Algid (#TronnorAU)

Chapter 15: Green-chested Sparrow

Connor almost smiled to himself after hearing that. Then, a mental image of Alexis jumping of joy and chanting 'FINALLY! CONNOR IS NO LONGER SOCIALLY AWKWARD!' played on his head, and he scoffed, shaking his head from the sole thought of it.

-"So, you know..."—Troye continued—"If there's every any chance that you do want to talk about it... Just call me out."

Connor let out a sigh, and then looked at Troye and nodded with a slight grin. Friendship works both ways after all. But, for the rest of the day, he hoped he wouldn't have to think about any of that again.

Two more hours into the walk, and here's what they had found so far: and oversized yet still inhabited beehive, a grey fox that ran way faster than Caspar chasing after it, a couple of praying mantis which didn't want to be bothered at the time and a cave that used to be a bear's lair. Yet, not a single sign of the damned bird. It finally seemed like Mr. Cole was starting to lose some of his toxic enthusiasm.

-"Come on, kids... we... we're gonna find one! Yeah, any minute now!"—he would say, and be responded with nothing but groans of exhaustion.

The minute took a little bit longer than originally thought. It never came, to be precise.

Perhaps it was about time to give up already, but eventually Mr. Cole said they should better get back to camp. Not without first catching their breath for a little, of course, and have a water break by the riverside. By this point, Mr. Cole had already admitted that the bird wasn't even going to show. He blamed pollution, climate change and politicians.

Connor sat on a rock not too close to the shore, joined of course by Troye, Caspar and Joe. They were waiting for Lilly to come sit with them, given she had been hiking alongside Alexa and they had a slowed pace than the rest of them. Connor wasn't too tired and neither was Troye, but they were overshadowed by Caspar's exaggerated stamina.

-"I hadn't had this good a walk in weeks!"—Caspar said, taking a sip from his water—"It feels so exhilarating!"

-"WALK...!? YOU CALL THIS... A WALK...!?"—Joe yelled-whispered, unable to get a proper breath across his panting—"I FEEL... VIOLATED...!"

-"You're overreacting Joe."—Troye said with a laugh—"This is actually really good for you. Look at Caspar! He's like a fish in the water!"

It was funny seeing how Caspar seemed to glow with his sweat whilst Joe seemed to be absolutely miserable, but that's what you get from karma from time to time. Connor spotted Lilly all on her own, picking up a water bottle from a sick-of-it Mr. Hartman, and called her up.

-"Lilly!"

Lilly spotted Connor waving at her, smiled, and walked towards her friends. She took a seat next to Connor, sighing from the exhaustion of the long walk.

-"Oh, man!"—she grumped—"I don't think I've hiked this much pretty much since... well never!"

She then turned around to make sure Mr. Cole wasn't around, and then added.

-"All for a lame-ass bird. Seriously though, when are we supposed to find one!?"

-"I don't think we are anytime soon."—Troye said—"The universe is not on our side."

-"The weather isn't either."—Connor mocked—"This sun does not seem like autumn at all."

-"Hehe... ye' know, mate, I wouldn't talk bad of the sun..."

Connor raised an eyebrow at Joe, who suddenly seemed to have enough energy to make fun of people again.

-"Why do you say that?"