FindersKeepers (Dracule Mihawk x OC)

Moonlight Sonata

|Sometime after Midnight|

Deep in her exhausted slumber, Astera remains undisturbed. However, an unwelcome intrusion disrupts her peace as a cold nose prods her face. Unconscious yet defiant, she swats away the intrusive presence. Unfazed, Jinx, frustrated by her lack of response, employs a more direct approach. The feline opens its mouth, and with a textured tongue, licks the length of Astera's face. Her cheek shifts with the motion, then resettles. She groggily opens her eyes to the sight of the large feline huffing hot breath into her face. Jinx, now seated, directs its gaze behind Astera, hinting at something in the shadows.

Astera, wrestling with the ache in her body, rises from the cold stone, turning her attention to the dwindling fire behind her. The once vibrant flames have reduced to faint embers, casting feeble light and meager shadows on the rocky cliffside. Her eyes adjust swiftly to the dim surroundings, revealing the man's labored breathing in the dwindling fire's glow.
Moving swiftly towards him, Astera kneels by the man, her fingers securing her unruly hair behind both ears. As she places her hand on his chest, his heartbeat echoes with rapid irregularity. His skin, hot and damp with sweat, alerts her to an alarming rise in temperature. Using a gentle hand, she tentatively assesses his wound. The wound was hot, radiating as if she touched a burning stove.

'Infection'

Astera, with her animal companions in tow, carefully gathers the man once more, the makeshift stretcher supporting his limp form as they travel the dense jungle. This journey demands even greater strength and endurance than the last. Alongside Jinx, she directs their path to the north side of the rocky hills, entering a more mountainous terrain. She navigates through the trails scattered with loose, sharp-grained rocks. Astera's thighs burn with exertion, quivering from fatigue, and her wobbly legs lead to occasional slips on the unstable ground. Despite the challenges, she persists, avoiding any major stumbles until they finally arrive to a leveled enclave.

Within the enclave lies a pristine, cool spring, its crystal-clear water allowing Astera to peer straight to the bottom, depths reaching nearly thirty, maybe even forty feet at their lowest. The water mirrors the stars above, creating a sparkling dance as ripples form from Astera's careful steps. In contrast to the southwest, the north side of the island receives a chilled northern wind, creating small patches of snow on various peaks higher up the mountainside from the spring.

Holding the basket's handle tightly, Astera backs up toward the water, feeling a chill on her feet from the ripples lapping at her ankles. She fixes her gaze on the stars, a blush freckling her face. Without warning, she tugs off the sheet covering the man, and the moonlight casts a soft glow on his features. She tosses the sheet aside, where it can stay dry. Jinx, taken by surprise, knits its eyebrows together, then looks up at the sky in a huff, as if sharing in the night's secrets. Astera giggling at the embarrassed feline.

Astera descends cautiously into the spring, each step measured to secure a foothold. The cold water nips at her skin, its sharpness diminishing as her body acclimates to the temperature. Reaching the last stone plate beneath the water's surface before the depths open up, she carefully lowers her half of the stretcher into the water. The chill almost shocks the man awake, prompting a sharp inhale and a few shivers.

As the man begins to float, Astera slides one arm beneath him, hooking around his chest and pulling him close. Her arm barely reaches, but she manages to maintain a decent grip. With her free arm, she gracefully backstrokes across the open pool towards the cliffside. Jinx retrieves the basket and saunters off for a well-deserved nap, leaving Astera to navigate the tranquil waters.

Perched on a sturdy rock just below the water's surface, Astera hoists herself up to the ridge. Her legs dangle in the cool water, disappearing into the moonlit depths. Pulling the man up to her, his back cradled between her legs, his fevered skin scorching despite the surrounding chill.