Time passes. The others haven't returned

Hours passed with Emmaline idly flipping the pages of her book, reading here, skimming there. It was a good way to pass the time, and engaging with the written word was more helpful than she had expected in keeping the likely peril of her friends from her mind. Emmaline trusted, Fuu and the rest of the Bravos, and she knew there was no point worrying after them, so putting it from her mind really was the best course of actions.

Liv and Skye were keeping busy themselves, from the sounds of things, and Emmaline knew that any conversation with the ornery sniper was likely as not to end in fighting, so she just kept to herself. By the time the sun was starting to dip behind the mountains, however, Emmaline found herself growing antsy. Outside her tent, she could make out the shapes of Liv and Skye turned away from her around a campfire. A small smile crossed Emmaline's face as she quietly rose to her feet and crept out of her tent.

"I'm boooored!" she announced herself, only feet behind Liv. Though Skye seemed to nearly jump, Liv gave no reaction and Emmaline had to softly sigh at her failure.

"I don't really care how bored you are or are not," Liv snipped back at her, not even bothering to turn her head. Emmaline crept closer to get a better look at a small wooden totem Liv was carving with a small knife. It was an owl by the looks of it, though the beak was a bit long. Emmaline was about to say as much when Skye interrupted.

"Um," Skye's voice was soft, but Emmaline made sure to give her time. "I'm kind of worried about the others..."

"We were told to stay put, weren't we?" Liv said, her eyes still fixated on the little wooden carving. "We'd be pretty shitty backup if we ran off at the first sign of boredom."

"We'd also not be very good if we didn't come to their rescue when they needed us!" Emmaline countered. Liv looked away from her carving just long enough to shoot a frown up at her.

"It's not that I don't trust Fuu, it's just, well..." Skye was fidgeting with something at her side, and when she looked closer, Emmaline realized it was a book. "I had an enchantment on them, right? To help me know how their doing, and... well, I checked it just now--to make sure they were okay, and... nothing."

"Nothing?" Liv said.

"Nothing. If they were injured or.... or worse, then I'd know that, usually." Skye said. "But this is different. This is just... nothing."

When Emmaline looked back at Liv, the teasing was gone from her face.

***

This chapter was co-authored by Mapron01(https://chyoa.com/user/Mapron01) Please check him out!