and then it falls.

[Claudius Aston]

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[/html]Claudius could feel the soft fabric against his fingerpads. He tried to stretch farther to grasp the toy, but the weight of the rocks kept his left arm pinned down. He remembered that he had chosen to reach with his left hand instead of his right because he had climbed up on one of his dirt shelves and used his right arm to steady himself, while reaching with his left. Although his right arm was free, it felt as though it was floating or distant in some way. His entire right arm felt numb, while his whole left arm felt like it was consumed in pain. His fingers tingled and when he tried to move his left arm, he touched a rock the wrong way with one of his fingers, which sent a spike of pain through his arm. Claudius cried out and lowered his head slightly and instantly regretted it when this left a rock that had been resting near his head fall and strike his on the left shoulder. Claudius whimpered this time, now unwilling to move. If he moved, it would just mean more pain.

In the distance, he could hear a voice shouting. At first, he thought it was Gerenuk, but then, he realized that Gerenuk never sounded like that. As he considered this, he noticed Gerenuk standing off to one side, partially obscured by the rocks.

"Ger," he whispered. Gerenuk shook his head.

"My name is Iman," Gerenuk replied. Claudius nodded dumbly. He wondered why Gerenuk had never told him before. He closed his eyes for a moment and then heard the noise grow louder.

"Your cousin is looking for you," Iman said. Claudius nodded again and opened his eyes to see Iman had left.

"Anatole?" he asked. [html]

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