Ishta: Blood Huntress Of Baldur's Gate

Chapter 10: Stranger Danger

As the two elves approached the camp, Ishta stopped just out of sight of the boundary torches and turned to Astarion with a solemn look in her eyes. The trees whispered above them, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor, their rustling leaves a comforting sound as she prepared to broach a delicate subject. "It might be best if you wait here while I go and smooth things over first. How much of your story are you comfortable with me telling them?" she asked, her voice low and serious.

The question seemed to catch him off guard. His contemplative gaze met hers and he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I'm not sure... I suppose there's no harm in telling them about Cazador - it might even be beneficial if they want to take their anger out on a Vampire they're actually allowed to kill."

His attempt at humor fell flat, his lips twitching into a grimace as a pained expression crossed his face. He crossed his arms defensively. "Just try not to make me sound too..." he trailed off, looking uncomfortable as he shifted on his feet.

"Too what?" Ishta pressed, her gaze unwavering, studying the shadows that flickered across his face.

"Too pathetic," he mumbled, his voice barely audible, avoiding her gaze. His shoulders slumped slightly, a silent admission of the insecurities he struggled to conceal.

The cocky demeanor he had displayed earlier had slowly dissipated as they neared the camp, replaced by the anxious anticipation of facing their companions. Ishta felt a mix of emotions swirl within her: a touch of amusement at his pride, and sadness over knowing knowing that deep down his bravado was just a facade to hide his vulnerabilities. He reminded her of a cat sometimes, puffing up its fur and trying to appear bigger and stronger to scare off predators.

"Astarion, you are many things, but pathetic is certainly not one of them," she assured him with a gentle smile, hoping to convey the depth of her sincerity.

Astarion looked up at her slowly and his eyes flickered with emotion. For a moment, the world seemed to pause as he stared at her silently.

To save him the discomfort of trying to put whatever he was feeling into words, Ishta turned and quickly strode away. She could hear his sharp intake of breath behind her and hesitated, torn between caution and stubborn defiance.

With a frustrated huff, she made a split-second decision and called out to him. "You know what? Come with me," she declared fiercely, a sense of protectiveness strengthening her resolve. "To hells with what they think. This is my decision and they can either accept it or sod off."

Without waiting for his response, Ishta spun around and marched determinedly towards the edge of the forest, her footsteps heavy and purposeful. Astarion quickly caught up, his presence like a shadow that silently fell into step beside her.

As they emerged from the treeline and into the illuminated clearing, Ishta was met with anxious and questioning faces belonging to Gale, Shadowheart, and Lae'zel. Their eyes flickered with concern and distrust, creating an unspoken tension in the air.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Ishta approached them with raised hands as if to ward off any potential questions. But Shadowheart's eyes narrowed suspiciously, her posture stiff and unyielding.

"Why isn't he dead?" she demanded sharply, shooting Astarion a venomous glare.

"Because you have terrible aim," Ishta replied deadpan, refusing to let Shadowheart's hostility affect her.

The clearing fell into a tense silence for a moment before Shadowheart's flushed face erupted with anger. Ishta was genuinely worried she might burst a blood vessel, while Gale coughed awkwardly in an attempt to diffuse the situation. Even Lae'zel looked taken aback, her eyes widening in surprise.