Brisa tried to squeak when Argurios found her, picked her up, and squashed her. She tried but it was lost. Still she didn’t mind. It was good to find something familiar, even if she didn’t know him that well. And it was good to sit with him in quiet for awhile. There was something so overwhelming to her about being alone, and something so much better about finally finding someone familiar. She cried on Argurios’ shoulder for a while, half from relief and half from depression at not finding anyone else. When he stood up she was ready. Sort of. She grabbed his hand and he helped her up, or more precisely he pulled her up as if she was a rag doll. 

Brisa felt a little shaky as she stood there, trying to gather her wits. She wondered if he realized how much stronger than her he was…she thought it was not likely. Once it might have scared her, now it was just another thought of no real consequence. The day was burning ever on and they had to get moving. 

She shouldered her bag, but not before digging out her last apple and offering it Argurios. She didn’t know what they would eat in the future, she also didn’t know what he had in his bag, but it had been a long night and she wanted to share with the only companion she had left. 

“Maybe the others went on to the town too…it’s the only one around. Maybe we can find them there.” Her voice held no hopeful tone, it was more she was just trying to convince herself to make herself move. 

She settled into Argurios’ shadow, content to let him lead down the road. It’s not like they could get lost. The road was the only one, and walking through the dense mountainous terrain around wasn’t really possible. There was a lot of up walking still, as there had been to get as far as Raevyn’s rest, she was beginning to hope they could walk downhill soon. Argurios didn’t seem to mind but Brisa was tired. Even using the endurance she had built up since this whole thing began she was still tired. 

She walked in Argurious’ shadow, literally. She used his shadow to mark where she was supposed to be but it was getting harder and harder to keep within its boundaries. When they found a roadside spring, several hours later, she had to stop. 

“Sorry” she mumbled, embarrassed that she couldn’t keep going. Her body was just too weary. She sat down next to the spring and dipped her hands in, drinking till her empty belly felt full. She wanted to cry, to give up, to go to sleep. She knew she couldn’t do any of that so she just huddled in a lump and tried to let her sore body rest.