Otatso Wetlands Kausittualuk

Having found a connection with his brother was one of the strangest things Keelut had experienced in his short lifetime. He'd always seen Atshen as sort of a bully, with whom he did not share a thing except for their parents, a beast, an irrational bastard, and many, many more way more insulting things that could cross his little mind from time to time, but now he was kind of OK...

Seeking him out felt very strange, as though Keelut was going against his own morals and beliefs, but on the other hand there was something exciting in his mind that he needed to find out. He'd dragged his brother out of Blackfeather Woods, sneaking past the forest's security and into the wilder beyond. There was nothing in the forest that Keelut could use, within or outside Potema's cache, and so he wondered whether out there, somewhere, would there still be usable herbs to get in touch with Anna again. He knew that Atshen would be interested, but he hadn't told him where they were going or what they were doing, for he didn't know for sure.

Their trip was longer than expected, almost taking them two full days until they reached a place which seemed to have potential in Keelut's very inexperienced eyes. Perhaps it was the familiar smell of sludge which drove him closer, or perhaps the very defroster scenery within the mire that confirmed Keelut's expectations, but whatever it was that drew him closer had been a trap. It was hard to move in the mud, and the strong smell of rotten whatever was busting the boy's navigation senses. Had it been a mistake? Could Atshen do anything to save them? Or perhaps, would they die there and then?