Pocketville Lost Diamonds: VOLUME 2

Chapter 29: Musika's blood

Eva was lying on the seat near a big window in the Meeting Chamber, at the top of one of the central smaller towers of the Castle.

From it, she could admire the town of Pocketville and the beautiful landscapes all around, from the Green Wood to the far-away Great Peek.
Sunset had already passed and the world was losing the brightness of its daily colors to dress up the night ones. 

The cat was lying like a sphynx, landing on the comfortable moon-shaped pillows, totally lost in her own thoughts: she had been there since Ava left with her protection team, almost two hours before.
She couldn’t stop staring at the Flower Fields, behind the one her sister had disappeared when she got too far to be still seen from the Castle.
A feeling of pure malinconia and anxiety was disturbing her, who was already tired because of her health conditions, and this was well-visible inside her blue eyes.

Alice, who was sitting on one of the elegant chairs of the oak table, could read this on her face.

That way to lie down showed Eva’s extreme thinness, carved by the hunger suffered in the Big City.
The only healthy front leg still had the needle of the drip, while the burned one was totally covered by white bandages.

Under the knee, where the wrap ended, was barely visible a line of naked skin. It was how the rest of the downer leg had to look like: hairless flesh, devastated by burns. No wonder it hurt that much, despite the painkillers: Doctor Pepita said that the damage was irreversible and that new fur couldn’t grow again.

She also missed fur in other parts of her back and one ear had a small and red scar.
Her eyes were languid and tired while the tail was immoble on one side.

Alice was deeply sad about all this. She already happened to see Eva sick, but noticing all those painful particulars was terrible for her.
A stranglehold was squeezing her stomach up.

- Are you okay? - asked, getting off the chair and approaching the cat.

Eva turned to her and observed her sitting next to her with a nice and tired smile:
- Yes, I am.

- Are you sure? You've been staring out of the window for hours.
- I’m just worried for Ava.
- She’ll be fine, you don’t need to worry. She also had a whole protection on her side, I’d be surprised if someone dared attack her.
- It already happened, hadn’t it?
- But now we’re more prepared. And staying here won’t help her, it instead makes you feel worse. If your lovely sister knew that you’re out of the bed, she’d kill me!

- I’m alright, and I can take care of myself. - Eva giggled and softly pushed her snout with her nose. It was dry and hot and Alice didn’t like this signal.

- Are you sure? Ya look like having a fever, Eva!
- I don’t! - the cat licked the drip patch with nonchalance - I feel okay.
- If you say so…

The cat stared for a moment at the windseat and the smile on her face slowly disappeared.
Alice followed her sight down to the castle gardens, where the Magic Fountain was shining like a diamond.

- Uhm, Alice… - mumbled the cat, all suddenly less loudly - I actually need help from you for doing something.

- Doing what? - the dog raised her ears, concerned by that weird request.
- I’ll explain to you. We first need to go to the Royal Suite. - Eva stood up with difficulty and staggered a bit, which made Alice jump up and hold her.
The cat thankfully smiled and walked to the door. 

Just reaching the end of the corridor took a very long time: the cat had to limp very slowly, silently muting her pain.
Alice helped her to keep balance despite not using the burned paw, not even trying to hurry her up and neither slow too much.
Feeling her warm, slim and small body landing against her side was so… sweet and painful at the same time for the mix-breed dog.
She was there for her, no matter what was going to happen, and she would have been there at all costs.