Lost & Found

4: Found

Xenik edged slowly toward the steel laying among the leaves on the ground. He made sure to keep his eyes on her as he moved. She’d lit a fire and draped her own cloak over him while he slept. But she’d also been able to remove his weapons without waking him. Even after handing the majority of her meal over to him, he felt wary of her.

She kept her back towards him, pushing dirt over the dying fire and smothering it. She was either unthreatened by him, or just as reckless as he was. He returned each blade to their proper place and rose to his feet. He only wobbled a little, bracing himself against a tree until he was stable enough to stand up straight.

A night of rest, warmed by a fire and the simple meal she’d shared had done a lot to renew his strength. Not enough that he could go sprinting through the trees until he found his way out, but enough to live another day. “Thank you,” she seemed to understand the common language.

He flinched; surprised by the speed and fluidity she used to turn towards him. There was a hint of a smile as she caught the reaction, making him feel a little embarrassed. They stood there and stared at one another, waiting to see what the other would do, until the silence felt uncomfortable to him.

Shrugging, he slid her cloak off his shoulders and held it out to her. She took a step back and shook her head. “I can’t keep this,” he held it out again, “how will you stay warm?”

Snorting and smirking wryly she rocked back a half step and eyed him up and down before looking pointedly at the small dirt mound where their fire had been. Her hands smoothed down over the odd but pristine leather armor she wore. He moved toward her, the cloak hanging in his outstretched hand. The sound of his cloak snagging on a branch and ripping a chunk of fabric free tore through the silence. She crossed her arms over her chest, snickering softly.

He’d never seen a woman dressed as she was. Even if her clothes were in better shape than his, she wasn’t wearing much. Women’s undergarments covered more than the tight black leather laced down her legs like a second skin and the matching corset cinched around her ribs. A black linen shirt kept her arms and neck covered, but the material looked light and thin and she’d given him her cloak. In so little, she still looked warmer than he felt.

“Fair enough,” he grumbled and draped her cloak back over his shoulders. He was taller than her, and the hem hit around his knees, but it still provided more cover than his own.

Beyond the thick lines of war paint and dark, slicked back hair, she had intelligent green eyes and an almost kind smile. She couldn’t possibly be one of the devil women rumored to hunt the wilds. Reevaluating her dark clothes, it occurred to him that she could be dressed to stay hidden from them. He’d ask, but she had yet to actually answer him.

“I really don’t know how to thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” he could offer her coin, but if she’d wanted money she could’ve just taken it when she’d disarmed him last night.

Her smile softened as she shrugged and slung her pack over her shoulder. That appeared to be all he was going to get for an answer, as she turned and started walking away.

“You’re leaving?” He stumbled a bit as he tried to follow after her, nearly falling when she whirled around to face him. Holding out her waterskin, she pointed in the direction she’d been walking and beckoned him to follow. “You want me to follow you?” this time he sounded wary.

Exasperated, she huffed and continued walking. “Wait, where are you going? Do you know how far it is to the plains?” he’d stumbled after her, trying to get an answer. “I’m sure I was getting close…”

She cut him off by whirling around to face him, annoyed, with her hands on her hips. Not paying attention, he nearly ran right into her, but stopped short before colliding. She rocked back a step and waved her hand as if to say, “Then stay here for all I care,” and spun on her heel, stalking off.

He followed after her even though she wasn’t walking in a direction that kept the mountains directly behind them. Sill depleted of his full strength and energy, he found it difficult to keep up with her. She seemed to glide along the forest floor, never stumbling over the roots and rocks hidden below the carpet of fallen leaves.

He was breathing heavily and it bothered him that his lungs wheezed. She slowed significantly, looking even more ethereal in her movements at the slower pace. After several hours of chasing after her, she stopped long enough to let him catch his breath and let him drain the last of the water in her waterskin. He’d tried to share the precious liquid with her, but she’d scoffed and pressed the skin back into his hands.

Their progress felt slow, but he blamed himself for that. He didn’t even know where she was leading him. It was her confidence that kept him stumbling after her. A few times he stumbled more that walked, cursing in his own native language, at the rocks and roots. He would’ve felt rakish if he’d thought she understood him, ladys could faint at some of the vulgarities he spouted. But she trudged on ahead, unfazed.

She didn’t take him to a road, and they didn’t step out of the woods but they did come upon a clear stream. He dropped to his knees and drank and drank until his stomach felt too full. How long had it been since he’d last had a drink? He’d been so thirsty that he didn’t even notice the sting from the cold icy waters as he cupped his hands and brought the water to his lips.

When he looked up, she’d moved up the bank and through some bushes along a small rock cliff. In his haste to drink his fill, he’d managed to soak everything he had on. He tried to wash some of the dirt off his face and hands since he was already wet, and gave up when he began to shiver violently. Following in the direction she’d gone, he found her building a new fire in a hidden alcove in the rock.