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Silence

The night air was still as it held the world in slumber. Even the moon itself seemed to be sleeping, it's usual soft glow noticeably absent from the heavens. A lone figure crouched high up on a cliff, wrapped in robes so dark he was nearly invisible against the black sky. He sat there, unmoving, his head tilted back as he took in the panorama above. To him, it was nothing short of breathtaking. Whole oceans of stars, rippling and swirling, as if to some cosmic dance. Some unfathomable music his human ears had no hope of ever hearing. Breathing deeply, he simply stared in awe, letting his lungs deflate slowly. Here, in his special spot, he felt himself relaxing minutely. No one else ever came here. No one else knew of this place, nor of the deceptively small cleft behind him that led deep into the mountain, to the caves deep within where the villagers had taken refuge. He used the passage frequently. Not that he needed to sneak. It was just better, easier, if no one saw him.

Shoving down the feeling rising in his chest, he mentally shook himself as he returned his focus back to his early morning routine and took another drink of water while he let his body cool. He’d just finished his daily training, the katas slowly becoming more fluid, and was having a meager breakfast of pine nuts and jerky before he went out. Summer was here and, though not quite so terrible up here in the mountains, the days were still hot and humid. Better to get what he could done now in the cool pre-dawn hours before retreating indoors to sleep, sheltered from the sweltering heat of the day. He had traps to check, and he wanted to get some extra herbs gathered and dried. Maybe he’d even collect some more firewood.
 
But first..
 
Checking his surroundings one more time to make sure he was alone, more from habit than actual necessity, he slowly lifted his mask up. Just enough to get a good look at the valley below.
 
He could see everything from up here with his ('monstrous') exceptional eyes. They allowed him to see across vast distances, minute details, and unimaginable arrays of color. Even in the poorest light, like tonight when there was only starlight to aid him, he could see so much. Slowly, methodically, he swept his gaze across the vista before him, taking in everything. Every shape, every color, every movement. He couldn’t afford to miss a single detail.
 
And he didn’t.
 
Mask back in place, he quickly secured the empty bag he’d brought to his waist before double checking the straps for the sword on his back. Once his hands were completely free, he made his way down his secret path on the western slope of the mountain, lithe body slinking through the dark and over the treacherous terrain with practiced ease. Occasionally during the decent a few pebbles broke loose. The soft clacking as they rolled against the surface the only hint of his existence as he made his way South, down the barren hillside and towards the inky black of the forest beyond.
 
He soon slipped into the tree line, dark blue and black robes disappearing seamlessly into his surroundings while his slight frame ghosted effortlessly through the underbrush. Silently, he stalked towards the smouldering embers of a campfire and the group of men he’d seen during his survey.
 
It took another 20 minutes to reach the camp and by then, a second man had joined the one he’d seen sitting by the fire earlier. The fire was stoked and they shared a drink as the night watch prepared to switch. A covered cast iron pot with what smelled like stew was reheating in the coals. (He was suddenly glad he’d decided to eat before leaving. It smelled good and a grumbling stomach would surely have given his position away.) Soft murmurs reached his ears and he slowed his steps further as he approached slowly from the North. Not only was he intent on not making any noise, he also was careful to not disturb any wildlife that may be nearby. He’d learned long ago that flushing a rabbit or bird from the brush could be just as hazardous as if he had charged into the clearing himself.
 
Once he was close enough, he crouched low and waited behind a thick oak nearby while listening to the low voices in the clearing. He really hated killing, but it was his duty to protect this village and its people. If it was for them, he would do it. He would fight to keep them safe, just as he'd been taught. Just like his predecessor had before him, he would keep them safe from harm..
 
And send their enemies to their graves.
 
“‘M tellin’ ya, we shouldn’ be here.” He heard one man whispered harshly to the other.
 
The second growled back quietly. “Eh.. Quit yer bitchin’. There ain’t no such things as ghosts and this ain’t no haunted forest,” sounding less than amused at the first man’s unease.
 
“Say what you want, but all them stories can’t be lies. There’r too many an’ anyways, he's in all of ‘em,” the first insisted, eyes flitting nervously around. It looked like he hadn’t slept all night.
 
“An’ I'm tellin’ ya it’s all a bunch a superstitchis nonsense . Pro’ly just some ol’ man tired of everyone’s shit an’ scarin’ people off so they’ll leave him alone. Soon as we catch that bitch, ’m gonna find him and kill him myself, just so I can get that mask. Bet those pussies‘ll piss ‘emselves if I wear it into the next village.” He heard the man chuckled to himself, no doubt imagining just that scenario.
 
The other snorted, no humor behind it. “Do what you want. I’m lookin’ for the girl an’ gettin’ the hell outta here. It’s been too long since I’ve had a good fuck an’ after all this trouble, she better be ready for what’s comin’ to 'er.”
 
“Jirou said the tracks were fresh, not more’n an hour old at most. Even if she kept going all night, she’ll be exhausted. We’ll find her tomorrow an’ by the time we’re through, she’ll wish she’d killed herself instead of Katashi.”
 
Frowning, he decided he’d heard enough and made his way around the outside of the camp until he was on the south end of the clearing behind the two men, dagger at the ready and careful to not make a sound. These weren’t just travelers passing through. They were bad men .
 
'Enemies. No mercy.'
 
Satisfied with his position, he paused as he looked the men over, debating his options. The ones sleeping didn’t seem like they’d be waking anytime soon. First light was still a little ways off, the sky just as dark as when he’d first set out.
 
Both men sitting at the fire were relatively short. Focusing on the larger of the two first, he noted the way the muscles in his arms bulged, the slightly wider shoulders, and the thickness of his neck. This man obviously did a lot of heavy lifting and would certainly do some damage if his hits made contact. His movements were rough and aggressive, further proof he was more of a brawler type- slow but powerful and usually very direct in their movements.
 
Confident in his assessment, his gaze shifted to the smaller man. Those with lighter frames like this one were generally easier to over power in a struggle, but were also more agile and needed more planning and maneuvering if you wanted to successfully land a hit. Men like that also tended to rely more on weapons and intimidation than brute force due to having little actual strength themselves. He felt they were actually more dangerous than their meat-head counterparts as they were more likely to pull a knife and stab you than throw a punch.
 
Regardless, both men were still a good foot and a half taller than he was and even the smaller man weighed at least a hundred pounds more. He doubted he could take them both out quickly enough to prevent the other two from waking, but was certain he could kill at least one of them (‘The smaller one,' he decided.) and maybe wound the second before the others were roused. He was just debating on tying the other two’s feet together when the smaller man pushed himself to his feet. Stretching tiredly, he muttered a quiet “I’m gonna take a shit,”  before turning East and heading out of the clearing, stepping through the tree line to their right and continuing into the forest.
 
Completely unaware of the figure creeping up behind him.
 
’Too easy’.

snap
 
The man was dead instantly, neck bent at a grotesque angle. While it was a little awkward, striking the man while his pants were down, it had been a stroke of luck and too good to pass up. As he lowered the body to the ground, he noticed the dagger strapped the man’s belt. Pulling it free, he was surprised to find it was actually pretty well made and, though a little dirty, the edge was straight and sharp. He pulled the sheath loose, belt and all, and strapped it to his waist. The first man now out of the way, and a new weapon in hand, the rest was going to be much easier.
 
'Three to go.'

He made his way back to his spot just outside the clearing, then slowly stalked up behind the man still poking at the fire. As much as he hated making a mess, this one wasn’t going to go down nicely. The thick neck muscles ruled out strangulation and he doubted he’d be able to force the head around quickly enough to break the neck before the man could react. He glanced back to look at the other two, making sure they were still sound asleep before preparing himself once again. He quietly tested the weight of the dagger, muscles tensed and ready.

slash
 
He struck his target mid-yawn, while the eyes were scrunched closed. In one fluid movement, he drew his dagger across the throat right as his other clamped over the mouth and nose. The razor edge of the blade bit deep, cutting cleanly through flesh and cartilage, opening the airway and artery in one go. He was nearly yanked off his feet as the body lurched forward, but he held tight as he braced himself against the log. Keeping a firm grip on the head, he used his own body weight to keep the struggling figure in place, the hand still holding the dagger now locking one arm to the side. Blood sprayed out, hissing as it hit the coals, and bubbled up from behind his fingers.
 
Soon it was over, the corpse leaning back heavily against his chest. He eased it down in front of the log, still trying to keep as much blood off his clothes as possible. While the dark robes he wore wouldn’t show much, the white fur trim was difficult to clean. Not to mention it was his only one. After he was done here, he’d salvage whatever he could.
 
'Two left.'
 
The other two were taken out without incident and he proceeded to gather what few belongings they had. He’d hesitated briefly before quickly stripping the men of their clothes as well as their belongings. While he felt a little embarrassed at leaving the bodies nude, his practical side won out. He really needed the clothes. A growth spurt last month had left his sleeves and pants rather short. Only the wraps on his wrists and ankles that secured the loose ends of fabric concealed the skin his clothes no longer covered. Even if none of these fit yet, he could make do. The rest would be used for other things. Bandages mostly. The blankets were especially welcome. His own was getting rather small, not to mention threadbare, and while the altitude helped with the heat, winters could be brutal.
 
Laying the two largest blankets flat on the ground, he quickly separated what he found into two piles. Linens were bundled up inside the first blanket so he could easily take them to the river to wash later. The rest (rations, weapons, and other gear) were wrapped in the second. As he worked, he mentally thought of the items he'd need to dye the light colored clothes he’d keep to wear himself, adding them to the list of ingredients to look for. Not that he was vain by any means. He just preferred to move around during the night and dark colors were harder to spot in the dim light, while light ones nearly glowed, shining like a beacon. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself.
 
Sorting finished, he tied the two bundles tightly before securing them together with a section of rope. An axe he’d found was added to the belt next to the sheathed dagger and he placed a bow inside a quiver with several arrows before he slung it across his back, careful to position it where it wouldn’t obstruct his sword should he need to draw it. The few coins he’d found went in a small pouch inside his robe before he finally heaved the two bundles onto his shoulder and headed towards the river. He worked his way up and down the hillside, checking his traps along the way. As he worked his way East, the world slowly woke around him, the first hint of light peaking out over the horizon. He’d just placed a fourth rabbit in his bag when he saw it-
 
Blood.
 
Wet and dark in the early morning light, thickening but still fresh. He looked around and noticed more, leading directly East towards the river.
 
He lifted his mask for the second time that day, using his eyes to follow the trail more easily as his concern rose over at the amount of blood he was seeing.
 
Too much .
 
And amid the blood, he spotted a footprint. Small and light on the ground, most likely left by...
 
'The girl!'

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Concern quickly turned to panic. Mask tied hurriedly to his belt, he sped off, allowing his eyes to easily track the morbid trail. He'd been so focused on eliminating the threat the men posed and salvaging what he could from their camp that he'd completely forgotten why they were there in the first place! The blotches became redder, though less frequent as he sped along. His anger at himself grew with each step and each ring of the bells at his side.’How could I forget?!’’ While he doubted she’d be a threat, that was still no excuse for leaving an outsider free to roam near the village. What if she’d stumbled across the caves? What if a hunter had found her? Or worse… The forest housed a myriad of animals from rabbits and birds to wolves and bears. If anything happened to her... He gritted his teeth as he sped up once more, determined to find her as quickly as possible. She could be out there, dying. And if she did, it would be his fault. All his fault.He should have remembered! Looked for her sooner! He had made a promise! A vow, long ago, that he would never kill an innocent. That he would protect them. Villager or not, if she died because of his carelessness, it would be the same in his mind as if he had killed her himself.After several minutes, his chest was heaving and his arms strained with the weight of the bags. He paused briefly at the crest of a hill, catching his breath as he searched ahead frantically. The early morning light threw everything into stark contrast, bright highlights fighting against deep shadows in a kaleidoscope of color and, for the first time, he almost overlooked something. ‘There! At the base of the hill!’He skidded down the slope, dropping the bags next to him in a pile as he neared the still figure. She appeared to be a little younger than himself. Ten, maybe? It was hard to tell though between the blood, the bruises, and the dirt. The brown robes were so covered with gore, leaves, mud, and grass stains they blended into the surroundings, nearly invisible amongst the weeds and roots in the shadow of the old tree. The cuts and scratches that covered the visible parts of her body and her bloody feet made it apparent she had been running for her life. His lips twitched down in what was supposed to have been a scowl, the small movement the only hint of the emotions whirling within. Quickly opening the two bundles he’d brought with him, he no longer regretting the bodies he’d left behind that morning. It must have been some sort of karma that the items he’d taken from the men who had tormented her would now be used to help her. Brows drawn together lightly with worry, he pressed his lips together in concentration as he knelt at her side, his fingers pressed gently to her neck and waited... One beat… and another! Her heartbeat pulsed weakly against his skin, but steadily. A good sign. Moving back slightly, he tried to assess her injuries without moving her anymore than he had to. There were so many, his own heart faltered momentarily before he set to work, trying to focus on the worst of the injuries. There were no obvious breaks. No misshapen limbs or bones sticking out anywhere. Another good sign, but he’d have to do a more thorough check to be sure. Starting at her head, he only found one gash there on the right side. The blood there was sticky, already clotting but not actively bleeding anymore. Based on the way her clothes tangled around her slightly and the path they’d both taken, it was apparent she had lost her footing and rolled down the steep incline he’d just slid down himself before striking her head against base of the tree they were now beneath. Though he was certain there were more important injuries still to find, he couldn’t help but notice the bruises as well. The shapes and locations made his gut clench, an angry growl rumbled low in his throat as the slight frown on his face deepened. The left side of her face was a solid, swollen mess of black and purple, and there were distinctly finger-shaped bruises on her neck..He quickly pulled off his gloves and tossed them over by the bags, wavering for only a split second before untying her sash and opening the front of her blood soaked robes. She wore a thin white shift underneath that was just as bloody and ripped as her robe. He carefully undid the ties for that as well and moved the sides apart as he searched for injuries. Her lack of undergarments had surprised him, but the hole in her left side was more important. Not deep enough to be fatal, nor did it appear to have hit anything important, but still long and deep and bleeding steadily where a blade had slashed across her skin. He dug around in the medical bag, pulling out a needle and thread and quickly setting to work. He rinsed the area thoroughly to remove any debris before stitching the edges together, carefully keeping the stitches small and close together, like he was repairing just another hole in a shirt. In fabric, this kind of stitching would not only hold better, but wouldn’t leave an ugly seam behind. He hoped the same was true for skin. Once that was done, he placed what smelled like a healing ointment for preventing infections over the area before adding a bandage on top, holding it in place as he continued his exam. There were a few shallow cuts and scrapes, but nothing else like her side. Nothing that explained the blood covering the front of her clothes. Working quickly, he used one of the cloths and some water from his flask to clean the dried blood away, just in case he’d missed something, as he wondered where all that blood had come from. Instead of pale skin however, there were a disturbing number of bruises here as well, and some of the scrapes looks suspiciously like claw marks. Seeing more finger-shaped bruising here though, he was sure that they hadn’t been left by any animal. He remembered then what one of the men had said- she’d killed one of their friends. It must be his blood on her then, though try as he might, he just couldn’t imagine this tiny girl fighting a full grown man. He shook his head, feeling a mix of disbelief and amazement. She was either stronger than she looked, or extremely lucky.Focusing back on the task at hand, he gently prodded at the bones, searching for any signs of breaks or cracks, starting at her collarbone, then checking each rib one by one (ribs that stood out more than they should beneath her soft skin), before slowly making his way down to her equally bruised legs (more of those damn finger marks), over her skinned knees, her scratched and bruised shins, until he finally reached her feet. Sure now that nothing was broken, he turned his attention first to her right ankle. It was swollen and bruised, most likely a severe sprain, and the bottoms of both of her feet were cut and bleeding from her barefooted dash through the forest. He carefully removed his hand from her side, needing both as he cleaned the gashes thoroughly before slathering more ointment gently over her wounds. He wrapped them carefully, adding an extra layer around the ankle to keep it still. The cuts and and scrapes on her legs were quickly cleaned before he turned his attention to her arms. He removed them gently from her robes, her thin body now completely naked, as he checked them over as well. Her palms were nearly just as bloody and scraped as her feet, and there were a couple thin, shallow cuts on the backs and sides of her arms, defensive wounds if he had to guess, but nothing requiring stitches nor were the bones broken so he soon had those cleaned and wrapped as well. Next was the tricky part. He needed lean her up to check her back for injuries and wrap the bandage on her side without pulling her stitches and doing more damage in the process. He moved next to her, hip to hip as his legs stretched out by her head. Facing her, he leaned forward, gently easing his left hand behind her back, robes and all, while his right went behind her neck to steady her head. He pulled her up against his left shoulder before he leaned back upright, bringing her with him. Her shift and robe came with her, wet and sticky as they clung to her back. He re-positioned her until he was confident she wouldn’t fall over before he grabbed the robe and shift and pulled them free to get a better look at her back. If he hadn’t killed the men already, he’d probably have eaten them alive.While the bleeding itself appeared to have mostly stopped, pulling the robes free had reopened what little scabbing had begun. But that wasn’t what had his attention right now though. At least, not all of it. There, etched into the tender flesh of her back in black and red ink, was a large wolf. Its bushy tail caressed her right shoulder, the lines arched and curved as they moved down and across her small frame. The beast was crouched, fangs bared and face pulled back in a vicious snarl as its blood red eyes glared out from the small of her back. It was as beautiful as it was savage. Delicate and cruel. He couldn’t imagine how she had managed to get this far with the pain she had to have been in. She sighed softly as he gently cleansed the area, her abused skin unusually warm beneath his hands, but otherwise did not stir. He applied more of the ointment, hoping for her sake that it had numbing ingredients as well, before covering it with fresh bandages and carefully winding the wraps around her torso until he was confident they would stay in place.The worst finally taken care of, he carefully leaned over and grabbed one of the clean shirts from the bag of linens and eased it over her frame. (It was much too big for her, but it would have to do until he could get her own garments cleaned and dry.) Then, reaching behind her, he smoothed out one of the spare blankets as flat as he could before laying her down on her stomach on top of it, keeping her weight off her back injury. A second blanket was placed on top before he finally sat back and looked around. The sun had started it’s descent, which meant he’d been at work for several hours. Standing stiffly, he stretched his back and limbs while he decided what to do next.Aside from her back and side, the rest of her wounds had stopped bleeding entirely. The pale hue of her skin worried him though, no doubt a result of blood loss and fatigue. As weak as she was right now, there was no way he could move her very far. Not over the terrain they’d have to cover to get back to the caves. He wasn’t big enough nor strong enough and if he wasn’t careful he could injure her even further. From what he’d seen, he felt she had been through more than enough already. He didn’t know how much blood she’d lost, but he doubted she could spare much more. Resigned to camping out, he decided that water and shelter were priority right now. Fortunately, they were near the edge of the forest were the ground was mostly flat and the river wasn’t too far away. If they followed it North, they’d reach the cliffs and he could find a cave they could stay in until she was well enough to travel.Not wanting to waste any time he ate a quick lunch of cold stew, feeding some of the congealed broth to the girl in tiny amounts, carefully stroking her throat to encourage her to swallow and not choke, before turning to repack everything. As he did, he kept an eye out for items he could use to make a rough travois. It took longer than he would have liked, but by afternoon the carrier was finished. The girl (still face down to keep pressure off her wounds) and the goods were secured to the frame and a water skin was tied to his belt next to his mask. Crouching down, he slipped on the tethers for the harness he’d fashioned, tightening and adjusting as he went. As he stood, he leaned into the ropes, feeling how they bit in a little where they crossed his chest. They held tight though, and soon he was pulling the load along behind him. It was a slow process, but it did the job. He settled into a comfortable pace, wary and on guard, even as his thoughts wandered.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

A couple hours later, he’d finally found the perfect place to set up camp. It was better than he could have ever hoped for, honestly. It was a peaceful, secluded spot. A small valley filled with trees and boulders, all hidden behind a towering rock wall. The entrance itself was a tiny, well hidden passage that wound through the stone until eventually opening up again. On the far opposite end, water cascaded down from the northern cliffs while to the west the ground gradually sloped up to an open, grassy hilltop. He noticed a small opening at the base where the cliffs rose up from the hill, most likely a cave. Focusing his attention around the entrance, he saw no signs of flooding, which meant that even after heavy rains and the snow-melt in spring caused the river to swell well past its banks, the higher ground would stay nice and dry.

Glancing around at the stones and boulders he spotted scattered about, it wasn’t hard to imagine how such a place had come to be. Hundreds of years ago, the small tunnel they’d passed through had most likely been the entrance to a large underground cavern. The river would have flowed across the ground above before crashing down on the opposite side of the rock wall behind them until, at some point, the ceiling had collapsed. Over the following decades, seasonal flooding had continuously scoured the valley below, washing and smoothing the land over and over as the torrents fought through the debris until, finally, forming a permanent channel through the land.

Now, the water that plunged down from its current location roared steadily, filling a small pond while the spray from the falls covered the small area in an almost ethereal mist. It eventually channeled into the small river that flowed through the valley, exiting through the tiny passage they’d come in through earlier on the south end.

Satisfied with his observations, he drug the travois up the hill until he reached the overhang that sheltered the top of the hill and the small opening in the rock from the elements. The ground was flat here, though pretty bare due to constant shade and relatively little moisture. He moved aside some debris with his foot, easing the straps from his shoulders so he could lower the frame down onto the soft ground. Resisting the urge to lay down himself, he made sure she was comfortable there in the shade before he removed the fasteners holding her and the rest of the cargo in place. He watched the girl for a moment, uncertain.

He didn’t want to go far today, still not completely at ease in his new surroundings nor with leaving the unconcious girl alone, but they needed water and firewood so he quickly prepared to set out. The bags were stashed against the wall for now along with the extra weapons. He grabbed a carry bag and rope from the pile and slung them over one shoulder before securing the four water skins to his belt. Looking around their soon-to-be camp, he made his way to the river. He spotted a few plants he recognized along the way as being edible and gathered enough for the next couple days, marking the nearby trees to note the locations.

At the riverside, he found a dry spot on a grassy overhang and knelt to filled each pouch, one by one, before securing them to his belt. He kept his eyes sharp as he surveyed his surroundings. While there hadn’t been any threats when they’d arrived, he worried a predator would follow the smell of her blood, not to mention the dead rabbits from the traps he’d checked this morning.

A splash nearby startled him momentarily, his body instantly on alert, but it was only a fish. He relaxed his stance and resumed his task, glad to see the river had an abundance of life within its banks. If they ended up needing to stay here for a while, it would be an invaluable source of food.

As he watched one fish swim by, he caught sight of himself reflected in the water. He hadn’t realized until now that he hadn’t put his mask on since he’d removed it that morning, bells ringing at his hip instead of in his ear. Having it off was… weird, but also...

nice

. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed the feel of the wind in his hair and the warmth of the sun as it caressed his face.

He stared at his image as it rippled with the current, taking in how his face had changed since the last time he’d done this. Gold reptilian eyes watched back, slitted pupils widened and narrowed as they took in every detail. Long pale fingers brushed against his short blue hair and ghosted next to his eyes, wide with curiosity. They stroked the red marks underneath, down smooth cheeks, tracing over a pert nose and across thin lips, before ending at a small, round chin.. Overall, his face was still slightly rounded, only having reached his thirteenth year, though his face was a bit longer than before and less childish.

At least, that’s what he liked to think.

His shoulders were wider, much like other boys his age in the village. And though his body was thinner, it was more toned now after years of working in the mountains and living off the land. It was bittersweet, knowing that he was probably stronger than any of the village boys, including many of the older ones.

He cupped some water in his palms and took a few drinks of the cool water before grabbing a second handful to splash is face, washing away the sweat and grime. He’d been away long enough. Pulling his gloves out of a hip pouch to protect his hands, he used the section of rope he’d brought to help form a bundle as he grabbed dead sticks and branches from the ground. Breaking them occasionally to fit better, he slowly made his way back to camp.

Under the overhang once more, he placed the bundle up against the wall, pulling the rope free before checking on the girl. She was still pale, her skin cool to the touch, despite the blanket covering her and the summer heat. Worry bit at his chest and he hoped she didn’t end up sick, since all of his herbs were back in his den. The satchel he found only contained the basics and he wasn’t familiar enough with this area to know where they grew, if they grew here at all. He rolled her over onto her good side, just enough to make sure she hadn’t bled through her bandages on her back. Seeing only a little spotting, he decided he’d leave that one for now and unwrapped the lower half to replace the sodden bandage covering her stitches with a clean one before rewrapping it once more.

Seeing he still had a few hours before dusk, he covered her again, slinging the rope and the sack with the rabbits over his shoulder before heading up the river to where it met the lake. There, he quickly set about gutting and skinning each rabbit, having bled them already before he’d added them to the sack. One by one he rinsed the skins and meat thoroughly in the water, careful to waste as little as possible. Even the intestines were carefully washed and set aside to be used for lashings. He then quartered each carcass before dividing the bits and pieces and wrapping them inside the four hides, fur side out. What little unused remainders were left he then tossed into the pond for the fish. The bunny bundles were placed back into the freshly rinsed sack before he pulled out his earlier harvest from the carry bag and washed those as well. Bags secured and arms free once more, he uncoiled the rope and proceeded to gather another cord of firewood on his way back.

Unloading this second pile of wood by the first, he stashed the rope and water away before turning his attention towards preparing a fire pit. Some of the stones laying around were used to surround the shallow indentation he made in the ground, leaving a single trench leading out from the center to provide airflow. Starting with small sticks and bits of bark, he gradually added bigger, thicker pieces on top, just like he’d been taught. Some dead grass from the edge of the camp was made into a loose ball that he sat on the ground in front of him. A couple strikes with the flint, a carefully controlled puff of air, and the little spark took. He gently picked up the tinder, cradling it carefully as he eased it into the gap under the pile left by the trench. He blew a little more at the small flame, watching it tentatively lick at the nearby twigs. Soon, he had the fire going, the stew pot setting to the side while he added diced pieces of tubers, vegetables, and a couple of the chunks of rabbit. Placing the pot in the center to cook, he grabbed the meat sack once more and entered the tunnel for the first time.

His eyes quickly adjusted to the dim light and, a few steps in, he paused to look around. Pushing his vision a little, he scanned ahead for anything that might be dangerous while checking the structure of the surrounding rock and getting an idea of the layout. From what he could see, everything looked solid. The tunnel was long but narrow, gently sloping upwards before it opened up at a decently sized chamber. He carefully made his way deeper into the mountain, the air around him growing cool as he went just like he’d hoped it would. The floor leveled out for the most part when he arrived in the first room and he looked the chamber over. It seemed dry and clean and empty, with no signs of animal life.

At least, none worth worrying about.

So far, it was perfect.

The room had two other tunnels besides the one he stood in. Across the room, on the southwest side, a small passage led to a slightly lower secondary room. Walking in, he noticed the air here was even cooler than the first room- a natural cellar. He quickly stashed the sack in a shallow nook in the wall for now along with the remaining contents from the carry bag still hanging from his shoulders. The chilling temperatures would help preserve the food he’d gathered and prevent the meat and hides from spoiling for a several days at least, until he could do something with them.

Crossing back through the first chamber, he then entered the second tunnel farther North along the western wall. Still ensuring that the earth around him was stable, he continued on, following the passage as it wound upwards, deeper and deeper into the mountain. Up ahead was a third room and as he neared, the surrounding air became increasingly warm and humid. A gentle breeze pushing from behind indicated there was another exit

somewhere

in this cave system, the rising warm air pulling in cool, fresh air from below. And the source of that warm, humid air was now right in front of him. He made a small gasp of amazement as he slowly entered the room.

In front of him was a large, underground hot springs. By the shore, the water steamed while along the far wall a stream made its way down a series of small ledges on the left mixing slightly with the springs before cascading down once more and disappearing back underground on the right. But that wasn’t what had his attention right now.

The cave itself seemed to

sparkle

. Crystals formed in the humid air while strange glowing plants grew sporadically from the moss covered floor, swaying slightly in the faint breeze. The light they cast reflected gently throughout the room as crystals of various sizes and hues altered the light. The kaleidoscope of colors were cast around the room, mostly greens and blues and purples, where they splashed sporadically across the rocks and walls. He felt he could stay there for hours, to see what other surprises this place had, but he had so much more to do still. Reluctantly, he turned away and made his way back outside, grabbing the satchel that held the ointment and fresh bandages before moving over next to the girl to change her bandages.

The smaller injuries were all looking much better, and the swelling in her ankle had gone down as well, to his relief. His attention then turned to her back and side. He laid a clean blanket down nearby before carefully maneuvering her to lay against his chest like he had earlier that day.

Was that really today? It felt like it’d been so much longer...

He removed the oversized shirt and unwound the wraps, using water from one of the flasks he’d set by the fire to warm to loosen the bandages as much as he could wherever they stuck to her skin. Scabs pulled off in a few places, but overall it looked like both areas were doing better. Nothing looked infected and the bleeding from her side had just about stopped. Her skin would still be raw and tender for at least another week, but she seemed to be healing well.

Gently wiping the area once more, he applied another coat of ointment before placing fresh bandages and wrapping them in place. He quickly wet a cloth, gently wiping at the wound on her head before proceeding to wipe the rest of her body clean. There was a large bump still from where her head had smacked against the tree, but the gash had scabbed over and it appeared to be healing nicely as well, though with head injuries it was sometimes hard to tell. He just hoped it wasn’t worse than it looked.

Deciding he’d done all he could for her injuries, he pulled the shirt back on her and eased her down onto the newly laid out blanket. The soiled linens were gathered together and tossed to the side in a pile with the old bandages to wash later, before he turned his attention to the food, trying to push down his concern that, through all of it, she still hadn’t stirred once.

The pot bubbled, mixing with the little bit of leftover stew from this afternoon. He grabbed some dishes and utensils out of one of the bags, using a ladle to give it a quick stir before pouring some into a bowl to cool. A quick poke at the rabbit with a knife found clear juice inside, indicating it was finished cooking as well. Using the end of a large stick, he maneuvered the tip under the rotating handle, raising it up and lifting the pot out of the coals. He set it nearby to cool as well, fishing out a chunk of rabbit for himself.

Once he’d finished the piece off, he grabbed a spoon and the cooled broth, carrying them both over and settling by the girl’s side. Placing them on the ground for now, he carefully moved her until she was sitting with her back against him again. One arm held her up right while the other carefully dribbled some of the juice onto her tongue, rubbing her throat encouragingly to get her to swallow. He repeated the process until he felt she’d gotten a decent amount. As much as he would have liked to give her more, much more, he knew from experience that as underfed as she appeared to be, too much at once could cause her stomach to rebel. For now, he would just have to feed her small amounts, gradually increasing her portion with each meal. He wiped her face and chin clean of any stray food, then laid her back down and refilled the bowl for himself. Soon, he’d finished his own portion and had taken the dishes and dirty linens to the hot springs to wash them before heading back to camp to put them away.

Closing the flap on the bag, he grabbed one of the longest sections of rope to use as a clothes line. He secured it tightly between two trees just North of camp and quickly hung the linens over it to dry before returning and stashing the now covered and cooled pot in the cellar. He yawned heavily, pulling out the extra blankets and placing one more on the girl before taking his own and settling down a few steps away. He laid one blanket out on the grassy part of the hilltop and covered himself with the other. Laying on his back, he listened silently to the world around him and watched the sky change as the sun set. The first stars had just appeared as he drifted off into an exhausted sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

He woke up suddenly, unsure why since he doubted he’d been asleep more than a few hours. As he listened to the night sounds, his eyes searching around for any signs of danger, a small whimper reached his ears. His eyes widened slightly in alarm as he hurried to the girl’s side, worried that she had woken and was in pain. The low burning embers cast a soft, warm light across her face. Tears shimmered as they trickled down her cheeks, her eyes still closed in sleep. Another whimper, clearly frightened this time, escaped her throat as her shoulders twitched. A bad dream, it seemed. He gently wiped her tears as he panicked internally. What should he do? What

could

he do? What would

he

do?

‘Ao…’

A faint memory, more feeling than anything, of large hands rubbing his back as he’d cried, his small arms wrapped around a muscular neck, and his face buried in a cascade of silky blue as he hid his tears from the world.

He reached out anxiously, remembering her wounds, before gently placing his hand on her head. He moved his fingers in what he’d

hoped

was a comforting motion as he softly hummed a tuneless melody. He must have done something right because after a couple minutes, the tears stopped and her breathing evened out again as she calmed. A small bit of pride filled him at his apparently successful attempt and he went back to his spot nearby, laying down to sleep once more.

Or at least, he

tried

.

He hadn’t been asleep more than an hour or two when the whimpering started again. And so it continued all night until finally, in his exhaustion, he had drug his blankets over with him and lay down facing her and stroked her hair as he drifted in and out of consciousness before finally succumbing to sleep once more.

She didn’t wake him again the rest of the night, and when his eyes opened the next morning, her hand was fisted in the front of his robes, face peaceful in the early morning light. Unable to bring himself to disturb her, he slipped out of his robe, leaving it with her while he started his day. As breakfast warmed, he’d managed to get through his katas

(though he could barely remember doing them at all as tired as he was)

and checked on the villagers. He’d had to push his sight further than he’d ever tried before as he assured himself that, despite being gone for so long, the village and its inhabitants were just fine. He had always been careful to avoid being seen, avoiding the fear and hatred he knew he would find in their presence, so he’d doubted they would even realized he was gone. The glimpses he’d gotten were evidence enough that he’d been right.

He told himself it didn’t bother him.

While they had breakfast, he went over his to-do list, trying to determine what needed done the most. Rubbing his face tiredly, he quickly decided an afternoon nap was

definitely

high on his priority list, especially since there was no guarantee tonight wouldn’t be more of the same. The linens needed washed as well, along with her bandages once he changed them out for fresh ones. And while they had plenty of firewood for now, thanks to the two bundles he’d gathered the first day, he wanted to stock up as much as possible while the weather was being cooperative. They were overdue for a good storm and he wanted to make sure they were prepared if it hit before making it back to the village. Fortunately, between the area’s isolated nature and the lack of rain in the last couple weeks, there was plenty of dry dead wood laying around. They still had a decent amount of meat in the cellar too, so he didn’t need to worry about setting any traps right away either. Not that he wouldn’t at least try if he

did

see something to hunt. And though he’d like to have some more variety, the little bit of foraging he’d done already would last until he went to gather wood once more.

Absently running his hands through his hair, he cringed slightly as his fingers snagged, realizing that some sections were still crusted with dried blood.

A bath probably wouldn’t hurt either.

Morbidly, he wondered once again how his hair was still

blue

after all these years, having long ago learned how difficult it was to wash blood stains from his clothes.

Glancing over at the still unconscious girl, his brow furrowed slightly. He should probably give her a proper bath too. He’d cleaned her wounds as well as he could, but a wet cloth wasn’t as good as fresh, running water. He decided he would take everything to the hot springs first before carrying her in with him.

Plan in place, he gathered the dirty dishes and linens in a makeshift bag before placing the lid on the now cooled stew and carrying it all inside. The pot went into the cellar and the bag was carried up and sat on the bank next to the hot springs. Returning to camp, he carefully banked the fire then turned to the bag of clean linens and grabbed two blankets to use as towels along with the smallest pants he could find. Placing them on top of the girl, he gently gathered the small body in his arms and carried her inside, bedding and all. Once she was settled comfortably on the ground, he removed the other items from her midsection and placed them in a pile nearby. Turning to the bag he’d brought in earlier, he quickly set to work.

The steam from the hot water at the edge of the pool warmed him, sweat dripping as the dishes were washed and set out to dry on the mossy ground and the linens were scrubbed and piled on a nearby boulder, waiting until he could hang them up to dry later. Next he stripped off his own clothes, all except his undergarments, and soon those joined the rest of the soggy pile. He looked at the girl, debating for a moment before deciding to leave her shirt and bandages on for now and gathered the smaller body in his arms. Making his way to the edge of the water, he tested with his toes until he found a spot where the river and springs met, cooling the water enough to be comfortable against her sensitive skin. He laid her near the edge for a moment, easing himself in first rather than risk slipping and falling with her still in his grasp. Once he was finally seated, he carefully moved her onto his lap. He marveled again at how she felt in his arms, still unable to believe that someone so tiny and light, so seemingly delicate, had managed to take down a man that had probably been at least three times her size.

Shaking his head, he removed her robes while he waited for the warm water to soak the bandages, loosening the blood and scabs as much as possible before unwinding the wraps one by one. In the soft light, he checked each wound carefully, using his nails to gently pick at any dirt and debris he had missed yesterday. There were a couple places where the scabs ripped away, causing tiny dots of red to well up, but nothing compared to that first day. Her stitches were holding up nicely as well. He’d been worried since he hadn’t been able to cleanse the needle and thread first, but so far there were no signs of infection and the thread looked like it was holding up well. Using one of the cleaner bandages as a washcloth, he gently wiped the dirt and filth from her body, carefully moving her as needed. He bit his lip softly when it was time to wash her private area, uncertain.

He had seen people naked before. A long time ago, when he was still learning to control his eyes. He’d been.. Three? Four maybe? He’d asked Ao back then, while they were bathing, about why boys and girls were different. He’d never gotten an answer, and he’d never asked again. Ao had been so angry, he’d worried the older man’s hair would turn as red as his face. He could barely remember Ao’s face anymore, but he remembered that. He also remembered Ao scolding him, telling him that it was bad to look inside the houses at people, especially when they had no clothes on. He remembered being told that spying on the villagers would make them hate him more. He’d been extra careful not to do it again, even though he’d still been curious.

Ao had been equally angry when he’d asked Ao why their privates looked different, even though they were both boys.

‘Just keep your hands and eyes to yourself, brat! They’re called ‘privates’ for a reason!’

Focusing on the present once more, he debated what to do. He didn’t want this girl to hate him but he also knew that if he didn’t keep her clean, she could get sick or end up with an infection...

He was torn for a moment before sighing in resignation. Once she knew what he was, she’d hate him anyway, but for now she was his responsibility. Ao never shirked from his duties, no matter what, and neither would he.

He washed what he could reach, trying to be gentle and quick while still making sure she was clean, then he carefully eased her onto the ledge beside him until her head laid in his lap. With both hands now free, he rinsed the grime from her hair and gently worked the sticks and other debris from the dark strands until they ran silky smooth between his fingers. Once he was finally satisfied with his work, he lifted her out of the water, laying her on her stomach on the mossy ground before covering her bottom and thighs with one of the blankets he’d brought. He left her feet hanging over the edge of the pool, allowing him to clean them like he had her hands before lifting her legs and scooting her over until she was laying completely on the ground. He would rebandage her later. For now, a little exposure to the open air would be good for her wounds.

He waded through the increasingly heated water over to the banks he’d knelt at earlier, finally removing his undergarments and adding them to the pile of remaining linens, letting them soak in the shallows for now while he bathed himself. The hot water seemed to seep through his flesh and into the core of his bones. Having always been a “cold” person, he was pretty sure he had never felt this warm and comfortable in his entire life. He turned, facing out of the pool, and laid his head on his arms on the edge of the rocky ledge, his legs floating slightly behind him. He had other things he should be doing, he knew, but for right now, just this once, he wanted to indulge himself. He sighed softly, letting his muscles relax as the water gently swirled around him, caressing his skin and soothing his overworked body.

When he realized he was about to fall asleep, he sat up once more and quickly finished his bath, scrubbing at his skin and hair until the lumps in his hair were gone and the cloth came away clean. He grabbed the remaining pile of linens and quickly washed them as well before climbing reluctantly out of the water. He dried himself quickly and pulled the pants on, tying them around his waist and rolling the bottoms up enough he wouldn’t step on them. He grit his teeth as he gathered the now cold, wet, squishy pile of clothes to his bare chest, breathing in sharply when they came into contact with his currently overheated skin. Walking quickly, he made his way outside to the clothes line he’d rigged yesterday.

Dropping everything onto the ground nearby, the dry items were pulled off and placed in a second pile before he gently wrung the wet linens one last time and hung them up in their place where the wind and sun could dry them. That done, he collected the dry linens from the ground and went back to camp, carefully folding and packing each piece away, minus some of the bandages and wraps. Those he set aside next to a clean blanket he’d laid out to place the girl on once he was through along with a fresh shirt for each of them, her own robes still needing mending. He slung a carry bag over his shoulder and returned to the springs, packing up the dishes before wrapping his charge in the blanket and carrying both back outside. Sitting near the items he’d laid out, he wrapped her wounds gently and dressed her in the fresh shirt he’d picked out for her before easing her on to the makeshift bed.

He heated up the stew again, more to feed the girl than himself, and quickly had everything washed and put away once more. He pulled on one of the smaller shirts, the short sleeves still reaching past his elbows, and tied it closed before the exhausted boy finally laid down. He took no time finding a soft, shady spot and moments after his eyes closed, his breathing evened out as he drifted off to sleep.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Her thoughts were hazy and jumbled as her consciousness swayed back and forth between dream and reality, to the point where she could no longer tell which was which.

She was sitting around the fire with her family, eating and laughing as they talked about what they each had done that day when a noise behind her caught her attention. She twisted to see what had caused it, her searching eyes finding nothing but darkness beyond the small reach of the fire’s glow.

Turning back, she opened her mouth to ask if anyone else had heard it, only to find them dead. Their bloody, mutilated bodies strewn haphazardly around the small room in their home. Dead, soulless eyes stared back as blood seeped out, spreading until the whole from was drenched in red before slowly slithering

up the wall

.

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Following its path, her eyes looked to the ceiling, but there wasn’t one. Instead, faces leered down at her from above.

Taunting, jeering, cruel faces with hands that reached and grabbed and hurt.

The blood was on her now, trickling up her clothes and skin, holding her forcefully to the ground. It wrapped around her throat, choking her as the ground under her stabbed into her back, pain ripping through her as though the flesh was being scoured from her body. Her vision went red as she thrashed and snarled, like a wild beast, snapping her teeth and clawing at those hands that grabbed at her clothes and her hair and her skin.

Hands that were everywhere. Pulling and ripping and beating at her, forcing her to the ground.

Her back was on fire, the pain burning and coursing through her like lava. Pain bloomed in her side as she struggled to get away.

Suddenly, one one of the faces closed in on her, the others fading out of sight as it came closer. So close.

’Too close!’

She lashed out, feeling little resistance as she ripped through skin and flesh. Again and again and again. Blood rained down heavily, the warmth spreading over her cold, bare skin. She didn’t care. In fact, she

reveled

in it. Her own blood howling in vicious triumph as her enemy lay dead at her feet.

She was

free

.

She grabbed the clothes the hands had stolen from her, pulling them on hastily as she dashed out the door and into the dark forest.

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At the edge of the tree line, a large shadow crouched, waiting. Its glowing red eyes called to her... and something within stirred in answer. Together, they ran, the beast ahead loping through the underbrush, leading her through the darkness.

They were behind her, she knew. The other faces... they’d be angry now.

Before they had just been toying with her, like a cat with it’s prey.

Not anymore.

Now they cursed and screamed, raging at her as she ran and ran through the dark. Clawed hands scratched and raked at her, tearing into clothes and skin alike. Slowing her down, clutching at her as she fled.

The ground itself bit at her feet, tooth-like rocks stabbing into her flesh while roots twisted and flailed. One grabbed her ankle, tripping her and sending her flying. Falling. Crashing. Rolling. Until she smashed into something.

Hard.

For a long time, there was nothing. Nothing but pain and darkness. The cold void pressing in around her was almost... soothing. She was tired of running. Tired of hurting. Of the never ending pain. Tired of fighting.

Just. So. Tired.

She knew she should get up, that they’d find her if she didn’t, those faces and hands she feared so much. Even as she told herself to move, she didn’t. Couldn’t. Exhaustion filled her body, her limbs heavy as lead, and in the dark she shivered...

As she lay there, she dreamed of warm, gentle hands that soothed instead of hurt. That caressed instead of grabbed. Hands as pale as moon beams washing over her, freeing her from the blood that clung to her, numbing her body, and easing the ache in her soul. She sighed softly, enjoying the brief respite.

If she listened, she could still hear the voices. Harsh, grating sounds that reminded her they were still there. Watching for the moon to turn its back. Waiting in the darkness for the light to leave. She couldn't escape them. Not forever. But she’d take this chance to rest. Here, under the watchful eyes of the moon. Rest so that, when it finally left her, she’d be ready to fight again..

She felt like she was floating along, her body rocked occasionally as if by some unseen current, while her mind continued to wander..

Papa had been the one to teach her how to fight, though she wasn’t too great at it. Mama had frowned on her boyish tendencies at first, but Papa was always encouraging her to do what made her happy. He spoiled her like that.

She supposed he had always wanted a son (as most father’s seemed to), but despite years of trying, she was their only child. He never complained, never seemed disappointed. In fact, that she shared his interests more and more as she grew older had only added to the love he’d already lavished on her.

She remembered how, when she was 5, the other girls in the village were sewing and cooking and playing house while she and Papa would head out into the woods. He taught her about the animals and nature. Nature that could not be tamed, could not be controlled, but would often cooperate if shown the proper respect.

Papa had always believed they were part of that nature and strove to emulate it in everything he did. Quiet and quick like the rabbit, cunning and sly like the fox, watchful and wise like the owl, fierce and strong like the wolf. Through him, she learned to love all things and to become one with her surroundings, to never take anything for granted. Two years later, he had talked Mama into allowing her to join him in his morning meditation. It was another 3 years before she was allowed to train with him.

“Let her decide her own future,” He’d coaxed. “After all, isn’t it better to be wildly happy than perfectly miserable?”

Mama had finally relented, still unable to deny him anything after all their time together, though Mama had insisted she learn at least some practical household skills. She never pushed for perfection, merely content knowing her daughter would have the skills available should she ever need them.

Some of the other children had teased her for her boyish tendencies though. A few of the boys would go so far as to bully her, taunting her about how small and weak she was compared to them. Until one of them had hit her. Then she’d shown them just how ‘small and weak’ she was. Not that it had stopped them, they just started ganging up on her after that, hurling their insults from the safety of their ‘pack’.

They kept their hands to themselves after that, however.

The girls, on the other hand, generally went out of their way to avoid her, not wanting to bring shame to their families even just through association. A girl was only worth as much as the reputation of their family after all. While most fathers wanted to see their daughters happily married, they were just as likely to use the marriage to the benefit of themselves and/or their families. A pretty, well-manner daughter could be married off to a family higher up the social ladder in exchange for access to better grazing lands, superior breeding animals, and fertile fields, not to mention the dowry itself.

Unfortunately, some of the adults weren’t much better. She remembered their frowning faces, whispering about how uncivilized she was. How barbaric, for a young girl to be raised outside her role. How no man would ever take such a heathen as his wife. They whispered of dark rituals and demons, of blood sacrifices and other sinister deeds, deep in the darkness of the forest...

She didn’t care though. In fact, she’d never been happier. From that day on, her mornings were spent at Papa’s side as they meditated. Moving slowly, precisely, in the pre-dawn light. Their breathing as controlled as their bodies and bird calls the only sounds as they glided through the different motions and poses, her own actions a near perfect replica of his. The smells of the trees and grass and flowers had surrounded her, soothing in their familiarity.

She also remembered moving alongside him, stalking silently as they hunted in the Deep Woods. She remembered shooting her first deer, a small two prong buck that had fed the family for weeks. She remembered fishing on the river bank while Papa told stories about the Old Days. She remembered trapping in the winter, snaring her first white ermine and the pretty hide Papa had helped her work. She remembered gathering wild foods and herbs to bring home to Mama, who would then teach her how to use everything they found. She remembered fresh baked breads and mince pies and spicy pepper jellies. She remembered staying up on the solstices, the cherry blossoms in spring, the harvest festivals...

She remembered this last winter, the look of surprise when she’d presented Mama with a pair of rabbit fur-lined boots that she had made herself in secret.

Boots Mama had been wearing when the group of men had shown up…

’Mama… Papa...’

Shrinking away from the memories, she whimpered softly as she retreated back into the darkness, curling in on herself. For some reason, it seemed.. less cold now than it had been earlier. Leather and earth invaded her senses along with... something else.

Something new. Something powerful.

Something primal.

The wind whispered a haunting melody, and she dreamed of wolfsong and starry skies as she returned to the void.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Light glinted off steel as it sliced through the cool night air. The moon, just a thin sliver, hung high over the cliffs above as a silhouette whirled around, dancing with shadows. The figure drew back, blocking. A quick pivot, followed by a horizontal slash. Spinning, thrusting, twisting. Advancing and retreating. Metal almost singing as it swung through the air. Sweat glistened on pale skin, trickling down a lightly muscled chest that heaved slightly from exertion. Tan fabric billowed and flowed loosely around toned legs as bare feet stepped skillfully across the ground. A low, masculine voice seemed to echo in the night, a ghost of a memory as it whispered on the wind. ’The sword is an extension of the body, the body an extension of the mind. Where the mind goes, so does th-’ “Mama... Papa...” The small whisper startled him, almost dropping his sword when he tripped mid-step. Catching himself, he quickly sheathed his weapon as he approach the girl laying nearby. It had been two days and she still hadn’t woken, though tonight she’d been increasingly restless. The nightmares plaguing her sleep had become more frequent, each seemingly more terrifying than the last. Mimicking the first night, he ran his fingers lightly over her head, attempting to soothe her before the terrors took over again. His fingers briefly moved from her head to the side of her face and ghosted over the soft skin, a small spark of relief flitting through him when he noticed the bruising there was fading quickly. He gazed at her softly, still humming and stroking his fingers through her hair, even as his thoughts wandered. He’d slept longer than he’d intended during his nap today and woke to find it was almost dark. The fire hadn’t quite gone out yet, thankfully, and once he’d had it going again he had quickly went through his usual dinner routine, still mildly annoyed he hadn’t woken up sooner. A small part of him had wanted to make up for the time he’d lost that afternoon and head out into the woods to do some more gathering, the dim light more than adequate for his superior vision. The larger part, however, had been unwilling to leave her to face the demons that invaded her dreams. Not to mention the usually still figure had begun stirring slightly in her sleep, the first signs of movement he’d seen from her the entire time he’d been with her. Just the idea of her waking up alone, in the dark…. He’d quickly known he couldn’t, wouldn’t, be able to leave, nor would he be going back to sleep so soon. Sitting still had been out of the question as well, now that he was fully rested. He’d moved to stand, only to feel a light tug on his shirt and discover that, once again, she had entangled her fingers in his clothes. ‘Oh well,’ he’d thought, feeling both awkward and just a little bemused that she apparently found comfort in his presence. The extra fabric probably would have hindered his movements anyway… So he’d left the garment behind and quietly retrieved his sword. Walking off to the side a little ways, he’d proceeded to channel his energy into the katas that had been drilled into him for as long as he could remember, hoping to wear himself out a little so he’d be able to go back to bed and return to his usual routine. This was the fourth time his training had been interrupted now. Sighing softly, he decided he was done training for the night and put his sword away. Still no closer to sleep than when he'd started, he grabbed an oversized bowl out of the bag of dishes and headed to the cellar. He opened the meat sack, carefully emptying the cleaned entrails into the container for now before pulling the hides out of the sack, leaving only the meat behind. On his way out, he added a little more fuel to the fire as he passed by before he settled next to the girl once more. Furs piled nearby, he picked up the first skin and set to work scraping at the underside, removing the soft fats and fleshy bits while being careful to not pierce through the hide in the process. It was slow work, methodical. When he felt the first one was as clean as it would get, he rolled it up and set it aside before repeating the process with the next three hides. As he worked, his thoughts turned once more to the girl laying next to him. It had been two whole days and, though he’d checked, he still hadn’t seen anyone else in the area other than the villagers. He knew she wasn’t from his village, so where had she come from? Where was her family? Surely someone would be looking for her? He hadn’t seen any villages nearby during his scouting... Was she even from a village? Not for the first time, he wondered just how far she had traveled in her attempt to escape the men who’d been tracking her. Despite the temporary pale tint to her skin, she was actually lightly tanned and her tiny hands a bit calloused, evidence that she was used to work and being out in the sun. He was also more than just a little concerned about how easy it was for him to carry her around the last couple days. When he’d first found her, he’d noticed that she was very thin, but even so.. Looking at her right now, he realized that she actually appeared to be gaining weight, despite having only had the broth he’d been feeding her. It disturbed him to think that she’d probably had more to eat in the last couple days than she usually ate in a week. While food wasn’t exactly abundant up here on the mountains, none of the villagers were nearly as thin as she was. They didn’t always have much, but they almost never went hungry. She would want to go back home, he was sure, but… maybe… He shook his head, as if to dislodge the idea from his mind. He couldn’t just keep her here. It wasn’t his right to decide what was best for her. Of course she’d want to go home. Just earlier tonight she’d spoken for the first time, only to call out for her parents in her sleep. He was sure she would wake up soon, now that she was starting to move around more. Once her ankle was better, he would have to escort her home. Her parents were probably worried, not knowing if their daughter was alive and well. That’s what parents did, right? He remembered when he’d come back from patrol one day, only to find the villagers frantic. Two of the children were missing and no one had seen either of them for a couple hours. He remembered the fear and helplessness on their faces, the tears the mothers wept. He remembered the fathers, jaws clenched angrily, but worried all the same as they tried to reassure their wives, and themselves, that the boys would be fine and that they’d be back soon. Everyone had been so distraught, it had taken them a few seconds longer than usual to realize he was there. He’d walked past them, into the caves, feeling as their fear turned to terror. Here was The Monster, come to claim their children and feast on their bones. It wasn’t true, of course. Even when he’d found both boys, managed to assure them he was there to take them home, and brought them back, safe and sound, the villagers had turned him away. Not one person had thanked him, but that was fine. He hadn’t done it expecting praise. He’d stopped hoping for that a long time ago. No, his reward was the relief on everyone’s face, that split second when the boys entered everyone’s view. The joy and love on everyone’s faces. He didn’t need to hear their gratitude. He’d seen it. Right before they noticed him standing in the background, his quiet wistfulness somehow viewed as menacing in their eyes. Rousing himself from the memory, he rolled the last hide up and added it to the finished pile, returning the them to their place in the cellar. He’d need to start the tanning process soon if he wanted to keep the fur intact, but he really needed to try to sleep again. He would gather what he’d need tomorrow, he decided. Letting out a large yawn, he eased his shirt back on before he settled down under his own blanket for the night. The last thing he saw was the sleeping girl in front of him as he closed his eyes.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

The chatter of birds, soft breathing, the bright morning... Together, they slowly roused the small girl from her sleep, her back and side protesting sharply when she tried to stretch. With a grimace, and definitely more awake than she had been, she slowly forced her eyes to open. They were reluctant at first, but soon shot open in alarm, her breath catching in her throat as she forced herself to remain quiet. There, inches away, a young boy slept. He was.. pretty, though, she doubted he’d appreciate being called that. Most boys didn’t want to be called “pretty”. “Handsome”, yes. Maybe even “cute”, but certainly not something considered so girly as “pretty”. He had the palest, smoothest skin she’d ever seen, with bright red marks under his eyes that arched delicately down each cheek. She’d never seen anyone with tattoos on their face before, but even that wasn’t what had her attention right now. Instead, her eyes were currently locked on his hair. His blue hair! With blue eyebrows to match! She reached out with her hand tentatively. The one the boy wasn’t holding. Because she certainly wasn’t holding his hand! Just like she definitely wasn’t blushing. Scarcely believing he could be real, she gently touched the soft blue tresses, stroking her fingers through the silky strands. Once… twice… and once again before they moved down, touching the marks on his cheeks curiously. It was then she noticed the bandages on her arms. Her confusion only lasted a moment before she stiffened, the memories rushing back.The men.Mama and Papa.

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Hands grabbing her, choking her as they ripped her clothes off. Held her down as she fought and raged. He’d

laughed

! Taunted her as the dagger sliced through her side. Shoved her to the floor, dirt digging into her tender back, hand tight on her neck as he held her down. She knew what he was trying to do. She pushed and shoved, twisted, anything to try and get out from under the man looming over her.

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Ironically, it was the blade he’d cut her with,

just

within reach, that had ended his life. The look of surprise on his face as the blade entered the side of his neck was one she would never forget. He’d jerked back, causing the blade to rip out, her grip tight on the handle. He’d pressed a hand to the gaping hole, desperately trying to hold back the fountain of blood that spilled out.

Leaving his torso open.

She stabbed again, and again, watching with savage triumph as his eyes widened, body jerking with each thrust. But she didn’t care. Didn’t stop until he collapsed to the floor and his hands fell limp to the side. Not giving the adrenaline a chance to wear off, she’d hastily grabbed her robes out of the red puddle and dressed before tearing out the door nearby, blade forgotten in the dead man’s chest.

Her body was shaking from the memory, remembering the

terror

.. and the

anger

. Her jaw clenched tight as she fought down the emotions surging through her. She wouldn’t cry. She

refused

!

She’d cry for her family, for her home, but she would not cry because

them

. They’d already taken enough. She wasn’t about to give them anything else.

Her family… Her village...

She took a deep, shuddering breath, forcing her mind back to the present, focusing back to the boy in front of her as she struggled to distract herself.

She supposed she should feel afraid right now, being around a male, after… after what happened, but she was surprised to find she couldn’t bring herself to be anything more than just a little nervous. It was hard to be afraid of someone who looked so peaceful. And actually… Now that she was looking at him again, he honestly didn’t look like he was much older than she was, still just a young boy. She watched as he slept, the serene look on his face and his slow steady breaths further calming her… She resumed stroking his head absently, closing her eyes as she let her other senses take in her surroundings.

She could hear a waterfall in the distance, the steady rumble of the water as it crashed down was a steady thrum in the background. The wind sang a soft melody to her as it blew down from the high canyon walls, leaves whispering as they rustled against each other while it danced through the trees. She smelled a campfire nearby, the smell of ash and embers and scorched earth reaching her nose before the light breeze pushed it away, replaced by the smell of wild flowers and a woodsy scent. It was similar to that of the Deep Woods she called home but.. lighter. Old, but not nearly as old as the forest she knew and loved. She felt the sun heating her skin, its rays a gentle caress that-

She froze, her eyes flying open when the hand holding hers squeezed lightly. The world around her went still, waiting with her as the boy stirred under the hand still buried in his hair. Bleary eyes fought to stay closed. Golden at first glance, but

so much more.

Yellows, oranges, reds, purples, blues, greens… Prismatic and iridescent, the colors danced and shimmered.

Slitted

pupils gazed back, expanding and contracting as they struggled to slowly bring the world into focus in the bright morning light. She couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t

breathe

.

She could tell the moment his mind caught up.

His eyes, those

beautiful

eyes, had shot open in alarm. She heard him inhale sharply as he jerked back away from the hand resting gently on his head, yanking his own hand free and

literally

slapping it over his eyes as he retreated. His knees drew up in front of him, body curling up defensively,

trembling

, as he hid beneath the blanket he’d been sleeping under.

Her own eyes were now wide open as well, too stunned to feel much embarrassment at having been caught essentially

petting

a stranger. Whatever she

had

been expecting when he woke, it hadn’t been..

this

. Was he..?

‘

Afraid

?

Of..

me

?’

She tried to get up, to somehow comfort this strange boy, but quickly regretted the idea, remaining on her stomach with a hiss as a sharp pain tore through her side. Her back protested mildly as well, though more of a dull throb in comparison.

The sudden sound seemed to get his attention and she saw him turn away quickly,

still wearing the blanket

, and rummage through a bag near what appeared to be a cave. Looking at her surroundings for the first time, she realized she had no idea where she was, or how she’d gotten here. She felt terrible, and if the bandages she felt covering most of her body were any clue, she probably looked like it too. She was just about to try to get up again when she heard… were those

bells

?

Following the sound, she turned her gaze back to him and jumped slightly, startled. The blanket was gone and over his face, he wore a horned half-face mask now. Long blood-red triangles, one above and one below below, pointed away from each of the empty, black sockets, the shadows revealing nothing of the eyes peering at her from within. It was intimidating, to say the least. The overall effect only eased by it’s disproportional size. Not enough to look comical. Just a little too large compared to the person wearing it.

She tried to push away the feeling of disappointment at this latest change. She wanted to see his face again, especially those stunning eyes, but judging by the way he’d covered them so quickly and the anxiety nearly radiating off of him in waves, she realized he must have a reason for hiding himself. It wasn’t hard to guess that something bad had happened and she felt a pang in her chest as she wondered what kind of trauma could have caused such bright eyes to cloud with such

fear

.

She sent him a soft smile when she saw him turn to look over at her, not missing the irony that

she

was trying to put

him

at ease, even though she was the one currently laying down and injured, not to mention being the smaller and weaker of the two. He approached cautiously, though her smile seemed to confuse him for a moment, before stopping just out of arm’s reach. Crouching down, he extended one arm out towards her, a bag dangling from his hand. She tried to push herself up once more only for a second spasm hit. She grit her teeth and clenched her eyes against the pain. Nope, she wouldn’t be going anywhere. Not without a lot of hurting at least.

Breathing carefully, she waited for the burning sensation to dull before she looked at him again, noting the way his lips pressed together slightly, his shoulders tensing. Even though she couldn’t see his eyes anymore, she could practically

feel

the concern rolling off of him. She licked her lips and swallowed, trying to get her throat to work.

“Can you help me sit up?” She winced, the words coming out hoarse, voice dry and scratchy and cracking from disuse.

The boy seemed to stare at her for a moment, then... a small nod. He sat the bag down and moved closer, helping her roll onto her back before gently easing her up into a sitting position. Her back stung a bit, the skin feeling warm and stiff, but it was her side that hurt the most. A wave of dizziness washed over her.

He must have noticed something was off because, even though she was upright, he didn’t let her go. She gave him a grateful smile, sure that she would have fallen over if not for his support. He opened his mouth, before seeming to change his mind and closing it again. Instead, he reached into the bag and pulled out a water pouch, offering it to her awkwardly. Once she had a firm hold of it, he let go, waiting for her to finish drinking before he motioned again. Pointing to her, then over to the nearby wall. It took her a second. It was obvious he was asking something...

“Are you.. wanting me to move over there? I’m sorry, I.. I don’t think I can. I’m feeling pretty shaky and light headed right now.”

He shook his head slightly. Moving slowly, he motioned with one hand towards her lower legs while the other tightened slightly around her waist, making sure to avoid the side that hurt. He was asking if he could carry her.

“Oh! Yes, I’d appreciate it! I mean.. if you’re sure you don’t mind?”

He didn’t answer, and instead of helping her to stand, he easily lifted her up into his arms, blankets and all, and carried her over to the wall before easing her to sit on the ground once more. He was careful, gentle, despite the tension in his muscles and the pounding in his chest that even

she

could feel. As she settled against the stone behind her, he patiently waited until he seemed satisfied that she was comfortable before withdrawing his support. She leaned against the firm rock behind her, allowing it to support her and relishing the feeling of the cold from the stone seeping through the fabric and soothing the warm skin on her back. She thanked him softly, a genuine smile spreading across her face as he pulled away. For a moment, neither of them moved, not quite sure what to do next. Her eyes were drawn from his face, well.. his mask, by a small motion. She’d barely had time to catch his hands clenching nervously at his sides before he disappeared into the opening beside her.

‘Not much of a talker, it seems.’

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Meanwhile, the boy’s heart was racing.

He had dreamed of warm hands tenderly stroking his hair and cheeks, so realistic he could feel it as it tickled his skin. The morning sun, bright even behind closed eyelids, had nearly blinded him as he’d opened his eyes, only catching glimpses of colors while his eyes gradually brought the world into focus. His gaze was drawn, almost hypnotically, to a slight movement. The sun’s rays reflected off thousands of threads of silk, browns and reds and golds dancing and flickering in the gentle breeze. So many hues- from the nearly black of mahogany, orange as the warmest amber, reds like autumn leaves, and yellows as light and bright as honey. He was captivated, entranced. His eyes traced up the lengths, watching the colors shift and flicker, before he finally noticed the matching orbs in front of him.

Shaded from the bright light coming from behind, they were darker, but just as mesmerizing in their intensity. Warm and open, they pulled at something in him. He could see himself reflected back in those large, black circles, those very human pupils, as they watched him softly, without a hint of fear. Instead, they seemed to be just as enthralled as he was. Looking right back at him with equal intensity.

Staring. Right. Back. At. Him.

He’d panicked immediately, pulling out of her reach and covering his eyes before pulling the blanket over his head as well. Even pulling his legs up in front of him. Anything to put as much between them as possible, however feeble it may be.

He could have killed her!

He’d frantically tried to remember where his mask was, shaken and terrified at what could have happened. They had been lucky. He’d been so tired when he woke up, feeling peaceful in the morning’s quiet after having finally gotten a decent sleep. What if he’d been having a bad dream? If he’d woken up, frightened... Feeling threatened?

She would have been dead.

That was twice now his carelessness could have resulted in her death! Twice!

A hiss of pain had roused him from his thoughts, quickly pulling his attention back to the injured girl. Pushing aside his anxiety for the moment, he had dug through the pile of stuff near the cave until he’d found what he was looking for, the familiar weight of the mask against his face an instant relief. Still rattled, but no longer worried for her immediate safety, he’d turned his attention towards making sure she was taken care of. He’d brought her something to drink and helped move her so she was sitting up comfortably against the wall. After an uneasy silence, he had practically fled into the cave, both to grab food for their breakfast and to get away for a little while.

Pausing for a moment now as he reached the cellar, he tried to settle his racing heart and his nerves while he collected what he needed. He grabbed the stew pot, chopping up some extra food and tossing it in as well now that there would be two people eating.

He felt a little foolish. He’d been taking care of her for two days now and hadn’t had any problem with it. He knew she would be waking up soon. Knew that he’d need to talk to her eventually. But now that she finally awake, he was suddenly self-conscious and on edge. He needed to calm down and focus on his duties.

As he neared the entrance, he stopped and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Feeling more centered, he quickly settled into the routine he’d established over the last couple days. He sat the pot nearby as he stoked the fire, waiting until it was burning well before setting the food in the center to cook. The work and his thoughts gave him something else to focus on besides his frayed nerves.

It was obvious she didn’t know who he was- what he was. She was a little wary, of course. He was a total stranger so it would only made sense if she were uneasy around him. But she hadn’t pulled away from him. Hadn’t screamed, or yelled at him to get away. Even now as he set about changing her bandages, she was watching him with open curiosity. Not an ounce of fear to be seen. If she flinched, it was because something physically hurt, not just because his hand brushed against her skin. Not only that..

She’d touched him.

He’d woken up to the feeling of fingers softly caressing his hair and another warm hand holding his own. Opened his eyes to her fearlessly gazing back at him. As he’d carried her, the front of his robes were clenched tight in her small hand, her warmth radiating through the fabric where her body rested comfortably against him.

He puzzled at the odd feeling in his chest. It didn’t hurt. More like a warm, dull ache. He couldn’t quite-

“Wh-What are you doing?!”

The startled noise jolted him from his thoughts and back to the girl. He looked at her, disconcerted, as he took in her wide eyes and reddening face.

Was she angry at him?

She stared at the boy, her face aflame.

She had been observing him since she’d woken up. The whole time, he hadn’t made a single sound. She’d watched as he went about starting what appeared to be breakfast, studying him as he went about changing her bandages. He moved with confidence, now that his mask was in place, and his motions were practiced and sure. She’d held as still as possible, both so he could focus on what he was doing as well as a little trepidation that she might scare him again. She was just starting relax, wondering who he’d learned these medical skills from, when he’d begun to pull at her sash.

The small sound of alarm had been entirely involuntary as she’d grabbed the front of the shirt she was wearing, only now noticing that it wasn’t her own, and held it tightly to her, drawing her knees up to block any further access.

They were staring at each other now, neither breaking the tense silence that surrounded them. She didn’t know what was worse: that he’d been about to untie the fabric holding the shirt closed, or that he had done so with no apparent hesitation. He didn’t even look sorry! Just… confused? She couldn’t see his eyes to tell for sure, but the slight frown on his face and the way he tilted his head, like some baffled puppy, had her feeling certain that her assumption was right.

And he still hadn’t spoken a single word.

He’d seemed to understand her earlier when wanted to move her, so he wasn’t deaf and apparently spoke the same language. So why wasn’t he answering her?

Could he even talk?

She was about to ask him another question when he held out one of his hands, showing her the bandages he held. He gestured to the places he’d already done before pointing to her throbbing side.

She rolled her eyes. “I figured that much. I just.. Why are you doing it? Isn’t there someone else who can? You know… a woman?”

She looked around anxiously, but didn’t see or hear anyone in the area. Surely his village hadn’t left a him alone to take care of her? But when her eyes turned back to him, he just shook his head slowly before pointing to himself. She had a bad feeling about this.

“You? You’ve been taking care of me? By yourself? ” She swallowed nervously. “Wh-Where is everyone? I haven’t seen-”

He looked away from her, looking at the ground before giving a small nod. He opened his mouth a couple times, much like she had seen him do earlier. Like speaking was... difficult. If she hadn’t been so on edge, so focused on him, she doubted she would have even heard him. His voice was whisper soft, yet rough. The syllables coming out haltingly, as if he were struggling to correctly make the sounds for the words.

“The-,” he tried to clear his throat. “There.. is none.. no one here... Jy.. Just.. me....”

“.. Just you? .. You’re alone? What... Where are your parents? Where’s your village?”

He frowned, shaking his head. “N-no.. no payr- parents… Village is.. far.. too far… You were.. too hurt.” He paused for a moment, his hands clenching in his lap. “I was.. hunting…. Followed.. blood... I thought.. I thought you were-”

He broke off, clearly upset, and didn’t try to continue.

Her grip on her front loosened slightly.

He’d… He’d been the one to find her?

She could only imagine the kind of shape she had been in then if she felt like she did now.

“... How long?” She asked.

How long ago had he found her? How long had this boy been tending to her? Taking care of her? A stranger? All alone, and away from home…

“Two days… I found you.. two days ago.”

She looked down at the bandages on her arms, on her legs, felt the bandages on her torso. They well done and the wraps were clean. The wounds she had seen earlier as he worked were clean and healing. Her skin looked and felt clean. Her blankets were clean. Even her hair felt clean. He’d obviously been taking such good care of her, probably saved her life if his tone earlier were any indication, and she’d practically thrown it in his face. Her parents would have been ashamed.

She certainly was.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. Quickly bringing her hands together in front of her, she tilted her head as respectfully as possible, since she was unable to properly bow without potentially ripping her stitches and negating his hard work.

“Thank you.. For everything you’ve done, I thank you. You’ve done so much for me. I am in your debt.”

“Ah!” The boy was shaking his head rapidly, waving his hands back and forth in front of himself frantically. “N-No! I.. No!  I-I had to! I couldn’t- couldn’t just-!”

She giggled then, relaxing a little more as she watched the previously calm, quiet boy boy stammer and flail, the comical display going a long way towards relieving the little tension that remained.

“I understand,” she smiled, having mercy on him. “Even so, it would be rude of me to not at least try to repay you for all that you’ve done.”

She sobered quickly, her gaze moving to her hands fidgeting in her lap. After a small debate, she decided to put her trust in this boy. After all, if he’d meant to harm her, he would have done so already.

“Actually… I… If you don’t mind… Do you think… I could go back with you? To your village?” She glanced up at him anxiously before staring at her lap again, struggling to keep her voice even. “My village… my family…. They’re all… They’re all gone. I don’t- I don’t have..” She swallowed harshly, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. “I-I’m sorry! I know it’s probably too much to ask, and it’s so sudden.. I just.. I don’t have anywhere else to go.. and.. I think those men will be looking for me. I.. I killed one of them. I had to! I-I had to do it, so I could get away and I’m- I’m sure they’re still after me, but.. if it’s not too much trouble... please… If they find me-”

“Th-They won’t.”

She looked up, scarcely daring to hope, her vision blurring, as she fought to keep the tears from falling. “How do you-”

“I… They’re dead…. I… found them... Four men....”

He watched as relief washed over the girl, the tears she’d been holding back breaking free and streaming down her face. He had an urge to wipe them away, like he did when she was asleep, but.. After her reaction when he’d tried to change the last of her bandages, he wasn’t sure whether he should or not. So he sat there, silently, while she cried.

Relief that she was no longer in danger.

Grieving for what she’d lost-

Her village.

Her home.

Her family.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

She had become his responsibility the moment she had entered his territory. His village didn’t like outsiders and he doubted they would appreciate another mouth to feed, even if it was a young girl but it didn’t matter anymore whether they liked it or not. She had no place else to go now and he couldn’t, wouldn’t, just send her off on her own. He would bring her back to the village, if that’s what she truly wanted. It was his duty to take care of those under his watch and he would do so for as long as she remained. Once she was grown and able to fend for herself, she could decide whether she wanted to stay or not. She wasn’t born into the village, so she wasn’t blood-bound, not unless she chose to be. First, though, she needed to heal. While her ankle was looking better, and the rest of her injuries well on their way to healing, her side would need to much more time before he felt comfortable with her making the trek to the village. The terrain was rough, riddled with deep canyons and steep hills. By himself it would take at least a day to reach the caves. Laden with gear and an injured girl, it would take at least 2 days, probably more, and he didn’t like the idea of being out in the open at night. Out here, bad men were the least of his worries. Packs of wolves, massive bears, and hungry mountain cats prowled. A wounded child would be viewed as an easy target, too tempting for them to pass up, even with him at her side. He figured it would be at least a week before they could even consider making the trip. The more healed she was, the quicker the trip would be. Speaking of wounds…He shifted slightly, subtly trying to get her attention as her tears subsided. When she finally had calmed enough to look at him, he set the bandages and ointment on her blanket, pointing to her side.“The bandage.. needs changed… and.. your back….”That got her attention.“Oh! You.. I guess you saw it, huh?” She bit her lip nervously. “Does it.. does it bother you? That I have it? It turned out ok, right?”She… wasn’t upset?When he didn’t answer, she shifted nervously. “I’m.. sure it’s strange. Even in my village, for a woman to mark her skin, let alone something so large…. It’s considered taboo. It was a tradition in Papa’s clan. A.. a right of passage, so to speak. And even among them it was apparently a rare honor for a woman to receive one, especially something as powerful as the wolf. It’s supposed to represent the bearer’s spirit… Papa… he gave it to me the.. the day before…”Something inside loosened, oddly enough. He couldn’t imagine a father putting their child, let alone a girl, through the amount of pain she had to have endured for such a large, intricate design, but she seemed proud of it, though nervous of his response. From what he remembered, it appeared to have all been done in one attempt as well since the rate of healing had been consistent across the entire piece. It truly was a testament to her spirit that she was able to endure for as long as it would have taken to complete the image. He was surprised to find himself feeling a bit relieved actually, now that he knew it was her father that had given her the marking. She would have it the rest of her life after all. At least it was a memento from someone she loved rather than a permanent reminder of some act of cruelty. Besides, who was he to judge anyone for being different?“It looks.. good.... It is.. well done…. I was.. angry.. when I first saw... I thought.. those men.. I thought they had.. made it...”She jumped slightly when he spoke. He’d been quiet so long, she’d given up on getting an answer, but she was oddly relieved. She didn’t know why his opinion mattered to her. Whatever the reason, she was glad to hear that he liked it. It also made sense now.. why he’d been so apprehensive about answering her question... “No! No.. Not them.” She smiled at him, finding it endearing that he had been genuinely upset on her behalf. Someone like that… couldn’t be a bad person, right? She fiddled with the bandages in her hands for a moment before looking back up at him. “Would you please.. turn around? So I can change the bandages?”The boy hesitated a moment, then nodded, turning his back to her to focus on the fire- and their breakfast.She waited a couple seconds, just in case. He didn’t seem like the type to peek…Not that it really mattered. He had been alone with her unconscious body for 2 days, after all… Blushing again, she decided she would just have to continue to trust him and proceeded to finish removing the sash holding the shirt closed. It was slow going. She couldn’t raise the arm on her injured side very much before her side started hurting, making removing the wraps a bit of a chore. Once she had the wound on her side exposed, she focused on it first, leaving the remainder of the wrap on to cover her chest. Picking at the edge of the bandage, she carefully pulled it free, hissing and wincing when one of the scabs pulled. Her eyes would then flicker to the boy, but other than the tension in his shoulders and his stiff posture, he made no other movements. As much as her pain bothered him, he honored her request for privacy. Focusing back on her bandage again, she gave it one last pull before it pulled free and she was able to take a look at the damage.. No wonder her side hurt. The horizontal wound was longer than her hand from wrist to the tip of her longest finger. It must have been serious if the boy thought it warranted stitches. Looking closer, she was actually pretty impressed, if a bit put out. His stitches were nice and even, perfectly spaced and neither too tight nor too lose. With a bittersweet smile, she stroked the stitches. Even Mama would have been impressed. It was definitely better than any stitching she herself had ever managed anyways….She turned her attention to the skin around the stitches, checking for tears and any signs of infection. Once she was sure everything was fine, she scooped a little of the ointment out and spread it over the area. She was about to place the new bandage on and begin wrapping when she remembered she still needed to do her back.And she couldn’t reach…‘Well crap…’She pulled the blanket on her lap up over her chest as she debated what to do next, even though the wraps still covered it. Really, there were only two options and both eventually led to the same results. She could either ask for his help now, or leave it alone this time and ask for his help later. The real question was- which was more important? Her pride? Or her father’s last gift?Putting it that way, there wasn’t anything left to think about.“Umm… “ She saw him straighten, his head turned just enough to show he was listening, but not so far that he could see her. Despite his.. forwardness.. earlier, he really was trying to respect her wishes. It was reassuring enough that she was able to gather the courage to continue with her request.“I, uh… I can’t reach my back… to put the ointment on… Could.. Could you…?”Another pause, and then a nod. She was kind of getting used to that quirk of his, how he frequently seemed to stop and think over whatever he was going to do or say.She unconsciously gripped the blanket tighter as he stood, holding it up with her right arm while he got them both situated. He picked her up just enough to scoot her away from the wall, making room so that he could sit behind her. She pulling her long hair around in front of her to keep it out of his way and, once he was settled, she allowed him to help her out of the shirt. She loosened her stranglehold on the blanket as he carefully removed the rest of the wrap, pulling the end free from the top and loosening each layer from the back instead of reaching in front of her. Not like he hasn’t seen it all already…She blushed again, for what felt like the hundredth time that day. The sound of water pouring reached her ears shortly before a cold wet cloth touched her back. He gently washed the area, careful not to rub too hard or too long, before patting it dry. The red color of her skin only deepened as calloused fingers ghosted across the tender flesh, the cool ointment contrasting the warmth in her skin. She fought to remain still, her skin prickling as his touch moved lower and lower down her back. Before she lost her nerve, she used the arm on her good side to pass the fresh bandage and wrap back to him, still using her right arm to hold the blanket up. There was a rustle of fabric before gentle hands pressed the cloth to her skin, the moisture from the ointment holding it in place. They disappeared for a moment before she felt him place the rolled fabric against her back at the bottom of the bandage. Reluctantly, she let the blanket she was holding drop to her lap where it wouldn’t get in his way and sat up as straight as possible so the wrap would lay flat while it was wound around her torso. She could feel his warm breath on her back, goosebumps spreading where the fabric of his clothes ghosted against her skin as his left hand reached around in front of her, holding the end of the wrap in place against her lower abdomen as the right slowly unrolled the fabric, keeping it taught but not tight as it moved across her skin and around to the front. Crossing over the start of the wrap, he secured it in place before passing the roll to the other hand, bringing it to the back and starting the next layer. She lifted her right arm up as high as she could while her left coiled her hair up, trying to keep both out of his way. Despite her attempts to mimic his calm stoicism, he seemed to sense her growing discomfort and started unwinding the roll a little in front of her instead of moving it directly across her skin, still keeping the length taught as he continued winding the layers up her torso and around her chest. After what felt like an eternity, he finally tucked the small bit left of the tail end of the wrap between some of the layers before lifting the shirt up and holding it for her to slip her arms in the sleeves. She quickly pulled the front closed and tied the sash in place. Turning to look over her shoulder, she gave him a warm smile, both thankful for his help and relieved to be dressed once more. As she did, something unwound within her... She’d placed her trust in him and he had been the perfect gentleman. The little remaining anxiety she’d had about being near this boy vanished in that instant. He was a good person. She’d been sure before, but now he’d proven it.He helped her settle back against the wall, before moving back towards the fire. She watched him remove the pot from the coals, scooping the contents into two bowls and settling a little ways to her right before handing her one with a pair of chopsticks. It smelled pretty good, though the last meal she could remember had been almost three days ago, when… when her family had celebrated her receiving her mark… She discreetly wiped the moisture from her eyes. She hated crying in front of others and she’d already broken down once today. She was safe. She was healing. It wasn’t going to be easy, and it hurt knowing they were gone. She wasn’t alone though. She would make her family proud and live her life to the fullest.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

“So… What’s your name?”He jumped, almost dropping the contents in his arms as he put away the freshly cleaned dishes and dry linens from the clothes line. His name?He turned to look at her out of the corner of his eye, catching the shy, embarrassed smile she wore. “Sorry,” she said. “I’m told I have terrible manners. I forgot to introduce myself first. My name is Eiya. My dad said it means “Shadow of Night”, since I was born on the night of a new moon.” ‘Eiya’, huh? … It sounded.. kinda pretty. It suited her.“And… You are?”He startled again at her subtle prompting, face warming as he realized he’d never answered her question. His mouth opened and shut a couple times as he tried to get the words out. “Sei...ryuu,” he finally answered, his voice soft and gravelly. “Seiryuu?” She asked, puzzled. “That’s … ‘Blue Dragon’, right? Kind of an… odd choice for a name. Did your parents name you that because of your hair color?”He shook his head slowly. “Not… not a name…I just… am.”The girl, Eiya, looked even more confused. “If that’s not your name, what is? What did your parents name you?”“... I-I don’t…” he tried, his face tilted down as he stared at the ground self consciously, hands fidgeting in his lap. “I don’t know. Don’t.. remember... We.. I.. never met.”Eiya thought her heart was going to break. Her family had always been very close. To never even know your parents… She tried again. “What about.. What about your village? Surely someone gave you a name? If Seiryuu isn’t a name, then.. what do they call you?” She felt a sickening feeling as he sat there, silently. He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to. She could see it in the way he held himself, in the way he wouldn’t even look in her direction.Her hands clenched in her lap, trying to fight back tears. She wouldn’t cry, refused to cry. So she went with the only other feeling she could grasp on to.Anger.“Those bastards,” she spat.The boy did look at her then, his mouth open slightly in surprise at both her sudden outburst and her change in mood. “Are you fucking kidding me!? Seriously?! They couldn’t be bothered to name you?! Absolutely unacceptable! I can’t even-!” She snapped her jaw shut, internally seething. She wanted to punch them all in the faces. She wanted to beat them all to a bloody pulp. The more she thought about it, the more questions she found. What kind of people could be so cruel? If they couldn’t even be bothered to give him a name, what else had they done? Or not done? It also brought up another question.. If he never met his parents, then that meant he was most likely orphaned at birth, or soon after... What kind of grudge could they have possibly had that they would hold it against an infant? And yet.. As much as she hated them, she also couldn’t help the tiny bit of gratitude she felt... because in the end, he was sitting here in front of her, alive. He was alone, neglected, shunned… but physically, he appeared to be just as healthy and strong as any other boy his age, if not better. Whatever their reasons, at least they hadn’t just left him somewhere to die.To her, the most surprising part of the whole issue was the boy himself. When she went over the clues she had, the fragments painted a bleak picture of his life so far. Years of mistreatment should have left him angry and bitter, resentful and callous. Instead, here he was, taking care of her, worrying about about her... Why? She was trying to put the pieces together, but they just didn’t quite fit. There was something she wasn’t seeing, something she was missing, and without it, nothing was going to make sense. Resigned, she decided she’d have to wait until she had more information. For now, she would just have to focus on what she could do.She looked back at him, a determined look on her face as she smiled at him. “Well, if you don’t have a name, we’ll just have to fix that, won’t we? Is there something you want to be called? A name you like?”He mulled her question over as he continued putting the items he carried away. No one had asked him for his name before. He was just ‘Seiryuu’. Always had been, for as long he could remember, and everyone knew it. It wasn’t a name. Just... what he was. Like a healer was a healer, or a deer was a deer. He’d honestly never even considered naming himself. No one would have used it anyway, except maybe Ao, who had been the Seiryuu before he was born. Ao, who had taken care of him, taught him all he knew... Ao, who’d died when he was just four years old… Now that he thought about it, Ao hadn’t had a name either. He himself had apparently started calling the man that back when he was first learning to talk. As he’d grown older, the name had just.. stuck. It had become so natural for both of them, a habit that neither had felt the need to break. Looking back, he wondered how Ao felt about the name. About not only having a name, but someone who used it.“I… don’t know…. How do you choose?” He waited, genuinely curious, as she tilted her head to the side in thought. “Well,” she started, “a name is important. It usually has some kind of meaning, either a memory or a wish for the person being named. Even a nickname, a name used only between people who are close, has meaning to it. When someone calls you by name, they’re acknowledging that you exist. That’s why most names are actually given by someone else.”He considered her words. It made sense.. He had given Ao his name, after all, and had always been happy when he saw that blue hair come into view. Even now, the name brought the long blue strands to mind. The gir-‘Eiya… her name is Eiya.’It had been so long since he’d had someone to talk to, let alone call by name. Not since Ao. He felt bad that he had trouble remembering to use her name, even if it was just in his thoughtsEiya’s father had picked her name for a reason, as well. Did her parents remember the night she was born when they had used her name? He wanted his name to be something like that..“.. What… What would you choose? I.. can’t think of one…”“You- You want me to help pick your name? Are you sure?”He nodded.Eiya stared at him, both humbled and bemused. She didn’t know what to say. He wanted her to help pick his name. It was.. overwhelming. Something so important, so meaningful, and he was asking her, a stranger, to help choose his very first name. One he would most likely carry for the rest of his life. Despite having just met, he was entrusting her with something so precious.“It may take a little while, since I don’t know very well yet, but I’d be honored to help you find your name.” She gazed out at the trees behind him as she thought about her impression of him so far… He was quiet and calm, his movements decidedly smooth and sure, almost graceful. He seemed to have a natural confidence in everything he did, steady and unwavering.. Unless people were involved. The frequent bouts of anxiety and hesitation she’d seen during their interactions implied that he was self conscious and insecure around others. That, along with the fact he didn’t even have a name, were what worried her the most since there was no way to know just what they had done to him or what kind of effects their treatment towards him had left. It was so infuriating. Anyone with even a shred of decency could have at least given him a name. A relative, a friend, a neighbor… Hell, even the village leader could have chosen something. But apparently no one had. No one had cared enough about this timid, soft-spoken boy to give him something so basic. Not even as he’d gotten older, when they surely should have seen what a kind-hearted person he was. They still hadn’t cared…Maybe they hadn’t, but she would. The emotions she’d been trying to shove down flared again fueling her resolve  to show him all the love and care he’d been denied so far. An idea quickly formed in her head and she turned to face him once more.“We’ll definitely figure it out together,” she reassured. “Friends help each other, after all.”His eyes widened behind his mask, scarcely believing what he’d heard. “... You want to.. be friends?”He saw her nod excitedly, then bite her lip as she looked down, suddenly looking nervous. “Actually, I.. I’ve actually.. always wanted a brother… If you want we could… would it be okay if I… called you onii-san*?” He tried to say something, anything, but no sound came out. Staring, he wondered if maybe he was still asleep. Things like this just didn’t happen.. not to him.He’d told Ao once, how he’d wanted friends. Ao had told him it was impossible. That the villagers believed too much in the “stupid rumors”. That they would never see the Seiryuu as anything but monsters. But Eiya… Eiya was different. Eiya wasn’t a villager. Had never heard the lies that had perpetuated in the village for centuries. Eiya…His first friend… who wanted him to be her brother…Not just friends.Family...He was so caught up in his thoughts, in the feelings that threatened to overwhelm him, he didn’t even notice something warm and wet as it made its way down his cheek.Eiya didn’t even hesitate, ignoring the sharp pain in her side as she forced herself to move over to him, consequences be damned. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, one hand gently guiding his head to her shoulder. She hadn’t lied. While asking him had been an impulse decision, one she was now glad she had made, she really had always wanted a brother. She may be the younger of the two of them, but she would raise and protect him as if he were part of her own family.“Wh-what-?!”“Shhhhh,” she soothed, her heart twinging when she felt his whole body tense at the simple yet apparently unfamiliar contact. “We can talk later. Right now, you need a hug and as your friend, as your sister, I’m here to give it to you... I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere, I promise… From now on, we’ll face everything together.. You’re not alone anymore, niichan.”And with that, something in him cracked. He allowed her to hold him, feeling his control shatter as a lifetime of pent up emotions broke loose. His arms slowly encircled her small frame, both as a show of his acceptance as well as to reassure himself that this was all real. She was real. This time, it wasn’t a dream.One hand was stroking his hair, the other rubbing circles over his back as she rocked him slightly. Or maybe he was the one rocking her. He couldn’t tell anymore. Only when he felt something solid against his side did he notice they were leaning over and laying down. The horn on his mask pressed against the ground briefly before it was pushed off his face entirely, but for once he didn’t reach for it, choosing instead to bury his face in the the warmth and comfort there in front of him. He felt her move her arm under his head, cradling it to her, gathering him in her arms as her hands continued their movements. Her chin resting on the top of his head, Eiya couldn’t help but weep with him. How long had he been holding this in? How long had he been forced to endure in solitude? Even with his mask on, Eiya had sensed his reaction to her offer. He’d been surprised, shocked. It had been so unbelievable to him that he’d needed to ask her, out right, to confirm what he’d heard. She wondered again just how terrible his village was that someone wanting anything to do with him had completely reduced him to this.. a bundle of hurt and tears and sobs that shook both of them emotionally and physically..When the first tear fell, her own heart had cried out as well. Injury be damned, she wasn’t going to sit there and just watch while he struggled to hold himself together. In that moment, she would have crawled over coals to reach him. As it was, her side had burned with the effort to hold them both upright. He was leaning into her more and more, forcing her to push back to keep from being knocked over. She’d been tempted to removed his mask, the edges digging into her skin becoming harder to ignore. Before she could make up her mind, she’d had to ease them both to their sides, unable to support his weight any longer, while making sure she kept her weight off her stitches. Eiya had been worried at first when the mask had dislodged itself from his face, the horn pressing into the dirt pushing it away from his face. She’d just moved to reach for it, to place it back over his face, when his arms had tightened around her, hiding his face in the fabric of her shirt and forcing it farther off to the side. Well, if it wasn’t bothering him right now, then she wasn’t going to bring it up. She eased it the rest of the way off his head, setting it to the side behind him. Tucking the upper part under his head as a pillow, she brought her left arm around his body in a hug while while her right arm draped over him, fingers running through his hair soothingly. She felt him shift and allowed him to tangle their legs together, understanding his need for physical contact right now, to be held as close as possible. She continued to comfort him, continuing to rub nonsensical patterns on his back while the other moved from his hair to his neck, down his shoulder, over the side of his face, wiped away the tears before returning to his hair and starting again... Eiya wasn’t sure how long they laid there and, to be honest, she didn’t care. It wasn’t until his sobs had calmed to shuddering breaths that she realized he’d fallen asleep. She pressed a soft kiss to the top of his head before closing her eyes to join him, refusing to risk waking him.

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

Warm... Soft...Arms tightened unconsciously, clinging to this little bit of comfort as sleep slowly relinquished it’s hold. He couldn’t remember ever feeling this tired. Yet, at the same time, he’d never felt so much better. So… at ease.He rubbed his face into his pillow in an attempt to both rub the sleep from his eyes and hide from the bright light shining down on him, trying to force its way through his eyelids, only to freeze when his ‘pillow’ let out a soft sigh. His sleep hazed mind grasping at one thing:He didn’t have a pillow. He lay there, tense and more than a little self-conscious, as he recalled the events that had somehow led to cuddling and a nap. He could have moved, should have moved, but his body refused. Small fingers were tangled in his hair, a digit occasionally running over his head. An arm was draped over his body, his shirt bunched up slightly in the back where he was pretty sure she she was holding it lightly in her fist. They were laying, front to front, and regardless of the alarms going off inside him, screaming at him “get away!” … he couldn’t. He just couldn’t bring himself to move. Not because she was holding him or because his legs were tangled with hers, or even because one of his arms had managed to work its way under her small waist.. It was the tickle of her breath in his hair, the slow but steady pulse of her heart, and the complete lack of tension in her muscles as she held him. Even asleep, her presence was soothing, resonating somewhere within himself and slowly erasing the sudden tension from his body. Feeling relatively calm once more, he remained where he was with his face hidden against her. He wanted to put his mask back on, needed to, but he didn’t know where it was. He remembered it coming off, so it couldn’t be too far away, but he didn’t seek it out just yet. He’d have to move to find it, and he didn’t want to wake Eiya. Even if it hadn’t fallen off, he knew the horns on the sides wouldn’t have allowed him to wear it, not with the way he was laying now. Instead, he kept his eyes closed as he tried using his other senses for now. The air was warm and the sun was still shining down on them, indicating it was still early in the day, otherwise the overhang above would have shaded them. The wind was blowing gently through the valley, though... with a little more force than usual. He tried to smell the air, but only caught whiffs of trees and moss and something.. deeper.. It reminded him of the darkest depths of the forest, where nature ran wild and unchecked. Interesting, but not what he was looking for.He turned his head slowly, pausing when he felt her stir minutely before moving a little more, until his face was clear of the warm fabric. Her heartbeat was louder now, strong and steady in his ear and he listened to it as he sniffed the air, his eyes cracking open tentatively, squinting against the light.Where this morning the sky had been mostly clear, clouds now drifted across the sky in long streams, gradually building up far off in the distance. The air itself had a heavier feel to it. Thicker. It would rain soon. Not today, but it was coming.. and it was going to be big. His best guess, it would hit tomorrow afternoon, late morning at the earliest. Knowing they’d need to prepare, he started running down his to-do list for the day, determining which tasks were priority and what could be done later and how his charge- no.. his friend.. his imouto*... how her changed status would affect his plans. He had a friend.. a sister….He mentally shook himself, shoving down the feeling in his chest ruthlessly as he forced himself to stay focused. He’d cried enough already and, face feeling oddly warm, scolded himself at his loss of control. But he could think about that more later. He had a lot to do and less than a day to do it.His first priority was firewood. They’d need enough to get by for several days at least since even once the storm was over, everything would be wet for a while afterwards. Fortunately there were more than enough downed trees he could chop up. It would take longer than just gathering sticks and branches, but they would burn longer. And with the girl -Eiya- awake, mealtimes would be a lot quicker and easier, though he’d need to gather more now that she could eat something besides just broth. Her wounds were still healing nicely so far as well. Hopefully the increased movement wouldn’t cause anything to re-open.Speaking of…He gently eased his left arm off her body, discovering in the process that his hands had been tangled in her hair and the back of her shirt. Moving slowly, he gently touched his fingers to the side of her shirt, checking what he could of the outer fabric. It didn’t feel like he’d pulled any of her stitches. No blood had soaked through fabric, anyway. He thought once more about trying to disentangle himself, but ultimately decided against it, unwilling to disturb the rest her body obviously needed.And so had he, apparently. Unsure what else to do with himself now, and feeling distinctly uncomfortable in his current position, he hesitantly returned to how he’d been laying when he woke up, his eyes hidden against her and his arm gently laid over her once more as he continued his planning. He was estimating just how much food and firewood they’d need to last until the ground dried out again when he felt her stir once more. Her heartbeat quickened slightly and he heard her yawn as her arms tightened around him. He tensed, waiting. She’d said she wanted to be friends, to be family.. would that still be true? Would she change her mind? Should he have moved after all? Would she be upset with him? What if sh-A soft pressure against the top of his head, nowhere near where her fingers were currently stroking his hair once more, stilled his rising anxiety as her other hand rubbed his back. He heard her take another deep breath, this time released more slowly as he felt her face nuzzle against his head. “Nnnn~ …  -’hayou*, niichan~. Sleep well?” Eiya continued her ministrations. Even half awake, she immediately knew that he was way too stiff to still be asleep. As she waited for his answer, she blinked the sleep away, taking in her surroundings.... especially the mask laying just behind him. After a long pause, she sensed him slowly relax before nodding just once against her. “I’m glad,” she said, her warm tone hinting at the smile she knew he couldn’t see. As her memories from earlier returned, she hugged him tightly to her. She was an affectionate person to begin with and, knowing what she did, she was determined to make up for the apparent lack of it towards this blue haired boy. One memory in particular, of opalescent gold, flashed through her mind. She was tempted to look down, to try and see those otherworldly eyes again, but refrained, not wanting to scare him again like she had this morning. She hoped that, someday, he could trust at least one person enough to be able to share those beautiful eyes. For him to be able to look out at the world and not feel the need to hide who he was. She knew today would not be that day. It may take months, maybe even years, but she wouldn’t be dissuaded. He was her brother now and she would do all she could to help him get there, though ultimately it would be his choice to make.“Ugggh... I just wanna lay here and cuddle you all day~.” She hugged him yet again for several seconds, as if to prove her point. “But I suppose we should probably get up, ne*? I’m sure you have other things you want to do after all....” She stayed there a moment longer as she ran her fingers through his hair, pressing one last kiss to the top of his head, before sighing in resignation. “Give me a second and I’ll get your mask for you.” She pulled her fingers free from his clothes and hair, reaching behind him to pick up the mask. The bells rang lightly as she placed it on the side of his head. She sat up carefully, wincing, and turned to face away from him. Her hands covered her eyes as well, for added reassurance.“Alright, you can put it on now! Don’t worry! I won’t peak either, I promise.”The boy laid there a moment, eyes scrunched closed as he waited, listening for anymore movement before quickly sitting up and placing the mask on his face correctly. The bells rang softly in his ear as he turned to look at Eiya.. One hand grabbed the front of his shirt as he puzzled the odd feeling in his chest. He was… happy, yes. After all, he had her now…But, it was more than just that…That her first words, possibly her first thoughts, as she’d woken had been of concern.. and for him of all people! It was.. different.. having someone care about him. Asking after his well being. And she’d seemed genuinely pleased to know that his sleep had been a restful one. It was… It was nice, he decided. He was also.. a little nervous, though. He’d never had a friend before, let alone an imouto.. And now... What was supposed to happen next? He used to dream about making friends, though he’d given up on that a long time ago. He’d never thought about what it would be like to have a sibling. What did siblings do?And why had she covered her eyes? She didn’t look afraid of him this morning, and he knew she’d seen his eyes then... His heart clenched just thinking about it.When he’d told Eiya that he was the Seiryuu, he hadn’t gotten more than a confused reaction from her. As if she’d never heard of the curse of the Blue Dragon’s Eyes. And a minute ago.. she’d sounded… reluctant? Like she hadn’t wanted to cover her eyes, but had anyway… Why would she do that? She had never hidden her eyes before, so... why now? Why-“Don’t worry! I won’t peak either, I promise.”Don’t worry.I won’t peak.She had been... reassuring him? Promised that she wouldn’t look…. So she.. she’d done it.. for him? What felt like minutes had actually only been seconds, as the pieces fell into place. She’d done it so he could put his mask on. Covered her own eyes so he wouldn’t have to. She didn’t know who- what he was, probably didn’t even know why he wore the mask, and yet.. she had gone out of her way, could have pulled her stitches even, just to make him feel more comfortable while his mask was off. She’d never asked why, and he’d never told her. He wore it and that apparently was all the reason she’d needed.This.. Was this what a family was like? Families were people who cared about each other, it seemed.. about their well being... as well as their feelings. He would have to remember that…...Ah!Her stitches!

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

He’d been so busy trying to understand her behaviour that, for a while, he’d completely forgotten about her injury. The one he had possibly worsened in his sleep when he’d mistaken her for a pillow...He stood up swiftly, silently, grabbing the medical bag just in case. Sitting in front of Eiya, he reached for her side only to stop suddenly, fingers inches away. Biting his lip, he pulled his hand back as he remembered her reaction the last time, thinking about how Ao had been right- People did not like others seeing their private areas.. He wanted to check her stitches, since her injury apparently prevented her from being able to do it herself... but he also knew she wasn’t wearing anything under the shirt. He couldn’t take care of her injuries with the shirt on, but he knew now that taking it off would upset her. Deciding it was safer to ask, he tapped her shoulder. When she peeked out at him, he held up the bag before pointing to her side. She looked at him confused. “Didn’t we change them this morning?”He nodded, looking guiltily at the ground.“I.. the stitches.. I forgot and.. while I was sleeping… I thought.. you were a.. a pillow… m-might have.. might have hurt you…. Gomen na- Honto ni gomen ne*... I’m very sorry... Does- Does it hurt?.” Eiya listened, watching the boy fidget anxiously and looking for all the world like he’d accidentally kicked someone’s puppy, while looking very much like a kicked puppy himself. Seriously, could he get any cuter? Even with the jagged-toothed, oversized mask with black holes for eyes…Ok, so that part was a bit creepy. But she could still picture the face behind the mask, and it was just too much She smiled, holding back a laugh. He was being sincere after all... “I feel fine, niichan, but thank you for asking! That’s really sweet of you to worry about me, though I really don’t think you’d ever hurt me.” She reassured, grinning at him. Really, the idea of someone so timid and careful hurting anyone at all was unimaginable to her.“Oh! While you’re here...  would you.. mind helping me get up? I’d really like to go stretch my legs a little and, um… maybe have a little privacy?” Fortunately for her, he seemed to get the hint and carefully helped her to her feet, waiting until they were both sure she was steady before letting her go. “I need to go… that way…” he said, pointing towards the north end. “I will… gather what I need here… then come find you… Okay?”She nodded, understanding his reluctance to leave her alone long. She had been unconscious up until that morning, after all, and was still injured too. “Sounds like a plan! Mata ne*, niichan! I’ll see you soon!” She turned the direction he had pointed and carefully made her way towards the northern tree line, quickly relieving herself behind a large tree before making her way to the river to wash her hands, blushing the whole way. As she dried her hands on her clothes, she mentally scolded herself. She had been in such a hurry to get away from the men in her house, she’d just grabbed her clothes and ran… and in her rush, she had apparently left her undergarments behind! Not only that, the “robe” she thought she was wearing was actually just a large shirt! Eiya was beyond embarrassed as she realized just how naked she had been these last couple days…   Growling lowly to herself, she swung her feet over the edge of the bank, letting her feet dangle in the water. She started making a list of the things she’d needed. It was quite a bit, to be honest. Buying the items out right would be expensive, but making everything would take time, not to mention getting the materials… With a sigh, she wondered if she could convince Ryuu to make a trip back to her old house with her. She could say her last good-byes and if he could help her salvage some things in the process.. That is, if the village hadn’t been burned to the ground.. If it had…  Shaking the thoughts from her head, she scolded herself for being so negative. One step at a time. First, clothes that fit, including undergarments.. especially those! The rest she would worry about later, once she’d healed. Until then, she’d hope for the best and do what she could to prepare for the worst. She was still sitting there, thinking of all that she would need if she did have to start from scratch, when she heard him approaching through the trees. Well, not so much that she heard him, but that the forest itself cued her in on his arrival. A small pocket of silence followed him as he moved through the undergrowth as the various animals cautiously hid or moved away from the newcomer. He was surprisingly pretty close by the time she actually heard him moving, much better than most people. She was honestly a bit pleased with his skill. Maybe once she was better they could even go hunting together. When he finally entered her line of sight, she saw he had a carry bag strung over one shoulder and a coil of rope in his hand. She watched him for a little while as he picked a few things from the plants here and there, adding them to the bag. Foraging. Kicking her feet one last time, she shook the extra water off before moving to join him in his search. She hadn’t even gotten halfway up when she felt him at her side, helping her to stand again. Once on her feet, she reached over to grab the bag from him, only for him to shake his head, moving so the bag was out of reach. She sighed, rolling her eyes a little at his antics. She understood the gesture, even if she didn’t agree with his reasoning. She may be small and injured, but there was no way that little bag would would ever be too heavy. What did he plan to put in there? Rocks?!“Fine, fine.. but I’m still going to help! I started learning how to forage when I was six, I’ll have you know!” She immediately set off, leading him through the woods. She’d point at something and name it before harvesting it, holding it up while she showed him what parts could be used and how. Sometimes she’d even list common conditions where it preferred to grow. He listened intently as she spoke, trying to commit every word to memory. A few of the plants he was already somewhat familiar with, but for every one he recognized, there were three he didn’t. And even the ones he thought he knew were more complex than he’d realized, with different parts sometimes having different, and even lethal, effects. A few times she would say “don’t touch” before continuing the lesson.He was extra attentive to those plants… Once finished, they’d mark the trees nearby before moving along. At first, he was the one doing the marking, but she’d soon caught on, (quickly discovering that he could neither read nor write) and took over. She carved special symbols to help them with locating the different plants while teaching him what they meant. As they walked, he continuously added dead branches and sticks to the bundle he carried. The rope held all the pieces together and allowed him to gather more in one trip than he would have otherwise been able to manage, though it did occasionally get hung up in some of the lower tree branches and underbrush. When that happened, Eiya would help him work his way loose before continuing along, grabbing his hand once more as she led him through the timber. That is, until a loud growl interrupted their walk. Eiya looked at him, laughing. “Alright, I think we’ve gotten enough for now, ne? Let’s go eat some lunch.”

----- CHAPTER BREAK -----

They split up as they entered camp, Eiya stoking the fire as he began unloading the bundle of wood just inside the cave. She grabbed fuel from the pile outside, adding several smaller sticks to the embers she had uncovered and waited for them to catch before adding some larger ones. When he came back out and started using the rope to move a large portion of rest of the wood piled under the overhang inside as well, Eiya’s curiosity got the better of her.

“What are you doing, niichan?”

He glanced over at her briefly, before continuing to load up the next bundle.

“Big rain tomorrow… storm… Moving the wood.. so it will stay dry.”

His sentences were still broken, hesitant, but the words seemed to be coming more easily. Eiya was glad, even for this seemingly small improvement.

“Ah.. So

that’s

why you’re stashing things away. I thought maybe we were going to have to change ‘Seiryuu’ to ‘Seisu’*. Her mischievous look turned to laughter as he nearly dropped the bundle he’d just picked up, looking somewhere between shocked and indignant. Her side was hurting, but she just couldn’t stop. His reaction, both to her statement and to her current fit of giggles… It was just too much! Every time she thought she had herself under control, she’d look over and see him

still

standing there.

Still staring at her.

He watched as she burst out laughing,

yet again

, the second their eyes made contact.

Well, the second they looked at each other, since she couldn’t see his eyes behind his mask.

The boy wasn’t quite sure what to do. On the one hand, she’d just compared him to a

squirrel

of all things and was giggling uncontrollably. He

wanted

to be upset, and he was, just a little… but, on the other hand, he was sure he had never seen such

ridiculous

behaviour in his entire life. While he didn’t really appreciate being laughed at, and he

seriously hoped

she wouldn’t start calling him “blue squirrel” or anything similar, he also couldn’t help but stare at the spectacle in front of him. He didn’t know what exactly it was that was so funny, but he was beginning to worry that maybe the girl he’d saved was…

What had Ao said?

A

nut

?

He wasn’t sure how her behavior had anything to do with the small object, but he was certain that was the word Ao had used.

Shaking his head, he quickly returned to the task at hand. Taking the last load of wood into the cave, he stacked it with the rest before stashing what he and Eiya had gathered from the woods away in the cellar. Grabbing the empty stew pot along with two chunks of rabbit and a variety of vegetables and tubers, he took them out to the fire and began preparing their lunch. He was a little tired of stew, but it was filling and an easy way to make a little food go a long way, not to mention light enough that it hopefully wouldn’t upset Eiya’s stomach too much. He wanted to make sure she got enough to eat, but still worried about her body rejecting the food if she took in too much too fast.

Eiya, meanwhile, had finally managed to get over her giggle-fit while the boy was inside and moved to help cut everything into bite size chunks. Once all the food had been added, she poured in a full pouch of water, setting the lid on top before placing it all in the middle of the fire to begin warming. After realizing she hadn’t seen any of the herbs added to the pot, she asked him where they were. To her surprise, he’d never cooked with herbs before and hadn’t thought to grab any. It was no wonder he hadn’t seemed to recognize most of the plants she’d shown him!

She stood up and followed him inside to where he had placed the herbs, but soon realized that while he could apparently see just fine, her own vision was severely limited to what little light poured in through the entrance. The room

felt

pretty large. The way the sounds of his feet moving across the floor distorted and filled the space indicated a fairly deep room. And from what she

could

see, it was at least twice as high as she was tall.

Holding his arm, she let him lead her across the space and into a smaller, cooler room where he apparently was keeping the extra food. She couldn’t see to grab what she was looking for, so she described it to him, then would check herself to see if it was what she needed using her other senses to try and determine whether it was the right item or not.

Once she thought she had what she was looking for, she headed back towards the camp, easily finding her way out due to the light streaming in. Able to see clearly again, she double checked the contents in her arms before preparing them as well and adding them to the pot: A little thyme, some rosemary, some tender garlic scapes, and last of all, a small onion. She tried to turn so the wind would blow the vapors away, but her eyes were soon watering anyway. She

attempted

to reassure Ryuu that nothing was wrong and she really

wasn’t

upset, that it was just something about cutting onions that made people’s eyes water. When he didn’t seem convinced, she handed him the knife, warning him to keep his fingers away from his eyes. A few cuts in and he handed her the items back, turning away to lift his mask while he wiped at his eyes with his sleeve. Eiya

tried

not to laugh as she finished adding the rest of the onion to the pot, before finally placing the lid back on top.

“See what I mean?”

Still rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand, Ryuu just nodded.

“If it bothers you too much, you can try rinsing your eyes with water,” she suggested. “Though it usually goes away on its own after a while.”

A little more rubbing and Ryuu finally pulled his mask back down, turning to stare quizzically at the pot of food “...Why?”

Eiya looked over, hearing the soft query. “‘Why’ what?”

“..Why eat something… that makes your eyes burn?”

She did giggle a little then. The question made sense, honestly, but it was still funny. “I don’t know why people started eating them,” she answered. “But I promise, it won’t do that once it’s cooked. It actually makes the food taste really good!”

He still seemed skeptical, but said nothing else about it. They settled into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Eiya’s attention, of course, turned to the quiet boy sitting beside her. She wanted to get to know more about him, had so many questions, but wasn’t sure how to bring them up or even whether he would be comfortable answering.

“Hey, niichan?” She watched his head turn slightly, not looking directly at her, but enough that she could tell she had his attention. Deciding to leave the more uncomfortable questions for another day, she started off with some less personal ones instead. “What do you know about this place? Have you been here before?”

He shook his head. “I just.. found it... I was looking for a place to rest... where you could heal.. It is safe here.. No big animals and.. well hidden.”

“Huh… well, I’m glad you did. It’s nice here… Have you looked around yet? I saw the waterfall earlier, and the little pond. Do you think we can go swimming before we leave?”

He looked at her, confused. “.. Swimming?” He’d never heard of it before, but from what she said, it sounded like it had something to do with the water, which Ao had always told him to be careful around. Water was dangerous. If you fell in, you could ‘drown’ and die. People are not fish after all...

“You don’t know what swimming is?! Do you live under a rock?!”

He started to shake his head, then paused. He lived in a mountain, which was technically made of rock.. Did that count? He wasn’t sure, so he asked.

Eiya didn’t know whether to laugh or hug him, so she did both. She felt him tense at her touch, but ignored it as she held him with one arm. “I’m sorry, I know you’re being serious. It’s just..

The way you said it!

” She giggled again. “You’re just too adorable!” She ruffled his hair affectionately, careful not to disturb his mask. “One of these days I’ll show you what swimming is. It’s actually really fun once you learn how, but you have to wear special clothes... Ah! Speaking of clothes- do you know where mine are?”

He pointed off to the side where a large, overfilled bag sat. Opening it she found the whole thing filled with various linens. Shirts, pants, and even a couple extra blankets. A few items had seen better days. Some were fairly worn out, and others were a little stained. Her own clothes were, unfortunately, among the worst. Pulling them out, she looked them over, wincing. They weren’t her favorite, but they had been comfortable, not to mention they actually

fit

.

“Is there a-”

Before she could finish asking, he was holding out a needle and thread.

“Ah.. I guess that’s why I’m wearing this instead, huh?” Looking back down at the two robes, she briefly wondered if it would be easier to make new clothes than repair her old ones...

After a small debate, she decided she’d just fix the under robe for now, since it was the least torn. She moved out into the sunlight so she could see better and set to work. She

really

didn’t like sewing. She didn’t have the patience or steady enough hands for the small, neat stitches. By the time she finished, the seams were a little bunched and crooked, and in some places the dark thread stood out starkly against the

mostly

white cloth.. and there were some frayed edges sticking out here and there… but all in all.. Well, to be honest, the holes were closed and that’s about the

only

good thing she had to say about it...

She entered the cave, leaving Ryuu to stir the food while she put on the thin white robe under the shirt she was wearing. It was a little warm to be wearing both layers, but at least she was mostly decent. The shirt had ended much higher than she was comfortable with, considering she wasn’t wearing anything underneath..

Hoping to fix

that

problem as well, she stepped outside and rummaged through the bag once more.

“Ryuu-kun? Is it okay if I use some of these to make a few things?”

He turned slightly, nodding before he ladled food into the two bowls, setting them and the pot aside to cool. She sat a few items aside for now before moving to sit next to him. She accepted the bowl he handed to her and blew softly to help cool her food, watching discreetly as he sniffed at his own serving before taking a tentative bite. She smiled to herself as she saw him stop, looking down at his bowl for a moment before digging in excitedly.

“Pretty good, ne?”

Ryuu nodded enthusiastically, but otherwise didn’t pause as he finished off his first bowl and filled it again.

Best. Stew. Ever.

Who knew that a handful of leaves and a bad smelling, eye burning bulb could make food taste so good?! He’s had stew countless times, has pretty much lived off the stuff his whole life, and

never

had it tasted anything like

this

.

He wondered if she could make other foods taste better too.

Finishing his second bowl, he set it aside before laying back with a groan. For the first time, he had eaten

way

too much. Not that he hadn’t had enough food available before. He just had never really

enjoyed

it, at least, never so much that he didn’t want to stop. He usually ate until he was content, never a bite more since an overly full stomach was a liability if anything bad were to happen. He felt absolutely

terrible

, but

oh was it worth it

.

And just like that, Ryuu experienced his first food coma.