The pair moved the branches, leaves, vines and mushrooms back to the cliff face where Yujark was already making some primitive rope with grass. The pair joined him, and they showed Justin how to make a few things. Rope, a fire pit, primitive shoes, and baskets to name a few.
"So Yujark tell me about yourself.", said Justin.
"Oh, there's not much to tell. I'm just an old man, oldest in my tribe. We travel the continent, following herds of our prey, usually following the same few paths. Sometimes we come across settlements, where they raise plants and stay put all year round. Others only plant there and eat it later after traveling. I've been lucky in my time, we've never fought anyone, only trading with them. I've fathered many children with my wife, who sadly passed a few seasons ago.", he explained.
"I see, I'm sorry to hear that.", Justin offered his condolences.
"Oh, it was just her time, we're old after all. My sons have already taken a liking to being in charge.", he laughed, "My oldest, Tiriaq is really something. Strong, yet humble, I'm sure he will be a great leader now that I'm gone."
"Well that's good to hear.", said Morcant.
"Justin, you said we died before coming here yes?", asked Yujark.
"Yea, sorry but it's true.", he said.
"Oh, that's fine. I just hope all this fruit I gathered is still there on the other side.", said Yujark.
"Well maybe when we get back you can ask them.", suggested Justin.
"You really think we can do that?", asked Yujark.
"Sure, it's just super unlikely is all.", Justin gave a half grin.
"Hey, speaking of fruit, anyone else hungry?", asked Morcant.
"Quite.", said Tacktay suddenly from the cliff face above them.
"Good gods you scared me!", yelled Morcant.
"Apologies.", said the bug as it glided down to the group.
"See anything?", asked Justin.
"Just little critters in the forest. The valley is clear, but I haven't checked the top of the mountain as it's too windy up there and I had to climb back down.", said Tacktay.
"Hey, I hope you don't mind me asking, but are you a boy or a girl?", asked Morcant.
"Only special breeders are male; the rest of our hives are all female. I'm guessing it's different for you all, as non-group species were on my world, like some of our farm animals.", she said.
"Right, well thanks. I'm a guy, if anyone couldn't tell.", said Morcant.
"Same.", said Justin and Yujark.
"And um…", Morcant cleared his throat while looking at the silent lizard person.
She didn't look up from the rope Yujark had her spinning.
"Pretty sure she's a girl Morcant.", said Justin.
He grunted.
"Justin why don't you get Churburret and I'll take out some food and drink.", suggested Yujark.
"Sure.", he said walking over to the bellowing whole in the cliff.
He held his breath as he passed through the fog of burning smoke, wondering if it would actually damage him to breathe it, or if he needed to breathe at all. Holding his breath, he waited a minute, and never felt the need arise. His blood matted clothes also weren't catching fire, even though he could tell the area was getting hot. Maybe it was his shroud, or maybe they just weren't hot enough. Smiling he sifted through the cloud, finding Churburret still digging out scolding rock.
"Hey Churburret turns out I can chill in your fog here.", he said.
Obviously startling the creature Churburret skittered up the burning rock nearly up to the ceiling and swung his eye around to him. "Oh, it's you. You frightened me little one. Oh my, does this mean the others can help me?", it asked, climbing back down.
"No just me, why, did you need some help after all?", he asked, taking a breath of the toxic air and feeling fine.
"Oh no of course not. I'm um… just getting lonely is all. Yes, that makes sense. Since you know, I'm used to hearing others all the time inside my head.", said Churburret.
"Bro if you need help, I'm sure the others can make do without me. The shelter is priority, and did you really hear them all the time?", he asked.
"Oh, thank goodness, yes I could use you in here. All this rock is piling up and moving it is slowing down my progress considerably. And no not all the time, it's just that I could always listen in or contact them that's all. It's quite strange now, I feel anxious and don't know what to think or do with myself.", Churburret explained.
"Don't worry, we're here for you. You know, in our own way. Anyway, I came to get you cause we're having lunch.", said Justin.
"Oh, wonderful I'm starving!", said Churburret as he quickly skittered past him to the others.
The others had already began eating Yujark's fruit and gulping down his clay water jars. Morcant even spilled some as he drank, but they had all worked hard so no one mentioned it. Churburret ate slowly, as if dissecting the fruit, which resembled a small baseball bat. Justin hoped the water and fruit were okay for everyone to drink, knowing he would have to boil whatever they found here.
"So Yujark where do these juicy fruits come from?", asked Morcant.
"They grow on trees maybe sixteen of my feet high. Our people found a batch that was planted in rows by another tribe, and every year the fruit wasn't eaten. So, we just started using it ourselves. I can only hope they found a better place to live and didn't meet an untimely end somewhere.", explained Yujark.
"This water is it clean?", Justin asked while peering into a jar.
"I ran it through a filter before jarring it. I still have two with me now.", answered Yujark.
"Perfect, but I hope ya'll don't mind if we boil the next batch as well. That would ensure any bacteria, um, sicknesses are killed.", said Justin.
"Really? I wish I knew that before coming here. We could have avoided some troubles.", said Yujark.
"Do we have too? You're not even using it.", said Morcant.
"Well I don't need it now and don't want to waste what little we have. I don't know if most diseases here can get you guys, but I'd rather not find out.", said Justin.
"I think that's fine. We can put the fire pit to use.", Yujark smiled with his enormous mouth.
"That reminds me, we should make some carts for carrying water and items around.", suggested Justin.
"Right we can sort through all the junk at that hill when we go tomorrow.", said Morcant.
"Go back there tomorrow? I thought we were getting water.", asked Justin.
"Well considering it isn't even half-day yet, I think we'll have plenty of time for both tomorrow.", Morcant said, looking up to shadow command. It's slit had indeed not yet rotated to the center, but it was closing in.
"That's not the point. Going back there is dangerous, what if the raptors live there? What if the drops happen daily?", asked Justin.
"Well then we'll find out, I already mentioned earlier that I want to kill at least one of them and I need to bury… whatever's left of Braun. Besides there's a lot of good stuff just lying there, weapons, clothes, radios, you know.", Morcant explained.
"Okay, well I can do that while you guys stay safe here.", Justin said.
"You can't be serious. Even if I didn't feel responsible for what happened to my best friend, I would still be way too bored here to accept that.", Morcant glared at him.
"Well once I determine if it's safe then I can get you guys, that's fair.", Justin squinted back at him.
"Not a chance, you don't know how to bury a Kettan properly.", he stood up and continued, "I'm going at first light tomorrow, with or without any of you. You can't stop me!"
Justin was about to stand and snap back, but Yujark interrupted him.
"That's enough kids. While the two of you have been arguing our scaled friend hasn't eaten a thing.", Yujark said pointing to the quiet lizard woman.
"Well-", Morcant began.
"I'll stay here and help her, as for you two we can discuss this tomorrow or at dinner after each of you have cooled off. For now, Justin needs to help Churburret finish the shelter, and Morcant needs to help me figure out how to make a cart."
The pair glared at each other, but Justin sighed and followed Churburret back into the cave.
"You don't know how to make a cart? How do your people move around all the time?", asked Morcant.
"By carrying things, but I've seen a cart in other tribes, so I'm sure we can figure it out together.", said Yujark.
Justin was too pissy to talk to Churburret for a while he shot hot acid at the rock and dug it out onto the floor. Justin moved it with his bare hands, pushing it to a pile outside.
"Just what is that little bastard thinking? Does he have a death wish? Surely, he knows by now just how dangerous this place is.", thought Logic.
"Danger doesn't seem to bother him. Maybe we're going about this wrong? Is it really our place to stop him?", asked Emotion.
"If we want him to live then we may have to force it a little. I can't convince him to change how he values safety, especially if he doesn't have anything to lose. I guess what we should figure out is whether we believe we should force others to be safe.", thought Logic.
"Well forcing them would be wrong. Even if we don't like it."
"Hm, I disagree. The end result would be us allowing them to die if we don't force them to stay safe."
"Oh, Logic I don't wanna argue. Churbet said he was lonely remember? Maybe we should chat with him to cheer him up."
"Fair enough. I don't want him to think I'm mad at him. Then again, can he even tell that we're pissy? Perhaps learning each other's body expressions should come first."
"So Churbet, since I'm here, let's talk. Tell me about yourself.", he said while pushing the burning rock.
"Ah, well I'm average size for my age, my parents taught us construction, I have a full sibling count of thirty-nine as so many young are surviving these days…"
The pair went on for hours talking about their technology, beliefs, culture, biology, and motivations. Apparently Churburret's people were all hermaphrodites who formed monogamous pairs. They would simply choose a child bearer and a gatherer in ancient times based on size, something Justin believed would have led to the creation of genders, but instead was somehow still leading to gradual size increase instead.
The child bearer would allow the other to seed it's spores into it's topside, reminding Justin of plant reproduction, where the forty children would grow to the size of apples before popping out of the host and living on or near it with the food brought by the other partner. They also almost exclusively reproduced once per life, remained with the same partner, and lived about forty Earth years each.
The entire species was connected to a neural network centered in The Mind, much like if people had the internet hooked up to their brains. Their society was remarkably similar to humans aside from all this, although Justin assumed, they were all more polite to each other due to the telepathy. Moreover, a lot of cultural pastimes were different, since visiting someone wasn't necessary, many people would spend years physicaly apart and things like going out to eat were unheard of.
They had a small red star and no moons around their world. It had a thick atmosphere, dispersing heat across the world and evening out the climate. There weren't any large bodies of water however, with most of it being airborne, but it did rain often and there was water underground. Many creatures flew in the thick air, and there wasn't almost never a break in the cloud cover, leaving space a mystery to them.
The ground was covered in black plants and fungi trying to absorb what light they could, but fungaloid creatures that became mobile and didn't rely on photosynthesizes sometimes turned to a brown color to resemble the soil like Churburret's own people, the Sheeken-Uree. Their world was called Sheeken so really their name was Uree, but that's how Churburret described it. The way he described his peoples use of steam power made the world sound like a steam punk novel, however most of them lived underground in an ant like fashion.
Most work was food, construction, invention, teaching, or infrastructure related, with the arts being a very rare pursuit. Families usually had a simple dwelling that branched out like a hive until the children left to form their own, at which point one of the children would stay behind to use the hive again. Although sometimes the hives kept branching through the generations, especially in hard times or when many children died.
Justin spoke about Earth and American culture but had to go on many tangents to explain even the most minute of details. They did compare their use of time and language regarding it, getting the radios to translate properly in the process. Justin was surprised at Churburrets composure to this strange world, but quickly came to the conclusion that his people very much lived in the moment.
Getting to do the same by chatting and working the time flew by until suddenly they had carved out a large Simi sphere to use as a room. It was about twenty feet at the radius, making it the size of a master bedroom in a small house, and the celling was curved up to almost the same height. The walls were porous due to their creation, but Churburret said he could smooth them down later if they wished. After confirming with Churburret that the room wouldn't collapse he said it wasn't necessary.
Stepping outside he realized just how much time had passed. It had been growing dimmer throughout the day and now the slit in Shadow Command had begun passing around their vision. The shadow of the plateau was growing wide and long as a result, unlike the small, compact one from mid-day. Usually shadows faced the opposite of the sun, but with it not moving and simply being slowly blocked off he realized they were being fed by the reflection of light now being cast onto the right side of the sphere. He wondered just how long this would go on and what night might look like here.
Since they were done and the room would be dry soon, they went to join the others, where they found a pair of wooden carts under construction. They had a simple design with wheels the size of a collapsed tree trunk they had apparently drug over while he was away, without mentioning it to him. He wondered if any of them were going to take safety seriously and if they knew how to bend or treat wood. The carts did look nice though, their fronts were a pair of arms meant to be pulled by the user, and carved wood was used as a wall to keep items in all four sides of the bed. Justin was impressed with their speed and ingenuity, as most of the wood was fitted together or tied with the string and rope they had made.
"Churburret how is the shelter coming?", asked Yujark.
"Oh, it's finished for today. Pretty soon it will be done aerating and we can get some sleep. I feel as though this day may never end.", he answered.
"How was pushing hot dirt hairless? We had to do all this complicated shit, but we figured it out.", said Morcant.
"It sucked, but I'm glad you guys managed without us. Let's see here… Spears, carts, rope, a leafy door for the cave, a fire pit, and ya'll gathered some rocks.", Justin looked over their progress, "I guess we could weave baskets, do pottery, make simple armor, and start the furnace in the wall of the cave."
"I'd like to start by getting some sleep. Churbet is right, days shouldn't last this long. It's time to hit the sack, or I guess maybe a pile of leaves…", Morcant said looking through their supplies.
"Now kids, I'm sure the day feels long, but it's just the stress, we should try to work until night.", suggested Yujark.
"Well actually the day here may last longer than theirs, I'm starting to think its longer than mine. We might get a lot of light reflecting off the sphere at night as it's starting to already, so it may not get too dark, which I think is probably a good thing. And I'm a man Yujark, even if I'm not old like you.", explained Justin with a smirk.
"Yea and so am I.", touted Morcant.
"Well that aside we may need to adjust to the day cycle if that's the case. So, staying up may be the best decision.", said Yujark.
"I disagree. We've all had a hard day and different species need different amounts of sleep. Maybe some people take naps or sleep a lot or what have you.", said Justin.
"Well tomorrow we can make some better beds but as for me I know damn well it's been a full day so I'm going to hit the sack.", said Morcant as he laid down on some fern leaves he set up.
"Here?", asked Justin.
"The rooms not ready right?", Morcant asked.
"Speaking of tomorrow. Justin we've all decided we need to return in the morning.", said Yujark.
"Really, like you all decided to go to the tree line for wood?", Justin complained.
"Everyone here has a reason, and most of us have people to bury. I'm sure you can understand, we're willing to risk our safety.", explained Yujark.
Justin looked away and said, "Alright, but from now on we all stick together. Tomorrow we'll get the job done and get out of there."
"Sounds fine to me, now since that's all settled, how about we eat dinner before everyone goes to sleep.", suggested Yujark.
"Ah food and sleep, wonderful. I've never worked so much in one day.", whined Churburret as he sat down like a dead spider.
"Dinner!", Morcant flew up.
"I thought you were sleeping, since you let Yujark talk me into that without interrupting.", mocked Justin.
"Well he told me he could handle you.", Morcant smiled as he grabbed some fruit.
"Wow, nice. By the way, where's Tacktay?", asked Justin.
"Oh, she's still above us. I just figured she was a quiet one, although she did help us with the carts earlier.", said Yujark.
Above them Tacktay flew down and sat next to Justin. Yujark fed the lizard woman, who had ended up silently helping them make rope earlier. After the group was done eating Churburret went to sleep in the cave and Morcant fell asleep by the firepit, which they soon lit as the day grew darker. The slit in shadow command had continued passing, deepening the eclipse like lighting as it went, reaching a twilight as it passed and left only the reflected light off of the right of the sphere remaining.
Shadows grew as the light dimmed around them and flashed when the slit finally left their vision, lengthening suddenly into large, dancing masses. It was still brighter than moonlight, but the color had changed. After bouncing off the sphere it returned as a light cyan, as if they were under shallow water, starring up at the light threw the waves. As the shadows moved through the grass, he couldn't help but think of fish in the ocean, swimming farther down until the light faded out.
In this blue twilight, he once again saw a flash of silver amongst the grass, but at this point figured it was just passing liter from the drop point. Tacktay had returned to her perch, while he, Yujark, and the lizard woman were making armor out of wood and rope. Churburret had said before he left that he could melt down and shape rock for them, into things like nails or pots. Perhaps they could test that against regular clay pottery in the coming days.
Suddenly they could hear a deep, echoing rhythm coming in from over the trees. Bellowing roars of bison, no, more like deep voiced ducks were calling out in song. They didn't just call out but sang as if they were birds on a spring morning. Justin smiled.
"More giant monsters?", asked Yujark.
"No, Brontosaurs, they're just harmless giants that eat from the treetops. I heard they might sing like this. Can't believe I'm actually hearing it.", said Justin.
"It's beautiful.", spoke the lizard woman for the first time, crying as she worked.
"Hey now. It's gunna get better. Just give it some time okay, for them.", Justin tried to console her.
She sniffled and kept working, refusing to make eye contact with him. Perhaps he was being rude, but then again, what else could he do? Surely ignoring her wouldn't be appropriate either, would it?
"My queen!", screeched Tacktay, gliding down to him.
"What is it?", he asked in a panic.
"We're being surrounded by silver masses.", she said.
"Hm? I figured that was just litter.", he suggested.
"No, no they're moving in unison, about a dozen of them. I've been watching them for some time now and they're closing in.", she explained.
"Okay, okay I believe you. Next time tell me sooner, even if its just a hunch. Yujark take the others into the cave! You to Tacktay.", Justin instructed.
"Yes, my queen!"
"On it, I'll wake Churburret and use the door.", said Yujark, grabbing the woman.
"Eh? What's all this hubbub?", asked Morcant, half his hair flattened from sleeping.
"We're under attack and retreating to the cave.", said Yujark.
"Eh? Screw that, I'll dice those feathered bastards!", Morcant shot up from the ground.
"Morcant there's no reason to put all of you at risk! Please just let me take this one.", asked Justin, his face splitting down the middle into the two sides he had shown them.
"Tsk, fine, but only because I'm still half asleep! I'm gunna carve those walking assholes up into new clothes.", he ranted.
The four of them slid the door over the cave entrance, leaving Justin behind them. In the dancing waves of the grass he could see the silver fish swimming towards him, like sharks corralling a school of their prey. He took a stance, causing his blood dried clothes to flop against him.
"Well, I guess we can get new clothes this way.", thought Logic.
"Logic!"
"I'm serious. Having tribal clothes might be neat.", he thought.
He could finally hear the patter of feet and the fanning of the grass as they closed in to where the grass shrank. They got rather close, so they must have been smaller than the others, because he still couldn't see them properly. That didn't last long however, as one of the shiny micro raptors flew out of the grass at him. It reminded him of modern raptors, or birds of prey, as it latched onto his chest and began tearing his shirt to shreds. He cursed and squeazed it's head until it shattered like a glass inside of a balloon.
The bleeding corpse collapsed to the ground as more enemies swarmed him. First one, then two, then four, they leapt onto him and tore at his clothes. Fearing nakedness, he quickly grabbed two on his legs and collapsed their throats before tossing them aside. Slamming his back to the cliff he crushed another as he went to grab more, but they began climbing and moving around his body. He started hitting himself and trying to grab any part of them he could.
Biting him one of them screamed as he heard its teeth break, he smirked as he slammed it into the cliff. Another finally went for his face, but he wrapped his arms around it and took a bite of its torso. Tearing skin and muscle with his teeth the beast wailed in pain before tumbling to the ground. He promptly crushed it beneath his feet. The others attempted to flee but kicking out his leg he sent one flying up to meet his fist, punching right through the creature. He kicked a rock at the other six as they fled into the grass, but clearly missed.
He sighed and waited a few minutes before deciding to open the cave door. Morcant, Yujark, and Tacktay were waiting with spears pointed at him as the other two cowered in the back. They relaxed at the sigh of him and he smiled at them.
"Monster.", said the shaking lizard woman.
Justin spun around to face the threat, wondering how it snuck up on him, but was only met with shadows in the grass. Turning back to them her meaning became clear as he felt the blood oozing all the way down from his hair to his socks.
. . .
Justin sat against the leafy door covering the cave. After what seemed like a few hours, twilight had given way to night. The cyan lighting had turned to a deep, dark, blue shimmer and the shadows had shrunk into small, still waving masses, like kelp in the ocean. He wondered if this was the feeling divers got in the sea, he felt as though the gentle wind would carry him through the waves and out into the infinite blue.
He was working out a plan for tomorrow. He assumed another twilight would commence the morning, where he would climb up the plateau, against Emotions better judgment, and get a better look around. If he still couldn't find the spaceport, or anything relevant, then they would get under way to the spawn hill, after breakfast of course. He could check for trap door raptors, take stock of the forest life, and then they could collect and burry the dead.
Perhaps he could clear out a graveyard in the forest by swinging his arm like an axe, or they could simply be placed amongst the trees. After a short rest they could commence looting the hill, assuming another drop wasn't under way, and keep a lookout for raptors. Oh and of course they would need to bring the carts. Once they were full and had confirmed or been unable to confirm the raptors nests, they could return to the cave and Justin might go to the river to collect water. Then again, what if they were followed and as soon as he left the raptors attacked?
Suddenly the door slid behind him and he sat up to see Morcant looking back at him, "Can't get anymore sleep.", he said.
"Mm, it's been a while since twilight started, and with everything else going on…", Justin said.
"Mind if I join you?", Morcant interrupted.
Justin threw his head forwards, inviting him outside, and the pink haired man casually slid past the door and took a seat.
"This place sure is something.", he said, looking at the night sky, "I wish Braun had gotten to see it this way."
Justin waited a moment before asking, "Morcant, are you sure you guys need to come with me tomorrow? I'm sure you could tell me how to burry your friend.".
"Yea, it needs to be me. Why is it so important to you anyhow?", asked Morcant.
"Well, you know.", Justin looked away, "I just want to keep ya'll safe is all. With this new power given to me, I feel like it's my responsibility. All those people at the spawn hill, was there really no way to save them? It is okay for me to believe that? Is it even remotely true?", Justin worried.
"I think I'm finally starting to get you. Just because you happen to be here doesn't mean it's your job to help everyone. And I for one don't want to cower in this cave just to survive another day. You can stay here and help us, and I would appreciate that, or you can go looking for that port, or you can just live your life man, none of those things are the wrong choice.", Morcant explained.
"I completely disagree. Now that I'm strong it's my job to keep everyone safe. If I find the spaceport, I can uplift our people with the nanobots. Death, hunger, thirst, violence, space, time, I can slay every challenge we face with the snap of my fingers if I can be whatever Tute is wanting. Short of that I can at least help everyone here during the next drop.", explained Justin.
"And after that?", asked Morcant.
"After that this life of mine will finally have meaning. All this pain and mediocrity will coalesce into something more. I'll finally be able to forgive myself.", said Justin.
"For what?", asked Morcant.
"Well, truth be told I'm sort of glad I'm here. My life was going nowhere, I did something terrible and started spiraling. My dreams always seemed too big, so I shrunk them down to just having a family. When that didn't work out, I truly had nothing left, no talents cultivated, no dreams, nothing in front of me but decades of self-pity.", Justin explained.
"Okay, just find some hobbies, some work you like, try other women?", suggested Morcant.
"I just can't Morcant.", Justin spat.
"Why the hell not? Just get off your ass and-"
"Because I should be fucking dead!", Justin growled, his piercing gaze turning back to Morcant.
They both let the silence hang for a moment, not knowing what to say.
"When I was young, I got my best friend, no, my only friend, killed. And I… I'm such a coward I won't even let myself remember what happened. But I do remember that it was my fault, that haunting stain of a memory always tells me that when it looms over me.", Justin admitted.
"Wow…", Morcant said after another pause, "I didn't realize that's what you meant earlier when you said you understood. Sorry I was such an ass, I've sort of had a bad day.", Morcant feigned a smile.
"It's cool, I know I'm a jerk. I'd like to say I want to keep you guys safe, but I'm sure that's only half true. The truth is I just don't want to feel anymore guilt, I think I might shatter if I get close to someone, only to lose them again.", admitted Justin.
"Well don't you worry them. Tacktay, Yujark, and I are all super strong, so we'll be fine. All we have to do it protect the other two and we win.", said Morcant.
Justin smiled, "Perhaps you're right."
"That being said, if you do find what you're looking for, I really would like to come with you.", said Morcant.
"Why though? I'm like, the worst.", said Justin.
"Well so far I think you seem fine, but truthfully it's about me. If I can help you do what you mentioned, then I could also face someone again.", explained Morcant.
"Because of your friend?", asked Justin.
"Hell yea that makes it a lot worse, but I already had this problem. Like I said earlier, I ran off with these and soiled what little reputation my family had left. Now I've gotta make Braun's death count too. Basically, I need to do this, because otherwise, I'll never be able to face any of them again.", Morcant explained.
"He's pretty nice, isn't he?", suggested Emotion.
"Yea, I can't say no to that. Back your bags Morcant, cause we've got a one way ticket to bullshit city.", laughed Justin.
"That's not a real place, right?", Morcant asked.
"I mean to say, I'm pretty sure Tute isn't going to make this easy for us. So, I hope you're ready to go through hell to get back to your parents.", said Justin.
"Eh? Hell better be ready for us! Cause I'm not backing down till I drop!", Morcant exclaimed excitedly.
"Nice.", Justin smiled back.
"Now why don't you get some sleep already? It feels like days have passed.", said Morcant.
"Well I don't think I need to anymore, so I figured I would stand guard all night.", explained Justin.
"You crazy bastard. No food, no water, no air, now no sleep. I'm pretty sure not sleeping will make a person go crazy, and this is your first day like this.", said Morcant.
"Well sure-"
"And you've also had a ruff day. Get some sleep, I'll be just a few feet away and if anything happens, I'll probably come get you.", said Morcant.
"Probably?", Justin squinted.
"Well I can handle a few enemies myself you know, but yes I will reluctantly come get you first if I can, or I'll just start yelling for you. I'm probably a better guard anyway since you can't smell and have those goofy little ears.", Morcant said.
"Hm, that is true…"
"Get some sleep Justin, I'll call for you if a giant monster comes this way.", said Morcant.
Justin sighed and said, "Alright, please do.", before sliding into the cave.
It was pitch black inside, something he hoped to fix tomorrow, but he could hear everyone breathing, and it put him at ease as he laid down on a pile of leaves, and let his mind fall to sleep.
. . .
"What am I thinking? Taking on some quest, as if I deserve to. Just what would the other Kettans think when some half-devil shows up with the shit Justin was talking about. I doubt anyone would listen, but they're not really the point, huh? If I can just make it back to my parents with something to show for all this, yes, that's what I've got to do, no matter what.", thought Morcant in the blue night.
Hearing her footsteps, he leaned up as the lizard woman slid open the door. She seemed surprised to see him, froze up even, before coming outside. The cold wind made her shiver and he wondered what having scales might be like. She stood next to him for a while, as if expecting him to say something, so eventually he agreed.
"I'm not like him you know. I won't sit here and feed you empty platitudes. If you want to go die in the night that's your problem.", he said.
"Really?", she asked.
"I will say this though, I think you're a coward.", he said.
She turned to him with the face of an angry snake, tears sliding down her face. He hadn't noticed until then, as her breathing hadn't changed.
"What do you know! I've lost everyone, everything! There's nothing left, nothing at all! Why should I have to stay here, waiting to die like the others?", she shouted.
"They died protecting you, so you and your baby could have a chance.", he said.
"A chance? What a joke. You saw those things, the big ones, none of us ever had a chance. That monster can't keep us safe just like you couldn't save your friend!", she continued.
He jumped up into her face, growling like a mad animal. How dare she spout off that shit.
"I don't want to suffer anymore. I can't go on alone in this place. Don't these shadows look inviting to you?", she asked.
"Life is suffering! That's the whole point. We try like hell to change the world and ourselves and in the end, we die! What's wrong with that? That's just how it is! It's meaningful and beautiful.", he explained.
"What in the world are you going on about?", she asked.
"Those people died to give you a chance, a chance Justin is guarding with his sanity, and you feel entitled to give up because it's hard? You make me sick!", he shouted.
"Oh, it must be so easy for you! Everyone I love is gone! Every. Single. One. They are all dead! Why shouldn't I get to join them? Why should I have to go on like this? Cold, and alone, surrounded by monsters?", she cried.
"Because that's what they want! You are all that's left of their will, their love. They trusted you to continue. The least you could do is try, try to be strong for the dead. Could you really face them, after throwing away their efforts and waltzing into the jaws of the night?", he asked.
She stared at him, into his hard, blue eyes, and he knew this was his last chance to convince her.
"Do it for them. If you fall down nine times, get up ten. You are the only victory they can still have.", he preached.
The sounds of insects died down, leaving only the sound of her voice to pierce into the silence of the night, "I'll see how I feel tomorrow night.", she said before re-entering the cave.
Morcant sat back down and let out a long sigh, he had won this battle.