Lips pressed together in a tiny grin, Cho unwrapped his arms from around his chest before taking a few small strides towards the door of the cabin. He stopped between Mec and the door, studying the mage's face as he shook his head subtly. "You really can't reach the Anima, huh?" he said in bewilderment. "I mean, I could tell you couldn't, but now I really can tell."
Before Mec could question Cho's statements, a sharp rapping drummed against the wooden door. He wiped the grease from the rabbit meat off his fingers using the side of his pants and straightened himself. He watched as Cho approached the cabin's door.
Small hands reached for the latch that served as the door's lock, and with a little grunt, Cho moved it aside. He then guided the door open. "Oh? Well hello, princess," he said excitedly. "You must be freezing. Oh!" Cho stepped to the side as Shallan brushed past, smiling as he did so. His delicately small fingers squeezed the side of the door as he held it slightly ajar. The cabin's air suddenly felt heavy. Heavy with emotion as Shallan pushed her tired legs onward to reunite with one she cherished so much. Heavy with fright when Mec recognized the angst and condition of his treasured partner. As the pair embraced, Cho watched quietly for a few seconds, before peeking outside the door. A faint memory returned to him, one he thought to ponder elsewhere while he gave the pair their privacy.
Soon after the door had closed, Mec was released from Shallan's embrace. His jaw was stiff from silently bearing through the pain in his throbbing shoulder, as well as clenching through the rush of other thoughts and questions that poured into his mind. After Shallan had a chance to regain herself, Mec reached out with his better arm. He gently held onto his partner's fingers as they reconciled the events that transpired while they were separated.
"I'm sorry for worrying you," he said. With careful steps backward, he sat back down onto the edge of his bed. As he did so, he gently pulled Shallan along, silently inviting her to sit beside him. "I'm glad you found me. Leaving this place before I completely recovered would have conflicted with Olenna's plans, it seems. G is gone, my powers are suppressed, too. Cho seems confidant they will come back, but it will take some time."
He recounted the events with the white knight and the huntress with the white bow, the ones Cho had dubbed "Justiciars" before. "It seems that knight, Gaxeel, enlisted the help of another like him. A woman with a bow with the same properties that knight's armor has. She had arrow tips with the same kind of metal. I barely had time to react when she loosed her arrow from the shadows of the trees."
"It was... horrible, Shallan. We fought, me and Olenna and that woman and Gaxeel. That's the damage that you saw in the forest. I passed out during the battle. I think a piece of the arrow broke off inside my shoulder... But Olenna must have won for me to still be alive, and be here."
He adjusted himself where he sat, combating the discomfort in his arm. "You said that Godrich helped you look for me?" he asked. "So that means everyone is still back at the city then?"
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