Chapter Text
Working together isn't always easy, especially if it's with someone new. The task may be hard but as long as you work as a team, you can overcome any challenge you attempt. This story tells the tale of two groups coming together and finding common ground to overcome a difficult challenge.
Robin felt the sunlight brush against his skin as he drifted back into consciousness. Opening his eyes, Robin sat up and stretched. He hadn't slept that good in years; Maybe this was the start of a good trend for him. Glancing around, he noticed Al was nowhere in the room. Normally his familiar would either be curled up on the pillows or at the end of the bed; but Al was on neither of them. Maybe he woke up early and was exploring the house.
Getting dressed, Robin made his way downstairs for food and to search for Al. While walking around, he noticed that no-one was up and about. Willa was likely in her room doing... whatever she did in there. Meanwhile he had absolutely no idea where Sam was; his door was open so he must've been about somewhere. Quickly dipping into the kitchen to grab a bite to eat, Robin decided to head to the downstairs living room to do a bit of reading or watch tv.
As he was heading to the room, something caught his attention from the window that led outside. Glancing outside, Robin spotted Sam sitting under a tree across the yard. The young wizard couldn't see what he was doing as the gargoyle's back was to him and he seemed hunched over while focusing on something. Making his way outside, Robin walked over to Sam and stopped a few paces behind his friend. Sam didn't seem to notice anyone behind him and kept focusing on something at the base of the tree.
Robin leaned down so he was next to Sam's ear, "What you up to?"
Sam jumped and spun his head around in a panic, deflating in relief when he spotted Robin. Sam took in a deep breath to calm himself, putting a hand to his chest. "Don't scare me like that."
Robin knelt down next to his friend. "Sorry about that but what are you doing out here? I know you're an early riser but what's got you so interested out here?"
Sam's face lit up. "I was cleaning out the roots of the tree when I found a nest of voles. I got Al to help me out since he was up and about," he explained, gesturing to a hole in-between the roots.
"So that's where he was..." Robin commented.
Sam nodded. "He's gonna heard out the colony of voles and then I can get Willa's help to put them somewhere nearby."
Robin nodded and smiled; Sam did like helping out especially with things that included nature. The gargoyle looked down at the hole with an expression of apprehension.
"Al should've been out by now, the nest couldn't have been that deep," Sam commented, folding his arms and frowning.
Robin started to get a weird taste in his mouth and a feeling of dread filled his stomach. It was at that moment when Al slithered out from the roots, a rodent tail hanging from his mouth. Sam's wings drooped and he looked saddened and defeated.
Robin glared down at his familiar. "You were supposed to be clearing them out, not eating them."
Al swallowed the tail and looked back at the young wizard.
"To be fair, I am a snake and they just looked so tasty," Al defended, slithering up onto Robin's arm.
All Robin could do was sigh, "Well my appetite is ruined. I better not find any vole bones on my bed later."
Al only gave him a smile before disappearing into his pocket. The young wizard glanced over at Sam who was still looked down with a dejected look. He put a hand on his friend's and gently patted it "Why don't we head inside? I'll whip us up some nice breakfast. Does that sound nice?"
Sam gently nodded and the two boys headed inside. It took Robin a while but he eventually made some homemade pancakes. He and Sam ate them while sitting in the downstairs living room and watching tv. This seemed to help Sam cheer up as his saddened smile had faded and was replaced with a small warm smile. Robin knew pancakes would work; Sam loved pancakes.
They hung out for a while until Willa eventually decided to show up. The older wizard walked through the doorway and collapsed onto her chair in the corner. She did not look great. Her eyes had bags under them, her nose was red and she was shivery, all while wrapped in a blanket.
"Are you alright? You don't look well," Sam questioned with a concerned look.
Willa groaned and leaned back. "I'm fine, it's just a small cold and a fever."
"Are you sure you'll be able to handle that at your age?" Robin asked.
Willa looked like she wanted to smack him but she sighed and stared over at the window instead.
"I was supposed to go out and get something important today but it looks like you two will have to go get it for me," she commented.
Sam looked interested. "What is it that we need to go get?"
Willa looked over at the two boys. "Every year around this time of year, I go down under the city to harvest a special kind of plant that grows in a cave deep underground."
"Why can't you wait until you're better?" Robin questioned.
Willa looked at him with a slightly annoyed expression. "It's the last day the room's able to be accessed. I would've gone earlier but I had things that needed to be done."
"We're happy to go get the plant, right Robin?" Sam asked, looking over at him with pleading eyes. Robin tried not to make direct contact but god dammit, he couldn't resist Sam's pleading eyes.
"Fine, we'll go..." Robin agreed.
Willa gave a small smile. "Good. Now to get to the room you'll need to go through several tunnels and you may have to remove some overgrown weeds. The entrance to the tunnels is a cave outside the north of the city."
"Is there no other way to get there?" Robin inquired. He really didn't want to have to go through what was possibly miles of tunnels. Willa shook her head and Robin just let out a groan. He stood up and began to make his way over to the doorway.
"We won't let out down," Sam stated before heading out the doorway as well. The two of them headed outside and Robin let out a sigh, putting his hands in his pockets. Sam nudged his side, "Don't be so glum. We'll go get the plant and be able to hang out the rest of the day."
Robin glanced over at his friend."Let's hope so."