Jade looked strong, which was rare. Usually the elf wore a meek smile and shifty eyes, following Morn and Acantha wherever they went or leading them, but in a supportive sort of way. Today was different, she looked determined and ready to oppose her friends. Why was it so important for Jade to go to Aoda? Acantha asked herself. It must be her insecurity, she needs guidance and maybe she does not trust mine. She answered her own question. Acantha had so many questions popping up in her head, she would never get around doing anything if she took the time asking them all out loud. That is why oftentimes she resorted to her tactics from way back, from before Aoda had awoken her. She would ask the questions to her inner self and there she would find an answer. She found it quite similar to praying and it worked wonders for clearing things up, with things being the questions. Acantha nodded and immediately other questions popped up. How long has Jade wanted to go to Aoda? Jade hadn’t liked the Mikadosh’ festival and had been eager to get away from there. No, that was unrelated, Jade just didn’t like loud noise. It must have been the distressing news that something was going on in the Grove. What would Aoda do? Yes, indeed, that was the question that she needed an answer to too.
“Ok, I’ll come with you, Jade,” Acantha said.
Morn grunted a reluctant approval, signalling their friends that they would come, but after visiting Aoda they would go right back to blowing up his giant seed ball to blind this wretched water snake.
***
It took them another two weeks to get near the Truepath clan on the other side of the mountains. Jade was leading on her blue squig that she had to actively steer in the right direction. The squig, that Jade affectionately called her ‘lucky one’, was prone to trailing off and following the least efficient route. No more than a few minutes ago the colors of the landscape had faded, a sign that they had left Chroma territory where the colors seemed magically enhanced. The three of them were hopping on their squig through the sand when suddenly Jade started to slide down.
“Careful!” Jade warned, but Morn and Acantha’s squig had followed Jade on autopilot. The three squig were now sliding down on an avalanche of sand. Jade saw that they had reached the far edge of a valley that looked like an inverted dune. She hear Acantha scream next to her and saw her disappear below the sand. There was nothing she could do for her now, she was forced to ride out the stream of sand on her lucky squig. Jade reached out with her mind:
“Hold on, I’ll get you out as soon as-“
Jade’s squig hopped in place as the slide came to a halt on the bottom of the ramp.
“Morn!” Jade cried out, but Morn was already digging for their friend.
***
It was dark. Acantha had tried breathing but could do nothing but eat sand. She tried to move but the sand pressed down on her and firmly held her in place. She had been in worse situations, she thought briefly, before entering the appropriate state of panic. There was nothing she could do, or was there? She started praying to her Totem and immediately she felt Aoda’s presence, this was her domain, they had reached the Truepath clan. The other clan. Please help me! She prayed and hoped that whatever help came, it would come fast.
***
Every time Jade grabbed a handful of sand, more slid down and covered the part where she had just dug. But she didn’t stop and neither did Morn. They dug and dug and more sand slid down from the dune. Jade started screaming her friends name as if she could summon her out from under the sand. They did not stop digging, even after they heard a rapid tapping on the ground behind them. The sound of a large creature quickly coming closer. Only when the creature started digging right next to them, they saw that it was a dog. Not a lapdog, no, the dog was three times the size of Morn and it was good at digging. Within seconds Jade noticed leaves protruding from the sand. Morn and dug their hands in and took hold of the motionless body of the spawn girl. Acantha’s squig rolled out of the sand after her, shook it’s green fluffy fur and growled at the giant dog that looked at the ball shaped creature with a longing look.
“Acantha!”
They put the girl down on the floor and Jade shook her softly to no avail. Morn grunted and rammed their fist into the dryads stomach. Sand flew out of Acantha’s mouth and she started coughing, vomiting and tiny gasps were followed by more vigorous coughing. Morn held the girl by her shoulders to support her. Jade took a step back and sat down with a hard sigh, she wiped across her wet face, getting sand into her eyes.
“I’ll set up camp here,” Jade said minutes later, after Acantha had started breathing regularly, “I think we’re close to the settlement, but we should give her time to rest before we continue.”
Morn agreed and they spent the night a little further down the valley at a safe distance from the sliding sand.
***
Tensely Jade opened the tent and looked into the eyes of another elf. It was clear to her that she had to go. Looking back she saw Morn and Acantha sleeping, it was close to dawn. Her friends would wake up soon and they would find her gone. But she had to go and so she crept outside quietly and let herself be led by the stranger into the darkness of the night.
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