Arwa

16- Final Comfort

I woke back up in a bed.

I soon realised that I wasn't in a bed, but in a hammock. I was at Hallow's, I remember what happened.
No, I didn't want to remember.

Chimaera was the next thing I saw, his eyes seemed thin and tired. He didn't have his hood on so I could see his face. He had hair, like my hair on my head. It was dark black and without his hood, his face was more of a lighter colour than I thought it was originally. He was wearing different clothes too, a maroon, brown coloured jacket and some old faded blue jean trousers so only his hooves could be seen. Yet I could still see his old, classic, grey top underneath. Clumps of fluffy fur could be seen poking out of the bottom and shoulders of his jacket as his fawn looking ears hung down sluggishly. And then a diamond pendant was hung around his neck, I'd seen this before.

I'd seen him wear it as a belt kinda thing, it had that Mynx writing on and seemed like a pointer to show somebody's status, yet I never saw any of those other things around Hallow's.

Even though he had the horns and the ears and the black fur, he looked like a person. He looked kinda like me. Well, he didn't look like me, I don't look like that. I don't look... right.

Then I just noticed how young he seemed. So much younger than Hallow, younger than me. That scared me a little and I don't know why.

I see Chimaera's eyes open as he realises I'm awake. I wonder how he feels about all this. By that I just mean everything, everything that's happening to him, me, Lou, Hallow. Everything slipping through his fingers before he's catapulted back into this crazy world.

I look at the room I'm in, there are plates and mugs scattered around the room (it seemed to be an extension of Hallow's cave, a little further in to keep from the cold) there's a chair with some blankets on it and a notepad that has some sketches in. They were sketches of me.

I bet Chimaera had been sitting here, looking after me, waiting here. Waiting for me to wake up.

I look back to him and watch him close his other six eyes and get up. His body looks exhausted, drained. I don't know what he's gonna do as he just stares there right at me for a bit, his eyes widening and his right ear twitching once or twice.

And he just hugs me. He burrows his head into my shoulder. I've never done this before.

"Chimaera-" I think I say hoarsely,"...were you..." I think I smile under my mask,"Were you just watching me sleep?" I heard him chuckle hoarsely, his fur was soft and his embrace was warm.
"I'd say 'not for long' but I guess I'd be lyin'."

And I just forgot about what all happened. Before, everything. The pain of the face in the mirror, the sadness when our den flooded, the guilt I felt after we caught the fish, the distrust I felt when I first met Chimaera, the fear I felt in that lab. I let them all wash away. I was happy here, happy in the sunlit den with Hallow in the wood. I didn't need to think about anything else, because right here, right now:

everything was ok.

Chimaera sat back down, he looked around a bit before fumbling to give me a drink. I wasn't thirsty but I took it anyway. I sat up a little more in the hammock, trying my best not to fall off,
"How long have I been..." Chimarea smiled a little,
"Oh? Sleepin'? Dunt worry s'only been less than day. Hallow's out in the wood... she's worried bout ya too. I stayed 'ere. If ya feel any better she'd like to talk to ya..." he shook his head, then stuttering out,"But erm, don't feel forced or anythin' don't just feel like ya, um, like ya just 'ave to coz I said so..."

His head sunk down, when he looked back up at me I thought he was almost... teary? I didn't know. I knew what tears felt like, but I had never seen them until I met Chimaera. He was now quiet, really quiet. "A- Arwa I was really worried bout you. I dunt like seein' ya like that I dint'... I dint' want ya to feel that." He tried to muster a smile once more,"... But ah'm always 'ere, if ya wanna chat bout anythin' or if ya don't. Jus' I worry bout you Arwa and I wanna make sure ya... that ya ok."

When I next spoke my voice came out weird. It went all high and low and jagged. It sounded like how he was speaking, but I wasn't trying to copy him or anything. I had never spoken like that before. I just got up and then I hugged him. I didn't know how it worked, I just put my head down on his shoulder and he put his arms around me.
"Thank you Chimaera. Thank you so, so much."