Never Surrender

21

Our journey came to a stand still, the rain had forced us under a tree. The land too muddy for us to trudge through, it would slow us down. Geralt had started a fire, Roach stood behind us and I laid my head over my paws. Geralt sharpened his blade and Jaskier rested against a tree trunk. My ears flicked as he fidgeted. "Touch my fur and I will bite your hand off," I snarled, I lifted my head off the ground and looked at him.

"She means it," Geralt said looking up from his blade. He rested one finger on my back, I leant up and spun around, I growled deeply and nipped his finger.

"Ow! You bit me!" He exclaimed and cradled his finger.

"She did warn you," Geralt said. I got up and moved around to the other side of the fire laid down and placed my head down over my paws again.

"She didn't do much I don't see why she's so tired!" The bard exclaimed.

"You don't understand. The more time she spends in her wolf form the more it saps her strength, she just needs rest," Geralt explained.

"I thought it made her stronger?" He asked.

"It does, but it costs her too," Geralt put his blade down and walked over, he had a potion in his hand. He lifted my head and slowly poured the potion down my throat.

"What's that?" He asked.

"None of your business," I said.

"What does it do?" He inquired.

"Geralt just answer him," I sighed laying my head back down.

"It helps her to regain that missing strength it nourishes the beast and human form, it seals the bond between the two," he said.

"Seals the bond?" He asked.

"It stops me losing control of the beast, keeps my human side conscious," I said.

"So you don't attack Geralt again?"

"I swear you keep bringing that up and I'll attack you," I snapped and pinned my ears, the sound of the rain tapping against the leaves muffled.

"Now she means that," Geralt said seriously looking at him, even Roach snorted in agreement.

"You two really do live up to your reputations in the songs I sing," he said.

"Good, I don't want to be a beast or a monster in the stories," I replied and dropped my ears by my eyes.

"And you never will be a monster," Geralt said and gently rested his hand on my back.

"You didn't bite Geralt!" Jaskier exclaimed.

"No, because I know him and I like him," I said.

"So it's down to favourites?" I rolled my eyes to Geralt who had a smirk plastered on his face.

"I'm not as annoying as you," he said.

"Now that's true," I said and wagged my tail.

"Why do you two hate me so much?" He asked, Geralt and I huffed a laugh together.

"You're a human, we're not..." Geralt interrupted me.

"Phoenix here doesn't like humans very much, you're very lucky she allowed you to stay," Geralt said. The rest of the evening was silent, Geralt and Jaskier both slept while I guarded them, we were still in a dangerous area.