Eclipsis: Water

Chapter 12

The river water was incredibly clear, and cold against Alara's skin. She could feel it through the material of her shoes and trousers. She hadn't bothered to take the latter off, as they were sure to dry in the wind once they were up in the air again. It was nice against her bruises.

She had offered to help Cetus hunt some fish with her spear, but he had declined gently.

It'll be quicker with just me, Al.

Alara knew he was right. It was evident in the technique he was applying right now: swooping down to scoop the water like a pelican, then flying over to dump the contents on the river-bed next to Alara. Alara speared each one quickly through the eye, then dipped them back into the water to clean any saliva off. The last part was due to Kōri's complaint.

Alara threw another fish into Kōri's lap, who was already trying to fit 3 into the bag she had taken off Cetus' neck for the time being.

"Can you just wait a minute?" He exclaimed as yet another dead fish landed on his legs.

"What is so difficult about putting fishes into a bag? We gave you the easiest job." Alara replied without looking at him, focusing instead on spearing another fish.

Kōri grumbled something that sounded a lot like a mimic of Alara's voice.

"It's getting too full. The bag." He voiced as Alara aimed a handful of moss at his head.

"Cetus!" Alara called, cupping both hands around her mouth. She stood up out of the water.

The dragon turned mid-flight. Are you okay?

"We have enough, you can come back!" Alara turned to the ice-fairy, tugging on the rope. "Alright, up."

Kōri shot her an annoyed look, but threw her the now-full bag and then joined her on the riverbed, wobbling a little without the ability to hold his arms out for balance. In doing so, he stumbled a little, just a tiny fraction of an amount more forward than he had just been, but it was enough to touch Alara's wing. She jerked away from him, turning angrily to scowl.

"Watch it." She snapped.

Kōri scowled back. "I didn't do that on purpose. It's difficult to balance with both my hands tied."

"Well maybe you should have thought of that before taking part in kidnapping my sister. Tied hands could've been completely avoided." Alara retorted.

Kōri narrowed his eyes in response. He was on the verge of just telling her to shut up, but what good would that do him, really? Alara turned back to watch Cetus, putting a further step between her and Kōri, scowl still tattooed into her features.

Kōri looked down at the wing he had just touched. It was her injured one. He inspected the cut - the stitches stood out against how impossibly pale the blue was. Her wings glittered in the light like tiny diamonds. He wondered how she had injured the left one. There were bruises on her, too - the bigger and darker ones along her left arm. She must've fallen during flight. He suppressed a laugh. While not in identical circumstances or with identical injuries, they both had fallen whilst flying. It made him feel better about his leg that she was not unscathed herself.

Cetus had landed on the riverbed in front of them, and Alara fastened the bag around his neck again, patting him as a thanks for retrieving their food.

Your wing, Al. Do you have medicine for it? It looks quite red. The dragon said to her.

"They gave me an ointment. I tried using the river as a reflection to see where the cut is, but I can't reach it." She responded.

I can help.

Alara laughed at this. "I'd rather not have it completely torn off."

Ah, yes, of course.

The words were out of Kōri's mouth before he could think them through properly in his head. "I can apply the ointment."

The Suns both turned their attention to the Moon, who squeezed his eyes shut in annoyance, and then reopened them. "I'm only offering because of my brother."

Cetus and Alara exchanged looks. One quick handshake was suffice for her personal contact with him. She contemplated whether letting it get infected was better than having a Moon rub ointment on her.

You need to, Al. As much as you'd hate it. Cetus stated, much to Alara's surprise.

"I never thought you'd want me to accept a Moon's help." She said to him.

Your recovery is important. I do want to you to be able to fly again as soon as possible.

Alara sighed. She knew he was right. She did miss flying, and was growing tired of her wing stinging every so often. She dug around in the bag, pulling out the tub of ointment and throwing it at Kōri, who only just managed to catch it. She then turned so her left wing was in front of him, her eyes in the direction of the trees as there was no way she was going to watch him apply it.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him take off one of his gloves by biting the tip of the index and pulling. There was the sound of him unscrewing the lid of the tub, and then him stepping closer. When she saw his ungloved hand outstretch to her wing, she felt her mind jolt, her tongue about to form the words "be gentle!". But he was gentle. It was the shock of the cold of his fingertips that made her wince, but nothing else.

She felt herself frown momentarily, and then quickly pushed the confusion away. Even though he was stupid, he surely wouldn't have been stupid enough to not be gentle. She stood as still as she could while he moved her wing slightly so he could apply more ointment to the front of it. It was sort of soothing in a way, the coldness of his skin and how cold he made the ointment.

"How's that?" Kōri asked, stepping back from her.

Alara turned to him, moving her wing a little. "Yeah, good."

She refused to thank him for it.

He looked down at her. If he was expecting any show of gratitude, she wasn't going to give it to him. In the light from the sun, she could see that his skin was sparsely dotted with tiny snowflakes, like freckles. This filled her with annoyance, that she had noticed this and that his skin was beautiful in the first place. Moons shouldn't have the privilege of possessing beauty of any sort.

"Alright, let's leave." She took, borderline-snatched, the ointment out of his still-bare hand and turned to Cetus.

But no sooner had the words left her than she was dragged back with immense speed. She barely had time to gasp before she was enveloped in the water, and looked down to see a lizard-like tail wrapped around her middle.