The Snake in the Ice

Going Home

A/N: Before I begin I would like for you all to see the wonderful fan art Jonas Torres did of Bobazo!! You can find this amazing piece in the artbook too!!

Bobazo and I were on one end of the Canoe while Misaha was on the other end. He watched us with kind and happy eyes as Bobazo and I embraced again, slightly rocking back and forth to calm each other down.

I ran my hand through his dark green dreadlocks. Petting down his head to help comfort him. His grip was like iron and it was practically choking the breath out of me, but I refused to move even an inch.

I let his breath on my shoulder, I could tell by how trained it was that he was trying to hold it in. I could still feel him shaking, or maybe that was me. It could have been both of us.

It was a long minute before I mustered up the strength emotionally to pull away from him. I looked deep into his multi-eyes as I stroked down his face with my fingertips.

He had changed since the last time I saw him a few months ago. He had big dark spots underneath his eyes as if he had not been sleeping. There was a big scar on his forehead, I ran my fingers over that as well and he closed his eyes as he shivered.

Y'avashaak popped his head over Bobazo's shoulder, budding at my hand and I could not help the giggle that escaped my throat. I gave in to his demand and flipped my hand over so that the top of his head was in my palm.

I glanced back up to Bobazo and he and I stared into each other's eyes. More words going between us than our mouths could ever say.

We both closed our eyes as we pressed our foreheads together. The bridges of our noses colliding slightly. I could feel my heart pounding so hard in my chest. I was practically vibrating with how fast my body and hand was shaking.

So many things had happened in just the last hour, I actually felt like I might vomit and pass out. I was saved by my tribe, but lost friends in the process, I got Y/S/N back, Aliskaad was murdered, I saw Karribou with my own eye, I was reunited with my tribe and Bobazo, and now we were on our way home.

I pulled away as I realized that my hand was still covered in my friend's blood. I looked down at it as it wobbled. I quiveringly turned to the edge of the canoe where I dipped my hand into the cold water. I had no other hand to wash the blood off so I shook it in the water to try and clean it.

I did not realize that I had started crying again, and was shaking my hand sporadically as I tried and tried to no avail to get the already dried blood off of my hand.

My breaths were quick and high pitched as I entered a small panic attack. Bobazo's hands grabbed me and moved me around so that I was looking at him again. My eyes were wide.

" She's dead! She's dead! She's dead!" I cried out in dismay to him. His eyes were furrowed with worry as listened to my ranting.

" Who's dead? My flower you are scaring me what is wrong?" He asked quickly. Both of us were already extremely emotional as it was with our reunion. Now that I was panicking that feeling was slowly leaking into him too.

" Aliskaad! Karribou dropped her from the sky! I held her as she died!" I sobbed. Bobazo's shoulders slumped as he heard the news about his friend, a sorrowful look crossing his features. I continued to sob and he brought me close again. A hand on the back of my head as I shook in his hold.

He hushed me and whispered calming things to me to help calm me down. The sky darkened as the sun dipped lower and lower on the horizon. After I was able to calm down slightly, Misaha explained that we would reach the Sureen village by nightfall with how fast the river was tonight.