Changing Rain

Dying memeories

<pre>Eric trudged in to the healing house, morning sunlight streamed

through the unshuttered windows. He sat heavily on his cot by the

girl. He had just spent a long night on guard duty. Telrin had stopped

talking to him, though he was not openly hostile, and to Eric's

immense surprise, he found himself depressed because of it. Could he

really be so attached to a shifter prisoner that he barely knew?

Coming out of this small maze of thoughts, Eric found himself humming

the haunting tune of Lady Raining, the song Telrin had been softly

singing to himself all night. With a shake of his head, he tried to

banish the melody from his mind, but it lingered, faint as the mist

but there all the same.

He turned his tired attentions on the girl. She was too thin, he

realized with a jolt. her cheekbones had hollows beneath them, and she

was more slender then when she had first appeared. Even more alarming

was her ragged and labored breathing. He looked around the room and

saw the pretty young healer bustling not far away. She saw his gaze

and meandered over, putting things away as she came.

" Why is she so skinny?" Eric demanded when she reached them, she gave

the girl a sad look before answering.

" If she isn't awake, she can't eat, and we can't get her to swallow

any water. She's starving. "

" And her breathing?" The healer took a long time before answering, and

when she did, it was with great reluctance.

" Eric............She's dying. She likely won't last the rest of the

day." Eric felt as though someone had reached inside his chest, and

stopped his heart. She was dying?! But she seemed so healthy and vital

just a few days ago, how could she be so near death?! The young healer

gently touched his shoulder with an understanding hand before quietly

standing, and walking away.

Desperate to find something to distract him from the girls dire

predicament, he called out to the healer.

" Wait! What's your name?" The healer was both startled and pleased, a

warm blush reddening her cheeks.

" Jessica, my name is Jessica." And with that she hurried away.

Eric sat by the girl at a loss. He had spent the nights confiding in

her, expecting her to wake any second, and for her to tell him as much

as he told her. An unrealistic hope, but one that he now knew would

never happen.

" Why won't you wake?" He pleaded.

" Why do you continue to slumber? Are you hurt inside somehow? The