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"Allen!"
Silence.
"Allen, where are you?!"
No response.
"ALLEN!"
"I don't think he's anywhere around here." Lavi said, coming up behind Lenalee, a Finder standing beside him.
The two exorcists were on the trail they had been trying to reach before their encounter with the blizzard storm and the wolves. Today was much kinder in comparison. Morning sun had broken the last of the icy storm that tormented the area last night, and the afternoon sun made the snow glow like fairy lights.
If the situation wasn't so grave Lenalee would have thought the place was very beautiful.
"He couldn't have gone too far away, he has to be around here." She protested. The Finder who'd earlier introduced himself as Rodger shook his head. "I didn't see anybody come through this way besides the both of you."
Lenalee looked at the ground sadly. It had been many hours ago that Allen had gotten separated from them and the memory of his coughing made Lenalee worry about his health.
"Lavi... what if- what if he's..." She couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence but Lavi understood what she was getting at, and he shook his head. "Hey, Allen is a tougher guy than that. I don't think someone who survived death more than once would let himself get done in by a cold."
Lenalee nodded. "I suppose your right." she replied, gripping the coat she wore. Lavi turned away and sighed. She hadn't taken off Allen's coat the entire night they spent looking for him, nor did she when they finally decided to find shelter from the storm. Even now she refused to part with it.
"What if he's still in the village area?" Lenalee suddenly asked, turning to look at him. Lavi scratched his head. "Hard to say, we went pretty far outside the village when we got away from those wolves. He'd have had to run backwards if he did." Lavi turned to Rodger. "Has the situation on the mountain changed at all since we first got called?"
Rodger nodded, his voice tired but carrying a note of fear. "The cave hasn't stopped glowing, and it seems to keep getting brighter. We've lost two of our men when they went inside to investigate."
"Dammit, I guess that means we don't have the time to start a search party." Lavi concluded. He suddenly regretted saying that when he heard Lenalee sob quietly.
Not wanting to make the poor girl worry anymore than she already was Lavi laughed loudly. "You know what, that blizzard yesterday was rough, maybe the wind tossed him up the mountain. He's probably playing cards with the other finders and wondering why were taking so long!"
Silence.
Lavi's face fell as he watched Lenalee hide her face like she was becoming more depressed. "I-I'm sure he's okay wherever he is, He'll catch up with us eventually!"
Lenalee wanted to agree with him, but in her heart she knew something wasn't right. She just hoped whatever it was that Allen would make it to them in one piece.
"Please be safe..."
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