[Teal]

Wow! *stunnedandamazed* Yes, I actually got some done... *still holds out a little hope of getting it finished this century*

Oh well...

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Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*It was evening - Aura had left all the goods her mother had sent her out for on the table in the main room back at home, and now sat at the base of her parent's tree, tailtip twitching in agitation. She'd agreed to meet Jan here at sundown - there was a thin rind of sun showing on the treeline, and that'd be gone soon...
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*"Aurora...?" a voice intruded on her thoughts.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*She turned her head - there he was, right on time. "I was getting worried."
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*"What, that I wasn't going to turn up? It's only just sundown."
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*"I know, I... jus' worried, that's all. Guess I picked it up from mum..." she sighed, pushed herself upright.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*"You ready to go?"
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*"Soon... I jus'... want to do something before we go..."

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Medcentre was quiet. Night-shift had taken over from the day staff; the guards on duty had recognised the diminutive sligette and let her and Jan in without a fuss. They were used to her visits, after all - she often came down to visit the medical staff, as she seemed to have inherited her father's genetically enhanced intellect, and hungered for knowledge... Tonight was different, although the staff didn't know it. Tonight she wanted to say goodbye.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Aura had headed straight for the quiet ward where "the sleepers" were being cared for. It was some weeks since the mad spirit had been vanquished, but none of his victims - those that had survived - were showing any signs of waking up. While Jan stood in the doorway, uncomfortably, holding her little pack in one hand, his own bag slung across his shoulders, she went over to where Xar lay, apparently sleeping peacefully.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Aura boosted herself onto the low stool beside the bed, and gently touched noses with him. "Hey uncle," she said, softly, as though afraid to wake him. "Just thought I'd come see you one last time, before I go off, try save the world and all that jazz..." she joked, and laughed, tiredly, hunched her shoulders. "Wish you could hear me... maybe yer'd be able to say sorry to mum for me... sorry for goin' off like this... Feelin' guilty as hell, y'know... but then..." she stared down at her fingernails. "I can't leave ev'ryone like this, no chance of wakin' up, no chance of livin' properly... I got to go find help, as its pretty Odd-damned certain no-one else will..."
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*She sighed, falteringly. "Miss you, uncle Foggy..." she said, softly. "Place is awful quiet wi'out you..."
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*At the door, Jan cleared his throat, softly. "Uhm, Aurora...?"
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*She looked up.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*"The longer we stay here the longer we risk them guessing something's up."
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*He had a point, of course... She sighed, and dropped back to the floor. "Guess yer right..." she agreed, reluctantly, as he helped her arrange the little pack across her shoulders. She paused in the doorway, looking back past him to the banks of instruments quietly chirping in the background, but nodded, as though to settle the doubts in her mind. "Let's go, then..."
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*He followed her out, and they set off into the night.

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Aalu was up first, as always - Rek usually had difficulty sleeping, maybe something to do with those months in solitary confinement he'd suffered a few years ago, would sometimes lay awake listening to her breathing for an hour or two...
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*She padded through into the living area, and paused just inside the doorway. Strange - there was no new scent there, only hers and Rek's from the night before, and Aura's from the previous morning... "Aurora...?" she called, gently.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Then she noticed the little scrap of yellowed paper, tucked under a stone just inside the doorway...

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Rek woke to a vigorous shaking. "What, what...?" he asked. "Not time to get up yet, surely...?" He rubbed his eyes, blinked blearily up at Aalu.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*She gave a sob. "Rek, she's gone...!"
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*He was wide awake in microseconds. "Who's gone?" he demanded, fearing the worst.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Aalu shook her head, hopelessly, and mutely handed over the little note, written on the back of the list she herself had written only the day before.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*It was very obviously from Aura - not many of the locals could write at all, but that wasn't the telling part - Rek had taught her to write when she was little, and she'd echoed the crisp, precise lines of his handwriting in a lazy, fluid style.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*I've gone to get help, it said, simply. Gone to learn the Healing, whatever that is. I may not be back for a while, but I've got company. Try not to worry, I'll be back, I promise.
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*'Aura.

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With luck *fingers crossed* Something vaguely more exciting should happen next chapter...