Broken Bonds

I. Coming home

The wheels of their wagon jumped over every obstacle the road brought their way. Rey felt the familiar bounce in her stomach every single time. And also in her ears because Lia just wouldn't stop complaining.

The first time, they were still approximately an hour away from their final destination and by the time the distance narrowed to fifteen minutes, she would not close her mouth.

The reasons for her complaining varied from sore butt to her back giving out and her not being able to move for days.

Well, yeah. It sucked to be already twenty-five.

"I am serious, you know. I can't feel my ...." Lia started her another round, but Brynn interrupted her shortly after: "Why won't you go outside for a while then?"

Rey sent a silent thank you Brynn's way. She wasn't sure how long she would be able to listen to Lia and keep suppressing the urge to toss her out of the wagon. If there weren't any consequences, she would have done it ages ago.

The only thing stopping her was the fact that Lia would climb back. Complaining twice as much. If that was even possible.

"Oh," Lia said, clearly surprised by a sudden interruption. "I don't know about that. I don't feel like turning now that we are almost there."

"You don't necessarily have to turn," Brynn said.

She held a small bowl in her right hand and used her left hand to stir whatever mixture the bowl contained. "As you said so yourself, the small walk would benefit you. And your butt. And your back."

Rey studied the not yet perfectly crushed herbs and recognised some Brynn used to prepare her pain-relieving ointments. The realisation made her scrunch her forehead.

Was she already preparing them beforehand? But if so, why would she use such a small bowl?

Rey was born in times when the void created between the werewolf and humankind was slowly but surely closing, and the centuries-long war was coming to its end. But just like with everything else as the number of people that started accepting werewolves amongst them grew larger, the number of humans that made it their lifelong mission to wipe them out completely grew as well.

And thanks to them, Brynn, as the self-taught healer she was, always had her hands full. Accompanied by Lia, Rey, and S, she travelled around the world, helping those in need. It was just yesterday when the last member of the pack, they were helping at the time, was successfully healed when an exhausted werewolf fell on his knees right next to her and begged her to come to help his pack.

From the pieces of conversation Rey overheard, the attack on his pack was an exceptionally brutal one. So it was to no one's surprise when Brynn agreed to help.

"Oh fine," Lia grumbled, tearing Rey out of her thoughts. "I can tell when I am not welcome. I will go for a walk then." She stood, stretched her legs, and jumped out of the wagon.

The silence that followed was a blessing to Rey's ears.

But it didn't last long.

Brynn interrupted it as soon as she opened her mouth and demanded: "Show me your back!"

"W-what? W-why?" Rey stuttered out, her eyes growing wider.

Her question made Brynn scowl at her: "I might not be born with supernatural hearing or any other crazy ability, but don't you think for a second that I didn't notice all the wrinkles and sweat that appeared on your forehead. And while I am sure, a couple of them are courtesy of Lia, she is not the sole reason for their appearance."