Of Billberries and Rent-a-rooms (continued)

The young woman now known as Terli'ru, who not moments before had been visibly enraged by the insolence of the young man was immediately mollified by the sight of her fallen companion, reaching down and shaking him. "Arcyn'ir? H-hey, are you alright? Get up!" Her voice held a note of panic as she continued to try and revive him.

Sighing, Fiel'doras walked over and nudged the man uncerimoniously onto his back, speaking in a rather bored tone, "Arcyn'ir, get up." Seeing no response, still, she kneeled down and poked him roughly in the side, causing him to jerk away and scoot away from her, laughing all the while. Fiel'doras turned to a baffled Terli'ru. "Those were Bilberries. They're edible, and I can't say I'm surprised to see he already knew that."

"Oh, I didn't think you'd actually fall for that one! That was pricele--ow!" Caught up in his delighted laughter, he had failed to notice Terli'ru, her face red with anger, approaching him and was by no means prepared for neither the rough punch he received on his arm, nor the several cuffs following it. Arcyn'ir quickly recovered and held up his hands to protect himself, tossing a pleading "I didn't do anything, save me!" look to Fiel'doras and Caen'ir. The former turned her gaze elsewhere, seeming entirely bent on not getting involved in the situation at all, and the latter felt himself merely smiling apologetically and shrugging, informing his brother that he was, entirely, on his own for this.

"You insensitive ass! I ought to throttle you!" Still looking thoroughly livid, Terli'ru ceased her assault, Arcyn'ir, mock-blocking most of her hits, grinned brightly.

The entire thing felt normal to Caen'ir, as if it was something that happened extremely often between the two. He was struck with a sudden sense of belongingness; this was his home, these people were his family. The feeling gave way to a pang of solitude that left him aching, realization dawning. His home was in ruins, the nearby lands a frozen and barren tundra now. His family was gone and no more, all he had was a brother who seemed impossible to run into, who wouldn't remember him at all. He suddenly felt very alone and isolated in the snow-covered forest, the playful teasing and arguing a dull buzz. After a few moments of this, however, he mentally admonished himself.

I have Kre'oss, I had no love then, I think. This was my home. I have a new home, now. This was my family...I love them dearly, and I will mourn the loss of them, but I still have my brother and my friends...they're my new family. This is my past. I have my love, my home and my family...that is all that I need.

Comforted by this, he became aware of himself shaking his head and walking forwards, following Fiel'doras. The buzz had faded, the arguing apparently having run its course for the time being, and was replaced with Fiel'doras' voice. He was aware of her words, though he did not feel he was paying her any meaningful attention. She was talking about the plant from before--about how to recognize it and its uses. He heard Arcyn'ir's voice chiming in occasionally, it seemed he was just as (or almost as) knowledgeable on the subject as Fiel'doras was.

The voices became quieter, and as he blinked, the world went black and stayed that way as he opened his eyes, sitting up from the rent-a-room bed silently, recalling memories of a pristine land all covered in snow and ice, and of people long since gone...

(( That's it for now. Once again, sorry for the shoddiness, might make more posts like this, might not. *shrugs* ))