Starglow Basin we're more ghosts than people

even with her prayer, even with her thin hope, even with the presence of @Colt, nothing could save Redbird from the results of her mania. Scurrying at first felt purposeful, being led impulsively across the redstone and through chasms of bone, carrying the jaw which was imbued with the spirit.
the path forked and dipped too often. when she thought she found her way out, she found a dead end, or a steep drop, or cacti blockading her passage.
with growing frustration her teeth cut deeper grooves in the bone; but she wouldn't quit, intent on finding a way out for the both of them.

it turned out that being carried clear cross to kingdom come, or even another part of the basin, was an experience in static events that left the rowdy shade exhausted.
the further they traveled from his actual deathsite, the harder it was for colt to keep his shape. at times he would be trotting alongside her, only to blink ahead or behind; other moments would allow him to take a solid figure, but only for a handful of moments.
red's teeth worried the bone in her jaws, and a second later, briggs felt the warm trickle of ghostly blood along his own chin. "where we goin,' red?" colt grunted, tasting the metallic heat as if he had never died.

sometimes she saw him out of the corner of her eye. more often than not she traveled seemingly alone. the further they went the heavier the jaw bone felt between her teeth, but she didn't want to let it go. what if she dropped it? what if she released her hold and it turned to dust as soon as it touched the earth? there was no telling if her prayer had succeeded; only her faith could keep this going, and redbird didn't have much to spare.
when she heard his voice she tensed, looking for him, and then grimaced.
around the bone she answered: wa'out. gotta find ith.
there had to be something. some path she'd missed. a secret grotto, maybe. something.
redbird refused to leave colt behind but equally so, she refused to die here with him.

a way out. he gazed at the sky and sighed heavily. "it's back the way you come, red. that's how i died out here, yew know. ain't no worter. and i knew yer thirsty."
but there was no moisture here, not even the hope of dew, until she got out of the basin somehow. unless he too had missed something.
"put it down an' git. go. now, red," briggs ordered in a growl. "i ain't come back to see yew die here either, plumb foolish o'yew t'come in at all."

h'ain't gonna die, asshole.
her murmuring was not as sharp as it could have been. her tongue felt like rawhide. still, she circled another way.

no way i'm leavin' without yew. if that means i go your way, fine. the bear won't see it happen, though. of this she had faith. she had given a piece of herself in exchange for this piece of him.

speaking of, her head throbbed beneath the dried red stain stemming from her ear.

a bit o' blood and prayer got me this far with yew. just gotta find -- more.

at this, a scent caught in her nose and she began to dig heartily in to the sand, around a rock which was then upturned. a vole tried to scurry off when exposed, and she caught it, crushed it, and hummed a sound of pleasure as it disappeared down her throat.

could he argue with any of it?
the bear this! the bear that! colt ain't never liked the murderin varmints, not before and not now.
but red had got him out from under his bones, got him out the basin. got him to a place where he thought he might actually have a chance at leaving. 
his faith then, was for redbird and not the bear. his lip curled.
but briggs followed all the same. he had no choice and no interest in resisting even if he had.