[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RQaJfun.png[/img][h1][b][color=B22222]C L A R A[/color][/b][/h1][hr][b][color=gray]IFRISE FOREST — SOVEREIGNTY OF DRYADALIS[/color][/b][/center][hr]
The last thing Clara remembered was being knocked off her feet, hard. Distant echoes of Pagonia's battle cries faded into white noise as her vision became shrouded in black.

A heavy thud jumped Clara awake, and she looked around frantically. Her nerves subsided once her eyes fell on the dead krovar, the adrenaline rush from earlier beginning to slow to a stop. She wobbled as she tried to force her tired legs into standing, feeling around for the source of her head pain. Even though she was met with the sight of blood as she withdrew her hand from her hair, Clara was so overwhelmed with relief that the pounding headache hardly mattered.

Clara was even glad to hear Zestasia's triumphant cries through the remaining dustclouds, even though it made her twitch slightly in pain. Wiping the trail of blood going down the side of her head, she gave the boy a small smile.

[b]"[color=B22222]Well, when I first saw your brother's injuries, I thought he was [i]dead[/i],[/color]”[/b] she joked, watching as Pagonia went to rest in his own corner. [b]"[color=B22222]His idea was totally crazy, but he's alive. At least we're [i]all[/i] alive.[/color]”[/b]

Clara gave a nod to the others, and then looked to Zestasia. [b]"[color=B22222]Now? I guess if no other monsters are coming to get us, I say we use what little time we have to patch ourselves up. That krovar won't be the only thing trying to kill us while we're here.[/color]”[/b]

She folded her arms and looked around the group again in slight distress. Even if most of them seemed relatively unscathed, the ones who were looked like total wrecks, after just one battle with one monster nonetheless. While it didn't seem enough to stop their ongoing venture into the forest, Clara was wary of the complications it could cause later.

[b]"[color=B22222]We should at least slow down to try and recover, if we don't stop for a break. After all the trouble [i]that[/i] gave us,[/color]”[/b] Clara said as she gestured to the dead krovar, [b]"[color=B22222]running ahead looking like we do now doesn't sound so smart.[/color]”[/b]

Clara winced at the sudden throbbing pain in the side of her head, and she pressed her hand against it. [b]"[color=B22222]How are we for injuries, though? I know Pagonia's broken, like, three bones and Etoile's still got those flesh wounds… how's everyone else?[/color]”[/b]