Overall
Toot and Grey quickly left the building. It wasn’t until there where outside that Grey said something.
“I worried for her, that the second time she lost control and injured herself.”
Toot looked at her “do you mean Raelle”.
“yes” while she rubbed her chin as she thought about it.
“I know. Maybe talk with someone who know her better, then us”.
She looked at her, “like how”.
“Bells on the top of my head”.
“ok, we go with as plan A. if you can think that will be plan B.”
****
There carried on talking about everything Toot never knows when not to talk or when to talk. She always found that hard. But her unit mates and friends she has found while being in the witch army. seems to understand her and for the first time she has found where she belonged. She doesn’t know if she could tell them that or not. And sadly, haven’t told them yet.
“Margo, do you have your book”.
Toot at her binks, she looks at her confused no realising that she had stopped talking and started to have a conversation inside her mind. To her she thought she was talking out loud. She when Pin said that it throws her off. But seeing her confusion Pin placed her hand on Toot shoulder. “your theory book, that Raelle says to give Scylla do you have it.”
The confused look that Margo had finally lifted, “it in my room, why”.
She just looked at her for a second to see if she catches on. And like clockwork she realised with her eyes widening.
“we need to go get it.”
“cool, we can quickly change while we at it”. No hated or annoyance in her tone just understanding.
“sounds like a plan” she says very excitedly.
Their head up. There see Tally and Abigail coming up. Both of the talking among themselves. Bells walking behind them. His hand on his weapon, at the ready at all times.
“hay guys” Toot says in her cheerful.
“Hay Margo” Tally says cheerfully back.
“where Libba?”
Her face dropped a little, “she with Scylla in the infirmary.”
“she not great”.
“it not my place to say, but you guys should be there for her.”
Both of them head up together chatting Bells still walking behind Abigail and Grey that where behind them.
“so, Raelle says she is moving your match for after City drop as, this new threat should be treating very seriously. And this time before leaving basic should be used to train fully. Or something along those lines.” Grey said with a smile.
“well, that give me more time to train you, Abigail.” seeing her frown a little at what Grey said.
“sure does. But I have been thinking. She can beast all five of us and you. How can I beat her, on my own.”
“don’t you worry about that; I have a few tricks up my sleeve to teach you”.
As there about to leave, Grey stops them, “I worried about Raelle. Her fits were broken. I fixed it but something not right. But something not right with her.”
“what do you think we should do” Abigial said.
“not sure really sure, when it come to her PTSD. But I do know just be there and keep an eye on her as much as possible. Without being overbearing”.
“I think I can manage that, is she still in that meeting”.
“yea, it looks like she be back late. So, make sure she not alone.”
Abigial placed her hand on her shoulder, “you have my witches word she will not be alone tonight.”
And with that parted ways.
*****
It was a good half hours before Toot and Grey both walked into the infirmary. Toot had trouble finding her book. But once it was found both of them rushed to the infirmary. Passing Abigial and Tally training in the fields with Bells.
Toot noticed Libba first, her head was laying on the bed beside Scylla. She nudged Grey. To get her attention. who quickly followed her line of sight. There both walked over to them. Toot also noticed a young boy over in the corner watching them. Instead of staring back counted the things she could see.
1. One Scylla was placed under, there a weird sensation in the air.
2. Pale skin, physically ill
3. Libba not doing great.
Toot just couldn’t get this little kid staring at her so tried once again to distract herself like her unit mates and her family had taught her. “is she ok.”
Libba looks over at Scylla before turning back to them both.
“No, there had to put her undersedation and give her heavy pain killers”.
“why, I thought she was getting better. Not worse.”
“I thought so too, but a few days ago, she was attacked. There didn’t know then. But it opened up a wound inside her, this slowly got worse. Until the travel over here. Turned it into a big problem. That not the worse of it.”
Grey placed her hand on her shoulder. Toot just stood there waiting.
“her link is healed yes, but still too weak for a long link to happen. So there have to open her up and use small links to heal her. If it gets worse, she might loss her ability to move fully, from the waist down. Even if the surgery is good. The surgeon is coming tomorrow at the earliest.”
“so, worried I should be”.
There both at Toot, and without asking pulled her into their embrace.
That when a young male version of Raelle came over to them. All of them break there embrace. Toot didn’t make eye contact. But Grey and Libba both looked at him.
“who are you?” Grey says a little too harshly.
Libba and Toot both understood that she was just being protective over her friends. This wasn’t the first time she had spoken like this.
“oh, I forgot. I am Olly Stone, Raelle brother. And friends with Scylla since she been a part of the Cession.”
Without seeing the tension Toot step forward.
“that would explain your staring, I would hope you don’t do that again in my direction. I can’t think straight when people do that”.
“certainly.” Giving her a little bow.
He straightens up, “I do need to ask you guys a few questions.”
Getting a swift yes, for him to continue from Libba and Grey behind Toot. Who just title her head to her side. Not really getting why he paused.
“first, wish one is Libba. I think it you” pointing to Libba. “but friends also cry over there friends so.”
“you are right, I am Libba Swythe, this to my right is Pin Grey and to my front Margo Toot.”
“it good to put names to face within Scylla’s stories.”
“you have questions, meaning more than one” Toot said.
With a smile, both Grey and Libba understood that smile. It was a smile of understanding.
“it more a two-part question, first part, Have you guys noticed Raelle change in behaver and part two is she talking with anyone.”
“that easy, she changed soon as she linked with Scylla after we rescued her.” Toot said like she just spitting out facts.
There all looked at her a bit taken aback the only one not fully surprise was Olly.
“could you write them down for me please, I would most appreciative if you would.”
Toot face light up and without anymore she moves over to the bed beside Scylla and start writing down everything in her notebook. The one she wrote her theory in about Willa. But the notebook thank the goddness was thick.
He faces them both just as Libba speak up, “Lt: Grey she should be around somewhere”.
“oh, thank you. I need to ask her about somethings, I am worried for her.”
“we all are.” Grey says.
He makes eye contact there both relayed just how much there worried without saying a word. After a moment Olly step away.
“I should leave, I shall return soon. For my notes form Toot.”
“how did you know”.
Olly stop walking away from them and looks at them. And then at Toot.
“she is not the first, or will she be the last.” He says with a sad smile and walks off.
“who come ever family member we have meet, there understand Toot. It took me weeks to. By them it only took a second. I don’t understand.”
“maybe we can ask them” Libba says finally feeling a little lighter with her unit by her side.
*****
Alder, Bearkiller, Izadora and Raelle all talk about the witch plague. There come to agreement that Bearkiller and Izadora will come up with a quick defence for the cadet to use for city drop. And afterward come up with anything better. For the whole army.
Raelle was to ask the mother for any information about this witch plague. And herself will dive into her own library if anything rings a bell.
“know we have that all figured out, this there anything else we should talk about.”
“Transfer officers.”
Bearkiller look at Raelle, proud of her stepping up like this.
“what does that intel”.
“for the most part, for you to get an outside look at your basic. There will write reports on what needs to change to them. To better protect the save zones, so to speak. And other officers will travel around and train. There is a few that I would to be close to me. So, where I go, there go, that my coven.”
Sarah leans forward, “you’re not in war collage, to get a coven.”
“I know, by my unit and Swythe unit, alongside a few others have form a coven. Without meaning too.”
“I understand, will make it so. Right after City drop.”
“yes, about that, can you surprise us at some point this week. Instead of the standard date”.
“who said I wasn’t going to.”
Raelle could help but chuckle at that.
It was late, there meeting had taken most of the day. But she really needs to talk with her. So, she had her biddies head of to bed leaving Sarah alone. Holding the phone.
“hello” a sleepy voice came thought.
She closed her eyes, as a tear rolled down her face. The stress was getting to her.
“I’m sorry it late” her voice was someone who was holding back her voice from breaking. Only her person could tell. She hopes that she could tell.
****
Petra had been her office all night. Her mind had racing after want Raelle had informed them with. She also thought that she was holding back more information. But she wasn’t sure if it because of her trauma or something else. But she just sat there staring into space.
Quartermain just then knocked onto her door, break her out of her thought. She looks up at her.
“what have you got.”
“I received a message, and I don’t like it at all.”
“want are you talking about, Ana”.
“it about the Spree.”
She looks at her, she could tell that there was something eating at her.
“take a seat, tell me everything. But no, if this is wanted, I am thinking. I will have to speak with Alder at some point.”
“I know, but I need to get it out of my chest with raising my voice in trying to defend myself. And plus is my mother. It just different wit her.” she says shutting the door and sitting down in front of Petra.
“I get that, So start for the being. And we go from there”.