The past is behind us, the future is tomorrow (but we are in the now)

Now we have eachother, but tomorrow is a new problem

The storm had ceased its fury long ago, yet the remaining scent of soil and drying rainwater was bitter on Grian's tongue. As he breathed in the stale air, he had to stop himself from hacking his lungs out. He didn't wish to linger around Gelata anymore than needed, but Scar was still trapped, somewhere where Grian couldn't protect him.

His fingers dug harder into his already torn sweater, and his teeth clenched hard enough to where he started to feel pain.

He calmed himself down, only a little bit though. He could have an emotional breakdown later, but right now- he needed to prepare and plan.

They were going to save Scar, no matter what.

--

"Are you sure you want to come with me?" The avian queered, side glancing at his tall partner.

"Nonsense! Scar's my friend too, and who else will keep you out of trouble?" Grian laughed at his friend's response. Mumbo truly knew Grian, and he appreciated Mumbo every day for it.

"Fiiine," He drawled out, too tired to actually argue. Mumbo perked up at his words, delighted to be involved in a scheme, even if it wasn't technically illegal.

Grian huffed out a quiet breath, feeling the stress and worry evaporate from his body, but anxiety still plagued his heart. He didn't even bother trying to break it, knowing full well he wouldn't find peace until Scar was safe. That issue was also the only thing keeping him going, through trauma and pain, and everything else in between.

"We should get going," Grian whispered, the playfulness from earlier completely gone, leaving a worn out child who was trying his best to not have a panic attack.

Mumbo nodded, his black eyes staring past Grian, a dazed look across his pale face. Grian didn't wait for another second. They didn't have time. 

Scar didn't have time.

He marched across the muddy ground, leaving Mumbo on the small hill they had come to scan the area. He didn't bother looking back, if Mumbo was truly with him, Grian trusted him to follow.

He kept walking, trying his best not to slip on the mud, though his ragged clothes getting even more destroyed really didn't matter any more.

They were going to save Scar.

--

The sun was starting to dip, its golden beams flashing across the mid-afternoon hills and forests, drying the cold and damp ground. The birds had ceased their morning songs awhile ago, instead working on their nests or spending time with their flocks.

But there was one bird who had not sung his cheerful tune all day, nor was he with his personal flock.

A parrot avian, a hybrid to the colorful birds, known for their cleverness, social happiness, and motivation, had been stripped of every home and friend he had ever known. From the time he was only a small child, too young to understand the hatred of the woman that he called mother, to the time when he was used and manipulated for years to be a pawn in the scheme for some immortal beings, or even when he thought he found safety with two friends, just for one to go insane and the other to die.

Grian was done being pushed around, beat up, used. He was done being hated, manipulated, alone, forgotten, neglected, weak, useless, and just everything.

This was a new dawn, a new era.

He no longer was the same person all those years ago, he doesn't even know how long he lied to himself about it, but he finally understood what he had to do.