Not Reith

As the last streaks of sunlight vanished from the sky, replaced by slow-rolling thunderclouds, the group took shelter inside the old mill—everyone except Reith. He remained perched in his tree, watching from high above as the door shut with a soft creak behind Sai, who offered a lazy wave in his direction.

Reith’s eyes, heavy from the day’s march, fought to stay open. The rain had started—soft at first, a hush across the leaves—but steady. He shifted slightly on his branch, adjusting the scythe handle that anchored him in place. Sleep tugged harder than it had in days.

Inside the mill, the warmth and dryness were a welcome change. Sai shook the water from his cloak as the door latched shut behind him.

“So he’s really sleeping in the tree, huh?” Corvin stretched across an old bench, one arm and one leg flopped dramatically off the sides.

“Seems like it,” Sai replied, pulling off his boots and sitting beside the dwindling oil lamp. “I just hope he doesn’t catch a cold.”

“He’ll be fine. the tough guy Probably wake us up before dawn just to rub it in,” Corvin added with a yawn.

“I bet he slams the door when we finally start sleeping in,” Corvin finished as Sai added a small chuckle.

Mira, crouched near the oil lamp, as she smirked. “Would be a shame if he woke you, Corvin. You definitely need your beauty sleep.”

Corvin shot upright. “Oh, look who thinks she’s funny now. Listen here, Elf—”

“Wow,” Mira interrupted as she slowly clapped her hands, “another joke about someone’s weapon. You are painfully predictable.”

Sai and Eira exchanged tired, unimpressed looks at the twos direction, Corvin thinking of what she just had said.

“Let me help you out,” she said, pointing first at Sai. “You keep calling him Samurai. Why? Because of his sword? Despite what sword he actually has—Its more like a medieval knights sword.”

She pointed to herself next. “Me? Elf? Really? I understand that nerdy games and movies has elf’s with bows. I just hope its not just some weird fantasy scenario you’ve cooked up in your head?”

Corvin sputtered. “I never—”

“And Reith?” Mira raised a brow. “Harvester? Is that because of his scythe? Or is it a dig about his background, or maybe because you think he looks like Death incarnate?”

There was a pause.

“Pfft.” Corvin flopped back down. “Way to kill the vibe. Real buzzkill, Mira or should i call you killjoy.”

Mira said something in response, but her voice was swallowed by the first rumble of thunder overhead, followed quickly by the steady drum of rain on the mill’s roof. The oil lamp and candles they had found cast shadows over the room. Eira, half-curled on a worktable jutting from the wall, watched the orange light flicker of the two diffrent light sources.

Then—drip.

Followed by four more.

Mira looked down and spotted a line of water falling through cracks in the roof. She frowned.

“Hey, Eira. Toss me that bowl over there.”

Eira grabbed it from the shelf and flung it like a Frisbee. Mira caught it with one hand and carefully placed it beneath the leaks, managing to catch four of the five. The fifth drop still pattered to the floor, slowly forming a puddle as the drops splashed against the ground.

“Good enough,” Mira muttered. She lay down on the floor beside the bowl, her back turned to the rogue leak.

One by one, they settled into sleep. Corvin remained on the bench, Eira stretched across the wall-mounted desk, and Sai laid out a blanket on the floor deeper into the mill. Mira stayed near the lights. The rain fell harder now, but the steady rhythm of drops into the bowl was oddly soothing as they safety fell into it.

Sai glanced out the door one last time. Reith was still in the tree, unmoving, rain soaking his side and face. Yet his posture was relaxed—too relaxed for someone whom was constantly getting bombarded with water.

He must be exhausted, Sai thought. Can’t blame him. He stayed up most of last night while everyone else got sleep. Sai glanced at Mira. Well at least we got more sleep then he did.

Quietly, he closed the door and locked it. Just as he was about to settle in, he heard a soft voice.

“Psst.”

He looked up to see Eira, her head peeking over the edge of her desk bed.

“Is Reith okay?”

“Seemed so,” Sai whispered.

Eira nodded and lay back. “Good night, Sai.”

“Good night, Eira.”

A pause.

“Good night, Corvin and Mira… and Reith,” she added gently.

Sai smiled to himself. “Good night everyone,” he echoed under his breath.

The night dragged on. Rain dripped steadily into the bowl, the sound solemn and patient only interrupted by the one falling outside the bowl. No one moved. The peace of uninterrupted sleep—a rare luxury—blanketed the group. The storm outside raged for a time, then passed.

Dawn crept in quietly, soft and grey. None of them moved, unwilling to leave their warm corners, their tired bodies hovering in the haze between sleep and waking.

Then—

Dunk.

Dunk.

DUNK.

A heavy slam at the door made Corvin flinch. He groaned and covered his face with an arm. Sai rolled over, muttering but not rising.

DUNK. DUNK.

“Oh my GOD—SHUT UP!” Corvin bolted upright. “I swear, if I hear one more slam on that door, I will personally come out there and chop you up—and I PROMISE you, not even Sai, Mira, or sweet little Eira will stop me. So you’d better stop, you good-for-nothing WIERDO!”

Silence followed.

Corvin dropped back onto his bench, muttering curses. Eira, briefly startled, blinked and returned to her nap. Mira, somehow still asleep, didn’t stir. Sai rolled over and said nothing.

Ten minutes passed.

Then—

DUNK. DUNK. DUNK. DUNK.

This time, it woke everyone not just the slamming but Corvin. Corvin leapt to his feet, grabbing his axe. Sai sat up groggily, rubbing his eyes. Mira, now fully alert, strapped on her quiver.

“Where are you going?” she asked.

Corvin was already stomping toward the door. “Apparently to kill Reith, since he doesn’t understand human language!”

Sai opened his mouth but didn’t object—this was normal behavior for Corvin. Eira jumped off the desk and followed slightly behind Corvin.

Corvin grabbed the door handle, as another four dunks was heard. His fingers tightening around his axe. “You’re really testing me!”

Mira sat with her head in her palm, cross-legged by the bowl, to her suprise there was no wet spot next to it as she Glanced down quickly before getting ready to watch Corvin and Reith fight happen.

Corvin unlocked the door.

It swung open.

Four black-gloved arms shot in from outside, seizing Corvin by both shoulders. In a blur, he was yanked out into the morning light.

“CORVIN!” Eira shouted as the door closed behind him.

Mira was already on her feet, bow in her hand in an instant. Sai grabbed his sword. Even Eira, startled but alert, reached for her naginata.

They rushed toward the door, weapons ready.