THE WORLD BELOW (VixCaitlyn) / a dive into season two

Fear

Caitlyn walked through the tents and barracks of the shimmer district watchfully, keeping to the shadows with her weapon drawn. The moaning of the addicts around her was louder than she remembered, with fighting sounds echoing from somewhere further in the darkness, drowned out by the light rain and the cawing of crows in the distance.

She was glad to have her trusted rifle back, after desperately claiming it for a large satchel of gold and a pair of earrings back at the potion maker's shop. She knew she only had so much time before her mother would notice her prolonged absence, or until her bodyguards would grow tired of pushing back the beggars and scurry her back to the palace.

Caitlyn had to think. She knew Vi, or at least so she thought, so where would she go? Her first thought was Ekko, the treehouse, but something told her that she wouldn't find her there. Vi would probably steer clear of her childhood friend in her state: He was a pillar of cold-faced truth she would likely want to avoid in her delirium, maybe even be scared to disappoint him.

It had to be a place left almost untouched by the years, filled with the comfort of familiarity.

"Better than I remember!" Vi's voice echoed in Caitlyn's head.

"Worth a try..." she thought, signaling her guards to follow her back towards the lanes.

By the time she arrived at Jericho's shop the rain had intensified. Caitlyn pulled her hood down over her face as she sought shelter under the overhanging roof of the seafood stall. Jericho stuck his massive knife onto his shoulder and greeted her with a large grin.

"Good afternoon" she sternly spoke, placing her rifle into her holster as she approached the counter. Jericho snickered, his eyes switching back and forth between Caitlyn and her guards. He grumbled something before turning away to flip the frog thighs on his grill.

"I was wondering if you know where Vi is, you know, the redhead with poor table manners?"

Jericho shrugged without turning around. He tapped the greasy menu in the corner with one of his thick, amphibian fingers as if he was waiting to hear her order.

Caitlyn sat up on one of the stools and uncovered her face, folding her hands on top of the counter: "I was here with her, just a few weeks ago" she explained "but I haven't heard from her since. She's not in any trouble, I just worry about her. I heard she's not doing well."

Jericho stopped what he was doing, seemingly considering her words. He looked over his mighty shoulder with what could have been interpreted as a sad expression. Wiping his wet hands on his pants he silently grumbled something before pointing his arm at one of the streets that led away from the main road, deeper into the lanes. Caitlyn nodded.

"Thank you" she said as she got up "I appreciate your help, really. We'll come back another time to try your..." she recoiled at the thought "specialties..."

She walked down the road the cook had pointed out to her, poking at the bodies that were lining the sides of the alley with the barrel of her loaded gun. Deep down she was hoping that she wouldn't find Vi in this place, but before long, a familiar red jacket caught her eye. She signaled her guards to wait as she slowly approached the curled up figure, recognizing the bandages on her clenched fists and a strand of rebellious, red hair.

"Vi?" Caitlyn kneeled besides her motionless body, reaching into her hood to hold her face up. Her cheeks were so cold that for one short, agonizing moment she thought that she might be dead, but her breathing was deep and steady and her pupils were moving under her eyelids, running through the images of her dreams. Caitlyn shook Vi's head back and forth in her hands. "Wake up, Vi!" she said softly, careful not to draw too much attention to herself.