Pain; flaming agony rent through a heaviness that suffused her rousing consciousness. In severe contrast, she floated in frozen darkness, unable to move, unable to think beyond the blinding sensations. Pulsating with each annoyingly consistent beat of her heart, the blaze drove away the fading tendrils of blessed obscurity.
Her body convulsed of its own accord, expelling acidic liquid from her inflamed throat and nostrils. She gasped in shaky breaths and her world swooned, swirling and rocking dizzyingly around her. She reached for something solid, anything to ground her while her surroundings tilted and rolled nauseatingly.
Something soft caressed her fingers and immediately waves of soft, compassionate warmth flooded her. She dove deeper into the pleasant tide, fleeing the terrifying cold of her solitary existence. The painful searing fell to a swell of gentle protectiveness which she gladly immersed herself in completely. Something familiar and unwanted emerged briefly but was quickly squelched, flickering from her mind just as fast. She curled into the tender warmth, only vaguely aware of her own body's discomforts.
Had her forest come to console her? Only her river gave her such tenderness. Only her stoic guardians felt such protectiveness when she touched their hearts.
Strong arms wrapped around her, cradling her. She smiled upwards at the one who held her. Golden locks, framed by the halo of the sun, draped the sides of a shadowed face, tickling her exposed skin. She giggled, squirming beneath their caress. She loved this woman. Her arms protected her, soothed her. She would always be safe with her.
Splashing behind her landed tiny droplets along her skin, inciting another fit of mirth. She wriggled around to peer out at the rippling surface of the pool. The woman set her down, letting her crawl out to peek slowly into its depths. Reaching down, she splashed at her own reflection, laughing until she looked down at her hand. The water didn't slide off like it was supposed to. It clung to her, thick red droplets dripping from her fingers. Lowering her gaze again, she stared at the woman who lay before her, covered in the red water. She leaned forward to tug on her arm but rough hands scooped her up. She screamed, writhing in their uncomfortable grasp.
Something twisted around her legs, confining her. She flailed her arms, trying desperately to flee her captor. She didn't want to go with them. They would do bad things to her, she knew. She wanted to stay. Go away...Go away!
Her fist connected with flesh and she heard a harsh grunt before strong hands wrapped around her wrists, pinning her. She cried out as pain shot through her upper left arm, rendering her temporarily paralyzed as she tried to breathe through it. Her heart pounded in her breast, punctuating the high pitched ringing in her ears. The hands loosened on her wrists but did not entirely release her. Through them, she felt...worry?
She blinked her eyes open, confused. When had she closed her eyes? At the sight of the unfamiliar man hovering above her, the panic which had begun to fade with the details of the nightmare kicked in full force. Before she could continue her struggle, though, he quickly backed away, holding his hands up.
She cringed as her body seemed to catch fire at her slightest movement. Regardless, she pushed herself up to a sitting position, glaring at her unwanted visitor. He smiled, wincing when it strained a fresh cut on his lip. Even as she watched, a drop swelled and slid down his chin. Unnamed dread burrowed into the pit of her stomach at the sight. Her eyes followed it until he wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"You have quite a swing," he mused.
I did that? She felt the blood drain from her face, recalling the vague sensation of her fist striking flesh. She scrambled backwards until she could go no farther. I hit him. He'll punish me. I didn't mean to...She huddled against the soft wall she had found, her knees pulled in tight, her arms shielding her head.
"Easy, easy, I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly.
It's a trick; he's just trying to get me to drop my guard.
She cringed, hearing soft rustling from his direction. Here it comes. She could not stop herself from trembling, even as she braced for the impact. She did not want to be beaten but she could not stop him. She waited...and waited...but the strike never came. Cautiously, she raised her head. He still knelt on the other side of the confined space, watching her with curious bright green eyes.
"You were thrashing in your sleep," he explained, ignoring her defensiveness. "I didn't want you to open your wounds, though," he paused, grimacing, "it would seem I caused you to do just that."
She hesitated, but the pulsating pain drew a quick glance, then she stared in surprise. Her upper arm was wrapped in some kind of soft white cloth, a dark red stain spreading slowly along the outside. Her back stung, but not nearly as badly as her arm. And everything else just felt sore. She uncurled slightly, taking in the rest of her body. Small bruises interspersed with shallow scratches dappled her skin from feet to hip and along her shaking arms. She suspected more of the same marks graced her torso but she could not see them beneath more of the soft cloth coiled tightly around her. Her muscles ached down to the bone and as the initial terror of waking to unfamiliarity faded, she felt a deep exhaustion creep through her.
I feel like he caught me trying to run again. But I haven't run in...She could not recall the last time she had attempted to escape from him. And I pleased him during his last visit. Half of her soreness likely culminated from that experience. But where had the rest...
She gasped as her foggy memories came rushing back. The storm; the creature; the fight at the river...she had failed to kill it. Why was she still alive? She'd felt its murderous rage, its overwhelming desire to feast on her flesh. She shivered, hugging herself. She never wanted to feel such a thing ever again. Even wolves at the peak of the hunt did not thirst so for their victim's blood.
A plaintive whine drew her from her reverie and she looked back towards the man. From behind him emerged the head of a creature resembling a large, oddly colored wolf. Instead of the normal greys and browns, his coat boasted a mixture of long gold and white strands. Its muzzle seemed a little shorter, its legs a bit thicker...or was that just an illusion of the fur? Dark brown, sad eyes peered at her longingly, a look she recognized from the other animals in her forest.
"Ta'shiki," the man sighed, though even she could not miss the affection in his voice. Fearlessly hooking his arms around its thick neck, he tugged it over to lie half in his lap. "We are trying not to scare her, you big fur-ball." His hands sank deep into the not-wolf's pelt, rubbing its neck and working their way up behind its ears and under its jaw. Its tongue lolled out the side of its mouth while it basked in the attention.
She watched them, surprised and curious despite herself. Other than herself, she had never seen an animal act so affectionate with a humanoid. They usually threatened or avoided them.
Taking the chance while he was distracted, she glanced around her. Soft walls of shaded green enclosed her on three sides with a drooping pointed ceiling. Under her lay a soft blanket, crumpled from her earlier struggles. Another lay in a heap by her feet, having shrugged it off in her attempt to escape this stranger. Beyond that, bundled into the corner, sprawled a lump of colorful fabrics. Beside her, two more blankets made up another bed and she wondered if it was the man's bed. Across from her, held open by the not-wolf's body, the green material separated into two flaps affording her a glimpse of trampled grass, a rock-lined fire pit, and shadows of trees.
We're still in the forest, she sighed with relief.
As though suddenly remembering her presence, the man lifted his head with a sheepish grin, leaving his hands on the not-wolf's side. It lifted its head from his leg, eyes returning to her as it rolled onto its stomach. With a soft chuckle, he scratched its ear.
"This is Ta'shiki. He's been begging to come in here since last night. I admit; I've never seen him take to someone so quickly. Even Jachime took a couple of days to earn his trust," he smirked as though that thought amused him. "Oh, and my name's Tal. Sorry about the late introduction." He paused then, watching her expectantly.
She watched him in return. She knew next to nothing about this man. Ever since she woke, he had done nothing threatening, despite her unintentional attack on him. The only time he acted like this was...actually, he never acted like this. She barely kept the frown from her lips. A significant difference existed between the two men. She could not sense his intimidating presence. But why? Were all men not like him? She had never encountered anything like this man, she had no precedent to establish her behavior...and that only served to further unnerve her. So, she decided to act as she had for too many seasons.
Carefully, she plastered the mask of the frightened half-wit to her face. The ease with which she fell into the fake persona, even here, away from him, would have frightened her had she allowed herself to dwell upon it. Instead, she focused on this man...Tal. What did he want; her name? But she could not speak...or so he would think.
"Tal!"
All three of them jumped at the sharp, angry call. The entrance flaps were torn aside, giving way to crimson waves and stormy blue-grey eyes, focused unerringly upon the grinning man. Strips of dark purple cloth shrouded a pair of long legs, held up by a belt of thin, tiny rings. Bare stomach and arms glowed with a healthy tan under the bright sunlight. Ample breasts were barely covered with like colored cloth supported by a single strap twined around her neck.
Ronria gaped. This was a female, a human female. Despite having to bend to peer though the flaps, indomitable pride and fury radiated from her in waves. She glared fearlessly into the man's eyes as though she denied the possibility that he could ever bring her harm. Upon seeing the split in his lip, her eyes narrowed dangerously.
What will she do? Will she attack him? Did she dare-
"What did you do?" She asked in a too-sweet voice.
Ronria flinched. He often used a similar tone when he knew she did something wrong and wanted to force her to admit it anyway. And then the punishment always ended up worse. She glanced at Tal; sure she would find him cowering before the woman. But he did not. Looking him over, she blinked in surprise. Not only did he not fear her wrath, his gaze had softened and his smile had broadened. He actually seemed genuinely happy to see her.
"She hit me," he replied simply.
"I assumed as much. Why?" She pressed, keeping her sweet tones.
"She was screaming and calling out in her sleep. I came in to try calming her down and she caught me before I could wake her up," he chuckled; a light, pleasant sound that tugged at the corners of Ronria's lips. "She's stronger than she looks. It left me dazed for a bit and I don't believe that was her full strength." He turned his smile back to Ronria. "This beautiful woman is Aaron. She-"
Thwack!
He did not get a chance to finish the introduction. Aaron took one look at the other woman and snatched up a bundle of cloth, bashing Tal with it. He cringed, covering his head with his hands...and laughed. He laughed. She beat him and he laughed? Just who are these people?
"Aaron-"
Thwack!
"Aaron, what did I do?" He asked, still chortling.
"She's naked!" She snapped, emphasizing each word with a strike. "Not even a blanket to cover her! Get out you lecherous archer!"
"Did you bring my arrows?"
She finally stopped, her voice dropping menacingly, "Oh, I'll give you your arrows. Right up your-"
Tal scrambled out the small hole Aaron left open for him before she completed that statement, snickering all the while. She turned to throw what looked like a bundle of pointed sticks with feathers on the end at him. Were those arrows? What were they used for? He caught it with an enormous grin then held them close to his chest with a goofy look on his face.
"Oh Aaron, I never knew you cared-" With a yelp, he danced out of the way as something flashed past him. It landed in the tree behind him, chipping the bark and sending a lance of painful shock through Ronria. Why would she hurt the tree? It brought no harm to her. Even he would not hurt the trees.
Before she could think better of it, she crawled forward, placing as little weight on her injured arm as she could. Ta'shiki backed out of her way, alerting the other two to her movement. She hesitated as their gazes centered on her. How she hated being watched. But she needed to help that poor tree. It had begun to bleed, the amber sap oozing slowly from its wound.
"Sweetie, you shouldn't push yourself," Aaron said softly and reached for her but she shied away, stumbling to her feet. That terrible exhaustion reasserted itself, making the world sway momentarily but, after blinking a few times, it righted itself quickly enough. The blinding sunlight warmed her chilled skin and made her squint. A small glade spread out around her; tall trees interspersed with dense vegetation looming even taller than she stood. If someone approached from the outside, they would likely not see this place until they had already entered its confines.
This is not part of my forest, she realized with a shock. She had explored every part of her domain; she would have remembered such a magnificent hiding spot. But when she listened, she could faintly hear the distinctive rushing of her river not far away. So they had stolen her from her own territory but had not taken her far. Could this be across the river? She suppressed a shiver of apprehension. Not once had she ventured farther than her river. He had warned her that if she ever did, she would never be able to return to her forest. Her heart sank.
But I didn't do it on purpose. They stole me, she protested silently.
If he doesn't find out, it won't matter, a small rebellious voice replied. That's right. He had told her the same thing about her river, but she spent every day she could near it. So long as she kept it hidden, she could go back. And since he had said he would not return for some time, she could recover a bit before attempting the swim across. With her current exhaustion and pain, she doubted immensely that she could traverse the waters safely.
To the side, three large unfamiliar beasts raised their oblong heads at her appearance. The short coat that softened the harsh outlines of strong muscles yielded to long, straight strands along the spine of their necks and elegant tails. Their coloration varied from brown and white blotches on one, to light grey dappled darker on its hind flanks on the second, to pretty beige with a blaze of white down the front of its face. Twined rope looped loosely around their necks, binding them to the tree next to them. Ronria could not help but to stare in avid fascination. These beasts' heads towered over her. Their thick, muscular bodies spoke of unbelievable power, yet they stood as placid as a grazing doe.
Ta'shiki's fur brushed against her leg, reminding her of her current situation. She could gawk at her new discovery later. She found her hand bracing itself on his strong shoulders, using him as support for her uncooperative body. Absolute devotion and tender adoration swelled at her touch, shown in the lift of his head and the sway of his tail. He gazed up at her, waiting to see what she wanted to do. He would help her, he wanted to.
Sighing, she allowed his uplifting emotions to flow through her for a moment then stubbornly dampened the connection. She needed to keep her mind clear and sharp against the intentions of these peculiar newcomers. They had clearly befriended the beast at her side, yet they possessed little respect for the life around them, evidenced from the blade still embedded in the trunk of the tree. Tal showed a surprising kindness while speaking to her, yet the moment Aaron appeared he turned into a young wolf pup yapping at his superior to play with him. Aaron, a thin human female, fervently beat and threatened her male companion, yet gazed at Ronria with a mixture of sadness and something softer that she did not recognize.
I have to be careful of them. They are too strange, change too much, too quickly.
As she stood there, taking in the two, it occurred to her that she had already dropped her facade. The frightened half-wit would never have dared to emerge without invitation, yet she had not only done so, she had defied the woman's reprimand, gentle though it had been. Also, she now stood tall before them, meeting their curious and fretful gazes where she should have crouched timidly and kept her own eyes demurely downcast. Their affront to the tree had roused her instinctive protectiveness of her home and she could no more hide her indignant anger than a bird could hide its feathers.
Stepping forward, she felt Ta'shiki pace her, offering her his support should she require it. But she kept her arms hanging loosely at her sides, forcing her wobbling legs to support her. She had born worse agony than this before; she would not allow this paltry pain to stop her.
"Sweetie, you need to rest-" She touched the she-elf's hand only to have her own slapped away.
Ronria turned her glare on the woman, gratified to see the surprise in her wide eyes. This woman had brought pain to this forest; just as the vicious creature had to her own. She did not care that these trees were not her own. She would protect them, too. She took the last few steps to the wounded conifer, ducking beneath its low branches. She could not simply pull it out, she would cause more harm. So she knelt, laying her hand gently against its cool bark.
Let me help you, she urged gently. She would not have to say anything to her own forest, they responded to her touch willingly, but this one knew her as nothing more than an intrusive stranger. Her sight dimmed and she closed her eyes, neglecting the world around her. Nothing existed outside of their tenuous bond. Slowly as it did all things, it adjusted to her gentle promptings until she could no longer discriminate between her body and the tree's. They became one.
Ageless...Serene...She felt no emotions as would the lively denizens skittering over her body. She watched...and she grew. She played shelter and nurturer to life of all kinds, vibrating with their rambunctious antics. She danced and sang to her windy lover, caressing her neighbors teasingly. But a foreign object had become lodged in her body. It felt strange...wrong. It did not belong there.
She vaguely recalled an offer for help...Where had it come from? Ah...the little creature at her base...It would help her...Perhaps she should help, too...the object stuck to her flesh...If it tried to help now, it would take more of her with it...But if she coated the object with her sap...it could slip out harmlessly...Why is it not moving? It promised to help her...
She sighed as her awareness reluctantly returned to her own body. Her limbs quivered, cramped and worn. Her stomach felt sunken and hollow. Her wounds ached dully, an unwelcome punctuation to her sour state. How long had she sat here, enraptured by the tree? She had never had such a violent reaction to communing with trees before. But then, she had never begun as weak as she had this time.
Before her fading strength could completely desert her, she reached upwards, grasping the hilt of the offending knife between her forefinger and thumb. She needed not exert much force to pull it forth; the blade sliding seamlessly from the tree and falling, unheeded to the ground before her knees. Her trembling body leaned forward until her head rested against the rough bark. But she took care to keep herself separated lest she waste the little energy left to her. Her vision blurred but she blinked it clear when her forsaken stomach made a loud protest. No, she could not rest yet. She needed to find some food or she may not wake once she sleeps. But how would she find food in her sorry state? She could not even summon the energy to lift her head, let alone stand and seek out nourishment.
A hand appeared before her weary eyes, startling her. She would have sought their face to know who had managed to approach her unnoticed. However her attention remained riveted on the hand and that which it held. A slice of bread, smeared with what looked like honey taunted her with its delicious fragrance.
Her mouth watered at the scent and she snatched the morsel, hunger fueling what strength could not. A soft groan of appreciation escaped her when the sweetness melted on her tongue. A small voice in the back of her mind shouted, warning her against...something...but she ignored it, seeking the hand for anymore gifts. It did not disappoint. This time, the bread had a slice of cheese lain across it. She ate it just as quickly.
Licking her fingers and lips free of crumbs, she sat up, rejuvenated mildly by the snack. The hand proffered another slice, again with cheese, but this time, she followed its arm up to its owner's face. And there she stopped, her breath hitched in her chest. She could not believe what her eyes told her she saw. She did not want to believe it. One word resounded tauntingly in her mind;
Elf.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***Phew...This chapter was actually difficult to write. It kept turning out so awkward...some parts still don't sound entirely right. But I forced myself to write it anyway because I knew you lovelies were waiting for it. Hope it didn't disappoint too much.
Anywho, I'm still looking for people to play my characters. Can't seem to think of anyone for them...especially Ronria. But she's special anyway. No human could honestly compare to her. But if you have any ideas, let me know, I'll check them out.
Oh, random thought. I've been pondering writing Aaron, Tal, and Jachime's back-stories. Would any of you be interested in reading them? They likely won't be full novels like I'm intending to make this but they still may be interesting.
So Vote/Comment/Fan if you like the story so far. Thank you to everyone who has given me their encouragements so far, it really does mean a lot. And Thank you to all those silent readers out there, too. It makes me smile whenever I see that I have more reads than last time I looked. ^_^