"They kind of remind you of fireflies don't they? Only, deadly and stuff, ya know?" Sparrow asked as the wisps floated around the ceiling of the cave. "Whoa, can you imagine a deadly firefly? That'd be crazy amazing! Although the beetles already annoy me to no end, do you have any idea how hard it is to get beetle juice out of your clothes?"
"You don't talk much do you?" Hannah laughed as she watched her talkative companion rabbit on about useless things.
"Ugh, That's what Teresa says!" Sparrow scoffed. "Be silent Sparrow, study your scrolls Sparrow, I have a headache Sparrow." The chestnut haired girl kicked a rock on their path to the third chamber. "I don't think I talk that much. I think the rest of the world is just too quiet. Well, except for Mika back home, she laughs all the time. I can't wait to get back and show her the toy horse I found here in the market."
The teenager's voice certainly added some levity to their grim situation. Though Hannah still couldn't believe her protector was only sixteen, and married no less with a child back home! That Alex fellow must have been something else. Either a very decent fellow or a complete tosser to marry a fifteen year old. And who was taking care of the baby?
"You look really distracted Hannah," Sparrow said, peeking up at her much taller friend. "I know! Let's sing a song!"
"A what?" the redhead asked as she carried the massive amphora. The more she heard her companion speak the more she began to grow upset with Alex.
"A song! About...Fireflies!"
"Well that's all well and good, but I don't know any songs about fireflies." Hannah smiled kindly at the younger teen. she knew songs about Balverines ripping out the souls of sailors.
"That's okay, I'll teach you...let's see, what did we sing back at camp...oh! I know."
Hannah learned to sing a more lighthearted song that day, about fireflies lighting the way for a handsome prince to ride to his true love. Though, she was slightly disturbed when Sparrow sang the song as she decapitated hollow men.
Although, despite every chatty moment Sparrow had during their cave excursion, she was very quiet and respectful during the funeral of Hannah's father. She offered warm embraces and sympathies. Understanding of Hannah's need for vengeance all too well, Sparrow was very quickly her best friend.
Though, Sparrow never called her Hammer. Not even a week after they returned, when Sparrow stalked into the guild, makeup from days before smeared on her face and eyes all red and puffy. Both the result of tears. Her voice was gone, and her lack of chatter made the guild seem that much more ominous and dreary. When asked what happened, she refused to speak, worrying even Teresa.
"Alex left me," Sparrow finally spoke up almost a week later. "He took Mika and just...left."
