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*Appears in a cloud of pink glitter*

I’m back!! I’ve kicked the word count’s rear and I have returned victorious!

Acyn

I turned the rock over, puzzling over it in extreme confusion.

Quin knelt some distance off. He seemed to be having trouble, but remembering his reaction earlier, I didn’t offer to help. I didn’t want to embarrass him.

I turned the rock over again, and picked up another and compared it. It didn’t make sense.

I heard the tapping of crutches and then Quin stood next to me, looking rather awkward.

“What kind of rock is that?” he asked, tentatively.

“The rocky kind,” I said, dead serious, without a moment’s hesitation.

Quin blinked at me like he didn’t know whether to laugh or not. I slowly got up, still holding the two rocks.

“I know next to nothing about rocks, these just looked interesting,” I said, entirely honestly.

I tilted my head and examined them again. The armored man passed by us, hopping over the stream without the least difficulty.

I actually didn’t know much about geology, just enough to know a few basic things. I should have remembered more.

“These have a far lower concentration of iron than where I’m from. The ground isn’t particularlly rich in anything. Look, they’re gray, not red.”

Quin nodded, and I continued.

“Besides that, these are hard, look,” I smashed one of the walls on the side of the cave and pointed out how there wasn’t a mark left, like sandstone would have made.

“That indicates we’re deeper underground than I thought. I thought I saw the sky outside, but it must be some kind of projection or simulation, since these rocks don’t form until hundreds of feet underground, and they’re all like that, it isn’t an odd one or two.”

I scowled at the creek. That thought didn’t particularly enthuse me.

“That also means that this shouldn’t technically exist.” I kicked at the gravel and loose rocks. “If it’s an underground current, it should have worn cleanly into the rock. In short, nothing makes sense and I now know less, not more.”

I abruptly shut up.

“Sorry. You didn’t ask for a speech. I got carried away. Stop me if that happens, I know it’s annoying.”

I pitched the smaller of the rocks downstream, aiming for the edge of the tunnel.

I missed spectacularly, barely missing the armored man.

“Sorry, that was an accident,” I called.

I heard Sahar’s cascading laugh behind me.

“That’s why I’m never letting you touch one of my knives.”

I grumbled something under my breath and tossed the other rock in the stream with a splash.

I glanced back at Sahar and saw she was talking to a tall, dark-haired man who resembled Quin only very faintly.

“He’s your brother, yes? Do you have any other siblings?” I asked, leaning against the wall and watching the stream cascade by.

_____

@emily-waldorf

I remember you mentioning horses screamin in a previous post and I am here to confirm. The mare screech is possibly the worst sound in existence XD (Not exclusive to mares but they seem to have particular aptitude for it. Especially chestnut ones XD)