Raw

Chapter Twenty- Wounded

Chills rippled through my body as the dreams faded. Dreams of Mhor, my mother, and my father. Dreams of my childhood and simpler times.

A warm cloth pressed on my forehead as I became aware of the sounds around me. "Mother?"

"She's just outside," said a soft, young, female voice. "We were worried about you for a while there."

I forced my eyes open and gazed up at the female Father had taken from Voch. Her pale blonde hair fell around her face as she smiled kindly. "You were asleep for a few days. You lost a lot of blood."

I tried to speak, tried to say, "That explains my headache," but it just came out as a moan.

"Don't push yourself," she said as she turned away from me. "But you should get something to eat."

I shuffled up into a sitting position, moaning at my throbbing head. A few days? "Where are we?"

"Hidden," she replied as she turned back around with a dish of dried meat and a cup of water. "Here."

I took them, sipping the water, then chewing on the meat. Ravenous, I devoured all of it.

She chuckled. "I'll get you some more."

"Wait." I grasped her wrist. She met my eyes as I asked, "What's going on?"

She slumped, her brows furrowing. "The males have pushed Voch's clan off the land, but they linger at the northern border. The males patrol the border, rotating who is on, and who comes here to rest."

"Is anyone..." I swallowed, dreading the answer to my thought.

She smiled softly, touching my cheek. "A couple of the sons of Voch have died, but you are the only one who has come close."

"My brothers?"

"All fine. A bit beaten, but—"

"Mhor?"

Her eyes sparkled. "Comes here when he's not on patrol. He's very concerned about you."

I smiled wistfully, picturing Mhor at my side, worried. He might even be blaming himself. "Where is he now?"

"He just went back on patrol."

"Oh." My heart sank.

"I've been ordered to send word if you wake. I'm sure he'll come right away." She rushed out of the tent.

I shuffled over, grabbing the ladle in the bucket and taking a deep drink. The water sent waves of relief down my parched throat. Mother slipped into the tent while I drank. She touched my shoulder as she knelt beside me. "You're awake! I'm so relieved."

"I'm so hungry and thirsty." I took another deep sip.

"Of course. You lost a lot of blood." She kissed my forehead. "I was afraid I'd lose you."

I smiled weakly, scanning the tent for food.

"Yes, you're hungry." She dropped a small bag in front of me. "Just some dried meat until I can get you something better."

I devoured it in seconds.

She smiled, stroking my hair. "Zora, don't ever scare me like that again."

"I don't plan on getting injured like that again," I replied as I chewed on a piece of dried zebra.

She wrapped her arm around me, nuzzling my neck. "Everyone has been worried for you. Your father slept at your side, sometimes I even caught him crying over you."

I stopped chewing. "Why?"

"He made a great sacrifice with you." She looked into my eyes, tears forming in hers. "To give you up to Voch, to betray you and Mhor. Then to see you naked, watch you being defiled, and having to touch you. He'll never get over that. You're his most precious daughter. He's carrying the weight of everything that happened to you on his shoulders."

She sighed, coaxing me to lay with her, where she wrapped her arm around me, holding me close. "Then, of course, there's poor Mhor. He blames himself for your injury. He says he should have been more careful and fears you won't forgive him."

I clasped her hand on my waist. "It's not his fault!"

She chuckled, kissing my head. "He'll be happy to hear that. He is a devoted mate. It makes your mother's heart light to know you will be so well cared for."

I rolled to face her, nuzzling up in her arms. "Mother, I love him."

"I know you do," she said softly.

We fell silent as she stroked my hair, lulling me back into a light sleep. Sunlight burst into the hut as the door flap was thrust open. Sleep flew away from me.

"I'm sorry I took so long!" The young female knelt beside me, setting down a plate of freshly cooked meat. "I hope that—"

I snatched the plate, tucking into the food hungrily.

Mother chuckled. "Thank you, Naya. Why don't you stay with Zora for a while to help her get back on her feet? I need to see to the pride."

"As you wish, Flit." The female bowed her head.

Mother left us.

I looked into the young female's eyes as she watched me eat. "Your name is Naya?"

She nodded, lowering her gaze. "I'm sorry I brought so much trouble to you."

"You didn't do this." I dropped a bone on the plate. "Voch did. He used you, and Father took you because he saw how badly Voch treated you. I would have been forced to mate with him either way."

She slumped, leaning closer. "They did awful things to me there. They hurt me, and did things to me..."

My heart sank. I reached out and caught her hand. "It's over now. I won't let them take you back."

Her hands wrapped around mine. "Your father is letting me decide between him and Hektos to be my mate."

"That's kind of him," I said, focusing on my food again. "Hektos' mate is your sister, isn't she?"

"Yes." She smiled sadly. "I'm glad some of us survived. Many of the youngest ones were slaughtered, the rest of us fled in four groups. She and I were in separate groups, so I hope the rest of her group are still safe. But I watched my brothers and young siblings be murdered, while they left only me alive to ravage for fun." She rubbed her arms, shuddering. "It hurt."

"Oh, Naya. That's terrible. I promise you, that won't happen here."

She gazed into my eyes. "I know. Everyone is kind here. I just wish..."

A tear ran down her cheek.

I wrapped my good arm around her, pulling her close. She rested her head on my shoulder, sighing. "Zora, you should get some fresh air."

I squeezed her, touched by her caring when she'd suffered so much. "Let's go."

*

Naya stayed with me all day, helping me with my tasks and when I stumbled. Losing so much blood made me weak, so I appreciated the backup set of legs for support.

I sat with her and her sister and we discussed the siege. Although Voch and his sons lay on the other side of the northern border, Father didn't feel we'd be safe in our normal home, so we stayed hidden. It turned out, we were in a thicket bordering on Fennir and Keenan's land and their females dropped in occasionally to check on us.

Finally, as dusk turned the sky gold, Father and Fennir entered the camp. I stood to greet them. Father smiled as each of his young ones ran to him, softly touching them on the heads. After sharing his fatherly affection with each child, his gaze lifted and locked on me. His smile faltered as he pushed through, his arms wide. "Zora."

"Father." I wrapped my arms around his waist and rested my head on his chest.

"My beautiful daughter." He buried his face into my hair as warm tears soaked through. "I feared that I'd lost you. Forgive me for—"

I lifted my head to look him in the eyes. "There's nothing to forgive."

He clasped my face, kissing my cheeks. "I love you."

My heart warmed.

That night he kept me snuggled between him and Mother. He claimed it was because he wanted to make sure I'd wake again, but I think he feared Voch sneaking in and abducting me.

In the early hours before the sun had risen, a rustling woke me. I stayed still, until cool, slender fingers pushed my knee.

I gasped, looking up to find the baboon had returned. But the distress on her face frightened me. Father appeared behind her and pressed a knife to the side of her neck. "Hurry."

"Please, Krosh," she said, her voice trembling.

"You betrayed me when I offered you sanctuary. Check her and leave. If your family is still on my land in the morning, I'll kill them all."

"I didn't want to betray you." She pushed my legs open, sliding my leggings to my knees. "He was going to kill us. He wanted to know why we would leave."

"And you put my daughter and family in danger." The dagger pressed hard against her neck. "Now hurry up."

I didn't resist as she felt around like the last time. But this time, she sobbed softly. When she dipped her fingers in the powder, tension melted out of her body as she said, "She has not conceived."

"Good. Now get out." Father nudged her with his foot.

She gathered her things and hurried from the tent.

I stood by Father's side as he watched her disappear into the early morning darkness. "Father?"

"She betrayed us," he said in a deep voice. "She told Voch you had come of age, which is why he came. And all for what?"

"To protect her family?"

He shook his head. "No. Voch paid her off. He wanted her to come and spy on us, so he offered her food for her whole family for her services." He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "But you are safe now. I have spies on her making sure she doesn't head north again, plus, I have a backup plan."

I blinked up at him. "What?"

He motioned into the darkness. "By the river, I hold all her infants and toddlers. They will head south in the morning, and she will choose to follow them with the rest of her clan."

"Harsh."

He shook his head. "I won't kill them. I'm just making sure they don't put my family in danger again."

It made sense. I respected my father even more for his just nature and compassion, because others would kill them, but not him. "Father?"

"Yes, my dear?" He looked down at me, his expression soft.

"May I see Mhor?"

His eyes darkened as he pulled away from me. "We will need to discuss finding you a new mate."

"What?" My heart ripped apart. "No! I want to be with Mhor."

He turned into the tent. "Sleep, Zora. We'll discuss it later."

"No." I caught his arm. "Father, I love him."

He swung to me, grabbing me by the shoulders. I winced, and he released my injured one. "It's his fault you almost died. He doesn't deserve you."

"Father—"

"I'm tired and need to go back on patrol soon." He pulled me into the tent. "Now, sleep."

"No."

"Zora..."

"Father—"

"Zora." We turned to see Mother sitting up. "Sleep. You need your strength."

Slumping, I yielded to her. I flopped beside her, curling up closer as Father lay on my other side. He sighed, rolling onto his back. "Goodnight, Zora."

I didn't answer. I was too angry.