Ashsib and the Cat Beast

Chapter Seventeen

Sitting watch over Namere was hours of nothing but suspense. Even though Elian told him that he would do it, Ashsib just couldn't leave the woman's side. Once the mask had been broken, Namere's wounds had begun to bleed and even now, three days later, she was pale as snow fall. Karihyou lay next to her. It would let no one touch it again, and it had to be wrapped in a rug to get it as it was. Ashsib was the only one to touch it directly, and even though he cajoled it, the precise movement needed to put the scabbard on was impossible. So it lay there naked at Namere's side.

The island appeared to be completely empty. The fog had lifted, burned away by the next sunrise like it was a normal occurrence, revealing the vacant city in its entirety. Ashsib felt lucky he wasn't a part of exploring it. It would have shredded his nerves. The way the others described the echoing silence was bad enough. Of course, it wasn't particularly good that he couldn't join them. He hadn't been able to move for a full twelve hours after the fight, his muscles were both sore and liquid at once. Getting in a chair had been agony after his first rest, but once he cemented in place he'd gotten used to it. The hours of idle non-action were all his one functioning brain cell could handle.

Namere's face creased in a nightmare and Ashsib ruffled her hair to help settle her. She had them frequently, though some were worse than others. This time, her eyes opened. Ashsib snapped his hand back.

"Too late, I saw it." Her voice creaked and her mouth twisted into a wry smirk.

"Ah, she lives." Elian remarked as Ashsib ducked away, embarrassed.

"I guess I do." Namere's face showed mixed relief.

"I'll have you know, before you came along, all I had to treat were sunburns and the occasional scrape. You've made me actually have to work." Elian faked indignation as he checked her pulse and temperature.

"I apologize." Namere responded solemnly, "Where am I?"

"A house we've been using. We cleaned it up the first day, it has enough beds for us." Ashsib answered.

"And how many days have gone by?" She asked.

"Three." Ashsib held up his fingers.

"Am I holding everyone up?" She worried.

"No, they are going through goods. There are no people living on this island but us, so, we're taking what we need." Ashsib explained.

"Looting, you could call it." Elian put in.

"Reward is probably a better term." Namere said, "The P.O. would do the same, you know, though it'd be considered governmental confiscation."

"Don't sit up." Elian held Namere down with a palm to her forehead when she shifted.

"I need to re-sheath Karihyou." Namere protested, "Which involves cleaning it, also."

"It can wait." Elian did not remove his hand.

"Karihyou-"

"It. Can. Wait." Elian applied pressure, "I studied the bodies. Every single one, and there were hundreds of them. They all died the same way. Drugged and suffocated, then preserved. I may not exactly know what ways were used, but I know the steps. Even if it was only a moment I know you were dead, and I suspect it was as soon as you put that mask on."

Namere relaxed, "Yes, I recognized the feeling." She closed her eyes as she spoke, "Sixteen years ago I was ripped to shreds and barely pieced back together. That was a long process. I know my limits."

"Just!" Elian actually grew agitated and had to take a moment to calm himself, "One more day. Just one more day. A sword will not rust away in that time."

"...very well." Namere agreed, but there was something odd in her voice when she said it. As if she was granting him a last wish out of obligation.

"Ashsib, make sure she does as she's promised." Elian turned to leave, "I need a nap."

Namere was quiet, her eyes still shut. Ashsib assumed she had fallen back asleep until he gathered enough courage to look down at her face and noticed she was watching him through her shaggy hair.

"What?" Ashsib asked defensively, getting nervous.

"I'm glad you are okay." She said honestly. When she was blunt that way it was hard to guess what she was thinking underneath. "I really am, Ashsib."

Ashsib felt his face flare red, "I'm glad we were able to save you." He muttered.

"We'll see about that." Namere said forebodingly. "I fear what the Beast has done to you. What stress forced you into. Please, tell me what happened in full, I only remember a little."

"Of course." Ashsib settled back into his chair.

The mighty Ashsib breaks free of his restraints and gives a mighty roar.

"A little less embellishment, Ashsib." Namere interrupted.

"Oh. Of course." Ashsib repeated.

~~~

No one else had wanted to go back to the church, but Namere insisted. The bodies of the hoard were lined up in rows inside. Talk had come up about what to do with them several times, burial would take weeks of digging and cremation would be horrific. Despite the warm weather, none of them seemed to be rotting, so the general consensus was they would be left as-is. Once out to sea, the P.O. would be given an anonymous tip to examine the island. It felt like cheating, but they had no answers for any questions that would arise from Tarsiss.

Namere approached what the others had avoided. The silver mask was still where she had thrown it.

Ashsib watched from the doorway as Namere picked up one half of the thing, examined it impassively and then retrieved the other. She pressed them together and looked at the Smile's former face for a long time. Then she wrapped both halves in a piece of fabric and tucked it under her arm.

They left Tarsiss quickly after that, loaded with goods. The iron ingots were left behind, the brand on the crates burned and scraped, gone for good along with the fog.

End of Part Two

This section probably needed the most editing 😅 Probably because I didn't intend to continue it when I wrote the first part.