Restoration

[1:28 P.M.]
After what may have been an hour at most of walking, here you are. On the edge of Ertonphia. You feel your legs stiffen and your hands become clammy. A lump forms in your throat just as you ready yourself to announce that this is it. What is this feeling? It's been forever since you've felt this. Could you be going mad? Could that jerky have been infected? Madness, pain, fear. Fear! That's it...it's been years since you felt true, bone-chilling fear, and you aren't fearing for yourself and your own livelihood. No, you're fearing for the others you've gotten to know- and this newfound "Kip" who you're not sure you can lay all of your trust on yet. You hadn't realized a few minutes have passed while your mind wandered until you feel something poking you. You whip around, pulling a pocket knife from your bag and pointing it at what your brain registered as a threat. when your eyes finally adjust, you see Kip, eyes wide, holding her what was left of her arms in front of her, as well as Aeryn and Axon staring at you in shock. She scrambles for words, finally whimpering,
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I didn't mean any harm!-" You put the knife away with a sigh.
"It's...fine." you say through gritted teeth. Even if it wasn't fine and you were scared half-to-death. That doesn't seem to calm her down at all, reasonably. With a deep breath, you mutter "No- no it's truly fine. You just scared me..." At this, Kip breathes a sigh of relief.
"Well...are we going to...keep going? I mean...we're not getting any younger." There it is, the lump again. You attempt to swallow it and hesitantly gulp,
"You're right..you're right... let's go folks." With a begrudging step forward. You enter the city, which was far from bustling.
     Almost as if your presence had triggered an alarm, the city went quiet. Even quieter than it had been previously. Then... All hell broke loose.