The Water Sprite

An Eel

As his mind began to awaken, Mo Yuan kept his eyes closed. His head felt heavy and there was a light throb of pain in his back.  His chest also felt tight, but unable to make any sense of why he felt so weak and in pain, he slowly opened his eyes.  

Instantly, confusion hit him.  He had no idea where he was and nor could he see anyone when he turned his head to the side to look around.  The cave was well equipped and very cozy but it was not a place he knew, but there was a definite scent that he could vaguely recall, but too weak to dwell on it, he closed his eyes again to think back to his last memory.

He had gone to the river to fish for eel, the rain had just begun to fall when they came into view, and with only his own hunger on his mind, he completely lost himself to the hunt.  And it was then, that the memory of being hit from behind came back to him.  The scent of a bear and the row of teeth, was his last memory.

Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath only to shudder at the sudden rush of pain in his back.  So someone saved me, he thought to himself as he once again looked about the cave.  The fire was almost out, and from what he could see, their winter stock of wood was almost gone.  Had they used it all just for him? he wondered to himself.

Allowing himself to wake as much as possible, while ignoring he pain in his head, he slowly raised himself until he was sitting.  The exertion hurt, but the moment he looked down at himself, he realized why his chest felt constricted.  The bandaging was too tight but sitting up made it was easier to breath.

In that position, he also had a very good view of the cave but it was when his eyes fell on the weaponry leaning against a small table in the corner of the room, he realized who had saved him.  A million thoughts raced through his mind as he stared at her bow and arrows.  He had successfully avoided her for so long, how was it she had found him? he wandered.  She was as predictable as the weather.  She had never delved out of her part of the forest except to enter his to hunt.  Had she finally given up the comfort of what she knew to go in search of him?  And how did she get that bear off him.  From the size of its teeth, it was a fully grown adult.

But as his eyes continued to look around, they soon fell on the herbal medicines, the strips of cloth, the water, and the lily leaves which were all laid out beside him.  Picking up the herbs he sniffed at it.  Smiling, he could tell what they were, but that she too knew of their healing properties impressed him.

Wild ginger, lavender, thyme and sage.  Four very powerful medicinal plants and when made into a poultice and used with the lily leaf, it was miraculous. She saved my life, he thought to himself.

Unsure what to make of her intentions or reasons for helping him, he turned his head towards the little area where her bed was.  He could see her form under the covers resting, but seeing as there was not enough firewood, he knew he had to repay her kindness and seeing as no scent of food was in the air, it was possible she had not eaten.  

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to his feet.  It would not take too much effort to cut down a little wood and gather something to eat.  He was hungry but not knowing how long he had been in her cave, he gathered it must have been some time considering she had almost used her supply of wood.  And seeing how efficient she was in hunting and medicinals, he safely assumed she also kept a good supply of wood for the cold months.

Making his way to the caves entrance, the sun was just coming up but it was cold out and not trusting his health, he quickly removed one of her fur coats.  It was too small for him, but it was sufficient, then putting on his own boots, which he noticed she had cleaned and dried for him, he left the cave to first search for food, twigs and wood.

But the moment he reached the river, the sight of the bear laying dead beside the water, had him quickly moving towards it.  The stench was foul but one look at the bloated body, told him the animal had been dead for almost seven days.  He had been in her cave that long? But that he was able to walk unaided though in pain, was remarkable all the same.  Her knowledge of medicinal plants was very good, that it gave him a little more energy to repay the kindness.