Ooh hoo!! Thought's are changing, outlooks are beginning to expand and emotions taking a turn! Read on...
P.S. this is a longish (is that a word?) chapter, but a lot going on - after all, it takes a while to get leopards to change their spots...
Chapter 7 - …is a Friend Indeed
Piper woke but kept her eyes closed. She felt oddly comfortable, as if she were on a soft couch, surrounded by a comfy quilt. She was vaguely aware that she was sitting up, curled into something that was wrapped around her. Whatever it was filled her with a feeling of safety, calmness and security. She dozed, knowing that as long as she stayed where she was, nothing would harm her. She stirred a little and gradually began to realize two things. One – her leg no longer hurt. There was a soreness, but nothing compared to how it had been. And two –
She really had to go to the bathroom.
She tried to ignore her discomfort, loathe to disturb herself out of this pleasant cocoon. But bladders are hard to ignore, especially when acknowledged.
Finally she could stand it no longer and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the rock walls of their enclosure, rays of sunlight streaming between the gaps. The second thing she was aware of was that her couch had arms. Real arms. Jerking her head back she stared at the face next to hers. Finn. She was curled into his lap, his arms around her shoulder and waist. His eyes were closed and his mouth slightly parted, the sharp featured face slack from being relaxed in deep sleep.
Piper's eyes darted around, trying to come up with some kind of logic that would explain this situation. She noticed that the wood barrier was gone and that the fire had sunk down into a large pile of smoking ashes, obviously having consumed all of the branches. How in the world had she ended up in his arms? And why would he have left his bed to hold her?
And she really, really had to go.
Moving carefully so not to wake him, she gathered herself and stood up. She unconsciously arranged her trousers, as they seemed to have become slightly twisted. As she began to walk she noted yet another odd thing. The sharp stabbing agony was gone from her knee. She reached down and could feel that the barb was out, and noticed also that her leg was no longer swollen. Gone too, was the headache she had developed last night, just before she had fallen asleep.
Piper contemplated all of these facts as she made her way outside. The cloud cover had thinned and was allowing some of the morning sun to shine through, illuminating the valley. Checking to make sure she was secure and that there was no danger, she ducked behind the largest bush she could find. She frowned as she tried to find a position that would allow her to relieve herself without removing her pants completely. She wished for a moment that girl's parts weren't quite so tidy. Males definitely had an advantage when it came to this type of thing.
Returning to the shelter, she checked to see if Finn had woken, but he was still deep in dreamland. She picked up the water bottle and found it to be only a third full. Her brow knitted as she remembered that they had filled it full before settling down for the night. She glanced at the slumbering blond. Surely he couldn't have drunk that much water overnight?
Feeling her stomach rumble, she searched for the bag that held the remaining cookies. Most of it was crumbs, though there were a few larger pieces. She fished a couple of the pieces out and ate them. She spied the stack of sweetstalks and began to chew on one, the citrusy sweetness bursting into her mouth. She ambled about the small confines of their den, unsure what to do. She hadn't been able to come up with a satisfactory explanation as to why Finn had held her during the night. She absolutely had no recollection of him doing so. How could she have been so out of it not to feel someone pick her up? Had she been that tired? And even so, WHY would he hold her? And what had happened to the barb in her knee, had he removed it? If so, when and how?
Piper frowned in irritation. She hated not knowing the reason behind anything. Always looking into things, trying to figure out why they did what they did. She was immensely curious about all number of things and would read for hours on just about any subject. At least if it was a subject that held an interest for her. History and geology and geometry, crystal lore, tactics, martial arts, diplomacy and governments all held a high spot in her inquisitive brain. Particularly if it was arcane or obscure. What didn't interest her was what she couldn't quantify. Like boys. Especially boys like Finn, who had absolutely no rhyme or reason. She liked things she could measure, evaluate, calculate and then determine their worth. She had no room for the intangible.
Finally she couldn't stand it any longer. Finn seemed ready to sleep the entire day away. She crouched in front of him and gave him a shake.
His blue eyes fluttered and slowly opened. He gazed at her uncomprehendingly for a moment, and then his eyes opened wide, his face expressing both wonder and relief.
"Piper!! You're awake! And ok!" he exclaimed happily.
The dark haired girl cocked her head at him, her face questioning. Finn suddenly realized that she would have been in his lap when she awoke. Blushing a little, he started to stammer. "Uh, Piper, er, last night, you were sick, the barb in your leg was getting infected, so were some of the holes, too. I, uh, I didn't know what else to do, so, I, uh… "
She continued to gaze at him, her expression one of contemplation. She still hadn't said anything to him and he was getting more nervous. Surely she had to have figured it out. Finn pushed his hands against the wall and levered himself upright. He had been feeling a little vulnerable with her crouching in front of him, just staring. As he stood, he looked down at the dusky skinned girl. "So, I, er, um, well…" Finn took a deep breath, letting it out in a torrent of words. "I had to take down your pants so I could remove the dart and I squeezed the infection out of the other places and yes I had to touch your rump but I didn't look and then you were still cold so I held you to keep you warm and you're all well now so everything's ok."
He shut his eyes tight and turned his head slightly away, already feeling the punch he was sure she'd throw. He heard her stand up, felt her grab the front of his shirt in both hands. He began to wince a little, fearing what punishment she would mete out, even if he had only been helping her.
Finn jumped and almost yelped as he felt her lips press gently against the side of his cheek. Opening his eyes, he regarded her tawny gold irises. They, along with the rest of her face, were smiling. As he stood frozen in disbelief, she leaned forward and kissed him on the other side. She was almost laughing as she released him and stepped back.
Piper regarded him with a mixture of glee and amazement, along with a fair amount of gratitude. She now knew the reason why he had held her, plus why she no longer felt any pain or discomfort. And all though she was a mite uncomfortable with the prospect of having been so out of it that he had been able to undress her without her knowledge, she countered it with the understanding that his actions had been in her best interest.
She tamped down the amusement she felt at his discomfort, she knew he had thought she was going to smack him one, just not quite that way. Still it had been endearing how he had been so embarrassed by his actions, yet had revealed the truth. He could have lied or somehow gave some other less implicating reason. Instead he had honored her by telling her the facts.
"Thank you." She said. "You probably saved my life, especially if I was so sick. We're far from any civilization and who knows when we'll be found." She laid her hand on his arm. "Relax Finn, I understand why you did what needed to be done, and I approve. I would have rather things could have been different, but that's ok. Maybe someday I'll have to return the favor. After all, you owe me."
This time she did laugh at the look of consternation on Finn's face as he tried to imagine a scenario that would involve Piper removing his trousers. She stepped away from him and grabbed the remaining cookies, held the bag out to him. "Eat up, this is all that's left, I've already had my share."
Finn took the bag, looked at the meager contents, made a 'v' out of the top and tilted the crumbs into his mouth. "Yummmmm." He said, patting his stomach, pushing it out like it was stuffed. He glanced out the entrance and saw that the sun had risen quite far. "Well, I guess we'd better get a move on, day's not getting any shorter." He reached down and grabbed the water bottle. "I'm going to go fill this up and, um, stay inside until I get back, I , er, you know…hafta."
She nodded. "Yes, I already used the little girl's bush." It wasn't long before she heard a tapping noise on the rock wall and turned to find the slim blond waiting. As they both left their latest refuge behind, the two couldn't help feeling separately that they had experienced something special, a turning moment in their lives. As they walked along they would steal glances at each other, neither aware the other was doing the same thing, thinking that only they were especially conscious of the figure beside them.
Finn put it down to keeping an eye on her, watching to make sure she was all right, that there wasn't any lingering effect of her illness. Yet it wasn't just her leg he observed, but her entire body, noting how it moved, the swing of arms, the sway of hips, the way in which her shoulders moved as she walked, how she carried her head, the careful manner she placed her feet. He began to take note of the shape of her face, amazed that he'd never noticed the way her jaw curved, the line of her nose, the shape of her eyes and how her eyebrows complemented them.
You know, she is kind cute. In her own way. I mean she's not exactly babe-ette material, but she's not…bad.
Piper attributed her newfound awareness of Finn to be amazement of his abilities. She'd never realized just how capable he was. As she contemplated the teen next to her, she realized that he was almost as able to take charge of a situation as – well – Aerrow. She had always had a slight crush on the red-headed leader, but more from a standpoint of the Sky Knight's amazing skills. Aerrow was extremely capable and level headed, mature and empathic, traits she admired. She felt secure around Aerrow, safe in the knowledge that she knew where their leader stood. Aerrow was steadfast, competent and dedicated, committed to upholding his, and their role in keeping Atmos safe.
Whereas Finn… Finn she had found too mercurial, his mood swings too abrupt for her sense of stability. She had always regarded him with reservations, weighing his many irritating behaviors with his good points. Which up to now had been mostly his sharpshooting skills and his stick-to-it-tiveness. Even though he might have been quaking in fear, he had never backed down from a fight and would jump into the thick of things to help out. Even if it may not have helped.
And now as she walked beside him she kept looking at him when she thought his attention was elsewhere. He had shown sides of him she would never have admitted he'd possessed. He had shown how much he cared for another, an attribute she hadn't really taken into consideration, as he seemed to always be more concerned with himself. Even as she thought that she knew it wasn't true, Finn cared deeply for his friends, but just wasn't the type to show it readily. Granted, he was quite capable of showing every other emotion. Finn wore his feelings on his face, one glance at him and you knew if he was angry, sad, bored, happy, ecstatic, scared or….serious. She realized that Finn was very capable of being serious, especially in battle or in the height of a mission. It was just that he seemed to wait until the last minute before he lost his humor or fear and assumed a sober expression, one filled with concentration, every fiber of his being attentive on the situation. As soon as the danger was passed he lost no time in returning to his devil may care attitude.
And that is what he is. You can rant and rave at him all day, wish he'd change, grow up, but he won't. He can't. Finn is…Finn. His strengths are the very things you complain about. He's quick on his feet and able to look at things in a way the rest of us don't. He's not dumb, maybe not very well educated, but he's got a brain and will use it. Perhaps I need to cut him some slack, ease up on him.
As they walked they had been searching (in between stealing glances at each other) for a way up the cliff wall. Even though the small valley was very pleasant, it was still too close to the wastelands for their comfort. Finn pointed out a small ravine that seemed promising and they made their way to it. For a while it was easy going as the crevice wound its way up. But as they climbed the rock began to mix with dirt and become softer, more gravely and unstable. Soon their feet began to slide back with every step and their balance was uncertain.
Finn was in the lead and was taking more and more time finding the way, trying to take a direction that would support them. The ground was now crumbling beneath their feet and rolling away in small slides. Eventually he stopped as the trail had disappeared. Before them was a steep incline covered with loose rock, dirt and gravel. Above them was nothing for at least a hundred feet and below yawned the hazily seen ground, hundreds of feet below. They could see what looked like a sturdier ledge, just tantalizingly out of reach, too far to jump across to. They wavered, not wanting to have to work their way back after coming so far. It was Piper who noticed the small configuration of rocks jutting out about ten feet below them.
"Look, Finn, see those rocks?" She pointed. "I think we might be able to use those as some kind of stepping stones, what worries me is if one of us slips off."
"Yeah, watch that first drop." Finn quipped.
"Here, I almost forgot, we can use this!" Piper exclaimed, pulling the length of rope out. After a bit of discussion, they decided that Piper would go first, as Finn would be able to hold onto her if she happened to fall. They tied the rope around Piper's waist and did an awkward maneuver as they exchanged places, Piper having to practically climb on Finn's back. Finn held the rope loosely in one hand, then wrapped the end securely round his other hand. She settled herself into position, and quickly made a scrambling leap to the first of the small protuberances, Finn playing out the rope behind her. She swayed for a moment on the tiny ledge, and quickly repeated the movement to the next rock.
It soon became apparent that they didn't have enough rope for her to reach the ledge on other side. Telling Piper to find a secure rock to balance on, Finn tied the remaining end around his waist. Then it was Piper's turn to hold on to the rope as he moved to the first rock. In this way they began to cross, first Piper, then Finn making a mad scramble, keeping the rope tight between them. Though only about a half hour went by, it seemed like days passed before Piper finally gained footing on the stable ledge. She swung around and crouched, bracing her legs as Finn began to make the leaps across the few remaining rocks.
And was almost pulled over the edge as Finn fell. Either his foot had slipped or he'd lost his balance, but one moment he was teetering on a rock and the next he was sliding down the face of the cliff, fingers clawing for support that wasn't there. Finn didn't even have time to scream, his mouth open in shock, blue eyes huge.
Piper grunted as she felt the rope dig into her back and sides. She was leaning back as far as she could; digging her feet in to keep from sliding after. Finn was a dead weight as he came to a halt, his hands and feet trying to gain purchase in the loose surface as the gravel shifted down and away. They stayed where they were, both aware that they were in a stalemate: Finn couldn't climb up, and Piper couldn't shift her position to haul him up without overbalancing and falling herself.
"Piper? Can you hear me?" Finn's voice floated up to her.
"Yes." She said through gritted teeth.
"I'm going to untie myself, so don't be alarmed when you don't feel my weight."
Shocked, she instantly yelled, "Finn, don't be crazy, you'll be killed! We'll figure something out."
"I know I can be a little nuts," He called up. "But there is my chute. I think I can push myself away enough to open it up."
"Finn, wait! Even if you do manage to open your chute before you hit a rock and are dashed to death, or your chute gets tangled up and you plummet head long, that just means you'll be right back where you started from, in the wastelands."
"Yeah…Promise you'll wait for me? I won't be long, just a couple of days." His voice held a familiar tone of banter, but underneath it she could hear his doubt and fear. She could feel the rope jiggling.
"Finn! Finn!! WAIT!!" There was no answer. "Finn curse you, don't you dare untie that rope. I swear if you do, I, I…I'll leap off this rock right after you. And when I catch up to you I will kick your skinny little butt all the way back up here." She tightened her hands on the rope, her arms straining to lift him up. "Finn, do you hear me!!?"
"Yeah, I hear you. OK, I won't untie the rope." He called up, sounding sheepish. "Last thing I want is for you to jump after me. Just my luck you'd get hurt again and then I'd have to carry you back up. So, how do I get up there?"
Piper hadn't a clue. She was rapidly reaching exhaustion as she strained to keep her balance and hold them from tumbling off the side of the terra. Her hands were sweaty and beginning to slip on the rope.
"I'm, I'm not sure…" She gasped. "Maybe if you pushed your hands into the side, there might be solid rock."
Silence below her, and then he yelled back that there didn't seem to be anything but the loose gravel and dirt. Piper wanted to cry and it wasn't just from the sweat that was dripping into her eyes. There had to be an answer! Something - anything other than the both of them jumping into the abyss and trusting that their chutes wouldn't tangle. Hoping they'd be able to maneuver while being tied together. And worse of all to have come all this way, only to wind up right back where they started from. She could feel utter frustration building in her.
Which is why she screamed out with both fright and annoyance as she felt the rope begin to move, swinging back and forth, wider and wider.
"Finn, what in the name of Atmos are you doing? Stay still!"
"I'm trying…to swing…and catch…the underside of…the ledge…you're on" Finn's voice called back.
She instantly understood what he was trying to do. She felt a burst of adrenaline as hope rose up in her and she began to sway with him, building his momentum.
Finn swung in wider and wider arcs, hands and feet barely touching the surface, just enough pressure to propel him along. With every swing he got closer and closer to the ridges of rock that supported Piper's ledge. He couldn't believe it was working, the idea he'd had seemed unlikely, but it was the best he could come up with. He had started to rock his shoulders and hips back and forth, slowly moving faster and faster until he was swaying. Then it had been a matter of letting gravity and momentum take charge, his body the pendulum. He felt a wave of gratefulness and admiration that Piper had been able to maintain her position for so long, keeping herself braced.
Closer and closer Finn swung, his hand stretched out to grab hold of one of the ridges. Once, then twice he managed to seize at the rock, but each time his hand pulled loose. Knowing he was working against time, that Piper couldn't hold forever, he violently rocked back and forth, making himself swing farther. He forced himself not reach out and grasp at the ridge, waiting until he was in position to take a secure grip.
Piper could feel him swinging wildly. The adrenaline rush was fading and she was becoming aware of cramped hands and legs, hitched breath and woozy head, the rope an agonizing constriction around her waist. When she felt him stop, she almost fell over with relief.
"Made it! I think I can climb up from here, but I may need a helping hand. Hang in there up there, don't fade on me just yet."
As she felt the rope slacken, she quickly let go and braced herself against the wall. Feeling her head spin, she sat down and put her head between her legs. She was trembling as her body and mind calmed down, exhausted from both mental and physical anguish. Gradually she gained control and raised her head. Shifting onto her hands and knees, she crawled to the edge and looked over. Finn's blond spikes were about five feet below her. She suddenly realized that the rope was slack and began to gather it up. There was no way she could stop either of them if Finn slipped again.
As the rope pulled against his waist Finn looked up and saw Piper's face, staring down at him. He could see the tiredness in her drawn features, along with another look that took him a bit to analyze. Concern yes, but there was more to it. Anguish? Distress? He became conscious that Piper had been very frightened, not just for herself, but for him.
Guess she cares about me more than I thought. Well, that's dumb, of course she cares about you. She cares about all of us. She's just been through a lot and my falling off the wall didn't help. Stupid, can't you keep your footing? Jeez, do I have to fall off everything?
Finn had climbed within a couple of feet of the top, Piper pulling the rope as he rose. As he began to feel for a handhold that would allow him to get up the last remaining distance, he felt a hand grasp his wrist. He let it guide his to a secure spot and grabbed hold of the rock. As he heaved himself up he could feel Piper take hold and drag him over the edge.
Piper held him close, her arms tight around him. She could feel his rapid gasps, his heart racing in his chest. He sagged with her as he came to rest, placing his own arms around her. They clutched hard, holding tight, their heads buried in each other's shoulders. Both were very aware of how close they had come to disaster.
She was once again struck by Finn's aptitude to find a way to avert danger, but she was more aware of how much she had feared for his life. Her entire body had felt a shock go through it when he had said he was letting go of the rope. Imagined his body striking the rocks below, coming to rest in a broken, bloody heap, his blue eyes staring sightless. To never see him sauntering around the Condor again or to hear him make a smart-alecky remark, laugh at some joke or comment on his appearance. Piper could feel the tears beginning to gather in her eyes as she fully comprehended how much she would miss him. All of him - every little bit of him, each annoying, irritating, frustrating, wonderful, amazing, adorable piece of him.
She felt him shift a little, his arms loosening for a moment, only to tighten again.
She was conscious of how his body felt against hers and could feel the curve of his back, the breadth of his shoulders. His legs were spread and touching the outside of her thighs. Her skin began to tingle in every spot that was touching his. Piper was rapidly becoming overwhelmed as sensations washed over her. She had been hugged before, but never held, not like this. So close, so…intimate. This was not just a hug of friendship but of need: the need for each other to comfort and ease; to soothe and console. It was to bolster each other and give support, both physical and emotional.
She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to grab hold of his face and press her lips everywhere – cheeks, forehead, eyelids, pointy chin, down his thin nose, up his jaw, on his….lips?
Whatever in the world? Yes I like him, appreciate him more, much more, but to want to…kiss him? On the mouth? Get a grip, girl. Yes it was scary and frightening and could have ended horribly, but it didn't. No need to get all mushy about it. And can you imagine what he'd do if you did kiss him? He'd probably throw himself back over the edge. Great storms and blizzarcanes, you have no feelings for him. And he doesn't have any for you, either. As if we'd make some sort of couple. Why, we'd kill each other. Much as I've grown to respect him more, that doesn't mean he wouldn't still drive me nuts. And I doubt he'd develop a yearning to learn all there is to know about the great Atmosian philosophers. And I have no desire to listen to his particular brand of music. Or be an adoring fan of his guitar playing.
Piper snorted as she imagined herself wearing some skimpy thing, kneeling in front of Finn, gazing at him with adoring eyes as he cavorted on stage, his fingers making all sorts of excruciatingly loud noises scream from his 'Rock Machine'.
Finn had also been deeply aware of the girl in his arms, the way she held him tight. He had been more frightened than he wanted to admit when he had fallen, expecting both of them to do nothing more than scream as they headed toward the ground and certain death. His idea of opening his chute had been a futile one, he knew he hadn't a chance of being able to push far enough away and deploy it safely. The only reason he had suggested it was to spare Piper the same fate. It hadn't been so much her pleading with him that had made him stop, as the knot had been pulled too tight for him to loosen. He'd had no choice but to find a way to get back up, in order for him to save her.
He could feel her body shaking and wasn't sure if it was just from physical exhaustion. He thought he had heard her sniffle a couple of times. He was overcome with emotion and not just from relief. It was also from the knowledge that he wouldn't be alive if it hadn't been for her, that she had taken all of his weight and had stood there, supporting him, keeping him from falling from sheer will. He knew Piper had strength in her, especially after the training on Terra Neon. But she had gone through a lot these last couple of days and her body was not up to its normal vitality.
Just as I am. If it wasn't for her holding me up I'd just spread out, like a burst egg yolk. We've managed to keep going from nothing more than old stale cookies, those delicious sweetstalks and some water. When I get back to the Condor I'm going to sleep for a week. In the bathtub. With the refrigerator in arms reach. And her with me.
Finn's eyes popped open as that last thought seemed to come out of nowhere. At the same time he heard Piper snort and for a horrifying moment thought he had said everything out loud. He pulled back, relaxing his grip but still keeping his arms around her. Her gaze was amused, not condemning. He sighed with relief. He also noticed that her eyes seemed wet, as if she had been close to crying. Figuring he must either be seeing things or that she was more likely tearing up from happiness rather than from anguish he grinned at her.
"Glad to see you're glad to see me."
Piper blinked a bit, trying to compose her thoughts before she answered him. She was still struggling with the urge to show him physically how glad she was, even after the talking-to she had given herself. As she came face to face with him she was suddenly struck by his appearance.
He was dirty, his face streaked with dust and grime and sweat. His hair needed washing badly and was beginning to separate into clumps. His lips were becoming chapped and dry. And yet…
How have I never noticed his looks before? Was I always dismissing him, because he made such a fuss over his appearance? Actually, he's not bad looking, his face is a tad narrow, his nose and chin sharp, but it's balanced by the curve of his cheek and brow. His face is actually nicely proportioned. And his eyes are very blue. The color of the sky at evening.
Piper suddenly noticed that the owner of the face she was studying was looking back at her questioningly. Realizing that she hadn't answered him, she stuttered an answer.
"Finn! Er, um, yes, of course I'm glad to see you. I thought, I mean, for a while there, you, I, we almost…" She ground to a stop as she realized that she was rambling, unable to string two words together. Since when was she tongue-tied? "What I mean is, I am very happy you're safe. I don't know what I'd have done if…if you had, if I'd lost…" Again she stopped as her emotions threatened to add more meaning to her words than she was willing to give.
She found him regarding her with an odd look. Surely he figured she had finally lost it, the events of the last few days finally becoming too much for her. She waited for him to make some comment on how the mighty Piper had come crashing down, her mind finally at its wit's end.
Instead she sat stunned as he pressed his lips against her forehead. He lingered there just a bit longer than a friendly kiss should be. As he pulled away he gave her a gentle squeeze.
"It's ok, Piper. I'm not exactly in the best condition myself. In fact, even though there're a few more hours of daylight left, I think we need to find another shelter and collapse." Standing up he held out his hand. Piper grasped and stood as he pulled. They regarded each other for a long moment, azure eyes searching tawny gold ones, both seeking something they weren't sure of.
If either of them had spoke, they would have shared the same thought –
Does she/he like me? More than a friend? He/she's been acting differently. I know I've been more aware of her/him lately, but is she/he feeling the same? And what happens if he/she is? Do I want to go there? I…don't know….
As they turned and began to walk along the ledge, they became aware of two things holding them together. One was their clasped hands. The other was the rope. Each one immediately let go of the other and began to work on the knots. Then they tried each other's, with no better luck as both sets of knots had pulled tight from Finn's weight. Piper pulled her staff from where she had secured it and adjusted the settings for one of the crystals. As she aimed the stone at the knot against her stomach, she saw Finn's eyes go wide.
"Whoa, that's not the same one you started the fire with, is it?"
"Yes, but I've adjusted the strength, all it will do is separate the fibers of the rope. What? Do you really think I'm going to blast myself?" she asked a bit impatiently.
"Oh" Finn replied, feeling stupid. Of course she could regulate the crystal's energy, who but her understood their properties so well. After all she had designed and built her staff. He watched as a small burst of flame erupted from the tip, instantly separating the rope. She pointed the tip of the stone towards his waist and he stood there unmoving as she burned the knot loose. Piper bent and began to coil up the rope. As she reached the end that had been around him, he saw her look closely at the knot. He began to fidget a little, however she didn't say a word, only gave him a contemplative look from beneath her eyelashes.
As one they turned and moved on. The ledge took turns widening out so they could walk beside each other and then becoming so narrow that they had to creep along sideways, sometimes only their toes on the edge. But one thing it did do consistently was wind ever upwards. They had walked for about an hour and were just about to give in and stay the night on one of the wider parts when the wall opened up into a crevice. One in which a stream of water sprayed over the edge. Finn and Piper looked at each other, faces incredulous. Finn waited for Piper to take her Aqua stone and test the stream to see if it was drinkable. Getting the clear sign, they swiftly drank their fill. Turning they began to make their way up the narrow ravine. As they climbed they began to encounter vegetation, greener and more familiar than what had been in the little valley. Finn had just spotted a likely place to rest the night when Piper gasped.
Hastily turning to her he found he couldn't see her. She had disappeared!
Finn swung in a circle, finding no sign of her. He even looked down at the ground to see if she had fallen into a hole, but there was nothing. Just as he opened his mouth to yell for her he heard her call his name. Looking in the direction of her voice he saw her peeking out of a large bush, her face grinning.
"Catch!" she shouted, and tossed something large at him. Finn reflexively caught and found it to be a ripe skyquat. He stared at it and then back at Piper, who was still smiling at him, her mouth full from a bite she had just taken of her own fruit, the juices running down her chin. Swallowing enough so she could be understandable, she cried out enthusiastically.
"Finn! There's a bunch of these! And I think I see a stand of jelly bushes. We've got food!"
Finn's own face split into a wide grin and he brought the fruit up to his mouth. He savored for a moment its rich, ripe scent and then took a huge bite. He moaned as the sweet taste burst into his mouth. He ate the rest in about three mouthfuls. He wasted no time in joining Piper as they harvested fruit after fruit, devouring them rapidly. They soon moved off to the jelly bushes, picking the soft squishy berries and stuffing them by the handful into their starving mouths. They didn't say a word, the only noises they made were ones of ecstatic consumption. Every so often they'd look at each other, grinning around juice stained mouths. Finally they had reached their limit, their stomachs full for the first time in days. As they had run around the small grove, picking fruit from this bush or that one, they had also spotted an even better spot to take shelter. Halfway up the cliff side was a small cave that even sported a couple of skyquat bushes to one side. Finn swiftly clambered up and found it safe, with more than enough room for the two of them to stretch out.
Dropping back down he started to break off branches for another fire, but found them too green, the boughs would only bend. The two of them spent some time hunting for deadwood, eventually gathering up enough twigs, sticks and small branches to make a fairly decent blaze. They took turns delivering the wood up to the cave, Piper carrying a few larger stones to make a rock ring. As the sun began to sink, the light faded fast from the ravine. Finn filled the water bottle once more and climbed up to the shelter just as Piper lit the first group of kindling.
The two sat companionably, warmed by the fire, sticky and replete from their feast, gazing at the still blue sky above them as it darkened towards sunset. For the first time in days they felt safe and secure. The only sounds coming from the vegetation below were the splashing of the stream, the soft rustlings of leaves and the chirping buzzes of insects.
Piper was the first to stretch out, lying on her belly, head cradled in her arms. After a moment Finn did the same, their bodies separated by a few inches. Soon the little canyon was filled with another sound, as soft snores drifted from the two exhausted teens.