The Winds of the Past [Rune Factory 4]

Chapter 13

Dylas grilled some fish for me, prepared sashimi for himself and the wolf, and made a simple herbed rice porridge for Avani. He ate his meal while stirring the simmering rice mixture, then he dished up a bowlful and sat on the ground next to her. Gently shaking her until she woke, he cradled her head in his lap and fed her.

Watching him feed her, I spotted a small dark speck on the side of her neck, partly hidden by her hair. Moving closer for a better look, I saw she had a small, slender thorn stuck into her neck, just below her ear. I carefully pulled it out and examined it, Dylas watching me curiously as I did so. It looked like the poisonous thorns that some of the monsters—plant creatures capable of locomotion—flung as a weapon. I showed it to Dylas, then went to fetch a vial of antidote from the first aid kit. Dylas held Avani's head up, and I carefully poured the medicine into her mouth. She managed to swallow most of it, and within minutes her color had improved and she seemed to be more at ease.

"Poison, huh?" Dylas said without taking his eyes off her as she at last slept peacefully.

"Looks like it. She probably never even noticed the thorn and just chalked up her ailment to tiredness. Those things can be a royal pain in the ass, though normally they don't bother us because the thorns don't penetrate our armor or even our clothing. At least she should improve quickly now," I reassured him.

"Yeah...," Dylas said slowly. "Thanks, man. I'm glad you caught it. I don't know how I missed it."

"Well, it was just good luck that I happened to spot it," I replied, returning to my meal. "They're tiny, so they're hard to spot, and her hair probably hid it anyway." After I'd finished eating and had regained some of my spent energy, I cast another healing spell on her. As it began to take effect, she gave a soft sigh and slipped into a deeper sleep.

We sat around the fire after cleaning up from the evening meal, talking in low voices to avoid waking Avani. Dylas talked about what things had been like in his time, which he estimated to be at least a century and a half ago. I still hadn't worked out exactly how long ago my time had been, but I agreed with my foxes' estimate that it had been between six and seven centuries since I'd become the first Guardian. I told him about my own era, and about what Venti had been like as a young dragon. We discussed fishing at length, too, as that was an interest we shared.

After a while, I stood and stretched, and suggested that we take a rest day tomorrow, to give Avani time to recover. "If she feels strong enough to go to the lake, I can start teaching you how to spear fish, too, if you're still interested," I added, as I prepared myself for bed.

"Hell, yeah!" was his enthusiastic response.

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The next morning, Avani looked much better, and she declared she was well enough to head out again—she didn't need a day of rest, she said, determinedly. Until she stood up, that is. Her legs were still weak from the lingering effects of the poison, and they buckled and gave way, dropping her to the ground most unceremoniously. Sitting on the ground blinking up at us in surprise, she agreed in a faint voice that maybe a day off would be a good idea, after all.

Dylas stood over her, scowling down at her as he said, "Damn straight, it's a good idea. Don't be an idiot. You had us worried, you know. You're lucky Leon spotted that poison thorn—otherwise who knows what might have happened." She looked abashed as she accepted his hand up, and to my surprise, she meekly apologized for causing us concern, and thanked us for taking care of her. Dylas looked startled, too, and gruffly told her not to worry about it, just to be more careful in the future.

After breakfast, we packed up some gear and bathing supplies and headed to the lake. I still had my field-expedient spear, and along the way, I showed Dylas how to select a sapling or long branch for such a use and how to whittle the tip and barb with a hunting knife. When we reached the lake, we first made sure Avani was comfortable, resting on the cool, soft grass by the shore, wrapped in her cloak for extra warmth until the sunshine slanted under the pink canopy of flowering trees. Then Dylas and I stripped to our boxers and waded out into the shallows.

I showed him how to position himself, standing and waiting motionless at the ready until the fish forgot he was there, how to aim correctly through the water, and how to plunge the spear quickly and firmly into his target. I demonstrated a couple of times, then he moved a short distance away to try it himself. It took a few failed attempts before he finally caught one, but at last he held aloft a respectably-sized trout, grinning at me as he gave me a thumbs-up.

We continued fishing for a while, then after we had caught a few more, we waded back to shore. We cleaned the fish right there at the edge of the spring, Dylas deftly filleting and slicing them into sashimi. The three of us ate all the fresh, raw fish we wanted, then afterwards Avani lay down and fell asleep in the dappled shade of the cerezo trees.

After he'd finished his meal, Dylas brought out an oddly-shaped collapsible cage that he'd brought along with him. He unfolded it, stuck a long, sturdy reed into it, and tied a few large stones to the corners, then wading out into the deeper part of the shallows, he dropped it into the lake. The reed stuck up out of the water, marking its location as it swayed slightly in the gentle current. He returned to shore and gathered up the scraps and offal from cleaning and preparing the fish, then he waded back out and dropped it all into the cage, dropping the lid closed and fastening it. I watched the proceedings with interest, and looked at him questioningly when he returned.

"Shrimp cage," he explained. "Used to catch shrimp, crayfish, and so on. They crawl in to eat the bait, then they can't find their way back out again. All you have to do is return the next day and lift it out of the water."

"Fascinating," I said, looking back to where the reed was visible sticking out of the water. "Do you expect to catch anything in these waters?"

He shrugged, saying, "No idea. But nothing ventured, nothing gained—right? Avani loves shellfish, so I thought I'd try. I'll check on it next chance I get and see if I got lucky." 

************

We spent the afternoon quietly, Avani drifting in and out of sleep while Dylas and I stayed close by to keep an eye on her, taking turns bathing in the cool water or fishing. By late afternoon, she seemed mostly recovered from the aftereffects of the toxins, though she was still tired and a little weak despite her long rest. I guessed she'd been affected worse than usual because of the long delay in giving her an antidote.

We prepared to return as evening approached, wanting to reach camp before twilight crept over us. Avani sighed as she looked down the path back to our camp, then tiredly reached for her cloak, which she'd discarded some time ago once the temperature had warmed up. Dylas watched her for a moment, then took the cloak from her and knelt down in front of her, his back to her.

"C'mon, climb on. I'll give you a ride back," he said, not unkindly.

"Are... are you sure?" she asked, biting her lip uncertainly. I could see she was tempted yet torn, knowing his feelings about giving anyone a ride in that manner.

"Yeah, come on. Just don't tell Doug, or I'll never hear the end of my giving 'horsey rides'," he snorted. She giggled a little, then climbed up on his back, wrapping her arms around him and leaning her cheek against his shoulder. He stood up, gripping her legs and carrying her cloak tucked under one arm. I picked up the rest of our things, and we returned to our camp.

Dylas prepared another stew that night, a little different than the one he made before but just as delicious. Avani rested before the fire while I sliced bread and brewed coffee to go with the stew. After our meal, she felt recovered enough to sit up with us, sipping coffee before the fire. She sat on the ground between Dylas's feet, leaning her head tiredly against his knee, her cloak draped around her. He stroked her hair as we talked about this and that. After we finished our drinks, I washed up while Dylas settled Avani comfortably and prepared for bed.

When I returned, they were spooned up together, his arm wrapped protectively around her as he watched her sleep. "She looks much better," I commented as I prepared for bed. He nodded drowsily, and I added, "I think she'll be fine by morning. Let's get some sleep, too. Good night." Then as my companions slept, I lay watching the twinkling stars high overhead through the gaps in the trees, lost in my thoughts and dreams.