It was quite obvious that none of the Water seekers would go back to sleep after the debacle with the Binorian hunters. The lone survivor of the Binorian Hunters, Zigzil was his name as Indomil recalled, who had accosted them at the base of sand dunes that had been their refuge for the night had run off into the night after seeing that Ishar had gone back to sleep after having been given the apology he'd so avidly murdered the Binorian Hunters for.
The Water Seekers were a scattered lot upon the base of the sand dunes. Some saught to run, others were in shock while the rest were too perplexed and paralyzed with fear to even know how to act. Ishar alone lay sleeping peacefully and all feared to wake him from said sleep.
As the sun rose, its yellow blotch piercing the horizon and offering light to the gruesome aftermath of Ishar's rampage; blood soaking the ground, guts and limbs scattered all over. The dead lay there with their unseeing eyes peering either which way. Binorians fallen to a single Kolotian. Indomil would have laughed at the circumstance if she hadn't been there to see it.
Dora approached Indomil where she sat alone several strides from the rest. The nimble girl lowered herself and offered Indomil half a loaf of bread. Indomil shook her head and pushed Dora's offer away. She couldn't stomach anything, not with all the human entrails about. Dora nodded her understanding and tucked the loaf into her Grey garment. 'For later.' She mouthed and all Indomil could do was nod.
"We have to leave soon." Dora said. "Before they return with more." Of course they would return. The Hunters were many, all knew this. There would always be Hunters roaming the desert as long as there were Kolotians hiding within them. It was an unfair fate, Indomil believed, to be the only living thing that can reason being hunted for sport. For her fingers. She flexed her left hand before her, observing the tips that were stained blue. Dora misunderstood and clutched at Indomil's outstretched hand. "We're going to be okay." The ever optimistic Dora. Here they were among Binorian corpses and she still had something positive to opine about.
Indomil wondered why Dora had approached her and then it suddenly hit her. Dagaa, the leader of the Water Seekers for this expedition was... Changed. Ishar had placed his hand on Dagaa's chest and now the lad was gone. His mind was gone. You could see it in his violet eyes, their brightness was too avid, tainted as if by an inward force. Pupils too large and there was a gleam there that she was familiar with, she remembered the look on Secundo, the mad Kolotian who'd been banished from the colony for his antics that would have put them in danger. Would Dagaa be banished too? They had the same eyes.
"No." Indomil muttered. Dora turned to her. "No Dora! I will not lead the Water Seekers!"
"We're half way to the colony. We just need someone to lead us fast, we'll still carry the stone cans with the heads as evidence of what has transpired since we met... Ishar." She whispered his name as if fearing he would awaken and curse her with madness too. "Please Indomil! We don't know how long until another Hunting Party comes here. We need to move fast and reach the safety of the Colony."
"Safety of the Colony?" The words felt like a lie. What safety was the Colony going to offer? Binorian Hunters had died by the hand of a Kolotian and the remaining Hunters were going to gather in their thousands. They were going to turn the desert on its side in search of the Colony and when they found it. Well. She shuddered to think what would happen.
Her eyes moved to Ishar, still asleep, one might mistake him for an innocent boy, a little lean with developing brawn. Yet the stranger had killed in a manner never seen before, fought as he prayed, whispered, talked. Even laughed. His speed and strength were unmatched and his prowess at combat was alarming. Did he use the Forms of Combat her mother once told her the rest of the realm used? Or was his technique something otherworldly? She turned her gaze to Dagaa who sat muttering to himself, shoulders hunched over and face stretched into a manic sneer. There was something here, something she needed to look into.
But for the moment, the Water Seekers needed a leader. She stood up. "Gather round!" She commanded and to her surprise all the Water Seekers shumbled to her side. "We're not taking any more heads. We carry the ones we had. We travel fast and reach the colony before sundown."
"Who made you the leader?" Lupin asked, still clutching the hand Ishar had bit.
"Would you rather take the responsibility?" Indomil asked. She peered at him and she knew a part of her was begging him to take the role from her, and said part showed quite vividly upon her face. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to lead the Water Seekers. She didn't want to be hunted for her fingers, she didn't want to live in fear. She didn't want any of the things that her life had been dishing out to her without cease. And most important of all she did not want to deal with Ishar. She let her face depict all this and Lupin looked away.
"Right, we start back." Xelif said and moved to howl his stone can. The rest of the Water Seekers moved to do the same except Dagaa.
Indomil approached Dagaa. "Dagaa, we have to go."
"There's a line in the horizon and there's fire coming. Fire from scales made of iron! The realm will burn! The realm will burn!" Dagaa was muttering nonsense. Indomil helped him up by his arm and to her relief he didn't fight her. She guided him to where the rest of the Water Seekers were preparing to leave then she turned for the final member still asleep.
Indomil approached Ishar as she presumed a mortal would the Goddess Meena. She shuffled slowly forward across the sand, making sure to make as much noise as possible so as not to startle him with proximity. When she neared him he suddenly sat up, causing her to jolt and shuffle back several steps.
Ishar looked around, seeming a little dazed. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes before scratching at his back. He turned his head to Indomil and smiled, a smile so full she fought the urge to kick him in the face. It was as if he had no comprehension of how much his presence had just ruined her life and that of the rest of the Colony not to mention Dagaa who was forever changed.
"Had a weird dream." Ishar said. "Fought some Binorians."
"That happened." Indomil answered.
"Yeah I know." Ishar said. "It's happened a lot to be honest."
"We are departing for the Colony. You must come to testify before the Colony Chief, Thegir." Indomil spoke slowly, as if she were addressing a Yendw wolf.
"Splendid." Ishar answered and rose to follow.
XXXXXX
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