by Diana Winchester 8th February 2021, 12:32 am
-Inside the cave, four hours later-
The trio had stayed inside the cave for much longer than intended, but none of them were complaining about the lengthy break. Spending some time inside the cool cave had revitalized all three of them, especially the hapless Amanda. Earlier she was so tired that she could not speak in complete sentences for long, but now she was able to speak in complete sentences without sounding exhausted. She was also smiling a little.
Ami was the least affected of the trio because of her advanced systems and rugged construction, but she too seemed to be doing better now that her wings had cooled off. Diana had not given any thought to how Ami was doing out here. She had assumed that if something was amiss that Ami would tell her, but it was possible that Ami was keeping quiet about her condition for fear that Diana would have her sent back to where she came from... or have her deactivated entirely.
Diana turned away from that unpleasant thought and turned towards how she was feeling. She was doing OK before she entered the cave with Amanda, but now that she had been out of the sun for awhile she was feeling a lot better both physically and mentally. She still had some water left, but the reservoir in her hydration pack was halfway full. It had been full when she had arrived here over seven hours ago, but Diana's need for water had caused her to tap into it a bit more than she would have liked. Thankfully the trio would be going through Serene Cliff, which was a much more temperate region than Mysterious Canyon.
Traveling through a temperate region meant that there would be less need for drinking water because the temperatures were cooler. Cooler temperatures would also make travel easier on the trio because they would not be courting heatstroke just by being outside. Diana could hardly wait to get there, but first she would need to check if Amanda was able to travel. Earlier she had struggled just to walk in a straight line and when they had entered the cave leaned against the wall and closed her eyes like she was in distress.
Diana looked towards the blonde, who was sitting almost exactly where she had been left earlier. Amanda looked towards Diana with a small smile.
"Are you doing any better, Amanda?" Diana asked the sunburned blonde. Amanda smiled a little.
"I could so with some aloe vera for sunburn, but otherwise I'm doing a lot better than I was hours ago." Amanda answered the question.
"If we were to leave here now and head for Serene Cliff, would you be able to travel without difficulty?" Diana asked Amanda if the latter was fit to travel. Amanda nodded.
"Yeah. I think I can make it now that I've had a break and plenty of water to drink. Once we get outta this place I'll feel even better!" Amanda asserted. She struggled to get to her feet from a sitting position but eventually stood up. Once she was on her feet she gave Diana a thumbs-up.
"OK, I'm on my feet. Now which way is Serene Cliff?" Amanda asked Diana.
"I will guide us there." Diana gently told Amanda. The huntress did not want Amanda wandering off and getting lost again before the trio could even get going.
"That's a good idea." Amanda conceded. Ami, perhaps hearing that they were about to leave the cave and leave Mysterious Canyon, walked over to the pair.
"I'm ready to go too!" Ami said. Diana adjusted her backpack and the sling that Saint Sinner Valentine was on.
"So am I." Diana replied. She could not wait to get out of here and get somewhere cooler. She turned towards Ami, who was waiting for her command.
"Ami, I would like you to go first so that you can get airborne and spot trouble for us." Diana requested. Ami smiled and flashed a thumbs-up.
"You've got it, Diana!" Ami said. She exited the cave first and flapped her wings, then took off into the sky. Diana exited the cave followed shortly by Amanda. The trio had just taken their first steps towards Serene Cliff and towards their ultimate destination, Magnolia Town.
-On the border of Serene Cliff, three hours later-
The sun was beginning to set and the trio were currently standing in front of a wide river that marked the border between Mysterious Canyon and Serene Cliff. They had made it here without incident thanks to Ami scouting out the path ahead for them. The river that was looming in front of them was way too wide to wade across and the water was moving too fast for Amanda and Diana to stay on their feet even if they were brave enough to try and wade across the river.
Amanda looked towards the river, then towards Diana.
"How are we gonna get across this river without getting wet?" Amanda asked the huntress. Diana smiled. She knew just how to get across the river without incident.
"Ami, could you help Amanda and me get across the river?" Diana asked her faithful android companion. Ami smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.
"Sure thing, Diana!" Ami replied. Amanda turned to Diana and spoke.
"Would you mind if I go across first?" Amanda asked Diana. Diana shook her head.
"It is no problem. Be my guest. Just do me a favor and stay where you are once you get across. I do not know this area very well and I do not want you to get lost again." Diana requested. Amanda sheepishly smiled at the huntress.
"All right, Diana. I'll stay put once your pal Ami drops me off on the other side!" Amanda promised. Ami approached her and wrapped her arms around the sunburned blonde's waist, then lifted off straight up and ferried Amanda across the river while the blonde looked down apprehensively. Once Ami was safely across she deposited Amanda on the ground and returned to Diana... the crossing and the return trip took just five minutes for Ami to complete.
"All right, Diana, it's your turn!" Ami notified the huntress. Diana nodded and Ami wrapped her arms around Diana's waist, then took off vertically and began flying towards the river with her owner firmly in her grasp. Soon Diana would be across the river and the journey towards Magnolia Town could resume.
[Post Word Count: 1,078]
[Total Word Count: 4,778/7,000]