ONE OF TWO. - razor

Chapter Three

The night had passed in turmoil, hours sluggishly ticking by until Razor's fever subsided enough for him to regain lucidity. His eyelids parted with great fatigue; his jaw was slack and his throat was dry from strained inhales, but when his head lolled to the side and he saw Lisa's blurred form slouched in a chair abreast of him, a sense of calm washed over his foggy mind.

"Teacher," His voice cracked on the one word, but the call was heard regardless, the woman instantly drawing nearer, "Teacher."

Lisa hushed him, tenderly dabbing his face dry of sweat, and it was only once he felt the cool cloth leave his skin that he grew more aware of his surroundings. The room was quiet then, save for the footsteps and rummaging he could hear from downstairs, and the moon was still high in the shrouded night sky but the sun seemed to be soon joining. He had lost track of time, incapable of processing anything other than the there and then.

His eyes drifted back to Lisa as her left hand went to cup the nape of his neck, carefully lifting his head, while the other brought a glass of water to his lips.

"Here, drink some," She encouraged, nudging the rim against his mouth, and he opened it enough to let the tepid, sweetened water coat his tongue and pour down his throat, some dregs spilling past the edges of his lips and dripping from his chin.

"How are you feeling?" Lisa asked once he was finished, setting the glass aside in exchange for the wet cloth, dipping it in a basin and wringing it prior to recommencing her dabbing, "Can you see clearly?"

Razor pondered the questions, focusing his sight on her.

"Blurry," He meekly stated, then paused, "Head, hurts. In my head, bomb."

"I see... My sweet wolf cub, I'm sorry I can't do more for you."

The boy shook his head – something he instantly regretted as it made black blotches stain his vision and his temples throb – but he pushed through the sudden pain to speak, "Not Teacher's fault. Razor, is better. I, will be okay. Need sleep, only."

His words were tinged with a certainty that had Lisa smiling fondly. He was resolute, so sure that nothing could go wrong. Or, perhaps, he only sounded so for her sake.

She traced the jagged scar that streaked across the majority of his left cheek; a scar he claimed to have earned one night when his wolf Lupical was attacked, though the details grew smudged with time gone by.

"I know it's a lot to ask of you, and you can say no," It was unlike her to be tentative so Razor studied her hesitantly from where his head had sunken into his pillow again, "but do you think you are able to go visit Boreas this morning? I don't know how long your medicine will last so we will be quick, I promise."

His heart did an odd motion in his chest at the suggestion, as though it had stopped beating and then started back up with extreme tenacity.

"Razor, is weak," He murmured, avoiding her gaze, "Shame, to Lupus Boreas. Embarrassing."

"No... No. What are you saying, dear?" Lisa's hand nudged the boy's face her way and he briefly met her eyes before focusing on her braided hair instead, as he often did, "Don't think so lowly of yourself. Everyone has moments when they need help. You've helped Boreas before too, haven't you? Did you think he was weak?"

A moment to mull over the question, the wheels in his brain grinding tiredly, until he decided that Teacher was right. Yes, Lupus Boreas had been tricked into a trap a long while ago and had needed the assistance of the blond, visiting traveller to regain his footing, but Razor never doubted his Lupical leader's innate strength and fortitude.

"Lupus Boreas, not weak."

Lisa gave him a small smile, then poked the tip of his nose.

"And neither are you, silly cub."