Valkyrie (Complete)

15: Ready, Set, Go

It's been a week. Seven days underground, with the three Eikonidians only know when was day or night by their sleep patterns. They relied on that to sleep and when they were awake, they explored the tunnels. They now know them well enough to navigate them in the dark and don't have to light any torches. As well, they all healed, Kaj is completely healed, Phoenix is left with just a pink scar, and Valkyrie's leg and shoulder are healed. 

The tunnels stretch for miles around. If you were above ground, you wouldn't even know that they were there. None of them can help the feeling of awe whenever they walk around and know that they're under their town or near the border to Ankathian territory without the enemy knowing.

They're growing restless. While it's safe underground, it prevents them from knowing what's happening. They're all desperate to know if their people are safe or where they are. They haven't seen any sign of them since they were in town, and there were only a couple people scattered here or there.

It's the morning of their eighth day in the cave. Kaj is down at the river taking a bath and Phoenix and Valkyrie are still laying down.

"Do you think that our people are still alive?" She asks, worry building in her chest.

"I honestly don't know, but I'd like to think they are. Our people don't give up easily, so I bet they are." He's playing with her hair. It's down from the ponytail and the braids are taken out. She likes to braid her hair when it's wet because it's tighter, so she's waiting until after she bathes.

"Did you have any nightmares last night?" She asks. "I didn't have to wake you up at all."

He smiles gently at her. "I did, but just having you near me helps. I wake up now and once I know you're there, I'm okay." He pauses. "Do you get them?"

She nods. "Every night. I think it's normal for what we've been through though, and I can only imagine it will get worse after the war is over."

"Why don't you ever wake me up?"

"Because you need to sleep too. If I woke you up, you would stay up to make sure I slept again, and then you wouldn't sleep much at all. Most of the time after I have a nightmare, I'm awake until morning."

He gives her a tender kiss on her temple as she sits up. "You could still wake me up. I wouldn't mind."

She shrugs. "It's okay. I usually plan out different scenarios in my head for how we could win the war. I don't know how many of them are realistic since most of it depends on where our people are, but at least it's somewhat of a plan."

Kaj comes back dressed in his combat pants and a t-shirt, his hair still wet. "You're up," he says to Phoenix. He tosses him a towel and Phoenix catches it easily before handing it to Valkyrie.

"You want to go first?" He asks her. She shakes her head and motions for him to go ahead. He stands up and walks around the corner to the river, leaving Valkyrie and Kaj.

There's silence for a minute before Kaj speaks. "Promise me you won't do anything stupid during this war."

"What constitutes as stupid?"

"Anything where you die for someone else or self-sacrifice or any of that crap. Don't leave without us and don't even think about dying. Phoenix would go crazy."

She suppresses a smile. "I'll try my very hardest."

He shakes his head. "That's not good enough. Promise me."

"I promise to try my very best not to die."

He gives her a look and says, "Come on Val, I'm serious."