Spirit Animals: Saving The Evertree

Kindness Unoticed

Tasha watched it all. All of Rollan's glanced at Meilin and the way he looked at her. Shane was right. She thought. He's attached. And she has no hope of catching up. She was too late.

When Rollan finally drifted to sleep, she finally allowed herself to look away. Rollan would never like her but she would always like him. She sighed to herself. It seemed unfair but when she thought about it, it really wasn't. They were the ones who saved Erdas once before and strive to do it again. They were the ones who lost almost everything they had to save the world. They risked their own lives for this land and now it was her turn. She didn't have time to be gushing over a boy.

Tasha turned as Meilin began to hum, "You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains. You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas." it was soft as a whisper but Tasha heard it and it filled her head. A soft gentle melody that didn't fit Meilin's description. Well Tasha description of Meilin anyway. She watched Meilin gingerly touched Rollan's forehead, feeling his temperature. She tore a cloth from her sleeve and drenched it in water spreading it across his forehead. Rollan stirred but didn't wake. Next, she gently took off the bloody cloth from around his leg. She poured half the water from the canteen into a bowl she pulled out from a pack. Dipping the cloth in the water, she began to wash it. After a few minutes, Meilin squeezed the water from the cloth and to Tasha's surprise it was considerably clean. Meilin laid the cloth on Rollan's leg again and wrapped it back around. When she finished, she pulled over another pack and pulled from it a crust of bread. She began to eat when she noticed Tasha on the other side of Jhi watching.

"Bread?" She asked pulling out another crust.

Tasha took the bread with a nod. "Thanks."

The bread was hard. Sale. Not that Tasha expected it to be soft. They were on the verge of life or death, she shouldn't be worrying about how the bread was. It was edible and that was enough. In a flash of light, Ninani appeared beside her. Tasha tore a chunk of the crust and handed it to Ninani. Ninanai accepted it and swallowed it whole.

Tasha gave the rest to the swan and stole a glance at Meilin and Rollan. Rollan hadn't woke yet but Meilin was cooking over the fire. She had boiled water as was adding jerky and bread to it. It smelled good. On the other side of the fire, Conner lay motionless, asleep.

"You should sleep." Meilin said not looking up from her work.

"What about you?" Tasha asked even though she did want to sleep.

"I'll wait for Rollan to wake up so he can eat." Meilin replied pausing for a moment. "I'll sleep if he doesn't wake up till tomorrow." She added.

Tasha nodded. Meilin was nicer than she thought. She's never heard the stories of her kindness. Tasha looked around at Rollan and Conner, sleeping. Then she realized why. Meilin did all the work when no one noticed. When no one was around to see it. So they wouldn't know but they would have food and would be cared for. Without any adults around, Meilin must feel the need to take their place. To be responsible. Now she saw what Rollan saw in Meilin. And realized that Rollan was a pretty good judge in character. Tasha wouldn't question that ever again.