The Water Howlers - Book II ✔

Chapter 1 - Ki

It was the vivid dreams that woke her in the night. The shouting and rumble of thunder would jerk her out of her restless sleep, where she would find herself alone with nothing but silence surrounding her.

Cold and clammy, Ki sat up in her bed and rubbed the crusted sleep from her eyes. It was dark out, though the faint flicker from the ever-burning lanterns could be seen from her small bedroom window. Tasting blood, she used her tongue to probe the tender and raw flesh on the inside of her cheek. It had been bitten frequently as of late, sometimes when she woke up, but mostly to keep herself from crying out in the night. She was breathing heavily and was certain she could still smell the stink from the mercenaries' leader as if he'd breathed right into her face. She could still feel his hand tightening around her throat, cutting off the air to her lungs. The bruises were still faint on her neck, despite it being a week since they had returned to Warrior City.

But she should be thankful that a few bruises were all that she had to show for it.

In the morning, Ki found herself sat in her usual spot outside the healers' tent. The breakfast bell had rung earlier, but she hadn't been very hungry since returning to the city. Twisting a strand of her dark hair she listened to the people on the other side of the cloth, working on the sick and wounded.

It had taken several days for her full strength to return and during her recovery, she had been forced to take it slow and most importantly, not to use her gift, which had proven most difficult. She'd always used her gift, ever since it came to her she had used it. It was a part of who she was. But Ki had nearly used up her entire gift back at the Northern village. She had come very close to using her own life essence and she knew that had she done that, she would have died.

"Knew I'd find you here," a voice said as someone headed towards her, bringing with them a scent of food. "I brought breakfast." Ki took the plate of eggs, sausage and bread and looked up as Thatch sat himself down next to her.

"Is this going to be a thing now? Me being your servant and bringing you food?"

Ki put the plate down on the ground between her legs. She ripped off a tiny piece of bread and put it in her mouth. She knew recovery also meant eating, but everything tasted the same to her – like nothing.

"I wasn't –"

"Hungry, yeah I know," Thatch said, finishing her sentence.

"I just can't eat knowing she's in there and there's nothing I can do to help her," Ki muttered.

"You know, not eating won't help her either."

Ki nodded. She knew she wasn't doing her friend any good like this. But it didn't prevent her from having spent most of her waking moments right here by the tent's entrance. And she was only sat outside because the healers had finally gotten so annoyed with her ever-hovering presence and endless questions that they had kicked her out.

"Are you jealous because Ori gets to stay in there and you have to sit out here like an ill-behaved child?"

Ki grumbled something incoherent and bit off a piece of sausage. It was spiced, she noticed and looked at the small flecks of herbs on the remaining sausage in her hand. It was good, she thought and ate the rest.

"Good girl. Now finish your plate and then maybe you can have dessert."

Ki elbowed him in the side and felt a fleeting moment of satisfaction to hear him complain.

"I'm not jealous. I just can't stand not knowing what will happen to her."

Her. Emmie. Some of Ki's nightmares involved watching helplessly as her friend was drained of her life by a Shadow Walker. It's grim hand on her chest was an image Ki knew she'd never get rid of from her mind. The way Emmie had collapsed as Ori and Thatch had come to her aid. How Ki herself hadn't had the strength to help, only to watch. That feeling of utter helplessness was something Ki hoped never to experience again in her life.