Chapter 11

Karkat felt someone nudging him awake. He had somehow managed to fall asleep after all. "Hey Karkat, wake up. We've got to get going." Blinking the sleep from his eyes he looked at Signless. "Going where?" He yawned, stretching. He knew they were leaving already, but he still would like to know where exactly. "We're heading to another town. So up and at 'em! Can't travel anywhere when you're asleep." Karkat got up stiffly, as sleeping on a stone floor wasn't exactly the most comfortable thing ever. Regardless, he followed Signless out of the cave to where the others were waiting, and listened as he began to adress them. "Alright, we're all awake now. Does anyone have anything they need to do before we head out?" He looked to each member, recieving no responses. "Well then, let's get going." He took the lead confidently, moving at a bold pace. Karkat however, brought up the rear. He was slightly envious of his anscestor. He's so sure of himself. He's the leader, and he knows that others will follow his choices. How does he do it so well? What happened in the gene pool to make me fuck it up so bad? He sighed quietly. Yet not so quiet that Psii, who was walking a few paces in front of him, didn't hear it. He slowed down a bit until he was walking beside him. He didn't say anything at first, he just kept pace with Karkat in semi-awkward silence. Then finally he asked, "Tho, uh.. thomthing on your mind?" Karkat looked up at him, and noticed he looked slightly uncomfortable. He was clearly trying to get to know him better, but holding coversation with him was still a bit out of his comfort zone. "Just.. still kinda confused... I guess." Karkat replied. Psii nodded a tiny bit. "Yeah.. I thuppoth I would be too.." Karkat just shrugged. Psii looked around a bit, looking at the scenery as they walked in silence some more. They were still in the forest, walking through the trees briskly. "You thleep okay yethterday? I know you didn't the other day tho..." Psii asked, breaking the silence again. "Well.. it wasn't a great sleep, but I guess it was better than that night so.. yes." Psii nodded again. "Good. Thath... good." He cleared his throat slightly. "You liking thith group tho far?" Karkat looked in front of him where Signless and Disciple were talking and laughing about something or other, and Dolarosa was following behind calmly, occationally adding something to their coversation. "Uh.. yeah. You guys are pretty cool." Psii looked at the others as well, then glanced at him. "Thankth.. You're... pretty okay too." He looked away. "Thorry about.. how I acted before." He apoligized quietly, as if he didn't want the others to hear him. "Oh, no problem." Karkat chuckled awkardly. "I probably wouldn't trust some strange troll wandering around in the forest either." Psii echoed the same laugh, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. "Eh-heh.. yeah. I gueth you're right." Just then, Signless looked over his shoulder at the two of them. "Hey!" He called. "Quit hanging around back there and come up here with the rest of us!" Karkat and Psiioniic exchanged a glance before picking up their pace to match with the other three. "And what were you two talking about?" Rosa asked. Psii shrugged. "Thtuff." Dis looked at Karkat, her eyes playful. "What kind of stuff?" Karkat replied nonchalantly. "Oh you know, the weather. The state of the universe. Boring stuff." Signless laughed. "Of course you were.Best of comrades, the two of you. Am I that easily replaced, Psii?" The yellowblood sniffed, bumping into him with a shoulder. "Oh yeth, I juth decided you were no longer worth my time." Signless pretended to look offended. "Why, I don't believe it! I thought I could trust you!" Psii snickered. "Gueth you thought wrong." Karkat couldn't help but lighten up a bit as the group joked and teased each other, laughing every so often. He was starting to feel more welcome now, though there was no denying the pang of homesickness in his heart.