Miriam looked at Davis. He had spoken so quietly she hadn't heard him. He was looking at her expectedly. Expecting what?

She tried to raise an eyebrow but couldn't manage just one so settled for looking puzzled. Davis looked so sad and questioning and uncertain that she really just wanted to hug him or run away.

She waited for him to repeat what he said but he didn't. He just kept on looking at her. Echo came to stand next to Miriam and crossed her arms.

She frowned at Davis that made Miriam wonder what she was thinking. Caleb was nearby, his neat eyes looking for landmarks along the landscape.

"This might be it," he said with a terrible finality.

Miriam looked at Echo who, for once, looked like she understood the situation better than Miriam. What was it? What was going on?

"This is important.."

Echo had started to shake her head, but Davis was staring at Miriam.

"Please. I'm asking. If I need to go..."

Echo began to cry. Caleb walked towards them, oblivious to what was going on.

"The good news is that we've reached the halfway mark. Feel free to thank us and rejoice and do whatever it is you people do when you believe you have reached some milestone in your boring little lives," said Caleb.

Caleb looked at them smugly, expecting something other that the confused and dejected faces that looked back at him.

"You know where we are?" Davis asked.

"Of course we do. The way is what we are, boy. What are you talking about?"

"So you know where Valac is? Did we pass it?" Davis asked.

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Caleb narrowed his eyes and Miriam say his pupils contract sharply.

"What's going on?" Caleb asked, sounding incredibly annoyed by the lack of praise and abundance of questions. He looked at Echo. "Why is the brat crying?"

"What way are we going? What way is Valac? Is it the same way? Do we pass through it?"

Caleb stared at Davis for a moment. His tail started to twitch, throwing dust up in uneven clouds around him. Davis seemed too concerned about the questions he was asking to even notice the cat's annoyance.

Echo had apparently had enough. She quietened down and looked at Miriam, a curious determination on her face.

"Why are you asking?" Caleb asked, sounding dangerous.

"Just answer the question, cat. I need to know."

"You need to know? But we don't need to tell you."

"Please."

Caleb turned to Miriam, ignoring the pleading tone in Davis's voice and the desperation in his face.

"Well, miss? Shall I tell him?" Caleb asked Miriam, who had released Echo.

Davis looked at her and, when she didn't answer fast enough, began to yell.

"Mir," Davis said, taking hold of her shoulders. "Get him to tell me! Let me go! I have to. Come with me. Or give me my light and let me go. I'll come back! I swear."

She pulled back instinctively. He turned on the cat, an angry edge coming to his voice.

" All you do is whine and complain. Well here's your chance to be useful. Tell me."

Caleb hissed at him. Echo caught hold of Miriam's hand and started trying to pull at her, trying to get away. Miriam stayed where she was. She wanted to know what was going on.

"We whine? We complain? What do you do then, you little shit? What do you have done?"

Davis ran at the cat, who jumped away.

Miriam tried them to stop, trying to get between them while waving her arms. They danced around her and ignored her.

"-Go ahead then!"

"-Don't tempt me-"

Echo started pulling at Miriam, leading her towards the top of the hill.

"-Or you could just tell me the way and I can get out of your way!"

"If we could, we'd make it so you were out of everyone's way, boy."

Miriam threw a pebble at Caleb, making him jump and hiss some more. They both looked at her but neither looked less angry. Miriam stuck out her tongue and stormed off with Echo following.

"Now look what you've done!" spat the cat. Davis said something Miriam couldn't hear but she didn't care anymore.

_______________________

Davis watched Miriam walk away from him. She knew he was only in this to help his brother. She'd agreed to help. Now she was going back on that. He should have known she'd get mad.

He was stupid for thinking she would just let him leave, that she would help him. He shouldn't be surprised or disappointed. She'd made it clear why she even agreed to take him along. He knew that.

So why did it hurt so much that she hadn't even answered him?

"Don't ignore me, boy."

Now Davis was stuck dealing with Caleb and really wasn't in the mood for it.