Radiance and Shadows

Twenty Five

Zina fell against the wall, breathing heavily. Synika crawled over to her tiger, whose left fang was ripped clean from her mouth, her side crushed in and bleeding heavily. The wound would be fatal within minutes. Synika pulled her magic texts from her bag, sifting through to find a healing spell. When she had, she set the book down, placing her hands on Salyrria's ruined rib cage. The tiger's breathing was labored and ragged.

"Easy, baby. I'm-I'm going to help you, but it's going to hurt at f-first. Trust me, o-okay? Just.. stay with me, baby girl. It's going t-to be okay." Synika said, tears streaming down her face. She stuttered over her grief, reciting the magic from her book, energy flowing from her hands into the tiger. After ten seconds, the tiger was no better than before.

"Please.. not my tiger.. not my kitty, please.." Synika sobbed. She tried again, focusing harder. Zina came to her side, watching sadly as she struggled to save Salyrria's fading life.

"PLEASE!" Synika screamed, her grief overtaking her completely. She collapsed on the soft body of her pet, sobbing violently. "Not my girl.. not my girl.." 

The tiger's breath shuddered, failing at last.

Zina looked to the heavens, closing her eyes. She sat on her knees, reaching out to touch her hand to the tiger's head. She pictured animal healthy in her mind, drawing the energy from the amber in her pommel. She poured all of it into Salyrria, a warm, golden glow spreading across her fur.

Synika sat up, wiping her tears and watching through fitful sobs as the animal was consumed in a blinding light. It persisted for almost a minute, before finally Zina pulled her hand away, the glow fading.

There was an empty silence.

Salyrria coughed once, her eyes rolling under their lids. She twitched, taking a deep breath in, her eyes opening once more. She rolled gently to her feet, standing shakily.

"Salyrria.. you're.." Synika whispered.

The tiger stepped to her, nuzzling her face gently, catching her fresh tears in her fur. She then moved to Zina, laying her head down in her lap, purring softly.

Zina smiled, her own tears sparkling as they fell from her face.

Synika burst into sobs, flinging herself into Zina's arms. "Thank you. Thank you so much." She cried, her body shaking in Zina's embrace.

Salyrria mrowled, standing to her feet and shaking herself off. Synika let go of Zina, turning to face the beautiful young tiger. "And thank you, Salyrria, for being so brave."

Zina wiped her eyes. "I'm.. so happy that worked.. I.. I didn't know what to do, I had to try something."

Synika sniffled. "When Blackdagger knocked you unconscious, he was going to stab you while you were down. The only reason he never got to is because Salyrria latched onto his arm mid swing so I could get to you."

Zina's eyes danced, and she looked at the tiger in a new light. "Is that true, kitty?"

The tiger blinked at her, licking her chops and yawning. 

Zina laughed, rubbing her fur. "Thank you, Salyrria." She said. "But.. what about you? You're bleeding too."

"Oh.. right." The elf wiping her nose and sniffling again. 

Synika reached out, dragging a dead bandit to herself. She drew blood from his body, relaxing as her wounds healed themselves.

"That's all it takes? A little blood?"

Synika sighed, her energy restored. "Yeah, but the amount I need depends on the severity."

Zina nodded. "I saw how you deflected those icicles. Why didn't you tell me you could do that?"