The Red Wolf : Healer of Witcher's (complete)

Kaer Morhen

Time passed quickly . Before I realized it Fall was coming to an end and I was running low on supplies and potions. I knew I had to make a decision on wither or not I was going to go to Kaer Morhen to resupply or wait till Spring. Damon whinnied at me and I sighed as I patted his regal neck. " I know. Guess it's time to face the music. " I travel for a few weeks stopping only when necessary to feed and water Damon. The closer I get to Kaer Morhen the dread begins to settle in my stomach. I'm at the end of the Witchers trail when I see the once great keep.
I sigh in resignation , spurring Damon onward. His shoes clip clop across the stone bridge. I see a few fellow Witchers in the training yard with a young girl who is trying to do the training course. I dismount Damon and make my way to the back of the crowd , watching her struggle with the swinging arms. I unclasp my cloak and hang it on Damon's saddle . " fifty crown says she won't make it through."
I roll my eyes at Lambert . I shove past him and walk to the bottom of the training course. " Girl! Watch and time it right! If I can do this so can you ! Stop panting like a dying mammoth and listen!" She holds my gaze and nods.
I see determination cross her face. I hear foot steps come to join the others , I ignore them. Watching as she times it perfectly and runs through the swinging arms. " that's it! Now figure out the rotating spines! You can do this! Come on show these men what you can do!"

She maneuvers through the spines and moves on to the stairs in the cliff side." Stay Calm girl! Think it through! " she jumps making it through the first few steps but slips, catching herself. " Pull yourself up! " I scream.
She grunts and slowly pulls herself back up and makes it to the point where she has to jump to the swinging bridge. " Take your time! Concentrate! You can do this!" I yell at her. She takes a deep breath and leaps to the swinging bridge. A cheer goes up behind me. I cross my arms , knowing that if she can make it to the dismount she would have done what only myself and one other woman had managed to do.
Earned these pig headed, men's respect. She jumps grabbing the hanging chains swinging back and forth a few times. She slips to early , hits the platform and falls to the ground. No one moves to helps her up. I stride foreword and help her up slowly. " you did very well. Don't let any one tell you any differently." She smiles at me. " Now hold your head high and walk out of the training yard proudly." She makes her way to the keep and I turn to glare at the ten men standing there watching her go.
" If any of you make you her feel less I will personally , cut off the very thing that makes you all male, am I understood?" I make eye contact with each one stopping on Geralt.
He crosses his arms and stares me down. I roll my eyes , pushing past them all. I hear a few of them ask who I am. Just as I'm going around the corner I hear Vesemir answer. " that would be our missing Red Wolf, and Witcher healer. Rafaela of Loc Munnine. Rafe to her friends." I smile at his answer. It's good to be home
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I find her in the laboratory trying to wrap her arm that had gotten cut. I move towards her, sitting across from her and helping her clean her cut. " thank you for all your help on the training course. " I smile at her. " you did very well , for someone who's not a Witcher." She smirks " I've been trying to do that stupid coarse for almost a week. Guess I need to practice more." I stop when she says that " You've been trying to do that course for just a week?"

She nods shyly at me. " that's very impressive considering non of those Witchers out there were able to do that when they first started out. I know of only three Witchers that have been able to move that quickly in training." She smirks at me " oh really? Geralt never mentioned that. Was he one of them? " I laugh at that. " No it took the great White Wolf three weeks to get as far as you did. I was talking about Saraphina the Sapphire Snake and Kiyan the Black Leopard. " she looks at me and asks " who was the third? " just as I'm about to answer someone interrupts and says " That Ciri would be the one and only Rafe the Red Wolf. Better known as Rafaela of Loc Munnine. The Witcher healer. "

I freeze when I hear Geralt answer her question and come up behind me. She looks at me then at him over my shoulder. " So , what ever happened to her? " she asks him. " 21 years ago she disappeared only to recently show back up to help a young girl finish a Witchers training course barely unscathed."

Her eyes widen and fall back on me. "You?" I shrug and collect the used materials to dispose of. " Why did you leave? Where have you been ? Why were you away so long?"
Before I can answer her string of questions, Geralt places a hand on her shoulder . " Ciri there's plenty of time for Rafe to answer your questions later. But it's late and you need your rest." She sighs making her way to the door. She stops when she reaches it and turns to look back at us. " I hope you and I can train together sometime before you leave Rafe." I smile at her " I don't see why not. If it's alright with Geralt." He crosses his arms in thought " We shall see. Off to bed Ciri." She rolls her eyes at his demanding tone. When she disappears from sight I turn and throw the blooded rag into the fire to burn. I wait for him to say something , anything at all, but he remains silent. I shake my head and turn to look at him. He's watching to see what my next move will be. I refuse to run any more so I move to brush past him.
Just as I'm passing him he reaches out and grabs my bicep. " We need to talk." I look up into his golden eyes. " there's nothing to talk about." I try to break his hold but he pulls me to stand in front of him. " Yes there is." I laugh at the situation I find my self in. " You must be joking? You want to talk now? What happened Wolf, did something finally break through that impenetrable wall of yours and make you start to care?"

He just stares at me. " I'm not doing this right now , certainly not ever." I go around him and he pulls me back again " Stop manhandling me." I growl up at him. He smirks and leans down to get eye to eye with me. " You and I are going to talk. Wither its now or later on. But we will have words about who hurt you bad enough for you to leave your home for twenty years without a trace."
I glare at him " No we aren't." I feel trapped and I do the only thing I can think of . I punch him . He staggers back , taken off guard. When he regains his footing he slowly turns back towards me. I see his eyes darken in stubbornness and determination.
He move swiftly at me we start throwing punches and kicks. He's taller than I am and can easily overpower me. If he gets a hold of me, I will be at his mercy. We go at it until I bump into the table. He takes the opening and grabs my hands placing them above my hand, moving between my thighs. I'm breathing heavy and just thump my head down on the table. Closing my eyes, hoping this is all a messed up dream.
"Rafe , look at me."

I ignore him. Hoping maybe he'll loosen his grip. My heart is pounding in my ears. " you can't ignore me forever Red." My eyes shoot open at the old nickname. I stare into his eyes and feel tears gather in my eyes. Eyes that have haunted my dreams. He stares back at me and confusion enters his eyes.

" Red , what was so terrible that made you leave your home for twenty years?" I don't know how to answer so I shrug. " That's not an answer ." He growls at me. " Maybe not but I'm not ready to explain yet." He releases me , helping me back to my feet. " Fine. I'll leave it alone..... for now. "
I move around him going towards the door . " Will you teach her while you're here?" I freeze at the request in shock. "Why me?" I ask . He smirks " You were the only one she's listened to about the training course." I laugh. "What's so funny? " he asks " well, you can't just treat her like any other male trainee. She's a young girl. She does better with encouragement , and helpful criticism. Not harsh words and yelling, G." I laugh at his puzzled expression.

" I will help her but you will participate as well." He smirks at me. " and why would I subject myself to this?" I shrug " curiosity. I've picked up a few different techniques since I've been gone, that have saved my life. I'll teach her things you never could." He steps towards me
" For example?" He asks . I step towards him and place a hand on his arm brushing my breast against his bicep. His eyes dilate and his breathing picks up slightly. " For example how to pick pocket a man when he's distracted by her womanly asserts." His eyes widen when I hold up his coin purse. He smiles and reaches to take it back . Our fingers brush and I feel a bolt of lightening go up my arm. I suck in a breath and pull away from him. " Goodnight Geralt." I quickly make my way to my old room and change into my sleeping shirt. I crawl into bed , praying sleep comes. It many hours later before I fall into a fitful sleep.