood tomorrow too, just so we’d have shelter before rains come?”
“If they do, I’ll show them what happens when someone breaks their word to me.”
She shook a knife at him in jest, then returned it to work.
“It sucks about your hands though. Hope they get well enough for work soon.”
“Yeah. I offered to go out, but was told to just rest. They’re right though, I would just be dead weight if I went to the woods. Though I think I’ll look around the perimeter at least.”
He got up, smiling at her. The girl waved him off and he set for the edges of their clearing.
