Parallel Affinity

Part 2.

When the last of the twilight light had faded and the night had descended throughout the forest, the main light illuminating the camp was the fire at its center, surrounded by three sleeping figures. Cara was the only one awake, at first standing a little way off from the camp, another shadow among the trees, looking out for traces of danger lurking in the bush, but when she felt herself falter under the fatigue all the more emphasized by the chill in the night air, she joined the others and sat down by the fire, staring at its flames. For the past few nights, she had always been the one volunteering to keep watch at night, unable to fall asleep, despite the weariness she felt.

The moon was high in the sky, its light mingling with that of the camp fire below, when Kahlan awoke to find the girl still wide awake.

"Hey," Kahlan greeted her, "How are you holding up? Want me to take over the watch so you can get some sleep?"

"No," Cara replied, barely glancing at Kahlan before returning to aimlessly stare into the fire again. "I'm fine. Go back to sleep."

But Kahlan was unconvinced.

"Cara, I'm worried about you," she finally admitted. "You've barely slept these past few days. Won't you please let me or Richard keep watch instead so that you can get some rest? Aydindril is still more than half a week's ride away."

Cara shook her head, dismissing the idea.

"Cara," Kahlan spoke more gently. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I am," Cara replied dryly. She didn't look away from the fire.

"Then why does it feel like something is wrong?"

Cara only blinked at the comment. Flickering orange hues of the flames reflected in her wide-open eyes.

"If something is bothering you, you know you can talk to me about it," Kahlan added just as gently.

Cara looked at her.

"Can you tell what I am thinking?" she finally said, struggle evident in her voice. "What I... feel?"

"Usually I am able to read people's emotions," Kahlan replied. "But as you know, with the Mord'Sith... With you... It's unclear."

Cara turned her head and stared at the fire again, silent.

"Cara, is something bothering you?" Kahlan asked in a more serious tone, growing genuinely concerned for the girl. "You know I'm always here for you."

Cara closed her eyes. Not for much longer, she thought without saying it out loud. She hated that the thought of leaving Kahlan in Aydindril, of parting ways with her, was affecting her like this. She couldn't understand why it did and she wondered what was happening to her. The only thing she did know was that underneath all of this she felt a new kind apprehension that gave her no peace and was probably affecting her senses as a warrior without her realising it. She hated it.

For a time, Kahlan waited for an answer but when she realised that Cara wasn't going to disclose anything, she exhaled her expectations.

"I won't press you about it," she said against the sounds of fire crackling, "But if you need a friend to talk to, all you have to do is say."

A friend, Cara thought and felt a sting in the depths of her stomach.

"Good night, Cara," Kahlan said and readjusted herself into a horizontal position.

"Good night," Cara replied, without looking away from the flames.

Another hour passed like this and finally, fatigue overwhelmed her. Unable to trust herself to stay sharp, Cara was forced to wake up Richard so that he could take over the watch, which he gladly did, grateful for the full-night's sleep he'd been having over the past few nights thanks to her. She laid down, as close to the fire as she dared and made herself as comfortable as she could on the ground. She looked over to her side, at Kahlan, sleeping soundly on her side too, looking peaceful and as beautiful as ever. Zedd lay on her other side. The old man's loud snores disrupted the peaceful nighttime atmosphere. If Darken Rahl or Nicci or some other maggot happened to be passing through the forest within a five mile radius of their camp, Cara thought irritably, they will be led straight here thanks to the old man's ringing snores.