The Blessed Child

Part III: Re-encounter with Two

"Let's go", Asher said while spitting out his last bone.

"Now?", Nathea questioned in surprise.

"Yes. This place is making me edgy", he wouldn't look at her. She felt as if there was something more to all of it that he wasn't telling her. 

Fine. He can keep his secrets and I'll keep mine.

She stared at the fire. It threw flickers of shadows across the edges of the woods like dancing wreathes of wild animals. Black had overtaken the white as the lights of day were extinguished.

"Can we wait till morning?"

He hesitated, his eyes darting through shadow and flame, "Sure", he sighed reluctantly.

"Thank you", Nathea whispered.

The darkness was jumping out at her. Every shadow brought perilous mares into her mind, feeding on her fear, sucking on her emotion like leeches. The night was scaring her. 

Asher stood up and stomped out the fire. All that was left was night. No pale white dancing animals. Her fingers flew absently to the strand of Jeera. She had tied the strand which had cost so much blood around her waist. The thick bands looped in and out beneath her fingers. As she held them, she could feel them pulse. For a second she was taken in surprise by the alien life of the strand, but it was her heartbeat. Beating like a thousand war drums taking up the calls, her heart leapt under her fingers. 

"We'll go to sleep", Asher's voice called out, the sound of his treading around her, "and leave at first light in the morning."

As she lay on the earthen floor, thoughts plagued her. In the past few days, she had barely used her blessings, which in itself was a blessing. She'd seen the truth in all that Asher had said and all that everyone else spoke. She only accidentally persuaded Muriel to allow her on this journey. Cooking had indeed helped her, slightly. But beauty? Singing? Dancing? Sure they were nice necessities, but were they truly blessings? Why would she be blessed with such trivial points?

Nathea rolled over, trying to silence here thoughts, then muttered, "Deunbrasf"

"What?"

"Deunbrasf. Sing it for me"

"Oh", Asher's voice seemed distant, nostalgic.

"You know it, right?" Nathea flipped back to where she assumed Asher was.

"'I know your voice'' at least" Nathea smiled to herself. They didn't live in worlds too far apart if they both knew Deunbrast. Nathea fell asleep to Asher's low singing, and to his words of goodnight.

"I know your voice

When it whispers through the trees

When it sings with saddened tones

When it calls, for, me

Deunbrasf, Deunbrasf, Deunbrasf

Deunbrasf"

* * *

"Wake up!" Asher's voice shook through Nathea's dreams.

"What?" she cried sleepily.

"Get up" In the glint of the moon, she saw his eyes widen and watched him unsheathe his Cat's Claws. Nathea quickly woke herself, then scrambled up and notched an arrow into her crossbow.

"What?"

"Something's out there" Her fingers flew to her Jeera. She would be ready this time. Not like when she fought the Creature, barely fighting. Something moved in the brush and Nathea automatically swiveled the crossbow and shot. The arrow flew into the brush, but no sound of it connecting into flesh was heard. She notched another arrow in.