Bloodshed
Arriving at the small clearing Ivy stayed at, Firestorm stopped for a moment, looking around the area as the two came to a halt.
"So- I just need you to burn through those leaves- You can do that, right?" Ivy exclaimed, throwing her arms towards the leafy roof that blocked her way to Mumble.
"That...that could actually be possible. Give me a moment- and some space- and I'll try my best." Firestorm said, a smile dawning on her face as hope became more and more visible.
They could get out.
They could reunite.
They could finally, after everything that happened- be together again.
And suddenly, even if it was just for a moment, as Firestorm began to conjure up an inferno, surrounding herself with bright, controlled flames, Ivy thought it was all worth it.
All the pain.
All the hurt.
All the tears.
Just for this. Just for Mumble.
But that moment passed as Ivy heard a conversation through the flames.
Past the leaves.
Someone was talking-
Not just Mumble.
She could barely make out the sounds over the roaring flames, but it was audible; just barely.
She wished it wasn't. She wished she was just hearing things. She wished this wouldn't happen.
But wishes don't always come true.
"I'm not hiding anything- I've got barely any food. You're paranoid-" Ivy heard from beyond the leaves- it was Mumble. Then, she heard a crossbow load.
"Don't. I don't want to fight- But don't get any closer." She heard again.
Ivy couldn't move.
Her heart was beating fast.
She was terrified.
She had no idea what was happening- she needed to get up there, but couldn't. She had no choice but to wait- if she jumped in the inferno to reach Mumble, she would only hit the leaves- and be scorched to death.
Then she heard more.
A crossbow bolt dart through the air, sticking itself into the thick barrier of leaves.
And then a scream as Mumble tried to reload.
Firestorm became visibly nervous- the flames sputtering and flying nearly everywhere as she tried to burn the leaves faster, panicking as Ivy froze almost completely, shaking as her fur stood on end.
Ivy fell to her knees, her heart pounding.
She could barely breathe-
"No. No no no no. No, this can't be happening." Ivy repeated to herself in a shaky voice, tears rushing down her face as she became distraught.
"NO! NO! NO!" Ivy cried out as she fell fully to the floor, grasping at the dirt and grass.
Firestorm struggled to take down the leaves as she made an attempt to stay stoic, burning a large hole through the leaves before the fire near instantly dissipated, Firestorm collapsing to the floor as the flames returned to her.
"Go...Help her..." Firestorm spoke as she took deep breaths, trying to regain her strength as she sat on the ground, tired and weak.
Ivy couldn't move, and especially couldn't reach Mumble. She was panicking completely- her whole world was falling apart infront of her very eyes, collapsing completely as it bled.
As Mumble bled.
Mumble groaned, gasping for life as she crawled across the wooden floor of her shack, trying to reach the hole in the barrier.
Ivy managed to turn to her- to see her, crawling across a splintery wood floor as her exposed wound leaves a bloody trail.
And then she saw her reach the hole.
Mumble threw herself down with the last of her strength, trying to land on her left arm.
With a loud, violent crack she landed as her shoulder was dislocated and arm broken, then using her right arm to hold her painful, searing stab wound.
"I..vy..." Mumble muttered, trying to take deep breaths as her lungs began to fail.
Firestorm, just having managed to regain her strength, ran over to Mumble, looking at her wounds.
"Ivy- We need you. I can't touch her- I'll only make it worse. Please, Ivy." Firestorm spoke as she grit her teeth, trying to think of some way- any way- she can help Mumble.
But she couldn't.
There was nothing she could do without Ivy, here. She could try and cauterize the wounds, but her flames might only make it worse.
Ivy felt her vision get blurry as she almost blacked out- but she held on.
Just barely.
Just for Mumble.
Shaking profusely, Ivy slowly walked over to Mumble, barely keeping herself up as she sat next to her, tearing a piece of ivy off her tail.
"C'mon- C'mon, please stay w-with me. I- can't lose you. I W-won't." Ivy began to speak, stuttering as she barely managed to form a sentence as Firestorm walked away slightly.
She tied the piece of Ivy around Mumble's wound- tightening it to try and stop any blood loss, before wrapping Mumble in her tail, hugging her.
"Please...please don't leave me. I n-need you. I can't do t-this without you. " Ivy whispered to herself, crying into Mumble's shoulder as she begged for her to live.
It was all their fault.
The scavengers.
Thorn.
They just couldn't be content.
They couldn't talk things out.
The scavengers must've visited Mumble- thought she had food, supplies.
She denied it, and things could've gotten violent-
And the scavengers take off, leaving Mumble behind in hopes she'll make it on her own.
All Ivy wanted to do was send them off to hell.
All of them- for everything they've done.
But she couldn't. Not now, anyway.
Now she needed to help Mumble.
And she was barely managing that.