Trinket (Reverse Harem)

Korr Knows What Everyone Wants (him, of course)

Asund's back looked like butterflied meat. He bled everywhere. He laughed at the pain as Healer Aeon washed and stitched him back together, which took several hours and quite a lot of silk thread. Although by the time Aeon was done, the first stitches were already unnecessary, and the wounds were starting to seal shut.

"So it's true that wolves heal quickly," Aeon said with admiration.

"Quite true," Asund said. "Am I the first wolf you've met, Healer?"

Aeon nodded once. "Wolves never liked to come down here."

"You lot aren't the most welcoming bunch."

Aeon shrugged and his smile was sort of devious. He checked Korr before he left, proclaiming him as eh, alive enough and headed out.

Ormiss had washed the blood off himself and stood looking over the twilight garden. He hadn't had much to say.

"So it's over," I said.

Korr, reclining on the couch, cracked open one eye. "Yes. Now it's time to plan our daring escape from this fine queendom."

Ormiss glanced over his shoulder.

"We need to see the Pantere Priestess of Dreams," Korr said.

Itek nodded. "Back on mission. And I want to know what those bugs were that attacked us in the southern town."

"They reminded me sort of Ethat's hornets," I said.

"They were nothing like Ethat's hornets," Korr said. "Unless you are saying Ethat's hornets have four legs and can shoot their legs at us."

He rubbed the healing wound on his chest.

"What the hell is the point of going on to the Priestess?" I asked. "There isn't one. She can't fix me. If she'll even see us. She might tell us to get lost, and then we have to make the trek back to the mainland for nothing."

"Because it's a mystery," Itek said.

"But it won't change anything," I said stubbornly. "She can't fix me."

"But if we know what you are and where you've come from, and how it happened," Itek said, "We can perhaps fix you. Or at least figure out why."

"And do what, save the world?" I asked dryly. "Don't we have enough problems?"

"The Pantere Priestess of Dreams is a fickle creature," Ormiss said, finally turning around. "I've only had occasion to meet her once."

"Did you work your charms on her?" Asund asked dryly.

Ormiss didn't bother grinning. "We left on equitable terms. And no, not in the way you are suggesting. She's a Pantere. That should say enough."

"So you're saying it's futile," Asund said.

"I'm saying she's a Pantere, and we are chasing a dark magic," Ormiss said.

"Exactly," I said. "And I don't want anyone else getting hurt. This is too much. I... I can't keep watching this. I can't. I'd rather go back to Haven and get led through the streets on all fours than keep watching all of you get hurt and flayed alive and pierced through and withering away for me!"

I inhaled. I almost burst into tears, but managed to at least not do that. My heart just broke. I couldn't keep doing this to them. Assund was just butterflied like Cook butterflied meat back in my old enclave, and Korr had been run through, and Ethat's wings ripped up, and Itek gouged, and then there was Ormiss, and where did it end? Now we'd fly off to the Pantere Priestess of Dreams and ask a cat to help, and the gods only knew what greeting we'd get, and what were the odds of her telling us anything useful? Very little. Almost none.