Decisions

Kim didn't like not being able to do anything. Naturally, her first instinct was to go after Elmo to try and rescue him. However, she couldn't be sure that the orcs didn't want her to do just that. Although, what she couldn't understand is why they left Heather along and took Elmo.

Given the little evidence that they had about the situation, it was clear that they'd approached Elmo on the of Sonya where Heather was laying. In fact, they'd have to be aware that Heather was there in the first place before they'd have even reached Elmo.

However, with everyone focused on the battle, Elmo had been left behind, which in a way was good for Heather, since she then had someone to bring her to Sonya's side. Which, in a way, might have been why the orcs left Sonya alone, but Kim doubted that. Not when Elmo was on top of Sonya's back at that time.

"So, should we try and figure out where they came from or where they went?" Owen asked after the sun started to reach its mid-morning level.

"I'd say where they went'," Elwin replied. "Just because we know where they went, doesn't necessarily mean that we'll know where they're going to be down the road."

"What if they came from the same place that they went?" Bart asked.

"Then it really doesn't matter, now does it?" Elmo asked, his intensity making Kim wonder what his chances of survival were if he kept that attitude up. Especially around her.

"You know, we could try and find Jonas," Heather suggested, having woken up while the day was still in it's 'early morning' phase. She was still a little dizzy from having been knocked out in such a way as she had, though she seemed just as cheerful, at least.

Kim wondered if she was using her own healing abilities on herself, if there were additional restrictions on doing that, or if she'd completely forgotten about those abilities like Elmo and Bart had. While she hoped it wasn't so, she couldn't say the possibility wasn't there. Though, she couldn't say for sure, since she didn't want to bring it up if Heather wasn't going to, either.

"What's with all the racket?" a voice boomed, startling Kim. Not because it was meant to frighten, because Kim had almost forgotten all about Sonya. Which made her wonder what had happened to Sonya for her to sleep like that. From what Kim had seen of Sonya, she'd never been that deep a sleeper.

"We're trying to figure out what to do about the orcs and if we should try to save Elmo," Elwin explained succinctly.

"What'd you mean by 'should 'try?'" Heather snapped. "We should try!"

"Orcs? What?" Sonya asked, sounding like she was trying to keep up with the information, though Kim had a feeling it might be a little bit of time before she'd really be able to focus in on the conversation like that. Especially with all that had happened since Sonya had last been known to have been awake, which was the evening before.

"Yeah, we were attacked in the night, on the last watch," Bart said. "Heather seems to have been the only one hurt, though we assume that they captured Elmo, so we can't really be sure that he wasn't hurt as well."

Kim wasn't surprised to see alarm flash in Sonya's eyes as she quickly moved her head to look at Heather.

"I'm okay!" Heather protested, even as she wrapped her arms around Sonya's neck. "Though I was worried about you when you when you wouldn't wake up during the fight."

"Yeah, what's up with that?" Elwin asked. "Even when I'm on watch, you've been awake the entire time. Yet, now you were asleep and couldn't be woken up!"

Sonya merely shook her head. "I really have no idea why that happened. I can't say if you'd believe me when I say that I'm ashamed that happened. Because I was asleep, I couldn't do anything to help protect Heather."

Elwin merely shook his head, which made Kim wonder what his real problem was. While it was possible that this was merely an extension of his brother's death, she had a feeling this was from something else. Something that she hadn't picked up on before this.

"So, what was that about finding Jonas?" Owen asked, pulling Kim's mind back to what Heather had asked a moment before Sonya woke up. "I'm not sure how long he's been gone."

Heather merely shrugged. "I just remember what Sonya tells me," she said, as if that explained everything. "She said something about him going to look for Elin and to find out what none of us remembered who she was or even that she had existed in the first place."

"Care to add anything to that, Sonya?" Elwin asked, as if Sonya's actions were suspicious in and of themselves. "Or is that all you'd like to say about why Jonas isn't here?"

"You're not thinking that Sonya did something to Jonas, are you?" Bart asked. "She wouldn't do anything like that. Not even to someone like you who can't seem to find a way to remain civil when we're trying to figure out what we should do next about having been attacked by the orcs."

"If you're that desperate for something to fight, Elwin," Sonya remarked dryly, her annoyance coming through clear in her voice, "then why not go find something out there to fight? In case you forgot, I'm not exactly able to move that much. It should be about two more weeks, probably less, before I'll be able to actually start healing from my injuries. So, if you're not going to try to say anything constructive, either get out or shut up!"

Kim blinked. It was clear that Sonya was releasing some annoyance at first, but then her volume started to build and Kim wondered if her aggravation about hearing everything going on around her is making her feel rather trapped given how she doesn't want to move because of all the injuries she'd sustained.

Not that Kim could blame her. She new that she'd probably go stir crazy being stuck like Sonya was with everything going on around her.

"So, what should we do then?" Elwin asked, annoyance clear in his voice. "If I remember correctly, Jonas disappeared about when we got here, so I have to assume he went off to search for Elin. Though, who knows where he ended up in that search, right?"

"We could wait a week until Kim's sword can search again," Owen suggested.

"Yeah, but who would we search for?" Heather asked rhetorically. "Elmo, who was captured by orcs for who knows what and will last who knows how long, or Jonas, who can fend for himself, even though he'd been gone longer and we don't know if he's in an even worse situation than Elmo."

"Well, he can enter shadows at least, so I think it'd be Elmo we should be more concerned about. If only because we don't have anyone else to replace him with, even peripherally," Kim remarked. "I mean, without Elin, at least we have Heather for healing, though that's not to mean we shouldn't try and find Elin if we can as well."

"Oh, yeah, that'd be three then," Heather said, as if she'd forgotten. Which Kim wouldn't be surprised if she had. "Or Elin, who we only have the assurances of Owen, Sonya, Kim, and Elwin that she exists and isn't someone that they just made up."

Kim couldn't help but chuckle at Heather's descriptor of Elin. "Gee thanks," she remarked dryly. "That really put everything into context."

Heather merely shrugged. "I just say it like I think of it."

"You know, if we find Elmo or Jonas, then when Kim's sword's cooldown is over, then we'd have fewer options to use it on," Bart remarked. "So, if we head out now, we might be able to save Elmo from the orcs, assuming he needs saving."

"Why wouldn't he?" Elwin asked, sounding more rhetorical than Kim appreciated.

"Well, why'd they take him and not me?" Heather asked, almost defiantly. "I was unconscious. He was farther away. With just those factors, I'm pretty sure I would have been the easier target, right?"

Elwin didn't look like he liked the way that Heather had put the situation. As Kim thought about it, Heather did have a point. If there wasn't something about Elmo, they'd have gone for the easier and closer person to take captive. Though, it wasn't exactly clear if they'd have taken anyone if they hadn't decided to take Elmo.

Kim wasn't sure where that thought came from, but she wished it'd stop. She had enough problems to deal with at the moment rather than trying to deal with other ones that would just pop into her mind without any real warning.

"So, I guess we're all in agreement, right? We'll go try to get Elmo away from the orcs, right?" Owen asked.

Kim didn't really feel the need to join in the response, but she wasn't surprised herself to see that everyone was in agreement on the question.