Lost

Posted on Sun Sep 25th, 2016 @ 12:35pm by Kalikana (Kali)

535 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Shadow Dance
Location: Qunari Territory
Timeline: Day 2, late afternoon

ON

Kali had walked out of the hut and picked a direction. She had no idea if it was the right one. At this point, it didn't really matter. She needed to find water, and shelter. Once she did that, she could eat whatever plants she found and make do the best she could. Too bad she hadn't thought to bring stones to make fire. Then again, fire would only alert anyone still looking for her and she didn't want the Jenefran assassins to find her again. She was woefully unprepared for this. While she and her mother had frequently taken trips into the countryside or to visit other villages, Kali had no idea how to fend for herself for more than a few hours. It was not something a Princess needed and so no one thought to teach her. Nor had she thought to learn such traits from others.

Now, several hours later, she was totally lost, tired, thirsty and grumpy. She had no delusions that she would be rescued this time. Orvack had made that perfectly clear. Even if she found the hut again, he would not be there. No, she was definitely on her own, but without a clue what to do or where to turn. She didn't even know what plants were edible -- if any. She really should have stayed near the hut where she could have returned after Orvack and his sister left. At least then she'd have somewhere safe to sleep. The irony of her situation was not lost on her. Once again, good intentions and an impulsive nature had gotten her in trouble. She only hoped that Starfleet could stop the war and save both the Jenefrans and Qunari from more bloodshed. She had failed Starfleet, she'd failed her people, and she'd failed Orvack.

Thinking of Orvack made her ache for what her foolish desire to go back and warn Starfleet had cost her. She'd asked them for help, given them what little information she had. She should have trusted them to do...something with it. She should have tried to help Orvack understand and maybe together the two of them could have found the evidence she needed -- the evidence they both needed. Again, it was too late to go back and change what was.

She stumbled over a rock and stubbed her toe, using that as an excuse to cry. She shouldn't cry. Crying did no good. It couldn't bring her mother back, it couldn't stop the killing, and it couldn't make a stubborn Qunari believe that she was really trying to help.

She was so wrapped up in her own misery that she almost missed the sound of a stream nearby. A small smile crept across her face and she brushed away the tears. Water. At last something positive. She quickly made her way to the small stream, shallow enough that she could wade across it. The size of the stream didn't matter. She drank deeply, then looked around for some form of shelter.

There were no rocks, no hope of a cave, but there was a small copse of trees. It would do. At least for a while.

____
OFF

Kalikana
Princess of Jenefra

 

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