Arwa

23- They've Taken Them

I know what I'm gonna do now. I don't have any weapons, I have nothing but a book and some blasted medicines. And I know I can't kill nobody with those.

So I'm jumping down the tree and I land right in font 'o that lady, she knows I'm in front of 'er for sure now. So I step back, I sigh a little and to dear god I pray that this woman has an ounce of understandin' in her bones, this world I'm in is too cruel, nobody trusts anybody; not anymore.

"Ma' name's Chimaera okay? I was fleein' from those guys just a minute ago. I promise you I mean no 'arm, just please lemme go." The woman stayed cold. Hallow woulda' understood by now. But Hallow's dead. Hallow's nothing anymore.
"And why should I pity your sad story 'O 'Chimaera the Mynx'? I understand you are alone but that has nothing to do with my people. You should be thankful I have chosen to even speak with you I do not usually engage myself with the petty lives of others outside my clan. So pray tell me, Chimaera the Mynx, tell me why I am wasting my time to converse with a lonely and hopeless fiend such as yourself?"
I didn't like the way she talked to me. I didn't like the way she talked to anybody. Her voice was hard as stone, blank and unforgiving as one too. But she's human. She's livin' and breathing  just like the rest of us. And that means that one way or another, she'll understand. Only those monsters at that Asylum can't understand. And they aren't living. They're just puppets of the dead.

"I won't lie to you, kay? Don't wanna lie and I don't wanna cause trouble. Y'see, I've been separated from my friend. I was in mountains with 'em, we've been together through thick an' thin and we're separated." The woman's face softened a little as I pointed to The Core where that blasted place was. "Those monsters, they're- they're gonna turn Arwa, my friend, inta' one of em too. Just you wait. Please, you gotta help me, they've taken 'em."

That word did it. It made her look down, her hand on her sword tightening. The warrior exhaled, her position of power was gone. She was just like me. I looked at her in the eye, in those black emotionless eyes. "They've taken 'em away from me."

The woman walked past me, her head still facing down and her shoulders hunched forwards. She shook her head and then looked at me,"Chimaera the Mynx, my name is Fiera. But you will only address me by the title of Leader Athnea. If I even hear you utter any other name that Leader Athnea to me or anybody else without my permission, you will be banished from my land and I will hand you to those soldiers myself."

Oh my god she's helping me. Thank god she's helping me, she's taken mercy on me. I think I'm grinning now, I know it's informal but I don't care. I knew that lady was nice in there somewhere. She wasn't smiling, she was still solemn, facing away from me and pointing away from the mountains southward.
"I am sparing you, Chimaera the Mynx. Though when in my land you will have to work, and work hard you must. We will provide you shelter, clean water, a bed and safety, though you will need to gather, forage or bargain your own food or anything else you desire. If any of us find you stealing, hurting or tricking any of our people you will also be both banished and punished. You must ask our people for work and you will be able to wash your clothes down the streams. Though I do not wish you to trouble me, if you have any immediate or extreme concerns you have permission to come to me. When you are in our company I also advise you to be respectful, be quiet and help our people if they wish so." She then took a coat out of one of the archer's bags and handed it to me, the paleness and cat like shape of her eyes was pretty daunting I gotta say,"Though just as I want you to respect my people, they also have to respect you and if they are creating any type of severe discomfort towards you, you are allowed to come to me. We will discuss the situation about your friend later. Is all of that understood?" I just nodded and put on the jacket before following her.

I can't believe she's helping me. But I do hope Arwa's ok.