I wake up in the center tent, and for the first time, I am covered by a blanket rather than an elf cub. Cain’s there, looking deeply unhappy at Passenger and Walleye, making low grunts and finger movements as he gestures at me. During one of his more impactful movements, he turns enough at me to meet my eyes.

“Sybil, you’re alive.”

“Unfortunately.” I croak before Passenger hurriedly kneels near me and tips a canteen enough to wet my lips, “How long was I out?” How much time was wasted on me?

“Just a few hours, Boss’s cousin is currently trying to pack up but he already agreed to the orc’s party, and nobody messes with an orc party. He’ll be out around sundown.”

I furrow my brows, feeling like a large hand was fighting against that very expression, “Isn’t that dangerous?” I ask, shuffling my way into a more upright position.

“Orcs have the second-best nightvision and the muscles to back it up, they’ll actually have an easier time traveling at night.”

Then why were they moving in the middle of the day? Are they stupid?

“James has always been staunchly diurnal, he’s always been like a human in that respect.” Walleye pipes up, but looks away when Cain turns to glare his way.

“Yes-yes, we all know about your human-obsessed cousin, but I guess he never learned to figure out that sandworm is poisonous to humans?” Cain hisses through bared teeth, “Now,” He turns his attention back to me, “How much did you have?”

I think back to the egg feast from earlier and feel a little awkward, “I only had a little bit.” Only an egg and I pass out like some weenie, how embarrassing. Cain huffs out a sigh.

“Good, only a little piece, that should be passed by the next day with no long-term effects. Still,” His expression grows more intense, “didn’t anyone tell you not to just stick things in your mouth?!” Oh, exasperation, I’m used to this expression.

As for being told not to stick things in my mouth, yes. Repeatedly. Over several years. I refuse to let them hog all the flavors available to me. Cain nags to me before checking my tongue and eyes before handing Passenger a horsetail and dandelion tea for some reason.

It tasted horrible and I had to make multiple potty breaks afterward.

Time passed and I now am hunched over a low table, with an elf in my lap and another elf acting as my chair back.

“Why don’t you have any normal chairs?” I mumble into Wood’s soft and curly hair before Cabinet’s voice comes from behind me, nuzzling into my shoulder.

“These are normal chairs, we’re just using…different ideas for the same word.” I guess my constant yammering has been useful for her development in my language. She’s also teaching me some of her languages, as a merchant unable to speak at least two languages is easily, what’s the word, ripped off. Sounds painful, so I’m keeping my ears perked during our silly little lessons.

Passenger has definitely been feeling guilty, constantly poking her head into the tent and constantly getting my empty canteens filled again. I’m mostly better, just a little dry-mouthed and achy in my joints. I actually tried to cube earlier during one of my potty breaks but I guess the well was dry; I noticed that I normally stop cubing when ill or hurt, but I’m not willing to hurt myself to test that…though I guess I already hurt myself and can just observe.

It’s very easy to get hurt, so I have plenty of opportunities waiting for me out there- I just have to wait. An unexpected pulse of pain shot out from one of my joints, causing me to grimace. Screw waiting, I’m getting valuable experience right now.

I peek through my clenched eyes to see an empty tent and for the first time in a while, I try to speak cube, lowered voice.

“>Heal.<” Once again it feels like the word is wrenched, slithered, and slides into the air, where it hangs hollow. I’m not sure how I know this but it feels like the ‘tank’ is empty. Guess there are no easy solutions to pain, at least right now.

The tent flap is pushed aside as Cabinet comes in carrying a cream-colored clay bowl with a rag hanging on its side. Close behind was Wood carrying a narrow pitcher painted in lines of varying size.

“I asked if we could share a bath-time with you and Vite said it’d be fine so long as it was a light clean and no oil was used. Is this fine?” Wow, she’s really grown in talking. Guess it’s just a quick wipe-down? I should probably go last as I definitely have worm guts somewhere in my hair.

“Sure, so do I go outside or-” My words pause as the two elf children begin stripping, taking off their outer robes to show a band of cloth around their chest and waists. Matching? Either way, it’s probably rude to stare, probably, so I turn around and hum a little tune before my shoulder is touched.

“We can leave after we’re done and give you privacy for your own cleaning, but we still need to use this tent. If you want you can leave the tent, but you don’t have to. I know some humans feel uncomfortable around elf bodies, though I’m not sure why.”

“No, no- I don’t feel uncomfortable around you, I’m just.” Okay, breathe, I can explain it. 

My throat closes before another word can pass. Alright, guess I can’t explain it. Instead, I whine in a high tone, which causes Cabinet to rub my shoulder before her hand leaves it. 

I hear shuffling from behind and glance backward before seeing her wipe her younger brother’s face with the rag, using small circles to rub off any surface grime and making his face contort in funny expressions before moving onto his arm, when I turned around again to wait for my turn.

Time passes and I just start counting the stitching in the tent sides before I hear a throat clear behind me.

“Sybil, you can turn around again,” Cabinet called, and so I do; Wood’s sitting still tugging on the edges of his robe, and is grimacing, probably at the feeling of wearing clothes when you’re still kinda damp. Eugh, terrible sensation- I intend to roll on the carpets after I’m done with wiping myself off. This will totally not negate my efforts to clean up in the first place.

“Did you clean behind your ears?” I ask jokingly, which causes both of the elves to stop in their donning of clothes to look at me, ears a perfect mirror in their confused head tilts. Right. Note to self, stop trying to tell jokes. Double note to self, ignore that- my jokes are hilarious.

Wordlessly, the younger leaves the tent and is seen flopping onto the ground directly outside, directly undoing the hard work his sister did. I should tell her that once she’s done wiping behind her ears, which are practically vibrating as her face twists at the sensation.

Since she’s distracted and about to leave anyway, I start to loosen the ties around my pants and kick off my shoes for the first time in a while, which turns into a stumble as my pants slip lower than expected during the motion and I start falling during my overcorrection when a pair of arms grab my shoulders. I thank her but I catch a very obvious stare at my tummy where my shirt rides up a little. Um?

“Are you really hairless?” She sounds completely confused. Um.

“Wood’s rolling around on the sand outside,” I blurt instead of responding to whatever that was, which causes her to abruptly step back - luckily I’ve got my balance back, otherwise it’d be another meeting of my face and the ground. She rushes out of the tent.

I hurriedly try and clean myself up before the yelling outside stops and Wood comes back in for another round of bathtime. I make sure to clean behind my ears as well, Brun would be so proud. After this I’m going to hang out with the porters or something, I’ve had a bit too much elf-time and I need a break.

HelloHound

Yeah tbh Sybil definitely had worm guts in her hair but thankfully they were still wet enough to clean off. Stinky child.