The Cleanse

7

Thank you all for reading my story, and I apologize for how long it takes to get the chapters up. I've just been busy with vacation and other things this summer, and will try to write faster in these upcoming weeks. Comments are always welcome and giving this story a like would mean a lot. I recently entered it in the Wattys and hope I do good! Ok, back to the story.

We walked for a while, Luna holding my hand as she stumbled along. My leg had been hurting for a good hour or longer, but I wasn't one to complain.

Ash noticed when I tripped over a stray root and gasped, almost falling to the ground before I caught myself.

"We should stop to rest," he said, stoping in his tracks and pulling a bag off from his shoulder. He also unhooked my sword from his back. When he had gotten these things, I wasn't sure.

"We can keep going." I looked at Luna as she released my hand and curled up onto the ground, closing her eyes.

"Luna disagrees, and your leg needs to rest." He look up at me, his face soft. "I'm going to go wash off in the river. Don't follow." He walked away without my answer.

I listened, understanding that his pathetic excuse to wash off was a way for him to get away from me and calm down.

I looked through the bag and found three blankets. Draping one over Luna, I put the other two on either side of Luna. He could move his to where he wanted but at least this way Luna was between us.

I lay down, curling up on the ground and moving closer to Luna in a protective way. My stomach was in knots, thinking about if Ash had lost control and was on his way to kill me, kill Luna.

I continued to lay there, listening for any noise in the forest.

I fell asleep some time while I lay there, and I only realized when I jolted awake to pitch black darkness. I scrambled up and ran to the side of the clearing, dropping to my knees and hurling my guts up.

I heard footsteps behind me and looked up slightly before lowering my head to empty my stomach more.

Gentle hands pulled my hair back from my sweat soaked neck and held it away from my face. I knew who it was instantly from his sweet scent I didn't even know I recognized until now. He smelled like lavender and snow. Soft and bitter.

I finally stoped and sat back, breathing heavily.

"What's wrong?" He asked quietly, still holding my hair.

"A dream," I answered, my voice hoarse. "A nightmare."

He only nodded before picking me up in his arms princess style, holding me close.

He walked over to where I had been laying and set me down, sitting next to me. "Do you want to talk about it?"

My face paled just thinking about it and he sighed, already knowing my answer.

I lay down and moved closer to him, shivering at the lingering sights.

He froze before pulling my head into his lap, twisting a strand of my hair between his fingers and humming softly until I fell asleep.

When I woke he wasn't there, the sun just rising above the trees. Luna was also gone, and I tried to stay calm as I sat up.

Walking through the forests, I found Luna holding some herbs in her hand as she picked more.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

She looked up. "Ash told me to make a soothing herb mixture."

"Why?"

"He didn't tell me." She shrugged, continuing her searching.

"Do you know where he is?"

"No. He walked off. Hold these." She shoved the herbs she had collected so far into my hands. I sighed, standing next to her and taking herbs when she needed me to.

___

I had to calm down. She had snuggled up to me. I had almost lost control, almost killed her in those moments. I needed to get her away from me and soon. Get her away from danger.

I splashed water up into my face, willing myself to calm down. I could do this. I could get her to my cousins, to safety.

I wiped the water off my face and started back toward camp.