Of Ashes and Wind

Eiriell

Something soft was at her back and the side of her body felt warm.

There was a fire lit next to Phoenix and the sun had set a long time ago.

"Oh, she's awake." A voice called out with the lightest of lilts. "I told you she'd be fine, Lionheart."

"Lion...heart?" Phoenix's eyes fluttered open, above her were a pair of lilac eyes that were as clear as the dawn.

Phoenix let out a girlish shriek, from the background she heard a squawk of air which she learned to associate with Lionheart laughing at her.

"Calm down!" The voice called out and a shoulder roughly pushed Phoenix to lay back down, "You've been out for at least half a day." There was an accent to the way she talked, it made her voice fall on Phoenix's ears like velvet.

"Who are you?" Phoenix finally focused on the voice, she recognized the elven girl to be the same one she freed from the burlap bag.

"Eiriell." She stated simply, "You saved me from my kidnappers." She helped Phoenix sit up, the child took note that her clothes were stripped off and she was in her small clothes while her chest was exposed. There was a blanket that pooled at her waist and Phoenix grabbed it and brought it up for modesty's sake.

"P-Phoenix Stroud." Phoenix introduced herself, she looked over at Lionheart and saw the gryphon was standing over the two, "Did I worry you?" Phoenix held out her hand, Lionheart pushed his beak against her palm.

Phoenix took note that her palms were wrapped in leaf which was sticky. She noted that the back of her head was covered in the same plant. The itching and aching had subsided considerably and Phoenix's head felt a bit clearer.

"It's a medicinal plant." Eiriell explained, "Lionheart helped take me to take you to the nearby river to clean you up. I know a little bit of medicine from my studies and tried to help some of your wounds." She motioned to the pile of rags nearby, "Your clothes are ruined, but I managed to get supplies from the cart and there's a spare set of clothes – although it'll be a bit big."

"Where's the horses?" Phoenix looked at the cart.

"They were spooked and tried to run off after... after the mage died. Your gryphon managed to catch up and sliced the reins free." Eiriell lifted a hand to the gryphon, who gladly obliged and nudged her gently with his beak, "He got me loose from the ties and pushed the cart along to the river."

"How far did we travel?" Phoenix looked around.

"Not very far, the... bodies are over there." Eiriell pointed to three figures no more than 30 yards away, "Lionheart already fought off the winged-panthers that tried to swoop in, he's dependable."

"He is." Phoenix looked up at the beast, in a quick movement, Lionheart ran off towards the tree-line. Once he came back, his beak had two rabbit carcasses.

"Yeah, I could use some dinner too." Phoenix stood and stretched her muscles gingerly, "You cleaned me off?" She reached over to where Eiriell had pointed out the new clothes and pulled out tunic and trousers. The fabric was dark and soft to touch, the tunic was loose and also soft to touch. Phoenix got to work getting dressed quickly, her boots and belt were the only thing that was salvageable.

Phoenix threw her old clothes into the fire.

She was glad to wear something that didn't smell of her own body order.

"I did, I used some herbs and flowers to help get rid of that awful smell you had earlier." Eiriell made a face.

Phoenix laughed at the way Eiriell's nose scrunched up in disgust, it was shaped like a pixie's nose she once saw in a book. Her silver hair glowed in the firelight while her lilac eyes looked at Phoenix's hands.