Clouds of Ash: Chapter Two
"It doesn't look like anyone's coming to rescue us soon," Harrier said, turning towards Ravess.
"They're probably still fighting," she replied curtly. "Or do you expect them all to rush down and rescue you, because you're so great?"
"I wasn't insinuating anything of the sort!" he exclaimed. He tried not to scowl. "You know, I've done nothing but help you since we've been down here, but you've just been nothing but rude!"
"We're enemies, ponytail boy!" Ravess snapped, glaring at him. "What did you expect?"
"Just because we're enemies doesn't mean we can't show each other common courtesy."
"Yes it does."
Harrier sighed, exasperated. "Now really! I..." He trailed off. "You haven't gotten up yet."
Ravess glared up at him. "How perceptive of you."
"Are you okay?"
"What's it matter to you?"
He just stared at her until she looked away uncomfortably. "I'm fine... Just a little dizzy."
"Probably combination of getting hit, and the fall..."
"Wow, aren't you just a genius?" Ravess snapped sarcastically.
He sighed and continued to stare at the ashen clouds. He tipped his head to the side slightly as he felt a small tremor. "Did you feel that?"
"Feel what?" she snapped. The ground shook again, causing her to jump up. She jumped back as lava burst from the ground, jetting up into the air. Soon after, another column sprayed into the air.
"We have to get out of here," Harrier exclaimed, grabbing Ravess's arm. "Quickly."
She snatched her arm back reflexively. "I know that!" Without another word, she sprinted away from the cracks that were beginning to form in the ground, Harrier close behind her. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to banish her dizziness. Opening her eyes again, she skidded to a halt as she reached a river of lava. She glanced behind her to see that the cracks were still opening up their way, spurting out lava.
"Come on, we can jump it," he said. "It's not that wide."
Ravess glanced back at the cracks shooting towards them and then at the river. Her head was buzzing and her vision was blurring, neither of which would help her jump over the river.
Harrier glanced back at the lava shooting up from the ground, at the river and then at Ravess. He hesitated for a moment before scooping her up in his arms and taking a mighty leap. He landed on the edge of the solid ground and tottered for a moment before he threw himself forward, which cleared him from the lava, but caused him to fall on top of her.
"You oaf!" Ravess hissed, shaking her head to clear it. She pushed him off of her.
"I'm sorry, miss," Harrier replied, getting to his feet. "I was too busy saving our lives to worry about the landing. Perhaps next time I could leave you on the other side?"
"Yes well... I could have gotten across myself!" She spat. She looked away, but after a few moments glanced back at him again. "... But I suppose I appreciate your effort..."
"Mm... Quite..." His eyes were focused on where they just were. Lava was erupting from the ground as well as some chunks of flaming earth. "...They're not going to be able to find us."
"What?"
"We've moved from where we first fell," he elaborated. "They won't know where we are."
"Someone will find us," Ravess replied.
"Hopefully it won't be too late," Harrier mused. "We don't have any food, or water... Perhaps we should find some shelter..."
"Shelter from what?" she queried. "It's not like it rains down here."
"Yes, but I wouldn't want to be out in the open for long with those lava beasts hanging around... If they were hungry, I doubt I could fight them off."
"The farther we move away though, the less likely it would be that someone will find us," she argued.
"Alright," Harrier replied, sitting down next to her. "We'll stay here... for now anyways... You need to rest anyways..."
"What do you mean, I need to rest?" She glared at him reproachfully. She hated showing weakness, especially in front of an enemy. "I'm perfectly fine."
Tipping his head to the side, he regarded her with curious blue eyes. "You know, Ravess, it's okay to not be perfect all the time... You almost passed out. You should rest."
She looked away and glared into the distance. Instead of answering him, she contented herself with watching a fire scorpion that was wandering out in the distance. "No, it isn't," she replied after a few minutes.
"Hmm?" Harrier looked at her again. It took him a moment to comprehend what she meant, for his mind had wandered to other things. "Of course it is... Why would you think otherwise?"
"You wouldn't understand, Sky Knight."
"Try me."
Ravess shook her head. "No... It's none of your business anyways."
He sighed. "Very well then... Either way, you should get some rest... It's getting late any way..."
She glanced over at the fire scorpion again, which was beginning to take an interest in them.
Harrier pulled out his energy blade and thumbed it on. "Don't worry, I'll keep watch."
Ravess quirked an eyebrow at him. "You're asking me to trust an enemy?"
He shook his head. "No... I'm asking you to trust a Sky Knight."
"Isn't that the same thing?"
"Well, that's entirely up to you."
Ravess stared at him a moment before curling up and drifting off to sleep.
A/N There's a poll up in my profile. Vote please!