Out of Cryo | A Horizon: Zero Dawn Fanfiction

Chapter 20: Unbreakable

I'm sure that had I been anyone else that I would have been gently woken up by the soothing sounds of the forest at dawn. But no. Not me. I had to get the fucking turkey walking around outside Aloy's cabin chirping and gobbling its soul out for me right by the goddamned window.

I'm going to kill it. It could have been my first kill. I loved animals but seriously, fuck this turkey. I was exhausted from our trip to Mother's Watch. Aloy and I, along with Erend, his Vanguard, Vanasha, Talanah, and several of the hunters from the Lodge had left Meridian days earlier and had arrived in the Embrace late at night. The Nora were overjoyed to have their "anointed" return to them, though I think they were less happy about letting outsiders into their lands. Still, Aloy was able to convince them through Matriarch Teersa that there was a matter of great importance we needed to discuss with the Nora, particularly their war-chief.

A matter that could be discussed later - over dinner. Right now, I just want to sleep.

"GOBBLE!"

"Annnd I guess I'm up," I grumbled and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I looked over at the empty space next to me on the bed. Aloy was gone, as were her weapons that she normally kept propped up near the door. Probably went hunting. Too bad she couldn't take care of the damn turkey while she was out.

I crawled out of bed, shivering the entire time. Winter was very, very noticeable here. The snow had fallen heavily here probably a few days before we had arrived and it had taken some digging to get the front door of Aloy's cabin open. The others had made camp outside the villages and some had been given temporary quarters in a few of the emptier braves barracks.

I had only just finished getting ready when the front door swung open, revealing Aloy -carrying her bow in one hand and a dead rabbit in the other. Her cheeks were bright pink from the cold and her clothes were covered with a light dusting of fine snow. She smiled and held up the animal. "Breakfast?"

"Gross. Do you have to let it...hang down like that?" I asked.

She made a point of wiggling the rabbit just to mess with me, that stupid smirk never leaving her face.

I tried to ignore her, which was difficult all things considered. "As long as you're killing things, can you slay the turkey walking around out there?"

Aloy frowned before poking her head out the open door quickly and ducking back in. "It's not hurting anyone. Plus, I already caught us something." She closed the door.

"Right." Not hurting anyone my ass.

After she had prepared the rabbit, we sat at the small wooden table eating. "So, who are we meeting today?" I asked between bites.

She swallowed. "The matriarchs. War Chief Sona and her son, Varl."

"You think they'll help us?"

"Well," she began with a shrug, "they helped defeat HADES. Sona is a good woman – she'll help if it means keeping these lands safe. Varl, well, he'll follow me into death if I asked him to, unfortunately."

Weird. "Uh...unfortunately?"

Aloy shook her head. "It's nothing. Varl...he had an opportunity to learn the truth about...about everything. He declined. He didn't want to go inside the cradle to see where we had come from – to understand it." She seemed hurt by the fact. It was understandable though – having a friend that refused to open their eyes to what was right in front of them.

"He really thinks you're some kind of prophet from their 'All Mother'?"

She nodded. "Yes. It's...a little difficult to talk about with them. Their 'goddess' is a metal door to a cradle. It's not something you just explain away. Rost, he...I think he truly believed it, too."