|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 11:12:19 GMT -5
Ash smiled as Garfield accepted the offered chocolate. She then broke off a piece for herself and put it in her mouth. She missed chocolate, it wasn't easy to come by in the hideout, so when she went out, she tended to stock up.
She watched as he stocked his backpack with everything and put it over his shoulder. "Did you want me to carry something?" she asked, holding out her good arm.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 11:24:46 GMT -5
Garfield wasn't sure what to say. He supposed it would be offensive to her if he said that he didn't want her to carry the supplies. But part of him truly didn't want her to have to lug big loads around.
"It's okay," he said at last. "The sand actually takes a lot of the weight off my shoulders." It was a pretty easy lie, he realized, since it was partly true. He was so used to carrying all of his sand, extra weight was rarely noticed.
|
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 19:28:22 GMT -5
Ash waited as Garfield debated her offer. "Well if you're sure" she said, dropping her hand. "But let me know if you need me to take something, okay?" she asked. She looked at him with her amber eyes, waiting for his reply.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 21:53:27 GMT -5
"Of course," Garfield responded at once, nodding his head quickly. He wanted Ash to feel that he really wasn't suffering any pain, since that was partly true. The weight was nothing new and he would get used to it in no time. Plus, if it really bothered him, he could use his powers to carry the backpack. He was reluctant to, since it drained his energy to do so, but in an emergency it would be possible.
"Let's get going, then," Garfield said with a nod towards the fields before them.
|
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 22:20:50 GMT -5
Ash smiled, satisfied with his answer. She wasn't any less concerned about Garfield hurting himself thought. "Yes, lets" she said, beginning to walk towards the fields. She wished she had a power that could get them back to the hideout instantly.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 22:36:14 GMT -5
**Three Weeks Later** [/i] Garfield looked out across the arid desert, feeling sweat crawling down his neck. He frowned slightly, pushing his red hair out of his face. He hoped they were getting close. His pack was dangerously light, and he wished he could just curl up beneath a tent of sand and sleep. "Ash..." He croaked, turning to make sure she was alright. He wondered if she knew where they were. The map he was using seemed less than reliable in this wasteland. He wished he had a compass, but there was nothing to do about it now. |
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 22:43:08 GMT -5
Ash looked over the seemingly never ending desert. She didn't know how much longer she could go, her power caused her to burn a little hotter, and go through water faster. She just wanted lay down and sleep.
"I'm alright" she spoke through her dry throat. "Are you?" she asked concerned. He looked like he was about to collapse any moment now.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 22:48:41 GMT -5
Garfield knew he had to keep going for the both of them. He looked at her and smiled bravely.
"Yeah," he said, "Having all this sand around me makes me feel better." It wasn't a total lie. While he was exhausted and thirsty, Garfield had never felt so at one with the earth around him. Usually he could feel things moving and shifting, but he'd rarely seen places so entirely made up of sand before.
"Do you need some water? We have a little left." He said, reaching into his nearly empty backpack and pulling out a plastic bottle - the last one. It was about one third of the way full, and his throat seemed to itch at the thought that it barely had one gulp left in it. But she should have it, he decided. I can go longer without any water, I'm sure.
|
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 23:05:45 GMT -5
Ash looked at him wearily, she was hoping he would bring up the idea of rest. All the heat was just raising her body's temperature even higher. Why can't I have water powers? she asked herself.
"No i'm okay" she said, clearly lying. "We should save it, we don't know when we'll get out of here" she said, continuing her trudging pace. She felt like she was going to drop any moment. She didn't notice everything spinning, until it went black and she fell to the ground, feeling like an incenerator.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 23:21:19 GMT -5
Garfield could sense something was wrong. He rushed towards her just in time to catch Ash in his arms. He sank to his knees, holding her head in one arm and raising the bottle to her lips with another. He forced some of the water into her slightly opened mouth, hoping that it would help. Looking forward, he searched desperately for any sign of life. Finally, resolving his thoughts, Garfield pulled his shirt over his head and discarded it, leaving him wearing nothing but his shorts. Garfield scooped Ash up in his arms, one hand tucked under her knees and the other resting on her shoulder. Carrying her thus, he made his way through the desert, searching for some hidden entrance or something. As he walked, he prayed to whatever gods he could think of to find him some shade, at least. He knew he could create a shelter of sand, but chances are it would not alleviate the heat, and he would pass out from the exertion. Staring ahead, Garfield thought he was going mad suddenly. He saw what looked to be a white tiger that had blue flames licking around it. Its eyes, which were engulfed by the flames, stared at him with an intensity that made his skin crawl.
"She's hurt, and... and... please just help her!" He begged, not really knowing why he was so sure this strange beast could help Ash. His voice cracked pitifully and he looked at the beast with all the conviction that he felt. In the weeks they'd traveled together, Garfield had grown increasingly attached to Ash. She was the only friend he'd ever had, and he couldn't lose her. It would kill him.
"This way." The voice was distant, as if the wind were carrying it to him from far away. The tiger turned and began to make its way across the sands. Without a moment's hesitation, Garfield followed. His feet felt numb and had no doubt been rubbed raw after he had taken his socks off, leaving only his worn sneakers. He tried not to stumble, since he didn't want to hurt Ash any more than she already was. The tiger paused up ahead, waiting for him to catch up.
"Down there." The tiger motioned with a flaming tail towards something that looked dark from where he was standing. Sensing the layout of the earth around him, Garfield was suddenly aware that there was an entire fortress beneath his feet, made from the stone of the canyon.
"Thank you," he said weakly, turning to the tiger. The beast suddenly seemed to transform before his eyes. The blue fire swallowed the tiger up in a column of flames, then began to form the shape of a woman. The fire slowly receded until it was left as only a constant stream of stardust from the eye of a young girl, probably not much older than himself.
"I will show you the way down. We must get Ash to the infirmary quickly." She said in a solemn voice. Garfield nodded, motioning for her to lead the way. I must be in the right place if this person knows Ash. He thought, though he couldn't quite ban the nervous feeling that was rising inside of him when he joined the blue-eyed girl by a large set of doors that had been revealed in the cliff side. She opened them and then led him into the tunnels, going through so many openings and crossroads that Garfield lost track. Finally they arrived in a dimly lit room where many cots were scattered about.
"This is the hospital," the girl told him, "You can lay her down on that cot there." She pointed and then turned to go. Garfield walked over to the designated area and placed Ash on the cot. He pushed her red hair out of her face, smiling sadly.
"We're here, Ash," he said quietly, "Everything's goanna be okay."
|
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 23:27:30 GMT -5
Ash was lost in a sea of darkness, not sure what was happening. She recalled being in the desert with Garfield and then nothing. She saw light beginning to form as her amber eyes slowly blinked open. She noticed she was on a bed and was rather confused. "Where am I?" she asked, looking around and noticing Garfield. She smiled weakly at him and grabbed his hand in hers.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 23:31:24 GMT -5
Garfield gripped Ash's hand tightly in response to her touch, ignoring the heat that radiated off of her. It was almost like being singed, but he didn't mind.
"We're with your friends, I think, in the hospital wing. Are you feeling alright?" He asked nervously. Just then the blue-eyed girl returned, standing rigidly with her hands behind her back. Garfield noticed she wore a beautiful little wooden cross on a simple black cord around her neck. He wondered where it came from.
"The doctor will be along shortly." She said matter-of-factly.
"Thank you... um..."
"Falling Star." The girl nodded solemnly.
"Thank you, Falling Star." Garfield said with a slight nod. Falling Star looked at him thoughtfully and then nodded, turning to leave.
|
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 17, 2011 23:50:58 GMT -5
Ash was ficused on Garfield, he wore a worried look. She felt terrible for scaring him. "Yeah I'm alright, just a little thirsty" she said, her voice sounding rough to her own ears. "What happened?" she asked curiously. She wanted to know what she did that had Garfield so worried, and how exactly she ended up back at the hideout.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shadow on Jul 17, 2011 23:52:41 GMT -5
With a last nod to Falling Star, Garfield turned back to Ash.
"You fainted," he said. He noticed that Falling Star had set something by the bedside, and saw that it was a large cup of water. With a grateful glance at the place she'd disappeared, he took the cup and held it out to her.
"Do you think you could sit up?" He asked gently.
|
|
|
|
Post by flameh on Jul 18, 2011 0:11:01 GMT -5
"Oh i'm sorry" she said, her gaze shifting away from him. She hated herself for being so weak and causing him to worry. She nodded in response to his question, and shifted slowly. She felt like her body was a mass of flames and she needed to cool down. She finally managed to get into a sitting position, but still avoided looking at him.
|
|
