Pitch was the first to reawaken. Or so she thought.

She sat up and looked around. All she could see were wide-leaved shrubs and impossibly tall trees, bathed in the pink glow of sunset.

“Where in the world is this…?” she murmured.

“Judging by the temperature, my guess would be hell.”

Pitch stifled a shriek. She searched frantically for the source of the sudden voice. Sure enough, she spied Azor’s tail-eye, bobbing gently over the foliage nearby. When it saw her, it lowered slightly, as if unnerved.

“You—!” She scampered forward menacingly. “You nearly scared me to death! What are you doing hiding down there?!” she demanded.

Azor laid flat on his back on the ground, almost hidden by the leaves even from up close. “…I am not hiding,” he said, squinting up at her. “I have simply decided to stay down here in the shade, if it doesn’t disturb you too greatly.”

Pitch squinted back. “…What’s the matter with you?” she asked. “Are you injured?”

“Not particularly. Although I thank you for pretending to care.”

“I’m not pretending; I…” She sighed, and pushed her braids away from her face. “…Look, I’ll admit that I’ve been somewhat hostile towards you since we met,” she said. “But I apologize. There’s really no reason for any ill will between us, and I never meant to make you feel unwanted…I assure you, I care for you just as much as I would for any stranger in need. So if you’ll let me—”

“I am not in need of anything, except to be left alone,” Azor interrupted. “And if you dare touch me, you will soon find your fingers separated from your hand.”

Pitch made a face. “…I suppose that’s the thanks I get for trying to be kind. Fine, I won’t do it again.”

She stood up, and began to walk away. “You may stay on the ground for as long as you like. Grow roots, if it strikes your fancy,” she said. “I must search for the children.”

“Oh yes, of course, the children…assuming they still live…” he said softly.

Pitch thought she detected a hint of genuine weakness in his voice, but decided to ignore it. And yet, she made a quick mental note of her surroundings, just in case she might need to find her way back to him.

~~

Pitch walked through the jungle for a long time, straight towards the setting sun, calling for Lucy and Dreadli every minute or so. By the time the pink sunset had faded into blue night, her voice had become quite hoarse, and she took a few careful sips from her canteen, painfully aware of the fact that she hadn’t passed by any fresh water on her way.

Eventually she reached the beach, and she couldn’t help but stare out at it in awe. The luminous sand, the moon and stars overhead, the pale light of the Margins on the horizon: It was the shore of the True Sea.

“…By some miracle, we have been brought closer to our goal,” Azor said from behind her.

Pitch flinched, then turned slowly, clutching her chest. “…I do wish you’d quit startling me that way,” she said through clenched teeth. “How did you get here…?”

“I followed the setting sun, as you did.”

“I thought you had decided to stay where you were...”

“Only until the temperature fell to acceptable levels.” Azor stepped past her onto the sand. He looked down at his feet, apparently disturbed. “…This place just keeps getting more dreadful…” he muttered.

“Only you would look upon such beauty and call it dreadful.” She sat down on the sand and removed her shoes, stretching her toes. “…Did you happen to see the children on your way out here?” she asked.

“No, I did not. And I believe we should begin to consider what we will do without them.”

“What ‘we’ will do…?”

“We, you and I, you or I, whatever you want to call it. The fact remains that the little snips who got us into this situation may be a thousand miles away for all we know, so we will have to make our own decisions from now on.” He looked up. “…Personally, I think I might still try to reach the moon. There’s still the matter of revenge, and I’ve already been brought this far…besides it can’t be much worse there than it is here…”

“…Why are you telling me this?” asked Pitch. “Is it…your way of asking me to go with you?”

“…No. I am not asking for anything; I am simply making you aware of the circumstances. You’re free to do whatever you please; it makes no difference to me.”

Pitch smiled subtly. “…Well, thank you for coming all this way to tell me that.”

“As long as you truly don’t mind either way, I think we should remain partners,” she continued. “They do say two heads are better than one, and besides, you will probably need someone to look after you during the day, while you hide from the sun and the sand.”

Azor clenched his shoulders indignantly, but said nothing.

“Before we consider continuing to the moon, however, we will have to find a source of fresh water…perhaps you don’t have to worry about it, being whatever sort of creature you are, but for me it is a matter of life and death.”

“No…I will also need water eventually,” Azor replied. “And since I have nothing better to do at the moment, I suppose I will go and search for it.”

Pitch struggled to her feet. “Hold on, I’ll—”

Azor held up his hand. “There is no need,” he said simply.

Pitch watched him leave, thinking several different things. “…I suppose he’ll be fine on his own until sunrise,” she thought at last, before returning her gaze to the ocean view.