Cora's Camp 2

"I didn't want to wake you by jarring the bed when I jumped up," Theos said smiling. "You need all the rest you can get. So do I but I am fine just about anywhere. Sleeping on rocks makes one use to sleeping pretty much anywhere."

Kemba took a bite of his bread swallowing the dry grain before speaking, "I wouldn't have mind if you did. You make sleeping easier. I am better off with your warmth on my body." He looked over to the armor hanging near him and its filth. It would probably take days to get those stains out.

"Where did you go? Since you had gotten up." Kemba asked leaning into Theos, resting his head on his side.

"Was I disruptive to your sleep?"

"I sleep with you all the time. You could never be disruptive," Theos said smiling. "I went to see Kaa after talking to Ike. He hadn't woken yet." Theos looked a bit crestfallen.

"I can only imagine his fathers ire. I'd like to go see Cora before long. Try to help if I can," Theos said looking to his partially eaten portion.

Kemba took another bite, finishing his piece as Theos spoke. He moved his head so he could gaze at Theos from his current position against him.

"Kaa...he's alive though. I can't imagine what Cora must be feeling...or Ban or Don. That is their blood...and heir." Kemba gave it a thought and sat up reaching for his water and taking a drink of it.

"I know Cora is your uncle...if you want to go see him, I'll be fine. I'm not really supposed to move with these bandages on my waist. I'll be here when you get back. Magi was going to come and remove the stitch from my lower region anyway. I don't want to move and miss him." Kemba smiled and took another drink, offering some to Theos.

"I know how much you love him."

"Kaa...he's alive though. I can't imagine what Cora must be feeling...or Ban or Don. That is their blood...and heir." Theos nodded. He already knew how Don felt. Don was truly beating himself up over it.

"I know Cora is your uncle...if you want to go see him, I'll be fine. I'm not really supposed to move with these bandages on my waist. I'll be here when you get back. Magi was going to come and remove the stitch from my lower region anyway. I don't want to move and miss him." Theos smiled.

"I know how much you love him."

"Yes I do," Theos responded. "I won't be long. Just enough to lend an ear and help." Theos gave him a brief kiss before sliding off the bed. He headed out of the tent and down towards Cora's. He limped slightly still but his wound was a lot better than earlier. Theos peeked into the tent before entering.

Cora was alone, looking over the map on a table. His wounds untreated and skin swollen around the gashes. His scales were dyed red with his dry blood. He was planning alone.

It looked like a massive game of chess on a map. His army and the Scomparsians. He was so involved, he didn't even realize Theos come in. Every now and again, he'd move some pieces and return to his inner thoughts. Strangely, he looked like Don in his thinking. His expression seemed to be eternally angry of late, like the wild animal could not ever be caged. It made one yearn for the sweetness that Cora had once shown all the time. Hopefully, that side was not lost in this battle.

Theos stood just inside a moment before walking forward. "You should sleep a bit," Theos said  walking up beside him to watch. "You can't do any good if you pass out from exhaustion." And while he slept Magi could treat him.

"You should sleep a bit," Cora looked over to Theos taking in his figure. A part of him lifting at his sight.

"You can't do any good if you pass out from exhaustion."

Cora's attention returned to his map, "There will be time to rest after the war is won. While my men recover...my son...recovers, I must do everything I can. It is my duty as king." Cora was facing the fact of Kaa's coma by throwing himself into exhausting work. It was easier then coming to terms with it.

Cora after a moment looked back to Theos, his expression souring, "How are you nephew? You also worried this Kings heart."

"There will be time to rest after the war is won. While my men recover...my son...recovers, I must do everything I can. It is my duty as king." They all had to do everything they could. That was why Theos was here.

"How are you nephew? You also worried this Kings heart."

"Better than most I suppose," Theos said sadly. "I came here to see if there was anything I could do. Either in helping your planning or simply lending an ear. I am here for you we all are."

"Better than most I suppose," Theos said sadly. "I came here to see if there was anything I could do. Either in helping your planning or simply lending an ear. I am here for you we all are."

Cora gave a brief smile, "You are walking around despite your injuries, I'm glad." Cora turned his attention back to his work.

"Unfortunately there is nothing you can do for me here. I must decide our next move and quickly. If we don't strike the Scomparsians while the iron is hot, they'll only recover and attack us harder then last time. We can't endure another attack on the defensive. I will take whatever able bodied digimon I have and strike them." Cora reached for a piece on the map, he cringed and clenched his eyes and teeth together. A small hiss of pain escaping his lips. He moved it to some other location.

"The question is...where? Ban's scouts have reported them moving west. What would be the best place to attack them from?" Cora sighed at the frustration. A few droplets of his blood dropped from his open, swollen wounds. They stained the sand under his feet and weren't hard to see with his size. A noticeable small red snake running its way down his cream colored belly.

"I have a bit of work to do Theos, I'm happy you came to see me but you should go rest. When we're ready to march, I want you at my side where Kaa cannot be."

"You are walking around despite your injuries, I'm glad." Cora turned his attention back to his work.

"Unfortunately there is nothing you can do for me here. I must decide our next move and quickly. If we don't strike the Scomparsians while the iron is hot, they'll only recover and attack us harder then last time. We can't endure another attack on the defensive. I will take whatever able bodied digimon I have and strike them." Theos watched him worriedly

"The question is...where? Ban's scouts have reported them moving west. What would be the best place to attack them from?" Theos looked to the map frowning. He was obsessed right now.

"I have a bit of work to do Theos, I'm happy you came to see me but you should go rest. When we're ready to march, I want you at my side where Kaa cannot be."

"I won't be able to be at your side," Theos responded pausing to make sure his attention was on him. "Not unless you get those wounds treated. You're killing yourself Cora. No one wants that; not Ban, Don, or Kemba or me. And definitely not Kaa when he wakes he'll want to see his smiling father again. He can't if you are not around to greet him."

"And he will wake up. The next person I am talking to is Magi. I have had a thought that might work. I can only pray to Yggdrassil it does," Theos said looking to Cora. "Even they can not march all day and night all at once. They too must sleep."

"I won't be able to be at your side," Cora looked to him with an arched brow.

"Not unless you get those wounds treated. You're killing yourself Cora. No one wants that; not Ban, Don, or Kemba or me. And definitely not Kaa when he wakes he'll want to see his smiling father again. He can't if you are not around to greet him."

"And he will wake up. The next person I am talking to is Magi. I have had a thought that might work. I can only pray to Yggdrassil it does," Theos said looking to Cora. "Even they can not march all day and night all at once. They too must sleep."

Cora's expression noticeably changed, he looked a bit annoyed and returned his gaze to his map.

"I'm perfectly fine. These wounds are nothing and my men are much worse off. Magi's magic is not unlimited and he will tire. I will never put myself before my children and kingdom. Magi need focus on the army, not me. Kaa will wake, and when he does, I want to be able to give him news of another victory. Their men are licking their wounds, I can destroy them while they're down. If they choose to sleep, that is better for me. I will set them aflame inside their tents. Now please Nephew, leave me be. I must be ready to march by nightfall."

"I'm perfectly fine. These wounds are nothing and my men are much worse off. Magi's magic is not unlimited and he will tire. I will never put myself before my children and kingdom. Magi need focus on the army, not me. Kaa will wake, and when he does, I want to be able to give him news of another victory. Their men are licking their wounds, I can destroy them while they're down. If they choose to sleep, that is better for me. I will set them aflame inside their tents. Now please Nephew, leave me be. I must be ready to march by nightfall." Theos shook his head.

"Kaa wouldn't want victory. He'd want his father," Theos said sourly. He stood there prepared to leave. "I'd take a long look in a mirror. He is a lot like you at that age." Theos left it at that and headed for the tent flap and would leave unless stopped.

"Kaa wouldn't want victory. He'd want his father," Theos said sourly. He stood there prepared to leave. "I'd take a long look in a mirror. He is a lot like you at that age."

Cora looked to Theos and then back at his map.

"I am no longer a child. I have to be King and that means putting others before me Theos. I don't expect you to understand what I must do. It isn't just Kaa that I do this for. I do it for all of my children, including you. I do this for the safety of my people. Kaa will make a fine King. I need to ensure there is a kingdom left for him to rule." Cora continued his studies, allowing Theos to leave as he wished.