Characters featured/mentioned: HermitcraftSnake, BarnowlNiza, MeljiTales, The_Watcher_HQ, Coolrena, DuckW0man, SallyTheChicken, someone who no longer exists but did back then so they're still alive in this timeline, Observer_Alliance, Observ5r, Poultry_Man_, NetheredOne, TheJingler

Crackle.

Static.

"Snake?"

Snake scrambled over to the old walkie-talkie, the one he had abandoned a few weeks ago, when he had deduced its partner's owner didn't have theirs anymore, if they were even alive. "Crooked?"

Static.

"Cro-Crooked's dead. This is Niza."

The news of his best friend's death probably should have affected Snake more, but at this point he was kind of expecting it. After all, Crooked had said themself they would "destroy the Watchers responsible or die trying." Too many people have died trying. Or gone missing, or even joined the Watchers' side.....

"Have you made any contact with the Observers yet?" Snake asked, shoving all thoughts about his losses out of his brain and into an imaginary trash can.

"No, can't find their hideout."

"Ha, me neither."

"So, uh, any news about anyone we know?"

"Rena's joined the Watchers, something about duty and no chance of survival. Duck Woman's still missing. I heard Sally's hiding out with the Observers, same with Boiling."

"Boiling just had to join the rebellion, didn't they."

"Yup."

"And what about Sherlock?"

"No clue. Probably dead, I mean, the Watchers most likely targeted him after- after they finished off Poultry Man."

Has it really only been five months?

It's felt like years have passed since Poultry Man's final defeat, killed by the leader of the Watchers himself. Since the Observers rose to try to defeat the evil god-like group. Since the Nethered, ruler of literal hell, put the Nether in lockdown; no one goes in, no one comes out, leaving an entire other possibly safe world out-of-bounds.

Since the Watchers took over nearly all of Hermittpad.

The only safe haven that existed in the entire world was the Farlands, home of Observ5r and hideout of the rebellion. The Observers (not to be confused with Observ5r) were the foundation of this rebellion, and Snake had once heard they were supposed to come to Hermittpad much later, but their sworn enemies were the Watchers, so they decided to come now. They also apparently weren't supposed to have open contact with anybody else.... oh well.

"Have you heard the news about the Jingler?" Niza pressed on.

"No."

"They're in a Watcher prison. I thought they would be more careful...."

Snake laid back on the wall of the cave he was currently hiding out in. "Nope."

"How are you being so calm about this?!"

"I'm not calm, I'm just not really surprised. Jingler and PM were best friends and it was only a matter of time before they were caught."

"Okay, you do make a good point."

"Yep."

Snake sighed, stretching and grabbing an apple from his pack. His teeth crunched it noisily, sticky apple juice running everywhere. It felt good. "So, where are you Niza?"

"..... in a cave."

"Same. Not the safest, but at least I have a roof over my head. Are you near a noticeable landmark or....?"

"Hm?"

"I mean, maybe we're near each other or something." Snake barked a laugh, a slightly sad and slightly hysterical laugh, standing up from his sitting position and pacing around the cave, apple in in one hand, walkie-talkie in the other. "It is kinda lonely on the run."

"..... yeah, I know what you mean. I'm- I'm near the Poultry Cave, if that helps."

Snake immediately perked up. "Really? I am too, maybe we could meet up-"

That was when something occurred to him.

Two somethings, in fact.

Both very large things.

"Niza...." Snake started, "There's only one cave near the Poultry Cave."

Static.

Silence.

"And I'm in it."

Crackle, pop.

"And where did you get Crooked's walkie-talkie?"

Static.

Static, static, static. Snake started to grab his things slowly.

Crackle, static.

"..... I'm sorry, Snake."

Then a new voice, the last thing Snake heard before everything went dark- no, blank, a voice that did not come from the walkie-talkie, a voice that came from

right

behind

him.

"Good work, Indigo."