Morningstar

[CH. 0010] - The Protector

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..." - Stephanie Meyer

Finnea's slender fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade, its point indicating a direction.

"There she is," she whispered, barely audible under the wind that rustled through the forest canopy. Nord trudged toward Finnea, her boots sinking into the loamy earth. As her eyes followed the elf's sword, she felt her heart sink for the second time that day. A figure sat huddled a few feet away, obscured by shadows and foliage.

Hunched like a child seeking solace, the woman seemed to curl into herself. She was naked, her body half-covered by a cascade of yellow and orange hair that shimmered like autumn leaves. Every so often, her pointy ears twitched as though reacting to an unheard sound.

Tentatively, the woman lifted her head. Her face was a distorted canvas of pain, marred by tears that had carved channels through her dirt-streaked skin. Yet her eyes caught Nord's gaze, arresting her in place. They were a stunning fusion of emerald and amber. Two gemstones swirled into one. Flecks of amber seemed to ignite the green, as if burning embers were floating in a forest pond.

It was then that Nord noticed her lips—half of the upper one marked with spots like a black inkblot. Little canine teeth jutted out slightly when she parted her mouth, adding an exotic twist to her already unique visage.

For a moment, Nord felt like she was looking at... her.

Nord was taken aback as the woman mumbled, "Mama?" Her eyes were filled with a mixture of confusion and hope.

"That is not my cat..." Nord began to say, but before she could finish her sentence, the woman lunged forward and snatched the small plate of ham slices from her hands. In a blink, the food disappeared into her mouth.

"Chicken!" The woman's voice was tinged with delight, her earlier tears seemingly forgotten. "Are we going home? I don't like it here. Look!" She opened her clenched hands, revealing a small collar cradled in her palms. "My paws... they're ugly."

Nord turned toward Finnea, her eyes filled with disturbance. "That's not Kirara," she said, unsure how to react to the woman's erratic behaviour.

Finnea lowered her sword, her elven eyes narrowing as she scrutinised the woman.

Finnea's fingers delicately plucked the collar from the strange woman's grasp and held it out to Nord. "It tells her name."

Nord took the collar, her eyes scanning the engraved tag. "Kirara, if lost, please call Nord and Baal at..." The moment she uttered the word "Baal," Finnea's hand shot out, snatching the collar and hurling it into the forest with a flick of her wrist.

"Why did you do that?" Nord's voice was tinged with disbelief and rising anger.

"I obey," was Finnea's cryptic response, her face unreadable.

Nord felt a wave of confusion wash over her. "Obey? Obey whom? Why would you throw away the only lead we had?"

Finnea looked deep into Nord's eyes, her own gaze a swirling mix of emotion. "Some names are better left unspoken. Trust me! That is his decree!"

Nord turned to the strange woman, who was still huddled on the ground, now gazing in the direction where her collar had disappeared. The woman looked back at her, a mix of bewilderment and something akin to recognition on her tear-streaked face.

With a heavy sigh, Nord turned back to Finnea. "We can argue about later. Let's go home!"

Adamastor's eyes were slits of dark red as he watched the strange woman—now dressed in a simple white cotton dress—tear into a piece of roasted chicken with feral enthusiasm. He stood in the shadows, peeking inside his kitchen.