The Obelisk

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The Obelisk

-Chapter 66-

“I’m so hungry,” Rust grumbled.

“I am, too,” Forest said to him.

“We’re almost there!” Nyx exclaimed from the front. “There will be plenty of food to share at the camp!”

“We’ll see,” Spark said softly.

Forest looked up to see the sun high in the sky, beaming down on all of them. a slight breeze whistled passed him. the air was cooler than usual. he saw the trees greenish-yellow leaves rustling in the distance. Pteranodons flew overhead.

Nyx bounced down the hill, her tail held high. Forest remembered the time where they met in Runhiemr, when he’d clumsily tripped and fell into her.

Forest turned his head to Spark. “Hey, Spark, can I ask you something?” Forest asked, walking alongside her.

The pale Carnotaur nodded. “Sure.”

“Do I look… harmless? To you?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Well, when I first ran into Nyx, she told Blazeheart I looked harmless to her.”

“Oh.” Spark bobbed her head back and forth. “Well…”

“You do,” Rust said, coming up from the other side.

“I do?”

“Yeah,” Spark admitted.

“You’re adorable,” Rust appended.

Forest blinked, slowing his pace. He spotted Crimson ahead of them, snapping her jaws at a dawdling butterfly. “Crimson!” he called. He ran up to her, and she shot him a bored look. “Crimson, Crimson. I have a question. Do I really look—”

“Maybe.” Crimson said.

Forest stopped walking and sat down, genuinely befuddled. Crimson paused and turned to look at him. “Hey, it’s a good thing. Girls like a cute carnivore.”

“I’m cute???”

“Yes,” Crimson said. she glanced at the two carnivores behind them. “Cuter than Rust, that’s for sure,” she said loudly.

“Ah, you know I’m good looking.” Rust called back.

Crimson was now clawing at a small worm poking out of the ground, growling lightly. She dug one claw under and pulled it out, fiddling with it for a moment before leaving it alone.

Forest quickly remembered their time in the prison, after the Five had been captured. He remembered when he had asked Crimson about her past and she’d burst out screaming at him. He’d pushed her to her limit, and he’d been full of regret since. ‘I should of never asked her. she needs to know I’m sorry.’

“Listen, Crimson,” Forest stammered, “about last time, back in the prisons… I shouldn’t of—”

“Stop,” Crimson said.

Forest ducked his head. “Ok.” he edged around her to continue walking.

But before he could take another step, Crimson stepped in front of him. Her brown eyes locked with his. “Stop,” she began, “because I should be the one apologizing.”

Forest stared at her, feeling more shocked than before.

“I’m sorry I snapped at you like that.” Crimson said. “You’re not stupid. You’re the first Rock Drake with the guts to leave the place you’d lived your whole life in. I was the same way. Only instead of a cave, I was stuck in the swamp that’s history was filled with pain; stuck with a carnivore who wasn’t even family. And the truth is, it wasn’t even my idea to leave. To go with you guys. It was a friends’. she suggested I put my past behind me, meet new carnivores and leave the swamp.”

Crimson looked down, closing her eyes for a moment. “The others were right. I’m not the average Kaprosuchus. I just get so angry… and when Sable told me I should follow you guys… I—I don’t remember what she said to make me agree, but I did.” She laughed quietly. “We’ve been together, what, two weeks now? I’ll tell you the whole thing has been a hell hole. And yet here I am, and we’re all still alive. And… you’re almost close enough for me to count you as a friend.” She smiled at him.

Forest didn’t know what to say. ‘she does care.’

“I will never ask you about your past again.” Forest whispered. “I promise.”

Crimson nudged his snout with hers. “You’re a nice guy, Forest. I’ll admit that.”

Just as she said it, Rust walked up to them with Spark behind him. “So… is my apology next or something?”

Crimson turned her head his way with a neutral look. “This is a nice moment,” she said. “don’t ruin it.” She brushed passed him and Forest.

“I would never,” Rust asserted, watching her as she walked away.

“Come on, lets catch up with Nyx.” Spark said, following. “And Crimson is right, you know,” she added.

“About what?” Rust asked.

“About Forest being cuter than you.” Spark said playfully.

Forest shook his head with a giggle. Rust smiled at Forest and shrugged.

As they turned to trail after the others, Forest heard Nyx yelling, “Come on! We’re here, we’re here!!”

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