Feral Bonds

Chapter 56

Natania watched Lily warily out of one eye. She wasn't sure why she had opted to join in their magic session that day, but it made her nervous. Natania trusted Lily with her life, but she did not trust her with Gretchen's, especially when the witch was actively taking Natania's magic

Natania tried to keep her pain to herself, but she winced anyway and saw Lily's gaze go dark. Natania broke away from Gretchen immediately and pounced on Lily, pinning her to the ground, and cringing a little as Lily's head thunked on the ground. Lily snarled at her and Natania held her gaze for half a second, then raised her head and howled loud enough that the humans flinched at the volume.

"What are you doing?" Gretchen asked, covering her ears.

"Give me a minute."

As she'd hoped, after a minute, Lily stopped struggling beneath her and blinked a few times. Natania shifted back and straddled her hips.

"Hey Wolfie," Lily said softly and Natania grinned at her.

"There you are. Sorry about your head, are you okay?"

Lily closed her eyes and leaned her head back. "Fine. Did I hurt you?"

"Nope," Natania said cheerily. "I'm perfectly fine." She brushed Lily's cheek. "I don't think watching her practice with me is a good pastime for you though, darlin'."

"I know," Lily muttered. "I came to tell you something and got distracted."

Natania stood up and held out a hand, tugging Lily to her feet. "I'm sorry," Lily said.

"No harm done," Natania told her, touching their foreheads together. "What's up?"

Lily told her her news and backed out of the room. Gretchen came up to Natania's side and frowned. "Are you sure you want her here? If that's going to happen?"

Natania saw Lily flinch and whirled on Gretchen with a growl. "Yes. I do. You have no idea what she has done for me."

"No, I don't," Gretchen agreed, her voice calm. "Because you have never mentioned her before all this."

Natania held her gaze. "She is the reason I am still alive, that I don't have a panic attack when someone touches me, that I stopped having nightmares about what he did to me. She comforted me through every panic attack, every melt down, every nightmare, every open wound. And I fucking left her." Guilt made her chest ache. "And neither of them hesitated to come when I needed them again. As long as she wants to be here, she will be welcome. Abandoning them was the dumbest thing I ever did and I am not one to repeat mistakes."

"Nat," Gretchen said, her voice still soft, "you're getting angry over something I didn't try to do. You are the one who told me she was a threat. But if you're sure, that's all I need, okay? I trust your judgement. I would never tell you to give up your friends."

"Sorry," Natania muttered. "I'm angry because she heard you say that, their hearing is better than mine, and that would hurt her." She looked in the direction Lily had gone. "She feels guilty enough about her fits without it being thrown in her face."

Gretchen grimaced. "Go check on her, and tell her I'm sorry."

Natania nodded and ran after Lily, following her scent trail through the houses until she found her sitting curled up with her head on her knees.

"Lily." Natania crouched beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"I'll leave if you want me to," Lily said softly.

"I don't want that." Natania sat beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I am not afraid of you, my friend. Letting you go was the stupidest thing I have ever done, and y'all still came back so you're stuck with me now. Crazy demon bullshit and all."