Soon enough, an unmistakable rushing noise could be heard in the distance.

“We’re really close... they probably know we’re here already,” Rhodes warned. They were usually pretty keen on sensing trespassers. It was how they’d find them and shake them down.

Sure enough, the clear, flowing water could be both seen and heard through the wooded forest. The mild shine of the water seemed to illuminate things ever so slightly, though with such little moonlight, it wasn’t much help.

To the immediate right of their approach, the river quickly converted into rapids, leading to an eventual minor clearing and cutoff as it dropped off of a cliff into a waterfall.

Shroomsworth and PK could only make out silhouettes, but what Rhodes saw seemed to upset him greatly, as he immediately began rushing along the side of the river to the cliff’s edge.

“Don’t do it!” The Sneasel witnessed several of his brethren hefting an unconscious Sandy. It took several of them to lift her, but they managed.

As the two Merchants approached, they could make out what was going on, thanks to there being little tree coverage near the cliff. Several Sneasels were preparing to heave the poor Deino off of the side of the waterfall!

“No! Put her down!” PK yelled aloud, rushing forward and almost shoving Rhodes out of the way. Her approach frightened the Sneasels, causing them to harmlessly drop Sandy upon the ground and back away. The jarring impact managed to stir her half-awake, though it wasn’t easy for anyone else to tell.

“Miss PK, do be careful! This is very unsafe!” Shroomsworth called out, being the last to approach. He didn’t like how close they all were to this cliff. Something wasn’t right.

With all the excitement, no one paid much heed to the freely-falling snowflakes. They were only in a small clearing, but that was enough for them all to feel the little frozen, crystallized droplets slowly drifting down onto them. It hadn’t been going on long enough to collect on the ground.

As the initial shock wore off, the other Sneasels approached Rhodes angrily. “What’s the big idea? You know boss wants ‘em all gone!” The Sneasel couldn’t help but shout so he could be heard above the rapids.

The statement was enough to make Shroomsworth scoff as he leaned down, attempting to awake Sandy.

PK also looked her over as thoroughly as she could manage in the snowy dark. It was important to make sure she was alright! Luckily, she was completely uninjured. Just a bit later, and that may not have been the case.

“Where are we? Near water?” The Deino was out like a light that entire time. She didn’t even know she had been kidnapped! She lifted her head tiredly, as though she had just awoken from a really deep nap.

“Yeah... we’re going home now...” PK turned to the Sneasels, since they were actually somewhat visible now. They might be young, but that didn’t make them exempt from her anger when they were ready to basically carry out murder. “You should be ashamed! You would have killed her!”

Most of the present Sneasels looked confused at the accusation, as though that never occurred to them. Were they really so brainwashed?

=====

Eighth excerpt from 's story Resignation. Ch2 is almost wrapped up, I think an image or two left to go.

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