"It's not your fault," he said. "I just wasn't thinking straight."

Lana's heavy breathing told him she was trying to control her emotions. He stepped towards her and placed a comforting hand onto her arm, avoiding her gaze by turning to stare at a tree.

"Yes, we should check everything," Nikolai said, choosing his words carefully. "It's our job. You're right. I'm sorry I yelled. I should spend my energy searching with you instead of worrying about something I have no control over. I'm just --"

"You sound ridiculous when you apologize," Lana whispered. Nikolai heard a sniff and then a small giggle. Only then did he feel it was safe to look. Lana turned to him just as he did to her, and he saw the long wet stains down her cheeks. A pang of guilt rose within him.

Lana wiped away the remnants of her tears with her sleeve before letting out a long sigh.

"I can't afford to stay mad anyway," she said. "We need to focus."

Nikolai slowly released his grip on her wrist.

"Where do you think we should we check next?" he asked. He normally wouldn't ask for her opinion because that would involve unnecessary detours but he thought it'd be better to soften her up a little more. "Or should we go back to the village?" he added as an afterthought. He truly didn't feel they did anything productive for the past week.

Lana paused. "Maybe --"

A snap of a twig made them both turn. Their hands moved instinctively to their weapons. Predators in Brymlight were not particularly aggressive enough to confront humans but there had been a fair share of special cases. However, it wasn't a deranged animal this time.

"Cammie?" Lana said, surprised.

A little girl in an oversized tunic climbed out from behind a bush, staggering on one foot as she tried to balance herself with her outstretched arms. When she looked up at them, they were shocked to see her bleeding from her reddened nose.

"Hi Lana," Cammie said in a tone similar to someone who had a terrible cold.

"We have to get you back!" Lana said, rushing towards her.

"No, no, I sleeped on a rood and hid my noss," the little girl muttered, licking the blood trickling down onto her lips. "Dun warry. I'm nod zeek."

"Are you sure?" Lana fussed over the girl's face, examining her nostrils. "Is it broken? Does it hurt? You shouldn't be so far away from the village! It's dangerous --"

"I came to ged you," Cammie replied. "Zumbady ad de zity zed dare's an anidode."

"Really?!"

"I... I didn't get that," Nikolai said blankly. He looked at Lana and then at Cammie.

"Somebody at the city said there's an antidote," Lana said quickly with excitement. "Let's get you fixed first, Cammie."

"Antidote?" Nikolai repeated in surprise. "For the plague?!"

"For your foot disease," Lana snapped, hurrying off hand in hand with the little girl.

"How'd you understand her?" he asked, choosing to ignore the jab she took at him.

"Just imagine yourself talking with a broken nose," Lana said.

"Never happened before," Nikolai scoffed. "Can't really imagine --"

Lana turned around suddenly and coldly said, "You were this close to getting one just now."

Perhaps she hadn't forgiven him entirely. But this was good. It was far more bearable than when she simply stayed silent. Regardless, Nikolai decided to maintain some distance between them for the rest of the way back to the village.

Just in case.

*

Letting Lana drop Cammie off in her grandmother's care, Nikolai immediately went home to check on his mother.

"Nikolai!" Martha said loudly the moment she heard the door swing open. Her curly grey hair bounced about on her shoulders as her plump body rushed over towards the young man when he entered. She clamored around him, grabbing his face in her hands. "What happened? Are you alright? Are you ill?"

"I'm fine, mother," Nikolai said, sighing. She too had grown more at edge ever since the passing of her husband. He couldn't blame her because he too, felt the sense of worry at the back of his mind. He was simply better at hiding than Lana and Martha.

"Why didn't you come home earlier?" Martha demanded suddenly. "Do you know how worried I was?"

"You worry when I'm gone and you worry even when I'm back," Nikolai said, taking his mother's hands in his. "That's a very stressful life you're living, mother."

"Oh, I can't help it..." Martha clicked her tongue, frowning at him. "Let me fix you some food. You're so thin."

"I just came back to check on you while I drop off the machete," he said as he untied the scabbard. He set the machete by the door and turned back to Martha. "We're going to the city to check on something. Don't look like that," he added when her eyes widened. "I'll be back by tonight. No more long expeditions."

Martha peered at his face and clicked her tongue again, shaking her head. "How is Lana?" she asked softly.

Nikolai paused. Then, he gave her a small smile and shrugged half-heartedly. "Surviving," he said. "I have to go." He patted her on the arm gently. "I'm looking forward to soup later."

Martha nodded, pulling him into a quick hug before releasing him. "Should I make some for her?"

Nikolai hesitated again. He shook his head.

Martha nodded again. "Alright. You know her best."

"We're not married."

"Oh, I never said you were," said Martha, shaking her head as she avoided his gaze. She headed for the kitchen, muttering under her breath. "Why wait though..."