good luck Rhys 😉 😁

The first snow had fallen over the night, it bloomed in the air in sparkling wisps. Rhys was already getting out of his bed, the floor creaking beneath him. He wasn’t sure how Vell had managed to get him back, but it had happened and he didn’t feel like asking questions. Rhys glanced down at his foot, which was wrapped tightly with a thin stpid of cloth he had found lying around near Ranoth’s bunk. As his foot met the cool floor he winced slightly, but made sure that no sound escaped his mouth, despite the pain that shot through his whole foot. The floor was cool, along with the air, that seemed almost dry to the touch. Rhys felt algid, and cold. But he continued to the door, grappling at a blanket that hung across someone's bed. The acidic smell of a fruit was lingering impolitely under Rhys’s nose as he exited out onto the porch. Cach watched him with leering eyes, a rosy apple clenched in his hand. Rhys could tell just by looking at it that it was piquant in flavor, and that Cach was lucky to have earned it. Rhys diverted his attention to the sun rising slowly in the east. “Ya excited for today?” Cach asked, biting into the fruit with a satisfying crunch. Rhys nodded slightly as the tufts of colored clouds filled the sky, reflecting on small puddles of melted frost. Rhys stepped down onto the wet gravel, and ignoring that it dug into his feet he dug his hands into his pockets and sighed, saying, “You know what Cach, you're a good bodyguard. When I’m gone I’m gonna miss you.” He glanced over his shoulder and saw that Cach looked extremely taken back. “Oh, well, thanks kid.” he spluttered, taking another bite of his apple. Rhys looked at the sky again, enjoying the hum of the morning, while Cach slouched awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Rhys felt his eyes glisten as he looked around, it wasn’t much, this place, but it was good. It might not have been filled with jewels and diamonds, there was never luscious food, but Rhys had grown up here. It was the only home he had ever known. The grass was dewy as he moved to it, taking a short walk around the lawn, despite his fractured foot. He heard the door creak open behind him and soon later Vell joined him, he was grinning wildly. “Today is the day my friend!” Vell hissed in excitement, sending spittle flying at Rhys’s face. Rhys smiled at the small buck in front of him, “Your right. We’re gonna do it.”

Vell smiled, “let the games begin.”

***

They had parted, the branched whipped at Rhys’s face as he sprinted through the forest. His teeth were clenched tightly together through the searing pain and black was eging at the corners of his vision, but he continued moving. He could hear Vell next to him, carefully holding the bomb in front of him. “MED?” Vell shouted, clarifying. Rhys nodded, they were throwing the bomb at the medical center, it wasn’t supposed to explode very far if Vell had used the right chemicals and the wolves would be most concerned about saving the medical center. Rhys paused, bending over on his knees and gasping for breath. He could barely walk now. “Give it to me.” He wheezed. Vell handed the wax ball to him, it was sludgy against his fur, as though Vell’s body heat had already started to melt it. A hand rested on his shoulder and Rhys turned to see Kat, her face was screwed up in concentration, and Amy was beside her, looking frightened. Rhys looked around and without any hesitation through the bomb. It sailed through the air, this was when the chemicals mixed. The impact would cause the explosion. It seemed to happen in slow motion. Vell covered himself and Amy’s heads, Kat ducked down to the ground, and the bomb exploded. But it was more powerful than Rhys could have ever imagined. Clouds of red and gold streaked throughout the camp, racing in all directions. Screams echoed, but Rhys couldn’t move. Someone was pulling on his arm, no time. Rhys felt himself lose balance as he was forced backward. The fire rent in the air, as if it were determined to rip apart everyone of them to the last atom. Then Rhys’s head hit something hard, it cracked against his skull, sending a wave of shock down his spine. And within a second the world was gone.