It got worse.

*COUGH* *COUGH*

Lilian stared down at her quareta.

It was only getting worse.

*COUGH* *COUGH* *COUGH*

Nothing was working!

Lilian was at her wits end.

The day after Lilian had rescued Anna, she had noticed the coughing. But she and Anna had assumed it was from her being out in the cold along with her yelling.

But! It! WASN’T! Lilian thought frustrated.

What is it?! What could it be?!

She had tried every single thing in her storage she could think of to relieve Anna’s cough.

Every single thing, gods damned thing!

She was now pacing the floor outside the bedroom door.

She was relegated to the main room when Anna’s cough started to get worse.

Anna had worried that Lilian might catch what she had, so she told her to not come in unless she called or was just checking on her or the fire.

Which was something Lilian now found herself doing everyday.

Anna had stopped being able to get up and properly walk around with cane a week ago.

Anna cried through her coughing every time she wet herself in bed or had to have Lilian take her to the latrine.

I don’t know what to do Mother Rayala… I am so scared!

Nothing was making sense to her. She not only ran out of recipes to mix and feed or apply to Anna in hopes of a remedy.

But now she was desperate to mix some recipes together, just to see if anything at all worked.

She knew this was dangerous. But she was also running out of time and options.

Anna had stopped being able to keep food down two days ago. She has been drinking nothing be water. And even then it was hard for her not to regurgitate.

Please mother Rayala! Give me a sign! Anything! I know I am not a shaman or a disciple. But please give me the answer to Anna’s sickness!

She begged the spirit of the planet.

She went back into the room to check in Anna. Her body, covered in sweat.

I need to get her more water.

She once again. Spent the next pain staking long hour, cleaning Anna’s body of sweat with a cloth, while also gently giving her little sips of water at a time.

After Lilian had done this, she trailed the back of her hand down the side of her beautiful friends face.

I am so sorry! If only I had left sooner! Found you sooner!

Her other hand at her side clenched into a fit so tightly that the nails on her fingers drew blood.

Wait…

She lifted her hand to look down at her palm.

Is that it?

Lilian thoughts rushed through her.

Was it that this entire time?

She wiped the blood from her hand on to her pants as she then reached for Anna’s sleeping form.

“Anna! ANNA! Please! Wake up?” Lilian beseeched her with gentle shakes of her shoulders.

Nothing.

DAMN IT ALL!

Her friend was lapsing into death’s slumber.

Shit! Shit! SHIT!

What do I do?!

Lilian thought of what it was Anna might have, but if she was wrong, then she would have wasted her time.

If I don’t go now though… she will never make it…

She looked towards the door that held her dying friend behind it.

This had better have been a sign I asked for Mother Rayala.

She went to the furs to get dressed and to gear herself up.

That old shaman better have what I need or I will burn their village to the ground!

Before she left towards the entrance. She turned in place to go back and open the door to the bedroom.

Lilian walked up to her sleeping friend, brushing her hair back from her face.

“Do not worry my love. I will be back soon!”

She is then left with a couple of axes and the supplies for trading, along with her father’s blade.

The large waning crescent blade she carried everywhere.

She left her home to go down the mountain to retrieve a cure from her so called, “CLAN.”

If they don’t have it. There will be hell to pay.

The storm outside was fierce. The wind and snow was blowing so intensely that she thought it might freeze her eyelids shut together.

She walked around the edge of where her home’s entrance was located.

To move around to a small, and very narrow pathway. Which was treacherous on its own, but now with the wind and snow blowing, coupled with the snow and ice mixture that was built up along the pathway.

Lilian did not fear this mountain nor its hazards. Neither did she fear the ogres or the troll marauders that might attack during the summer mouths.

Lilian walked with her body turned in such a way, so that her feet faced forward, but her back was towards the wall of the cliff.

For Anna.

With little bits and steps as she went. Lilian marched onwards towards the steep slop that would take her towards her father’s former clansmen.

She was thankfully able to navigate the pathway.

Actually, it seemed I was remembering this pathway wrong. This is not quite as narrow as I thought it was.

After some careful foot work to check things, Lilian realized that she could actually walk abreast with the pathway forward, with no fear of falling.

In a way, I am thankful I was wrong and misremembered the path, but it almost seemed as if the path was wider now.

But Lilian had no time to contemplate such things, with her footing assured, she started to jog the rest of the way through the snow and ice.

This will make things easier! I can probably get there and back sooner with this!

Lilian thought excitedly.

 

 

 

  

  

After about a two hour jog through knee deep snow. Lilian came across her first major obstacle.

You are taking a piss!

She looked at the large section if ice that had built up and caked over the pathway towards the steep slope.

FUCK! This is going to take a while to carve.

She unsheathed her large blade, ready to stare carving shaved ice from it.

Wait…

She took a look at where she was, in relation to the slope.

If I…

She realized, it wasn’t so far from the slope.

I could technically make it if I jump from here… getting back up or past this ice block can be a future dilemma.

She tested the distance by tossing a stone towards the sloop.

It is quite a leap. But I made worse.

She readied herself as she cleared the path way in-front of her of snow.

Okay, here we go!

*THUD*

*THUD*

*THUD*

*THUD*

“AAARRRRRAAAAGGGGHHHH!” Lilian yelled as she soared through the wind.

Am I going to make it?

She thought to herself as she was falling.

Yes! I am going to make it!

And made it she did.

*SLIP*

Oh shit…

But she did not account for the snow and ice for where she was landing.

AH! SHIT!

She screamed internally within her mind as she tumbled down the icy, snowy landscape of the slope that took her down towards the clans lands.

She tumbled at high speeds up able to turn not right herself as she fell for what felt like twenty minutes.

But then Lilian his a slightly raised section of snow and land that propelled her into the air.

“SSHHHIIITTTT!”

She screamed while flailing around in the air as she fell towards the ground 

*CRACK*

*HISS*

Oh…. Fuck! That was bad.

As she finally started to slow slightly, once she reached an even more even keel piece of the slope.

She lifted herself up with her left arm to right herself into a standing position.

She looked down at her right arm.

It was twisted the wrong way at the elbow and bleeding at the skin. She couldn’t see it underneath the furs. But It wasn’t needed to feel the pain or the blood spilling out down her arm.

“FFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUU-“

——————————————-——-

It was right around dinner time when the next sentries stationed at the slopes path had seen their replacements coming from the village.

“About time you lazy bastards got here!”

“Yeah whatever! You aren’t the ones here most of the night staring at a boring hillside all night.” Said one of the two approaching sentries.

“Yeah right, whatever yourself! No one comes to check on you here at night  though. We still have Hakarin doing inspections while we’re in duty.”

The approaching sentry took a breath to argue further when his partner spoke up first.

“Hey? What is that?” He said with a point of his finger.

The other three who were not paying attention to the mountain slope, noticed the approaching figure carrying a wicked looking blade on its back, while nursing an arm.

The figure itself was covered in head to toe with furs, snow and ice was clinging to them, making the already intimidating figure, even more frightening.

“Is that the Demon? What is she doing here at this time of the year?”

“Might not be, look. See how it’s nursing arm?”

One of the guards points to the figure as well.

“But isn’t that the Demon’s weapon on its back?” He looked at his companion. “Who else but the Demon would have that blade?”

“The real question is: who could wound her? That is is why I question if its her.”

The sentries were at odds with what they should do about this. On the one hand. If it wasn’t the Demon, they needed to stop it and question it or prevent it from coming into the village.

But if it was the Demon. They feared for their very souls.

“Woah there traveler! Are you the Demon of Mount Maraiya perchance?” The guard calls out to the approaching figure.

But they say nothing.

“Doesn’t she normally come with ogre skulls from the mountain?”

“Yeah, heard she comes down with a skull whenever she kills one, then brings them down to trade with the shaman.”

“Well, I don’t see and skulls being dragged. Just her dragging her arm.”

The four watched as the figure continued to advance towards them.

“Guys, hear me out… I have a mate and three children, I don’t want to die tonight. I say we just let it pass.”

“Are you crazy? Do you have any idea what will happen if the chieftain hears about if we just let her pass unannounced?! We’ll be lucky if we’re just flogged.”

“I might want to take my chances with the flogging.”

The other two guards that were not part of the twos argument just looked at each other. Looking to see which way the other leaned.

They both choose to lean with the guard; to just let the Demon go through.

He gapped at his fellow sentries.

“You three are nuts!”

He then turned back to the figure that was nearly upon them.

“I said WOAH! Stop now,” He lowered his weapon to aim it towards her. “and state you—EEEEYYYYPPPP!”

His weapon was cut in half by the sudden swing of the figures blade, which was now at his throat.

In the span of his explanation along with a blink or two, the Demon had beset upon him. Not only disarming him, but also capturing him with only ansingle arm holding her ridiculously long blade.

I think I… nope………. there it goes….

He felt the front of his trousers become warm, as the Demon’s blade held him captive.

His fellow sentries rightfully did not draw their weapons to provoke her. Not that they would be able too. For they were also to scared of her to move at the moment.

The Demon’s burning purple eyes stared at him so fiercely, that he feared he might also release from the anus as well.

“I see you know to fear my blade.” The Demon whispered to him, her voice, low and dangerous.

“Good. This will make things go faster.”

She stepped back to pointed towards the village with her blade.

“Take me to your leaders… Now.”

   

————————————————-

*SIGH*

Here we go…

Tharhym mulled as he approached the meeting hall.

Wonder what she is going to ask for…

As Tharhym entered entered in through the side flap that was attached to his one hut. He stopped at what he was seeing.

I see… is that what this is all about Mother Agra’yala?

He measured his greatest contributor, and his largest of headaches.

“Daughter of Garious, what brings you back to our humble clan so soon? With no ogre heads in-tow either I see… Does it have to do something with that arm of yours?”

Tharhym teased as his older age naturally allowed him to get away with such things.

She said nothing as she stared at him with cold emotionless eyes.

“FATHER!” “SHAMAN!”

*SIGH*

Enter my other two biggest headaches.

He looked over towards the flaps and entrance of the meeting hall.

“Ah! Welcome Chieftain Dracogrious, apostle Voltarian, looks like you are just in time to greet our ¹Treasured Guest.Zarna’tug.” Tharhym greeted them courteously.

“Zarna’tug my ass!” Said Voltarian with disdain. “This, outsider! Needs to learn her place around here! She can’t just come and go as she pleases!”

“*SIGH* Son…” Tharhym murmured in disappointment.

Will he ever learn?

“This Gack’tug crok’drok²Unwelcome Guest. Half-Breed. just needs to get back up to her mountain exile!”

“Y-yes! And she should also stop intimidating my sentries!” Dracogrious spoke up.

Just don’t say it tonight… just don’t piss her off tonight… Tharhym prayed to the planet mother.

“A-And she needs to hand over what is rightfully supposed to be mine!” Dracogrious says with a shaky point of his finger towards the Demon’s blade.

*SIGH*

Tharhym sighs as he closes his eyes tightly shut, while pinching his the bridge of his nose to stifles a headache that is about to start.

Tharhym’s son, Voltarian, might be a stubborn traditionalist. But his stubbornness was out weighed by their chieftain’s stupidity.

But to Thathym surprise, nothing happened. He opened his eyes to see the crok’drok stand there and do nothing. She said nothing as she eyed her uncle.

“W-What?! Are you challenging me?!” Tharhym’s chieftain bellows.

The young female Mokra’Torc ignores the chieftain in favor of looking towards the shaman.

“No. I won’t stop you if you would be so kind as to fix this,” She tapped her arm above the break. “I would be appreciative, but there is only one thing I am here for.”

The Demon slowly lifts her left hand, her palm facing skywards, as if she is expecting something to land in it.

“Give me an ogre’s bane elixir.” She demanded.

“S-Such insolence!” Barks the chieftain. He takes a step towards her, his hand raised as if he was about to grab her. “Do you really think we’re just— OOFIE!”

The Demon kicks back without looking. She sends the pathetic man that is of her own blood, flying back as if he was just kicked by a house.

He lands on his back with a groan as he is halfway in and out of the hut’s entrance partition. His feet are visible inside the meeting hall.

The Demon lowers her foot as she turns back to the shaman.

Tharhym is pleased to see that his son, while headstrong, proves he at least has a head on his shoulders.

Voltarian stands there with wide eyes at how easily their strongest warrior was disabled with nothing more than a simple kick.

Tharhym focuses back on the Demon.

“So? What have you brought to trade?

The child of Garious reaches back behind herself with her one hand, with great difficulty, she pulled free a large bundle of leathers.

“There… early delivery.” She says simply.

Tharhym grunts at the furs.

“While I do appreciate the early delivery, you know that this does not equal a trade for a ogre’s bane potion, don’t you?”

“I need it…. Please.”

Did I just miss hear her?

This might have been the first time he had ever heard her say please to him.

“*SCOFF* Need it? You are immune to the poison of the ogres fluids, why the hells should I give you a potion? a potion I might add, that takes a hundred days to brew by gridding up an ogres skull into a fine powder.” He folded his arms while staring at her burning, almost glowing purple eyes.

Eyes so very much like her mother’s.

“I… I need it, I have an ³Honored Guest. Aukra’tugas at home, who I think had some ogre fluids ingested inside them while they were captured by one.”

“Captured? Not eaten? HA! They are lucky then.”  Voltarian comments on the sidelines.

Tharhym glared at his son really quick for speaking out of turn, but had to agree with him. If an ogre doesn’t eat you from when it find you. Then you are very lucky indeed.

“*SIGH* Even still with knowing the reason, the value of this potion is to high for something as simple as an early delivery for furs, that which we already had an agreement upon.” Tharhym regretfully informs her.

“But I need the potion! Her life is at stake!” The Demon shouts desperately.

Her distress surprised Tharhym greatly. But he knew he couldn’t give up. The Planet Mother had not told him this is was he should ask for yet.

He would have to push for more.

“Then I will ask for something of equally high value, since this one’s life seems so important to you.” Tharhym points towards her.

“Your blade: your blade for one potion.”

“Are you insane?! My blade?! My father’s blade?! The thing that allows me to kill the ogres with ease? The thing that allows me to supply you with ogre skulls to begin with?! Now who is talking insanity! There is no way! That my blade, is worth one potion!” The daughter of Garious argues.

“I am not talking for the potion, I talking for the life of your Aukra’tugas.”

“……………”

Tharhym regretted his decision to try and bargain for her blade. He knew he asked for to much. But really, he just wanted to see her choice and reaction.

She drew the blade off of her back, held it up with one hand, pointing it towards Tharhym’s face.

“You want my blade.” She growled at him. “Then you may try and take it like everyone else before you, and die trying: then I will just take what I want from your corpses.” She threatened him.

He gulped at that. But he knew he couldn’t show his nervousness.

“Are you really threatening a shaman? A shaman, who has been, not only kind to you since we have first met, despite your origins, but also a shaman who is part of the largest clan of Mokra’Torcs, second only to the largest clan in our peoples history?! That marched against the trolls?!” Tharhym shouted at her audacity.

“Do you think that you could survive by attempting to carve your way through here, while down an arm? Do you really think you would stand a chance?!” He questioned her.

“I think this makes it pretty even odds for me to escape, or for your clan to kill me.”

Tharhym hated to admit it. But she was right. This thought sent a shudder down his spine.

He looked at her eyes. Seeing the desperateness within them.

*SIGH*

“Fine. I will go and get the potion.”

“F-FATHER! You’re ju—“

SILENCE BOY!” Tharhym scolded his son. “Do not question your shaman!” With that he turned away to go back through the flap he had come in from.

Tharhym searched his curios for a bottle he knew was there.

“This it?” He pulled it down, sniffed it. Then gagged.

“Yup! *COUGH* that is it!”

He then came back out into the meeting hall, to see that the Demon had sheathed her weapon.

“May I ask a few things first? What is the patient’s condition?”

“Not eating. Barely drinking… Just felling into death’s slumber.”

“HA! And you wish for this potion still?! You realize that you may have waited to long…” Tharhym told her. The pain he saw in her eyes looked as if her world may collapse from under her.

“I have nothing else but to try shaman. I can’t lose her!”

Now where have I heard that before? Tharhym pondered as thought of why that phrase sounded so familiar.

He decided to shrug off the mystery of his faded memory and hold out the wooden corked vial to the daughter of his old friend and former chieftan.

“Here. One vial of ogre’s bane.”

“Thank you shaman, I promise you I will return the favor someday.”

As her hand touched the vial. He held on to it and not let her take it.

She looked at him confusion.

“That is right child: this is a boon.” He moved forward to whisper to her. “When called upon… you will answer.”

“……..When called upon, I shall answer…..” She assured.

He nodded to her.

“Good.”

She then took the vial and tied it tightly to her pack at her back. She then turned to leave.

“Wait.” Tharhym called out to her.

“What is it! I am in a bit of a hurry!”

“I know. But let me fix you bloody arm at least! It will make the journey home easier I suspect.”

She looked at him with surprise, but had a grateful expression shone in her eyes.

“I would appreciate that greatly Shaman Tharhym, thank you.”

“BAH! Don’t go all soft on me, huntress. I am just keeping a promise to an dear old friend…” he moved towards her, then slide the arm sleeve of her furs away.

“”*HISS*””

Both shaman and his apostles hiss at the sight of her arm.

Where her arm connected at the elbow was completely disfigured. The arm was twisted all the way around the wrong way. It was a sickly purple color with lacerations from the skin tearing from it being so twisted as it was. The lower part of her arm was caked in dried blood. Her hand, was also purple, but the shaman suspected she couldn’t feel that.

“HOW ARE YOU STILL STANDING FROM THE PAIN OF THAT?!” His son yells in astonishment.

The huntress just looks at Voltarian, eyeing him warily.

“Compared to the pain knowing that every second I waste, my Ashu’rágé might be dead. Then this is nothing.” She said as she stared back forward.

The shaman looked up at her from his bent position at inspecting her arm.

“And how the hell were you going to get back up the mountain with this arm?!” Tharhym asked her.

She shrugged her left shoulder.

“I would fine a way.”

The shaman couldn’t help but laugh at the absurd thing he had just been told.

“Hahahaha ha ha… ha ha HA!…. Ha… just like your father.” The shaman commented.

The Demon glowered at at him from above, but he ignored it.

“I won’t lie to you ⁴Niece.narei. This will hurt.”

“I have no time to waste shaman, please just do it.”

“… very well… Prepare yourself! I have to reset your arm and hand before I can heal them.”

Her expression stiffened as he said this. She stared straight ahead. Looking towards the wall of the tent.

“I am ready.”

The shaman placed his hands over her twisted arm.

Here we go.

*CRACK*

“………..”

*SNAP*

“!…….”

*POP*

“!!!!!!!”

*CLACK*

“………”

With nary a sound made from her, the shaman had set the bones back where they belong.

“Let me heal you now.”

His hands glowed with green looking mist and fire as it bent and twisted into place over her wounded and broken arm.

The skin on her arm which was swollen, purple, blackened and bleeding. Had not come back to its original color of a deep brown with a dark green mossy  hue beneath the surface.

“There,” Tharhym told her. “Your arm is healing.” He gripped it hard once she started to pull away from him, causing her to hiss. “NOT HEALED! Do not mistake the two! Don’t be stupid or stubborn like your father just because you share his blood!” The shaman warned her.

He stood up and looked at her directly in the eyes.

“My healing magic only heals and accelerates the healing your body can do naturally… it wouldn’t have grown this arm back if you had lost it or it was beyond repair: Remember that!” He lectured her.

She gave a nod of her understanding.

He sighed before saying to her.

“I would tell you to rest here for a couple days while your arm heals… but I feel you won’t listen to me anyways and are in quite a hurry.” He lamented.

She nodded again.

“Just so.”

He sighed once more.

“Then go. But take it easy on that arm! Don’t use it if you can help it. Please! If nothing else, do it for this apparent Ashu’Rágé.”

He thought as he said this. He saw saw her blush, but he couldn’t be sure.

“Whatever! You won’t listen to me anyways!” He turned and waved a hand to shoo her way. “Just get out of my sight crok’drok.” He said with a malice he didn’t mean.

The nodded at him.

“Thank you ⁵Uncle.rucren. For everything you’ve done.” With this she was walked towards the flap, stepping on the chieftain once as she passed his unconscious form, eliciting a grunt from him.

After she was gone. Tharhym’s son approached him.

“Was that really alright? To just heal her and give her a potion. I realized you obtained an oath from her. But what good will that do if she does not honor it.” Voltarian questioned.

“Voltarian… I knew the daughter of Garious was coming hours ago, since the rising of the sun. I knew she was coming here to seek my aid.”

Voltarian’s eyes widened.

“She spoke to you about this?”

The shaman nodded.

“Yes… whoever this person is that needed our help. Was of great importance; enough so that Mother Rayala had whispered to me to give Lilian aid.”

Voltarian tsked at that.

“I hate when you use that crok’drok’s human name.”

Tharhym smirked at his son.

“I know you do. But you also hate everything about your cousin as well.” His face turned from playful to serious as he said. “Mother Rayala had told me she would ask for something. And to try my best to receive a boon from her.”

“But why? What could we possibly need from her?”

“I don’t know… but our ancestors have been restless as they whisper to me of a terrible wind arising.” Tharhym spoke cryptically.

“Ugh! In plain mokra’torc father… none of your cryptic shamanistic ways please!” His son pleaded.

“Ha ha ha… to be honest? I am not sure… but we have heard reports that there are many of clans on the outskirts our lands battling one another. This has the spirits restless and me worried.”

“Well, sounds like a load of shit heading our way then.”

“Hmm… indeed. This is why I think that Mother Rayala told me to acquire a boon from the Demon of the Mountain.”

Voltarian breathed in sharply through his nose.

“I don’t like this.”

“…neither do I…” Tharhym agreed.

————————————————

   

It was four more hours later, back on the slope of Mount Maraiya, that Lilian found herself back face to face with the large slab of ice that had formed.

“Okay,” She said aloud as she unsheathed her weapon. “Time to do what I should have done to begin with.”

“RRRRRAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!”

*CRACK*

  

   

   

About another two hours found her back home, inside the cave. The sun outside had just started to rise.

“I am home my Ashu’Rágé.”

Anna was laying there, wheezing through her breathing. Sweat pouring from her brow.

She looks so gaunt! She has almost no color left!

I have to hurry.

She picked up some water from the shelf at the side of the bed. She lifted Anna up to sit be hind her to support her body and head. She needed to see if she could still drink liquids on her own.

To Lilian’s distraught. She couldn’t. As soon as the cup touched her lips and the liquid inside poured into her mouth, she had begun to cough violently.

NO NO NO!

Please Mother Rayala! Not like this! Not when I have the cure at hand!

Lilian had to think fast if she wanted Anna to survive. She laid Anna back down, then took a drink of water herself. She held the water inside her mouth before pressing her lips to Anna’s.

I am sorry we are not doing this while you are wake.

She forcefully passed the water inside Anna mouth from hers. Then massaged her throat to relax the muscles to help her swallow.

After repeating this a couple times, she reach back for the vial.

Lilian to it out and popped the cork.

“UGH! It smells like an ogre’s ass crack!”

It was so bad, she actually hesitated before doing what she needed to do.

This is going to be terrible.

She took a swig the potion.

*HURK*

OH GODS! It’s worse than it smells!

She quickly pressed her helps to Anna’s to pass the potion to her.

It was bad enough, that although weakly and futilely, Anna’s body tried to fight off the foul liquid entering her mouth.

Don’t fight this my love. Swallow it.

She had to repeat this process with a swig of water in-between each dose, at least two more times before Anna had consumed all of the potion.

“UGH! I never want to have to do that again! That was horrible!”

Lilian vowed to keep Anna from anymore ogres, lest she get sick again.

 Now… I guess I just wait… wait and see if I was to late.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the next week’s time. It had been much of the same. Lilian would wipe Anna’s body down, feed her some water, then sit beside her bed and worry. For the first two days. There were almost no changes. But on the third day, Lilian noticed that Anna’s cough had started to abate.

Which was confirmed on the fourth and fifth day.

As the last of the coughs were last heard almost ten hours prior.

Thank you Mother Rayala… I don’t know if it was you who had done all these things to help me, but thank you.

Lilian was still worried though. As Anna had still not regained consciousness, but her color was returning and her breathing was getting better.

As of right now… I will take what I can get.

She was also happy to see that, while not conscience, Anna was drinking on her own now at the six day.

By the seventh day. Lilian was worried again.

Anna still showed no signs of movement at all.

Lilian was nervous that the death’s slumber had taken her from this world. She also feared that if Anna did not waken soon, her body would fade without being able to eat.

When was the last time she had solid food?

She had been eating nothing but water and drinking whatever pastes of food I could water down into a liquid.

Lilian and taken up pacing as a hobby for her worrying.

I don’t know what to do now! The potion seems to have been a success! But it doesn’t seem as if Anna is going to wake up anytime soon!

She fell to her knees by the bedside, crawled up to the bed and took Anna’s hands in hers.

Please Mother Rayala! Please! Don’t take my Ashu’Rágé from me! Lilian wept in sobs as she held her loves hand in hers while praying to the spirit of the planet.

    

      

     

     

    

It must have been hours later. As Lilian’s consciousness came back into reality. She felt a hand running its fingers through her hair.

It felt comfortable to her.

I must have fallen asleep. Anna? Is Anna alright?

Her waking thoughts revolved around her love.

Wait?……. Who is petting me? ANNA?!

Her eyes shoot open and looked up quickly as she realized what this hand stroking her head must have meant.

She stared into the eyes of her beloved once again.

Her beautiful emerald green eyes!

“My Ashu’Rágé! You’re awake!”

This caused a chuckle that sounded more like a cough.

“And… you… were… drooling… on… my… hand…” Anna informed her weakly. Her voice hoarse to Lilian’s ears.

Lilian felt her face heat up at what Anna had said she was doing.

She frantically wiped her jaw of drool but found none.

“…… Awake only for a few minutes and already teasing me and playing with me as you please I see.” Lilian quipped as she stared back at Anna’s face.

“Yeah… had to… take advantage… of it… when I can…”

“Good! Anytime you wish, anytime you please!” Lilian told her eyes swimming.

“Ha… I will… take you… up on that…” her crooked smile turned serious. “I… have been… asleep… awhile… huh?…” Anna asked for confirmation.

Lilian felt her face scrunch up in sadness.

“YES!” She squeaked up with a strained voice. “Yes you did! For so long Anna!” Lilian threw herself into Anna’s shoulder, burying her face into the crook of her friends armpit to hind her crying face.

“I was so scared Anna! *HIC* I was so scared! *HIC*”

Anna didn’t say anything, as she was to weak. She just lifted her hand to stroke at the back of her friends head. Stroking her hair for her own satisfaction.

“Thank you… Lilian… I know I have… you to thank… for saving me…”

Lilian just whimpered as she buried herself deeper into her friends embrace.

Lilian and Anna lay there, basking in each other’s warmth. Just happy to have the person they loved safe and whole in their arms.

For the next two hour. Lilian preened and took care of Anna who was now awake. Making small and simple meals of gruel. Made up of pasted meat water flour and veggies.

After feeding her only few bites Anna had declared herself full.

“Seriously!…” Anna weakly shouted. “My stomach can’t handle anymore!… If what you’ve been telling me is true, then it’s no wonder I am full after only a few bites!” Anna argued.

“B-But you have not eaten!-“

“And I will!…” Anna assured her. “But slowly… I need… to rest already Lilian. I already exhausted…”

Lilian looked disappointed to hear that Anna had planned to go back to sleep.

What happened to my brave hunter that I knew and loved while I was asleep? She is so submissive to what I am saying now. Where did that spunk go? Anna worried about her friend.

She lifted a hand to cup her friends cheek. Which Lilian closed her eyes as she leaned into the contact of her touch.

God she is so cute~

“Just wake me in a few hours… make me eat some more… and while I hate to make you help me…. I am pretty sure I can’t stand on my own yet. So…..” Anna’s face turned red. “After I eat some more in a couple hours… take me to the bathroom? I don’t want to soil myself anymore……” She groused.

And I seriously don’t want her to clean me up anymore. GOD! I just wanted to die then…

Her own choice of thoughts made her wince.

But she focused back on Lilian, who was nodding her head at her.

…Or she was just rubbing her face against my hand… Cute either way!~

“I will! I promise I will!” Lilian assured Anna.

“Great… now… I should get some… *YAWN* …rest…”

“Yes my quareta. Rest well. Get better. Let me take care of you.”

Anna giggled as Lilian pulled up the fur blankets to Anna’s chin.

“That reminds me…” Anna just remembered. “…You called me something else earlier?… what was that?… what is an Ashoo’raagee?”

As she asked this innocently. She saw a sight to behold.

Lilian why? Why is your face so red and dark?!

Anna felt her heart beating with excitement at the sight of her friend so embarrassed.

Ooh hoo! Did you call me something you shouldn’t have? Do I get so tease you now?

Anna’s thoughts stirred as she wondered what the that word could mean.

“A-A-Ashu’Rágé…. Is a Mokra’Torc word for!….” She squeaked.

        

      

      

“…My beloved one.”

   

    

The needle on the record inside Anna’s mind screeched and scraped its way across the record, making that classic record scraping sound.

   

   

Holy. Music. Stops.

   

All thoughts of sleep were gone suddenly. And Anna had never found herself so wide awake than at this moment.