While he hadn't a clue as to what Kim might be doing, he suspected that Elin was involved, since he didn't see her as well. He didn't consider it as big of a deal as Elwin obviously did, but he couldn't really bring himself to care that much.
He suspected that Elwin was someone of at least some authority in his world, otherwise he doubted that he'd be so bent of being in charge. Not that he didn't have some leadership qualities, it just felt like he was more interested in deciding things himself rather than letting others have a say. Unless they agreed with him, of course.
However, once they got that issue out of the way, he tended to be more amiable on actually discussing a matter. Or at least the next time.
The plan they'd come up with to deal with Stanley largely depended on what they learned about him when Sonya came back, but Jonas wasn't too worried about that. He knew that whatever the case, they'd need to be ready to beat his group. Even if it was in a race rather than a fight like he expected it to end up being.
In the end, he was surprised that Sonya returned before Kim, Elin, Patricia, or Patrick did. It didn't matter, but he had expected that either of the two groups would have finished up whatever it was that they were doing. While he wasn't sure what exactly Kim and Elin were doing, Patrick and Patricia tended to be limited on what they did, so it wasn't like he really could imagine them for doing that for very long. Which made it a little mystifying to Jonas that they hadn't returned by the time Sonya did.
The sun was setting when a shaggy squirrel returned, gasping for air and drenched in sweat. It wasn't a pleasant sight and he didn't think that Sonya enjoyed it much herself. Especially with the way she was gasping for air when she returned.
"I didn't realize how awful this shape was," Sonya gasped as Jonas approached her, having been the first person to have noticed her. "I thought it was just shaggy. I didn't realize it'd be so hot!"
"I wondered that myself when you left," Jonas said, kneeling down to speak with her. "Though, since you stayed in that shape, can I assume that you didn't find Stanley's group?"
"Huh?" Sonya asked, startled. "No, I found them. They're not waiting for us. Instead, they already entered the dungeon."
"Then why'd you stay in this shape if it's so hot? Why not revert to your wolf shape or something. I don't think your wolf shape is as hot as your squirrel shape, right?"
Sonya looked at Jonas in surprise, which for a squirrel looked more like she was getting ready to run for her life. "Uh, I wasn't thinking about that," she admitted after a moment. "Give me a moment to shift back."
Jonas nodded in response, even though Sonya was already shifting back. Though, the sight of it still turned his stomach and he wasn't sure if he really should say anything about it or not. After all, it wasn't like Sonya wasn't aware of that issue herself. Which was why she was still worried about Heather.
"Has Heather woken up?" Sonya asked when she was back in her wolf shape.
Jonas merely shook his head. "No, she's still unconscious. Nothing seems to be wrong with her, but it's hard to say why she'd still be out."
Sonya sighed. "Thanks. I hoped I'd at least be able to be present when she woke up."
Jonas didn't understand that sentiment. While he understood being happy when someone you cared about woke up after being knocked out, he didn't understand how Sonya was happy that Heather was still out of it and she would be present for when she did wake up. It felt odd that she wouldn't have preferred Heather having woken up while she was out.
However, Jonas merely chalked it up to the fact that he really didn't understand relationships with people. It made him wonder if he should try to get out of the life he was currently living in back in his own world after this was over. He doubted that he'd see Elmo again after this was over, provided they were able to return to their own worlds, but that was something to consider another time. Especially since he wasn't sure how it'd affect him after he wasn't around Elmo. The only thing he could be certain of at that moment, in regards to his old life, was that he needed to get out of it. If only because he recognized now that it wasn't doing himself any favors. Other than supplying him with the cash to survive in a world that required money to eke out any kind of living.
It might not have been an extravagant lifestyle, but it had been comfortable for him. He just now hoped he'd be able to get a job that would be able to get him the same amount of cash as he'd gotten from his jobs in the underworld.
"So, did anything happen while I was gone?" Sonya asked, her words pulling Jonas out of his thoughts.
Jonas shook his head. "We discussed what to do about Stanley once you got back, but none of what we'd decided had anything of what to do if he and the rest of his group decided to go inside the dungeon. All our options had been about what to do with them either setting up an ambush for us or if we arrived at the same time as they did."
Sonya giggled, seemingly a little amused at what she was hearing, though it certainly felt strange to hear a wolf giggle. Even if that said wolf was a shapeshifter.
"Well, we're still waiting on Kim, Elin, Patrick, and Patricia," Jonas informed Sonya. "We're not quite sure what they're doing, but I'm pretty sure that they're still close by."
"Wait, I thought you said you'd been discussing what to do about Stanley," Sonya said, surprise evident in her voice. "So, what wasn't part of that discussion?"
"Because Kim, Patricia, and Patrick would rather do other things than stay and actually spend time getting ready for the fight that's coming up," Elwin said, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.
"What're you talking about?" Sonya asked, sounding skeptical, which Jonas thought was a good thing, even if Elwin wouldn't think so. "Did they leave after you started the discussion or was it more of a spontaneous thing? I mean, it certainly hadn't been mentioned by the time I'd left."
"It certainly was spontaneous," Owen said, walking over. "Though, Elwin seems to think that they should have been aware of that before they'd gone to do whatever they were doing during that time."
"What were they doing?" Sonya asked, pretty sure she knew the answer to that, even though she still felt compelled to ask. "Since you seem to know more about them than I'd probably think safe."
"What're you talking about?" Elwin asked, clearly bristling at the last remark of she made. "I have no idea what exactly they're doing, but whatever it is isn't as important as preparing for the fight with Stanley's group to get to the dungeon."
Sonya laughed, and Jonas wondered if she could have contained that laughter if she'd really wanted to or if it was beyond her control. He certainly thought that those who were currently missing from their group would have enjoyed witnessing the sight. Especially with how Elwin turn an interesting shade of purple as he listened to Sonya's laughter.
It wasn't the mocking kind of laughter, but the kind from pure enjoyment. Which Jonas suspected Elwin couldn't appreciate at the moment. Not with how he was so focused on getting through this challenge, which in a way Jonas could understand because of how close they were to getting out of this contest that had gone on for far to long as far as Jonas was concerned.
"You know, why don't we just sit down and let Sonya tell all of us what she'd learned from her scouting mission?" Jonas suggested before Elwin could say anything that would create more problems for all of them.
Then before anyone could say anything, sounds of movement can be heard in the distance as Kim and Elin come into sight, Elin making most of the noise. Both of them look like they tried to arrange their clothing as if nothing had happened, but it was clear that they'd been doing 'something' physical with how disheveled their hair looked.
"Nice of you to join us," Elwin called out, the annoyance clear in his voice. Though, Jonas suspected that he wasn't able to say everything he wanted, given how Patrick and Patricia showed up from the direction Sonya had come without having made a single sound.
"Good to be here," Patricia said sweetly, as if Elwin's statement had been for her. "Though, I see that Sonya's back, which means we can find out where the ambush will be, right?"
The look Elwin gave Patricia made it clear that he'd wanted to be the one who said that, while the look of triumph on Patricia's face said she knew full well that that's what he'd wanted to say.
"Let's just go over to sit down by the campfire and let Sonya tell all of us what she found, okay?" Owen suggested, sounding like he was trying to keep the peace and keep things from devolving again into what could potentially create a rift inside their group.
"Well, there's not much to tell," Sonya said, looking like she didn't really care, but a glint in her eyes made Jonas wonder if she was enjoying the situation between Elwin and Patricia a little more than she was letting on. "All you need to know is that there isn't an ambush. Stanley and his group have already entered the dungeon by now, so all we can really do is play catch up at the moment."