Land Down Under (KJDarKnight & Treasure)

Pepper glanced at Gray, realizing now what they meant. Were they serious? He wasn't a vampire! That was just crazy talk

"Ya people are all nuts. Die afore winter even hits I betcha!" Faelar spat, annoyed with these idiots!

A loud bang cut the evening air and Faelar stumbled back, wide eyed, blood staining his chest. "Fae!" Justira didn't let go of Gray's hand but pulled him with her as she rushed to her brother. Falling to her knees with him as he collapsed

One of the mob had a gun "we said get lost!" He fired again, grazing Justira's cheek but otherwise harmlessly hitting the hill behind them
 
"You're insane! I hope you die!" Lynna screamed. She ran to Faelar and put her hand over the wound. "Mathias! Do something!"

Badru Glanced around. He stepped sideways and scooped up a handfull of large rocks, flinging them in a single move. While the group was focused on that, he grabbed a boulder and slung it hard right at the gun, hitting it square with all his strength. He didn't bother to see if the blow only broke the gun or killed the man. He didn't care. He grabbed up Faelar and Justira each in an arm and started to run.
 
"Lynna go!" Mathias ordered aa he simply picked up gray and held him over his shoulder.

Peter and Pepper were already going after Badru.

"Jonah grab Misty!" He added, the poor girl had moved back staring as everything went down

The mob didn't have any other guns but started throwing rocks back at them all
 
Gray gasped soundlessly at the sudden grab. He would have screamed if he could. What was going on?? He felt helpless, his head reeling. Something was very, very wrong.

Jonah scooped up Misty and ran with her in his arms, pack and all. Lynna was hot on his heels. They had to get out of here. How had everything gone so wrong so fast?
 
Thankfully the mob didn't chase them all the way to the treeline. Truth be told. The grounders were scared of the forest, at night especially.

For now the group was following Badru's lead as he just happened to he ahead of them all
 
Badru slowed but did not stop as he reached the trees. He moved among them confidently, looking for shelter where they could look at Fealar's wounds. He spotted a large, mostly flat rock deep in the trees and hidden from sight of the Desolation group. He laid the boy down and backed away so Mathias could look him over.
 
Mathias was quickly at his side, tearing his shirt open to see how bad it was but he was already fading, blood dripping from his mouth.

"Goddamnit Faelar..." Mathias put pressure on the wound, trying but what could they really hope to do to save him out here in the woods.

Justira ran to him as soon as Badru put her down, her eyes stinging with tears "no no Fae hold on!" She put her hands on him. Maybe she could save him! If course only Gray would know what she was trying to do and know it could well put her at risk if she tried.

"Hold on brother" none of the others had heard her speak and hearing a deaf woman speak with such desperation was somehow more heartbreaking
 
Gray staggered weakly then sat down where Mathias had set him down. Justira... she was really upset. Upset because... Faelar? What was wrong with Faelar? He tried to open his eyes, but the light still hurt so much! He could not force his eyes to open. Justira was upset and something was wrong with Faelar, and all he could do was sit like a lump.

Jonah still held Misty, keeping back a bit to give them room. He watched soberly. That was not a good wound.

Lynna swallowed hard, her face pale. How? How had this happened? How could they do this? It was murder! Plain and simple. She hoped their supersticious tiny brains would end up tearing them all apart.
 
Faelars eyes fluttered briefly. Talking to his sister would do no good, even dying he knew that, his eyes fell on Mathias "protect...her.." he gasped with his final breaths before he went limp
"No Fae no!" Justira shook him as if that would somehow bring him back. Her cheeks stained with tears.

Mathias sat back helplessly, hands covered in Faelars blood "I...I'm sorry.." he spoke softly more to the dead man than Justira who couldn't hear him
 
Lynna swallowed hard and stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around Justira and pulled her back gently. "Is he... is he really...? And there's nothing?" she whispered.

Badru heaved a soft, sad sigh and put a hand on Pepper's shoulder without thinking, comforting her.
 
Justira couldn't help the choking tears, she held Lynnas arms, her entire body shaking with grief.

Mathias shook his head "I...There's nothing...he's gone" he whispered.

Pepper glanced up at Badru but said nothing. Faelar was a good guy, had become a friend to them all. Now he was gone. She hugged Peter against herself, keeping his eyes turned away.

They would need to bury him before some predator or scavenger caught the smell of blood.
 
Lynna turned Justira toward her and hugged her tight. Poor poor thing!

Jonah finally set Misty down. "You stay with them," he said, nodding to Lynna and Justira. "I'll take care of... him." Jonah figured that even while he liked Faelar well enough, he was the least attached to the mouthy fellow. He walked over to Mathias and patted his shoulder wordlessly.
 
Justira buried her face against Lynna, just sobbing. Misty moved to sit beside Gray instead, she could see he was struggling. "Gray?" She spoke softly

Mathias looked up and sighed "let's get it done.." he knew what they had to do
 
Lynna held her and rubbed her back gently. She didn't bother with the usual platitudes, just let her cry.

Gray flinched at the voice so close to him. He lifted his hands and tried to sign to Misty, but his brain felt so hazy and his hands shaking so badly that it took him four tries to get the words out. "What wrong Faelar? Justira?"

Jonah nodded grimly and found the softest patch of dirt as well as a few stout sticks. This was going to be painful, but thankfully the earth was not very packed. If they put some rocks on top, Fealar could rest in peace.
 
Misty sighed softly "Faelar is dead" she said, no point sugar coating it "they shot him.."

Mathias quietly helped to dig the hole, expression grim, he blamed himself
 
Gray swayed where he sat, what little color he had leaving his face. No. No! How could they do that?! He doubled over slowly, wrapping his arms around himself. He couldn't think. Couldn't cope.. He needed to be there for Justira, but he couldn't think! His mind and body were failing him.

Jonah finished off the hole then took off his coat. It was an old, worn thing, but better than nothing. Carefully, he wrapped it around Faelar then placed him in the hole. There. It was not the most glamerous burial, but it would do. It was better than none. He started filling the hole, trying to be careful and quick.
 
"Gray what's wrong..." Misty didn't understand what was happening to him

Mathias helped the fill in the hole. It took both of them to push a boulder over it to further protect the body from scavengers but the deed was done.

"We need to set up a camp for the night...we can't stay here..." Mathias said quietly. It wasn't safe..not safe enough anyway
 
"Come," Badru said. "I will show way." He pointed to Gray. "Shadow Man not well. Need carried." With that, he turned and started to walk deeper into the woods.

Jonah did his best to clean off his hands then went to Misty. "Come on. We need to go."
 
Mathias went to Gray and picked him up again, not sure what was wrong with him either but they would have to figure that out later.

Misty gave a nod and got to her feet, not really saying anything as the reality of their situation was still setting in.

The group followed Badru's lead deeper into the woods
 
Badru had often foraged farther out than anyone in Desolation would dare to go (except Lynna, but he didn't like taking her along, too excitable), and he knew these woods rather well. They were coming to the edge of his intimate knowledge, but he remembered a place not too far that should suffice. As long as he remembered the way correctly. He'd found it weeks ago when he'd decided to go farther than usual, but he'd been distracted by wolf tracks. Hopefully, he'd remember.

He did remember correctly, and after about ten more minutes of walking, they came to a shallow cave set into an embankment. A dead tree leaned against the earthen embankment, hiding it and giving it an extra level of shelter. The big man waved a hand, telling the others to stay back as he went ahead. A good cave like this was probably inhabited.

Surprisingly, it wasn't. It appeared something had made its home here for a few nights, but the place was empty now and had been for a few days. He kicked out the bit of scat left in the cave and stepped around the tree to waved the group forward. It was safe here. A little cramped, but roomy enough for a night or two.
 
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