SHADOWS OF SORROW [S.S]

21 - In the Shadow of Rage

"How did you do it?" Amaya's gaze was fixed upon the sky, Calligo carefully gliding over the dark trees of the Forbidden Forest, to avoid his flaps from hurting Sebastian's leg. "What do you mean?" – "How did you find out where he was?" Sallow sighed and looked at his hands, not daring to hold onto Amaya. Something about this whole situation was uncomfortable, especially after he got so close to her on that clearing. And it was not that tension they normally felt, that made him do it, but just pure worry and care which confused both Slytherins equally. "I'm not necessarily proud of what I did to get to him. Does it matter?" The witch was silent for a few seconds, her eyes upon the castle they neared with every minute that passed. "It doesn't matter, but I would like to know... You look tragic Sebastian. Have you even slept?" – "Here and there..." She sighed at that, her hands fumbling with the grey feathers on Calligo's neck. "What happened to your hands?" – "I value a good fist fight." He wasn't going to tell her how he got to the arena. The torture, the deaths and the sheer amount of rules he broke with every single camp he raided... She didn't need to know. "You're impossible." Amaya motioned for Calligo to fly over the roofs of the castle and land at the Southgate this time since it was closer to the Hospital wing. "Why were you there?" The witch dismounted, stretching a hand out for Sebastian to take as the hippogriff knelled for him to get off.

"Poppy and I have been after those Poachers for a while because of the dragon. She heard some people in the Three Broomsticks talk about this Fighting Arena so we decided to look into it. I didn't know Calligo was there as well... And Poppy just left without him. With only half of the beasts that were locked up in that tent." She caressed the beast's feathers in thought. "If it weren't for you, they all would have died.... Thank you Sebastian." He watched her side profile in silence, taking note of some new, small scars whether they came from that horrific night or anything right after. "I've been looking for you all over the castle and Valley when I woke up..." Her hand lowered itself as she took out a brown leather bag, a light seeping out of it as it opened, Calligo being sucked in like he wasn't thrice as big as they were. "Why?" He cocked his head to the side, the pulsating pain in his leg harder to ignore by the second. Amaya took his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders so she could take some of his weight onto her as they made their way to the Faculty Tower.

"I don't know. I guess I wanted to thank you for saving me. But I didn't even get to do that until you saved me a second time in that tent. You're rather heroic when you aren't preoccupied with being jealous or an asshole." Sebastian sighed, dropping his gaze to the floor as they slowly walked through the corridors, careful not to trigger more bleeding in his leg. "Listen... I am deeply sorry for the things I said that night... Scrap that. I am sorry for anything I have said that might have hurt you. I have a hard time admitting I am at fault or the weaker one in comparison. I guess it's a side effect of having to be the strong sibling at home." Sallow turned his head to look at the witch. Her eyes bore no emotion. Neither good nor bad which was at least a good start compared to the past few days where she had noting but hate left for him in her heart. Sirona was right after all when she said all it needed was time to clear the sky of those dark thunder clouds their fight caused. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is that you deserved better... Your life before Hogwarts was something no one should have to go through." – "Thank you..." As they climbed the last set of stairs, the memory of Amaya in his arms, all bloody and unconscious flashed through his mind. That was no longer than 50 hours ago and she stood on her two feet again, her lightning bolts and spells taking down Poacher after Poacher. It was incredible, scary and also utterly careless.

"Dear lord... You two really live up to the dangerous Slytherin image, don't you?" The head nurse and her apprentice Kaya made their way to Sebastian, taking him off Amaya's hands as the wizard avoided eye contact with the apprentice. Instead he looked over his shoulder at Amaya, frozen in the archway, considering whether or not she should stay, deciding it might be best to leave Sebastian be for now. He needed to be taken care of and she couldn't help with that... So he watched her turn on her heel and walk down the hallway, his jaw clenching with a sort of ache he wasn't used to. "What is all this about? You brought her here when she was almost dying, bleeding out and now you have a pierced leg? Did the Crossed Wands scrap their guidelines?" The head nurse motioned for him to get on a bed, prepping some instruments to help him with as Kaya watched him from the side. "Not exactly... Just get it over with. I have things to do and places to be." Both nurses looked at Sallow for a second, contemplating his attitude before brushing it off and taking care of his leg.