Lunar Heart, Shadow Bound ✓ [when the moon lies]

Ch.33: A Comfort and Thieves

An hour later, or more, Pinti was left with numbness. The pain had ebbed, and the nausea had faded. Daero applied a soft healing spell on her body—the only one he knew and not as effective as Kathula potions, but good enough.

"Better keep this nearby in case he comes back." Daero set the thick stick of wood on the ground next to him as he shifted to sit beside her.

"Pinti, are you okay?" It was Deel, coming out of Daero's chest.

She managed a wry smile. "Does it look like I'm okay?"

Deel shook his little transparent head. "You look sick."

"I feel sick." She groaned.

"You know what you need?" Deel's face lit up and he opened his arms wide. "A hug!" He moved to hug her, and she let out a growl, making him stop. He probably couldn't touch her anyway, but Pinti didn't like being affectionately touched.

"I don't like hugs. And I'm not a child."

Deel's ears drooped and he pouted. "Hm, well, I can't touch you anyway. Daero should give you a hug. He kind of did. He should do it again." With that, he gave her a big smile and slipped into Daero again.

"How are you feeling?" Daero asked. "I did the best I could."

"As good as it gets. Thank you." She gave him a slight smile and leaned her head against the bars. "But what do we do now?" she whispered. Daero hung his head and remained silent.

With a sigh, she closed her eyes and chewed her bottom lip. The loss of her Lunality hit her with sorrow. It was like when she mourned the death of her family and clan. Like her family, it was something that had been with her from the moment she was born. And Xohr took it away for what reason? To end Kathula.

Is there even any hope left? Tears touched her eyes, but she held them there, refusing to let them moisten her fur. Don't cry, don't feel, be brave, Pinti. There's still hope, there has to be.

Coarse fur grazed against her shoulder. Daero put his arm around her. She flinched and made herself as skinny as she possibly could to get away from his touch when he pulled her onto him. The awkward upright position of her head made it hard not to lean on his shoulder.

He began to hum, and his smooth, velvety voice was like a comforting blanket. His talking voice didn't have this effect on her, but his singing voice did. Deel climbed out of the body with a smug smile and sat on the ground, crossing his legs together. Did he tell Daero to sing? Either way didn't matter right now. She closed her eyes and relaxed her muscles, letting him hold her and hum a melody she didn't know. Then, he began to sing.

At Fivilian Rocks, so orange and brown,

In the skies soar the eagle wearing his crown.

When he flies, he is the wind that lifts the sand,

And thunder that rumbles and shakes the land.

He keeps stories and songs throughout the long years,

To sing in the sky for listening ears.

Each feather and talon, he uses to mark

When the moon will come up to brighten the dark.

As she listened to him sing it the second time, she imagined an eagle soaring through blue skies, carrying stories and songs on his wings and keeping track of the moon. How nice it was to hear a song not about Edglings. She knew songs like this too, but she had forgotten them.