After meeting with the cheetah, Li wasn't really any closer to finding Envy. She was starting to become panicked. She had contemplated giving up, but she was supposed to stick by their side! Just that thought was enough to keep her going. That, and the horrible feeling growing in her gut that something terrible had happened. When she had first started looking, the feeling was small enough that she could push it aside. But with each passing moment that she found nothing, it grew.

She walked slowly, eyes searching desperately around. She called out Envy's name a few times and would pause, hoping beyond hope that she'd hear the weasel call out Mama! and come running up to her. But every time, she was met with just silence. It was unnerving. Sure, there were other gembounds around, and she could hear them. But she paid no attention to them, instead listening desperately for the sound of Envy. But there was nothing.

"Li Speech."

Li continued her search, ears perked and listening. She lifted her head and inhaled deeply, wondering if she would smell Envy's gem. It didn't take much before she caught the scent, and rather strongly, too. Did that mean they were nearby? She sniffed again, and then began running in its direction.

It didn't take long for her to reach what was surely the source, something helped in part by her long legs. She began to look around, looking for the brown fur she had come to know. But a moment passed, and she didn't find it.

Instead, she found a small cinnabar chrysalis. And nearby, there was spatters of blood. As soon as she saw it, she knew it belonged to Envy. It was likely their blood and their chrysalis. She froze when she came to that realization. What had happened? What trouble had Envy come across? Why hadn't she been there to help them?

"Li Speech."

For a moment, it felt as though Li's limbs were frozen, stuck to the ground. And then all at once, she was rushing towards the chrysalis. The cinnabar should have kept her away, but all she could think about was how Envy was in there, recovering from what horrible thing had happened to them. She didn't want to even think about it.

She looked around, wondering if anyone was nearby. Had someone seen what happened? Did whoever do this to them do it to someone else too? Or had they been alone? Was Envy attacked unprovoked, or did they do something to cause it? Who had done this to them? Multiple questions flew around in their head, and they tried to ignore them. Tried to focus on this moment. But it was hard. She didn't have answers to the questions, and she just had to wait.

She lay beside the chrysalis, curling her body around it protectively. She planned on staying here until it hatched, no matter how long it took. She'd wait until eternity. And she'd never leave Envy's side, just like they wanted. Just like they made her promise.

-exit Li-

"Li Speech."