Alone Together

Chapter Four

        Waking up to my second day in the Akiire tribe wasn't fun. My arms ached, as did my leg, and as I sat up my muscles scream in protest. It's not like they were underused, either. I was an adventurer, sometimes a mercenary. I used two-handed weapons like greatswords and battleaxes. My arms had a lot of strength in them, but they hurt. 

        I was grumbling to myself when Dawn-Stream came out of the passage. He stops and tends to Wind-Shimmer, who's looking much better. She's sitting up, and they're going to try and feed her proper food again today, I think. Before I can clamber to my feet, Dawn-Stream tells me to wait. As soon as he finishes with Wind-Shimmer, sending her back through the passage to Ivory-Veins (she walks unsteadily, but she manages to go without help,) he came over to me. "I need to examine your ankle," he informs me, sitting down on the ground in front of me. Gingerly, I hold it out in front of me. He takes it, unwraping the bandages that Moon-Song had wound tightly around my foot. 

        He began massaging my leg just above the ankle. "Does this hurt?" he asked. "A little," I admit. There's a hint of soreness. He nods before his fingers move lower, and I yelp. "That hurts?" he asks, chuckling. I nod. It hurt quite a bit, actually. "Well, you're healing quite well, I think," he tells me, pulling out a paste. "It's a pain reliever ointment. It should help relieve the pain," he explains as he begins slathering it on my ankle. Within seconds, it starts to feel better. "Does anything else hurt?" he asks. I debate with my pride for a moment before my sore muscles win. "My arms, and other leg. I guess the muscles aren't used to being used that way," I murmur. "Here. If you feel like you need to, rub this on the places it's hurting," he says, handing me a small tin of the ointment. 

        Astrid comes and collects me, taking me to breakfast. The meal is simple, with fruits, vegetables, bread, cheese, and the strange sweet wine-like drinks they have. Astrid tells me it's grape juice. Helios sits with us, and soemhow he ends up promising to teach me magic after lunch. 

        After breakfast I go to the forge to help out. Fire-Song is out with a small party hunting for more ore, and Yellow-Peace leaves me with all the parts for arrows. I put them together until my fingers are sore, and then, thankfully, it's time for lunch. Chicken is served with a plate of steaming vegetables and garlic bread. The grape juice is served again. 

        Then I go train with Helios. He makes me demonstrate the three simple spells I know, a fire spell, and ice spell, and a spell to heal others. He tells me I'm quite proficient with these, and then he teaches me another fire spell. This one is more advanced, taking longer to cast but dealing more damage. He has me practice until supper time, when he tells me that I learn fast. Astrid takes me to dinner, and Helios disappears. I tell her all about my day, excited by the new spell I've learned. Magic has always fascinated me. 

        Halfway through our meal, Serana and Apollo join us. We talk about our days as outsiders, all four of us, and it turns out that Serana and I were in one of the same cities at the same time, the very one where I learned how to smith, although we never even came close to each other. The four of us stay up late, laughing and talking, until my eyes are drooping shut. Serana walks with me back to my temporary bed, telling me she hopes we can become close friends. Once she leaves, I fall asleep before my head hits the pillow. And that's the good ending to my good second day in the Akiire tribe. 

A/N: So, I had originally written a lot more, but then Google Crome crashed before I can save it, so I rewrote it without as much detail, wanting to go ahead and get it out. I hope you enjoyed this chapter nonetheless, and if you did, don't forget to vote and comment!