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Mud clung to Veera's feet as she trudged on. The sound of the thick sludge pulling away from her feet bore on Veera as she tried to make her bearings. With the rain still pouring down and little light, Veera found it hard to know which direction she was going in. Finding their original camp was difficult enough. Retracing her steps following the stream she had found their shelter. The circle of wood recently doused was the only way she could confirm that it was the right spot. All of their prints and markings had been washed away.
Great. Veera thought looking around. Now how am I supposed to find him?
"How indeed?" The wind mocked. "Looks like you're in a pickle. Maybe you should have stayed with the others."
And do what? Wait until Jun either comes back or something else finds us? No thank you. Veera pulled her foot again from it's its muddy tomb looking around.
"Would be better than getting yourself lost and in need of saving. One might suggest." The wind taunted.
I am not lost and I am not in need of saving. I'm merely checking my position and contemplating my next step. Veera defended. I don't suppose you would know where Jun is?
"Of course I do."
Go on, don't be shy. Feel free to divulge that information at any time. Veera huffed.
"I think not" The Wind rebutted blowing a bit sharply against Veera's check.
Why not, was it something I said? Veera pressed
"No child it is not you who dictates my actions. I've long known your knack for being annoying. Most days I find it almost amusing." The wind's voice echoes in Veera's ears carrying a twinge of mirth.
Giving up on freeing her feet Veera took a moment to lean against the trunk of a nearby tree. Since meeting Jun she had gotten used to the sudden change the wind could have. Most days its voice was playfully and childish as fleeting as it was long known for. However, its voice now carried a deeper tone husky chords played over its timbre bringing an ancient sound to the once youthful and naive tone. Having heard it once before Veera was familiar with the sound, but every time that voice blew around her it rattled her bones and upended her nerves. It was just another reminder of how little she knew her childhood companion.
Then who do you answer to? Veera questioned. I thought you were your own entity.
"I answer to no man child. That I assure you."
If you can't tell me where he is could I at least get a hint? Veera begged rubbing her arms. The friction at least comforted her even if it brought little warmth back to her muscles.
"Don't worry you wont need my help." The wind responded as its presence dimmed around Veera.
Great. Veera thought. Lot of help you are.
Pushing off from the tree Veera decided she would try to find the direction Jun had run off in. If she studied the camp for a bit she would be able to deduce that much at least. She hoped. As she took a step toward what she hoped was Jun's direction a streak of lightning struck down in front of her. Barrling through the thick tree the roar of thunder clashed in her ear drums knocking Veera to the ground.
Trembling Veera folded in on herself. Her knees knocked against each other as she drew them to her chest. Hands shaking Veera clung to her fleeting strength. The day had already taken a considerable amount out of her and no she could barely sit up. The echo of the thunderclap still rang in her ears as her teeth chattered. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so cold. Her clothes clung to her body as rain rippled through her locks and down her back. Fire now emerged from the tree futlily fighting back the rain.
I need to get up. Stop shacking. Get up. Veera trembled. I need to find Jun it's been too long. Her thoughts edging her up, Veera pulled her remaining strength to look past the burning tree. Staring into the dark Veera lost what little strength she had mustered. The drumming of the rain was deafening, making Veera's own thoughts bleed into the ground with it. How am I going to find him? It's so dark. I can't even see the next tree let alone any signs of her presence.
Steeling herself once again Veera peered into the black abyss. As she stared a sinking feeling began to grow in her stomach. It ate away at her, growing the trembling in her body to a full spasm. Just when she was about to pull her eyes away a dim glow whirled to existence just beyond the thunderstruck tree.
What is that? Veera thought. Uncurling from her ball she pushed off her knees to stand. Taking a step toward it Veera noticed it swirling in on itself. Wisos of light puffed off it as it spun. As she approached it another curled up alongside her pushing her forward. Comforted by the light Veera noticed it heading off in the direction of the other.
With no other clear direction, Veera followed the little orbs. Putting one foot in front of the other she droned on. She noticed that every time she caught up to one it would speed ahead lapping the other in a bizarre game of tag. After several minutes of following the balls of light Veera recognized them as the same ones that had been following them with Jun the day prior.
Minutes flew by as Veera walked on. The cold hadn't left her nor did the rain. Just as she began to question her decision to follow these lights the one ahead eliminated a blocky form. Getting closer to the form Veera made out Jun's form.
"Jun!" Veera called out newfound strength allowing her to run the last few steps to his side. Jun was resting on a log lying down on his side, As Veera approached his body jumped upright.
"Veera?" His grey eyes opened taking her drenched form in. Pulling his body fully into a sitting position Jun rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. "What are you doing here? Where are the others?"
"They're safe. I told you I would come get you if you weren't back on time." Veera said and fell down to sit beside him. "What happened?" As she took in her surroundings she noticed three bodies had crumpled around Jun. Thick grey skin covered them in natural tones. Their limbs were stiff with rigor mortice barely phased by the tuneling wind and rain around them.
"Tainted. Unfortunately, they don't just disappear as quickly as they form. Once they're disposed of the lifeless corpse they take over remains." Jun said grimacing.
"Corpse?" Veera asked.
"Yes, these Tainted possess the dead. So even if I dispel them their desecrated remains are left behind. Honestly tarnishing the dead is just one of the reasons why the tainted are abominable beings." Jun's face contorted with distaste, lips pulling tight in disgust.
"That's horrible," Veera said staring at the bodies of nameless people.
"That's only one way they manifest. Thankfully these type are easier to deal with. It would have been a different matter if they had been more powerful considering their numbers." Jun breathed out.
"If you were able to handle them why did you not meet back up with us?" Veera questioned.
"Wish I could," Jun said lifting his shirt to reveal a long gash freshly opened. Blood crusted over purple fractures in the skin. Oddly enough despite its coloring Veera thought she could see the skin stretching to repair itself oh so subtlely. "One of them reopened my wound. I'm going to need some help getting back."
"What happened?!" Veera exclaimed taken back by the injury. "Reopened? You're saying this was a wound you already had?" Veera fretted over the wound as Jun attempted to lower his shirt to cover it back up.
"It's not that big an issue. It should heal by morning. Accelerated healing is a part of my gift thankfully." Jun explained to Veera.
"How did you get this wound in the first place?" Veera fussed. Thinking back the only thing Veera could guess was before their meeting or when the fought the tainted, but Jun didn't get cut then Kathrine did. "Does it have something to do with healing Kathrine?"
"Maybe," Jun answered. "How did you find me?"
"'Maybe' That's not an answer Jun." Veera prodded.
"Wrong, it is an answer, just not an answer that you like." Jun defended.
"Fine," Veera signed. She doubted she would get anything more from Jun on the subject. It was only fair she surmised since there were things she didn't want to divulge as well. "I went back to the camp and these balls of light lead me from there to you." Veera left out the part about seeing a tree get struck by lightning. She didn't see the need to make him worry about something that had already happened.
"Oh, you mean the whips?" Jun said taking in their presence for the first time. 'they must have been sent to help you find me. Thank the Giver"
"Whisps? Is that what they are?" Veera said staring at them as they whirlled around and around. They had been a constant color as she followed them. Now they were playful changing between colors to their own tune hovering around the pair.
"Yes, my people believe the Giver sends them to guide people during crucial moments," Jun said.
"Really," Veera remarked. Maybe that's what the wind meant by my not needing her help. "Guess you needed my help after all," Veera smirked smugly at Jun.
"Sure thing, keep saying it maybe it'll be true." Jun teased chuckling to himself. "I think it's more likely the Giver was helping you out of fear of you dying alone and lost in the cold freezing rain."
"Funny. You do need my help though to find the others. As I'm sure you've noticed the rain has washed away all of our tracks."
"That may be true. Maybe our friends here can lead us back. I'm sure you've turned around now from tracking me down." Jun's head nodded toward the whisps.
In turn, the two stopped their meandering and bibed up and down alternating between each other in a form of agreeance to Jun's words. Veera thought their bobbing was cute, it reminded her of Ottis when he got excited.
"I assume that means they'll help," Veera said standing up from the ground and offering her hand to Jun in turn.
"I suppose do," Jun said allowing Veera to pull him up. "Mind if I borrow your shoulder to lean on?"
"What else are shoulders for?" Veera said pulling his arm over her shoulders and baring his weight as the two stepped forward.
"Hadn't thought of that before." Jun chuckled as the two followed the bobbing whisps back in the direction of the rest of the flock.
Strangely, Veera didn't feel the cold as strongly as before. The roar of the rain was still strong in her ears but the low tones of Jun's laugh seemed to soath the tremble from her arms as they trodded together.
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