Cloud was sick when they saw him again. As in, he was under several blankets when they found him at the center. Bone gulped as she touched his head.

"He's burning up..."

"Fever. Great." She glanced at him with a pause.

"How can you tell it's a fever?"

"Burning up-" He then gestured to the blankets. "Yet he's acting like he's freezing. Classic signs." She frowned as Cloud sneezed, waking himself up with how harsh it was. He blinked at the new arrivals before pulling the blankets over his head. Oat smiled as he knelt down. "C'mon, Cloud. Do you want some soup?" A series of coughs followed before the blankets were pushed away, Cloud sitting up to regain his breath. Oat rubbed his back. "I got him. You go." Bone nodded before leaving. Cloud steadied his breathing before laying down, catching his breath as he whimpered. "It's alright... I'll take care of you." Cloud didn't hear him as he drifted off, snoring softly with how sick he was. The taller boy shifted him to lay his head on his lap, combing a hand through his messy hair.

~

The coughing and sneezing from the illness kept the boy from a good night's rest. But something else seemed to be bothering him as he kept whispering something. However, everytime Oat went to listen in, Cloud went on a sneezing streak. So he left it alone until he mumbled it aloud.

"Fiends of night... heavens sees no fit..." Oat paused. The words sounded distant as Cloud shuddered and started coughing.

~

"He said that?"

Oat nodded as they watched Cloud supervise Wooper and Weepinbell's training.

"That's something that Aira says a lot." She paused. "Wilson says it too." She hummed as he glanced at her.

"Any connection?"

"Unsure."