C A S C A

Chapter 8

I wake up to what appears to be the morning. I scratch my head in confusion, I don't feel rested at all, in fact, it feels as if the night has disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Finally you're awake." A low grumble comes from beside me and and I jump up. "Your head weighs a ton."

I blush. I had forgotten that I had slept on his shoulder the entire night. Was he too uncomfortable to fall asleep?

"Thanks for..." I trail off, unsure of what to say. Do I thank him for his shoulder? But that sounds weird. What do people usually say in such scenarios? His lips suddenly twitch in amusement and I realize I've been thinking for too long. "Nothing, never mind," I say angrily as my face feels hot again.

Am I coming down with a fever?

"Well, since it's nothing," he mutters before amazingly pulling himself into a sitting position. I stare at him in shock. With those injuries, this act should be impossible. "How about you get that old geezer already."

My shock quickly transforms into confusion, "Vernon?"

He nods, "yeah. He's been sleeping outside of the cave the entire night."

I jump to my feet, "what?" I rush out of the cave and just as he's said, a small figure is curled up beside the cave walls. "Vernon?"

His bearded face jerks in my direction, his dirty cheeks stained with streaks of dried tears, "I'm sorry. I tried to leave but I didn't know where to go..."

Pity pulls at my heartstrings. Damn. "Get in the cave and I'll start a fire. You must be freezing." He stares at me with a mix of awe and gratefulness. As he hobbles inside, the swordsman, who stands at an outstanding height, walks out. "Where are you going?"

He squints against the sun before giving me his attention, "I gotta piss at some point."

I roll my eyes and tread into the cave after Vernon and start the fire as I promised. He curls up on the bloody matted leaves where the swordsman had laid and falls asleep. As I watch the old man sleep, I can't help but feel somewhat at rest that he hadn't gone.

"You gonna sing him a lullaby?" The swordsman's deep voice makes me jump.

"Shut it," I snarl at him and he chuckles as he walks past me to pick up his sword with a grunt. I furrow my brows, "what're you doing?"

"How many more times are you gonna ask that today?" He plays with his sword by giving it a few test swings before nodding, satisfied with the feel of it in his grip. I grit my teeth in annoyance at his sour attitude.

What a pain in the ass.

I cross my arms over my chest and stay silent as he walks out of the cave and finds a large oak tree to stand in front of. I watch him questioningly before my heart drops as he gives a heavy blow to the trunk of the tree.

I run out to where he is and shout, "what the hell are you doing?"

He jumps in surprise and picks his ear annoyingly, "that's three." And as if I hadn't spoken, he brings his sword back up and swings again.

"Stop!" I shout. He gives me a side glance and I swear I feel like I'm dealing with a child.

"I'm practicing. I haven't moved for a day-"

"For a reason!" I interrupt which only makes him sigh. "You're going to reopen your wounds!" Just as I say that blood slowly seeps out of a deep cut on his bare chest and I feel furious. "Swordsman!"

"Guts."

That gets my top to blow off and I leap forward and grab an unguarded dagger from his belt, pointing it at his chest. "Drop your sword and get back in the cave."