It felt weird, not having a boot on. With the boot temporarily removed, her foot was only wrapped in messy, dirtied bandages. As the young woman spoke, she strategically collected moss and filled Felicity’s shoe with it. She spoke of being a half-breed between a dwarf and dark elf. That, combined with her paranoia of magic, confirmed origins from Alerar. Her eyes sparkled, herself intensely engaged with the words she spoke. She had no idea such radically different species were comparable. Previous half bloods she came across, such as her half-elf mentor and herself, had parental species far more closely related.

The trick with the moss and boot dazzled her as well. Even for an alchemist, she never knew to do that! Maybe, it was because she had focused some much on potions and medicines instead of survival. Right now, her mellow moaning ankle echoed for relief. Hopefully, this trick would give it a pillow like padding.

“Hybrid,” Felicity shoved her metal bird into a bag pocket before collecting the map, “Another word for half breed, half blood…”

As Yvonne helped her get the boot back on, Felicity thanked her again. She smiled, using one arm to pull it on right. The other held the map. Felicity, who already trusted her enough at this point, held the map out for her to take. Smudges of dark, cool mud covered the girl now. It felt… refreshing.

“I’m half human, half neanderthal.” The burnt out teen fell onto her side, “And this mud feels nice.”

Indeed, the sound of the lively, peppy trickling of water through the stream was relaxing. With her eyes closed, she heard the babbling waters and felt the tar like, wet dirt. This was serene… yet noises called from within her own mind. Shadows of figures, the color red, briefly replaced the vision she closed herself off from. Veins protruded from her neck as her heartbeat raced again. There was no rest as echoes of words long past invaded her memory. Her dilated eyes flashed open. She pushed herself up again. She left hand prints in the mud, her legs no longer relaxed against the rain forest floor. She was already ready to push herself to her feet. “We need to get some water and purify it.”

She pulled the bag off her back, then reached into the clutter. Muttering unenunciated words as she searched, she eventually pulled it out. It was a small device, yet it worked just as well as Alerar's steam machines. She willed her hand to her canister. It shook briefly. She forced herself to grip it. Her words were unintentionally hasty, slurred, and peppy. “You put the water into a jug, pour it through this thing. Then put it in the canister. Boom! Clean water!”

How obvious had her flashback been? She did not know. She brushed past it, however. She wanted to see Yvonne to the town as soon as possible, she really owed the half dwarf one. Regardless of her eminent collapse, she kept pushing.