Nike

Ch. 5

As the sun rises over the forest, Soul moves to wake everyone starting with the wolves. First he licks Breezy's muzzle as he gently coos, "Wake up mate." As she stirs he moves on to his daughter who then wakes every other wolf up.

With Terra bouncing around the cave, Nike can't stay asleep much longer. This seems to make Shadow angry though. All of his thoughts are on how drained she must be after healing so much the past few days. However Nike doesn't mind as she pulls the hyper pup into her arms. "You crazy pup. How do you have this much energy in the morning?"

"Auntie! Let me go!" Terra giggles. A bright smile lights up Nike's face, and all the wolves' tails start to rapidly wag happily knowing she's happy for once.

With the pack awake, Nike moves to wake up the twin men and the dragon. "Oliver, Noir. Time to wake up." Nike sings sweetly as she gently rocks them awake.

They groan in sync, not registering anything that happened yesterday, but as Oliver's eyes lock with Nike's, he falls to his knees, "My lady! Thank you for healing me and saving my life once again! I hate to ask this of you after you just did me a favor, but could you please come home with us to save our mother? Please, my lady?"

Shocked by the sudden request, Nike's head starts shaking uncontrollably. "No. No, no, no." She repeats continuously.

This is what she had been afraid of when she healed anyone. Her only request to the healed was that they speak nothing of her and her powers. The humans could never know.

Seeing her distress, Terra moved so her head was underneath Nike's hand distracting her mind from the oncoming panic attack. Shadow slipped between her and the humans with a low growl. Soon the entire pack had Nike surrounded and the men were looking terrified.

Balthazar who had been awake the whole time just observing finally stood to intervene. "My friends, the men do not know what they are asking of her. It is not like she has told them her history with humans," the dragon tried to reason with the pack.

Shadow's glare at the men doesn't waver as he addresses the dragon, "the last time she accepted such an offer she was thrown in a cage forced to heal others daily without any way to regain her energy. She was stuck there for a full moon cycle before we managed to rescue her."

Once more gaining her composure, Nike turns to the humans, "It is time for you to go. We are not visiting your kingdom."

The pack nods their heads in agreement before they all run from the cave. Oliver and Noir watch as they run in unison, Nike following Shadow and Aurora as a sign of respect and the other wolves right behind her. Balthazar's flapping wings break the men out of their stupor as the brothers break into a sprint following behind.

Despite the long journey and the pack running at full speed for an entire day, the men managed to keep up, but this time they were not allowed near Nike. The wolves refused to budge from their protective stances.

Balthazar once again settled down near the camp not bothering to hide his own impulse to follow the mysterious woman.

Even though he was kept far away, Noir decided it was his turn to ask the healer for help. "My lady. I will not intrude on your personal space however I do wish to ask you once more if you would please help my brother and I by healing our mother. You see she is sick with a disease that the doctors say has no cure. We have asked the few healers present in our kingdom for help, but none have been successful so far, but after witnessing your power I feel as if you would be."

Nike, who had been skinning a rabbit, purposely not looking up, replied in a firm tone, "I do not go to those who need healing. Those who deserve my healing come to me. I will not go with you. That is final."