Tisis

Que Sera (S)

After our encounter with 'Sera', as Nym decided to name the creature, I take over guard duty from her.

Honestly, I never thought she'd ever get so emotional about 'some dumb animal'. I guess seeing me with Zero woke something in her.
But who am I to judge.

Every now and then I eye the creature, to check whether it stopped breathing or, more importantly, whether it rises to become a threat.
In that case I would have to put it down...even though it would break Nym's heart.
Oh for the love of God, stay down...or if you absolutely have to get up, don't try to attack us. Don't do this to a little girl who has already lost so much.

After the longest night, dawn breaks and with the first rays of the sun, Nym rouses and wakes shortly after.

"Morning, Nym. Slept well?" I ask, despite knowing full well that she hardly kept even one eye shut this night.
Only to prove me right, she jumps to her feet and races over to Sera, who is still laying there from last night.
It isn't moving except for a slowly rising and falling flank.

I slowly get up from my sitting position and ask, "How is it?"
"...she's...still alive, I guess. The bleeding stopped...but...why isn't she getting up? If...if she doesn't get up, she will..."

"Que sera sera...whatever will be, will be..." I begin to sing quietly, making Nym look at me as if I finally lost my mind.
"What...did you just...sing, I guess?"
"It's an old children's song we passed down from one generation to the next. Our mothers would sing it to their children, telling them about how there are things we cannot change. That we need to accept. And that life goes on, even if it sometimes feels as if the world's going to end."
"That is...unusually good advice for a ver...lower...can we please forget I even started this sentence?"

I smile and reply, "Old habits die hard, huh? But sure, I'm not going to get into a fight with you over a little insult...just don't start calling me by a number again. Alright?"
Nym nods weakly, when Sera suddenly opens its eyes, raises its head and stares at us.

Its big black eyes located on either side of its long head feel like they're drilling holes into us, though I'm not even sure if it's actually looking at us or something else...heck, for all I know this thing could be scanning the entire surrounding, looking for predators.

After a few seconds, it turns around and disappears into the forest, far more quietly and limping a little bit, but still alive and on its feet.

Nym looks after it, a silent tear in her eyes.
I place my hand on her shoulder, making her twitch ever so slightly.
A glistening drop of water falls to the ground, leaving a tiny stain on the ground.

"It's okay. That's the way it should be...right?"
Nym nods, sobbing quietly, as more and more stains appear on the ground.
A dark cloud passes overhead, blotting out the rising sun.
Shortly after, a light rain starts, quickly coloring the fresh soil black, making her tears disappear.

For a minute or two, we just stand there, letting the rain soak us and wash away the sorrows of the past.

I don't know why Nym wanted to save this creature.
I don't know what is going through her head right now.

All I know is, that she needs to cry right now.
And that I need to let her be the little girl she never allowed herself to be.

So we will be able to fight again tomorrow.
Que sera, mom. Whatever will be.
We will keep fighting.
Until the day we can fight no more.