ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ (Geralt of Rivia)

xxɪx.

ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ: xxɪx.

After dinner, they settled in the small parlor, Thazina and Ciri occupying themselves with some game Nivellen had summoned while Geralt and Nivellen shared the last of the wine. "The village below was abandoned," Geralt was saying. "What happened there?"

"After the Battle of Sodden, the... countryside in a dangerous place," said Nivellen. "Hungry soldiers, deserters..."

"That's not reason enough for an entire village to leave their homes," Geralt pointed out.

"It is... when the Wild Hunt's riding over the horizon." Seeing the dubious look in Geralt's eye, Nivellen stated, "I saw them myself. Just last week. Riding their skeletal horses across the southern sky. A portent of doom."

"The Wraiths of Mörhogg?" Ciri dared to ask. "My grandfather saw them just before Cintra fell."

"Her grandfather was a drunk," Geralt stated. "He saw a lot of things."

"Geralt," Thazina said, her voice startlingly sharp. "Don't."

Nivellen nodded, clearly wanting to avoid spurning an argument between the pair as he said, "I'm simply saying, the North and South at war, monsters roaming when they should be hibernating, pestilence sweeping the land... Maybe it's the end of days."

"I've lived through a whole dark age and three supposed end of days," Geralt replied easily. "It's all horseshit."

"No, something has changed, Geralt," Nivellen pressed. Thazina could see in his eyes that, at the very least, he believed it to be true. "The world's acting of its own strange accord these days. Far outside the reach of kings and men."

Overhead, there was a quiet skittering sound, as though something was passing over the boards in the ceiling. Nivellen seemed unphased, even as his guests looked up, eyebrows furrowing with confusion.

"Nivellen, do you have a cat?" Ciri asked. "I think the poor thing might be stuck in the ceiling."

"I do, in fact," Nivellen replied, bringing a smile to his face. "She's fine. Vereena, she's called. I'm very glad of her company, even if she's a shy wee thing. Not fond of strangers."

"Didn't you say you were cursed to live alone?" Geralt asked.

"Didn't you say cats are afraid of witchers?" Ciri added. 

Nivellen hesitated, forcing himself to smile as he spread his arms wide. "How about a show?" he said.

Geralt wasn't interested. He rose to his feet as he stated, "How about we scout the property? Make sure it's secure for the night."

Nivellen let out a groan at that. "Go on, Geralt," Ciri said with a smile. "We'll be all right."

Thazina rose to her feet. "I'll join you," she said. "I need to stretch my legs a bit."

Taking note of Geralt's expression, Ciri groaned. "I can be without you two for a moment," she said.

"She makes a point," Thazina said. She took Geralt's arm, smiling softly as she lowered her voice just enough for only him to hear. "She'll be all right. She's stronger than she seems."

Geralt let out a huff. "Fine," he stated. "Thaz, have my cloak. I won't have you freezing to death out there."

She laughed but did as told, giving a smile to Ciri before she and Geralt left her and Nivellen to their own devices.

Outside, the wind had picked up, making Thazina's hair pull free from its braid, flying around her face in bright red strands. She shuddered, pulling Geralt's cloak tighter around herself, breathing in the heavy, woodsy smell that clung to the dark fabric.

"I wonder if Nivellen has any medicines," she noted, waving a hand toward the bandage around Geralt's leg. He was still limping from the ghoul bite, and the long travel from Sodden certainly hadn't helped things. "Though I must admit, I'm no good at healing. I wouldn't even know where to start with a ghoul bite."

"The elixir I took should be enough. If it isn't..." he shrugged. "Vesemir will be able to help once we reach Kaer Morhen."

She nodded. "I just... well, I don't like seeing you hurt, that's all," she admitted, feeling a tinge of annoyance as heat flooded her cheeks.

Thazina didn't miss the humor in his voice as he noted, "I appreciate the concern, Thaz. But I'll be fine. It's you I'm worried about."

"I'm just tired," she said. "Bruised from the fall of that rock. But no worse for- -"

She gasped suddenly as he caught her by the hips, pressing her to the wall of the manor.

"You're sure you're all right?" he asked, a smile playing at his lips as his amber eyes locked with her own blue ones.

"More than all right, now," she answered with a small laugh, bringing her hand up to tangle through the fabric of his shirt. She leaned to kiss him when suddenly he pulled away, turning his head.

"What?" she asked. "Is something- -"

"Quiet," he said. "Do you hear Roach?"

She did. The mare was restless, snorting and stamping about. "It could be the wind," Thazina offered, but there was a strange feeling in her stomach she couldn't deny.

"No," Geralt said. "Stay here."

"Geralt- -" she began, but he was already walking away, leaving her shaking as the wind whipped by her.

She followed all the same, earning a pointed look from Geralt as he opened the creaking gate, stepping out with Thazina close behind. His eyes lowered to the ground, and it didn't take long for her to realize just what he was looking at.

There were footprints in the snow.

They weren't alone.