Nathaira felt something new now. There was a heaviness in her chest, and a great pressure behind her eyes. Her throat felt like it was going to close up, and she took a few deep breaths through her mouth.
The girl had been trying to help them. Attacking Norris to protect herself was understandable, but Rumer had lashed out to protect all of them. No one had ever tried to “save” Nathaira before. She didn’t know how to respond, and she didn’t know what to think. She could not decide if she was proud of Rumer, angry with her, or deeply saddened. It was like she felt all of them at once.
You dear, sweet child. They will never stop hurting us.
She kept her hands raised as Rumer embraced her. What was happening? She recalled the night by the fire, they had slept close to one another for warmth. Of course then they had also been surrounded by several orc corpses. It was a rapid change in the child, from cold distance to warm closeness.
Slowly, she lowered her arms around Rumer, and allowed herself to relax. It felt… nice, and she held the girl close to her chest.
She hadn’t expected to hear that. She had many questions, but she decided that now was not the time to ask them. Her tongue flickered gently over Rumer’s head. She smelled like sweat, blood, and tears, but there was sweetness in there.
”I know you will be. You will be sstronger than any of uss.”
She pulled back just so that she could see Rumer’s face when she next spoke. They would be difficult things for her to hear, but they needed to be said. ”It iss likely that I will need to hurt you again. Our livess are painful. It will be expected, and you musst become used to it. You must harden. The massters will know if you don’t.” Why did her chest feel tighter? Why were her eyes burning her? She blinked and swallowed. Hesitation. No, she had made her choice, and she would see this path through. ”But… I will not enjoy it. I will not care for you any lesss… doess… does this make ssense?” The rune tingled dangerously. She had not crossed any lines this time, but she was tiptoeing on the edge.
She needed something more, something to prove her intentions. She had seen the blank eyes staring at her this morning, and she did not ever want to know that emptiness again. ”I will make you a promise, Rumer.” She clasped the girl’s hand in both of hers. “Unless I am ordered to do so, I will never use my venom on you again. That was… unnecessary.” She stopped just short of apologizing, for to do so would bring into question far more of her worldview than she wished to deal with right now.
The girl had been trying to help them. Attacking Norris to protect herself was understandable, but Rumer had lashed out to protect all of them. No one had ever tried to “save” Nathaira before. She didn’t know how to respond, and she didn’t know what to think. She could not decide if she was proud of Rumer, angry with her, or deeply saddened. It was like she felt all of them at once.
You dear, sweet child. They will never stop hurting us.
She kept her hands raised as Rumer embraced her. What was happening? She recalled the night by the fire, they had slept close to one another for warmth. Of course then they had also been surrounded by several orc corpses. It was a rapid change in the child, from cold distance to warm closeness.
Slowly, she lowered her arms around Rumer, and allowed herself to relax. It felt… nice, and she held the girl close to her chest.
"I'll be strong... I... I don't want to kill you."
She hadn’t expected to hear that. She had many questions, but she decided that now was not the time to ask them. Her tongue flickered gently over Rumer’s head. She smelled like sweat, blood, and tears, but there was sweetness in there.
”I know you will be. You will be sstronger than any of uss.”
She pulled back just so that she could see Rumer’s face when she next spoke. They would be difficult things for her to hear, but they needed to be said. ”It iss likely that I will need to hurt you again. Our livess are painful. It will be expected, and you musst become used to it. You must harden. The massters will know if you don’t.” Why did her chest feel tighter? Why were her eyes burning her? She blinked and swallowed. Hesitation. No, she had made her choice, and she would see this path through. ”But… I will not enjoy it. I will not care for you any lesss… doess… does this make ssense?” The rune tingled dangerously. She had not crossed any lines this time, but she was tiptoeing on the edge.
She needed something more, something to prove her intentions. She had seen the blank eyes staring at her this morning, and she did not ever want to know that emptiness again. ”I will make you a promise, Rumer.” She clasped the girl’s hand in both of hers. “Unless I am ordered to do so, I will never use my venom on you again. That was… unnecessary.” She stopped just short of apologizing, for to do so would bring into question far more of her worldview than she wished to deal with right now.