"How did you get here?" Mick asked the two of them from where he sat on a rock. Comia was wrapping a bandage around him.
"What do you mean, how did we get here? If it weren't for Sister Karen's arrow, you'd still be racing that ogre," Comia teased.
"All right, it was my fault. But you didn't turn back after finding the spring. That wasn't part of the original plan." Of the five of them, Karen and Comia had both planned to head back as soon as they found the spring.
"Shouldn't we find you first? We're safer together." Comia tied off the bandage, then straightened up.
"Phew. That's it. Your wounds aren't serious," she assessed simply.
The three exchanged information, then Mick followed the route Comia and the others had taken and collected some spring water.
"That means we've completed our first objective, and we've made progress on the second one, too." Comia glanced at the dead ogre in the distance.
"This one should count as Sister Karen's. She did the most. You don't mind, do you, Mick?"
"I don't mind." Mick shook his head. If Karen hadn't stepped in just now, that ogre would probably have chased him to his death.
"What should we do with the time we have left? Head back now, or look for Tia and Ray?" Comia asked the two of them.
"Either is fine with me," Karen said.
"I..." Mick had wanted them to help him avenge their fallen teammates, but when he thought of the danger, he kept quiet.
"I want to find Jero first. He's hiding in a cave two miles from here," Mick said.
"If we know where to go, let's get moving. It'll be dark soon." Comia dusted off her skirt, then reached over and patted Dough beside