Gilded Serpents

Chapter Eight: The Healer

After much persuasion, Gaelenod let me ride upon his back once more. Lumo stayed close by this time on foot, eyes peeled on the deep shadows of the trees surrounding us instead of flying high up above the canopy. He seemed much more on edge than his typical self, perhaps due to the lingering tension.

We walked in a steady pace as opposed to the misty galloping, and even though I sat side saddle, each heavy step still sent daggers of pain though my back and the rest of my body. The fall off of Gaelenod's back did far more damage than I expected.

We rounded another bend, air still thick with silent unease, and were greeted with a small clearing. Before us was a small pond, fed by a trickling brook waterfalling down moss-green rocks. It was a welcome serenity to the earlier chaos of the day, and the soft light through the trees was very much welcomed on my wind-chilled face of the morning ride.

"We're here," Gaelenod grumbled, breaking the silence.

I looked around, but saw nothing but the sun-twinkled pond before us.

"Here," Lumo said, stepping towards me.

Lumo then proceeded to lift me from the moose's high back, then carefully cradled me in his arms as he walked to the sandy edge of the water. I almost protested, but my pain spoke to me far louder than my ego.

It was strange being so close to Lumo's face, and although it was masked, I couldn't help but feel my own face redden. I wanted to both touch his sharp jaw with the tips of my fingers, and equally jump away into the surrounding forest to hide, preferably in a deep hole. I landed somewhere in the middle by staring at him with wide eyes, hoping he couldn't see me from the periphery of his golden mask.

Unfortunately, I was wrong, as I noticed the corner of his mouth raise just the slightest as he gently set me on the ground.

I looked away, feeling my face grow even hotter, as I looked for any signs of a healer. No house or dwelling to be seen, only the small pond before me.

Gaelenod stepped forward, then proceeded to submerge his entire antlered head in the water. The pond rippled around him, and tiny waves grew larger and larger, until they splashed the shore. Originally I thought he was only cleaning off the residual blood from this morning's ordeal, but this seemed a bit excessive. I looked to Lumo behind me, but he seemed altogether unimpressed, arms crossed as he scanned the sky above.

The great moose then threw his head back, sending a waterfall on both Lumo and myself. I watched as Lumo began to protest only to have Gaelenod respond by shaking his great furred head and neck to dry, soaking us further.

As much as I wanted to lament the possible destruction of my expensive new attire, I couldn't help but laugh. And although Lumo seemed furious at first, both jaw and fists tight, he also soon relaxed and gave a pressed smile.

"I suppose I deserved that," Lumo chuckled before giving Gaelenod a hearty pat on the side of his neck.

We were interrupted by a muffled humming coming from the small pond.

"What is her name?" Lumo suddenly asked Gaelenod, urgent.

"Vasati," he grumbled back.

Lumo then crouched beside me, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Whatever you do, do not scream," he whispered.

Before I could respond, a pale, eyeless head arose from the dark of the water. Long dark strings of hair framed around thin pale lips which curled upwards to reveal rows of sharp needle-like teeth. The pale, blue-white shoulders lifted from the surface as the haunting being made its way towards me.