Green Desert - Chapter 4.4.1 - Bhanar

We’d found them. The only question now was, “What are we going to do?”

Séara checked her gun. “I’m going to go arrest Zhudırı. I don’t think the older man or the woman will pose much of a threat. They cooperated last night.”

Things seemed to have changed since last night. But maybe not. I whispered, “What do you want me to do?”

She stood motionless for a few seconds, her full, naturally-dark lips hovering in a semi-pursed shape. Finally, she replied, “Just stay behind me.”

I hoped for something a bit more vital to the mission than hovering behind her, but this was her show. I nodded.

Séara turned and crept back to the bushes. I followed close enough to hear her breathing. She pushed the branches over her head without letting them snap me in the face. I did the same, as quietly as possible. No warning for Zhíno.

The trail suddenly descended steeply, Séara’s head near my knee level. Pebbles and dirt skittered down the slope ahead of us, into the duff under the dense brush. How far down did this go?

I slipped on the loose soil, my feet almost hitting Séara’s ankles. When I looked up, we were at the bottom. Pí‘oro stood facing us, a brook behind him.

He put up his hands.