Disclaimer: "You do not wish to enjoy the nuts of dough? They are like eating sweet tiny wheels!"
(An: And the second chappy. Yay.)
THE NEXT MORNING...
Remy had given the antidote to the elf earlier that morning. Now he was trying to figure out their position while Kurt made breakfast and Kitty kept an eye on the elf.
He was investigating a bush. "You're burning the bacon!" he informed Kurt as he checked the shape of the leaves. He then looked at the surrounding trees. They were all the same species, one which he'd never seen. He sat back down by the camp, frowning. "I have no idea where we are."
"What about the map?" asked Kurt, passing him some food.
"We're off the map," said Remy. "You burned it."
"I'm aware of that," said Kurt, looking miffed.
"So now what?" said Kitty. "We're lost, we've got a sick elf to take care of, and we've only got... how many days is it now?" She looked over at Remy.
"I don't know," said Remy. "I can't tell what phase the moon's in. But I think we have maybe six days at most. And I've never said so many variations on 'I don't know' since I started traveling with you two."
"We're doomed," said Kitty, putting her head in her hands.
"Oh come on, Katzchen, it's not that bad," said Kurt, edging a little closer to her.
"Sit!" said Kitty, glaring at him.
Kurt was slammed down onto the ground, the necklace glowing. "Must you keep doing that?" he asked, struggling to get up.
"If you must keep getting so close to me," replied Kitty, glaring at him.
"Then both of you will forever be at a stalemate," said Remy, looking as though he was enjoying this.
"You shut up!" said both of them in unison.
Remy hid a smirk with his hand. "And as for what we do now, we wait. We can't move the elf until she wakes up. And she might be able to tell us where we are."
"Well, all right then," said Kurt, leaning back against a tree.
A FEW HOURS LATER...
Kitty and Kurt were asleep when the elf woke up.
Remy was keeping watch when she stirred.
She rolled over towards the remains of the fire, opening large green eyes. She sat up, the crescent gem at her throat glinting.
Remy turned to face her.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice soft as she looked around.
"My name's Remy," he said. "What's yours?"
The elf blinked, confused, and put a hand to her head. "I... I don't know..."
"Well, that's a new one," Remy murmured, stirring the fire. Sparks flared up from it. The elf watched, transfixed.
"What is this place?" she asked, sitting up and hugging her knees.
"I'd think you'd know better than we would," said Remy, glancing at her. The elf gazed back, her green eyes unreadable. "We're in the royal forest, way off the path. We're quite lost, in fact."
"Oh," said the elf. She stared at him for a second longer, then looked around again. "Who're the other two?"
"The blue one's Kurt and the girl's Katheryn Pryde."
She nodded but said no more.
"Not much of a talker, eh, chere?"
"I just woke up, my head hurts like I banged it against a boulder, and I don't remember a thing before this conversation. What do you expect, the latest gossip?"
"Oh, petite's got spirit!"
"If this is the company I get, I'm going back to sleep," said the elf and did so.
"Interesting girl," Remy murmured.
THE NEXT MORNING...
The elf was up before all of them, sitting atop her pallet and staring at the trees, through which a little light filtered.
Remy woke up next and seemed extremely fidgety.
Kitty and Kurt, as usual, woke up within moments of each other. Kitty yawned and looked over at the elf. "Oh, hello."
The elf didn't reply, just kept looking up at the treetops.
"Not much of a talker, I take it," Kurt said, also awake now.
"That's what he said," the elf commented, looking over at Remy. He was still fidgeting. "What is your problem, anyway?"
Remy glared at the sunlight through the trees. "Doesn't anyone realize that it's the full moon tonight?" he asked, getting up and beginning to pace.
"Which means...?"
Remy didn't answer, seeming lost in his brooding.
The elf looked over at the other two. They both looked distinctly uncomfortable. "It's a long story," Kurt said, shifting his eyes.
"It's his business," Kitty added.
"Damn right it's my business," Remy muttered, squinting at the trees again.
"Do you remember anything?" Kitty asked of the elf, obviously wishing to change the subject.
The elf shook her head. "Not one."
"Not even your name?"
Another annoyed head-shake from the elf. "I thought we established that. If you insist on calling me something, call me Rogue."
"It was the combination," said Remy abruptly. "The poison and the antidote mixed into an elf's metabolism would mess anybody up. Can we get going now?"
"Where?" Kitty asked.
"If we walk long enough in one direction," Remy said, sounding impatient, "we'll eventually come to the edge of the forest. We may not be where we want to be, but at least we won't be stuck in here anymore."
"What's the matter with the forest?" Rogue snapped, glaring at him.
Remy returned the glare just as intensely. "I would like to get out. It's cramped. You can't see the sky." He started walking.
Kitty and Kurt shrugged at each other and followed, Rogue trailing behind. When they glanced at her, she pointed out, "I don't really have anywhere else to go." That seemed to satisfy them and they walked in silence, following the still moody Remy.
(-rubs hands together- There. Review, even if it's just to complain about unnecessary confusing-ness.)