The Beast Within Us

Chapter 24: ⑄ Chala

⑄ Yara took charge of all interaction with the apothecary, which Chala didn't mind. It gave her more opportunities to be observant and watchful; no doubt she'd have been able to regardless of whether or not she was engaged in idle chatter with the older man, but the lack of it made her job much easier. For the most part the tigress simply wandered around the shop, of course while still keeping Yara well within her vision. She gazed at the different tonics and herbs, wondering at their different colors and smells. There were even minor poisons for vermin, and upon taking a careful whiff, she discovered they had a unique, acrid scent that distinguished how dangerous it was.

Her wanderlust coming to an end, Chala returned to stand near the warden again as the other woman spoke amicably of the song the old man was whistling. She was surprised that Yara knew so much about southwestern culture, but the hewan could see how it would be the Warden's business to know how their neighbors worked if possible. Perhaps it might've also been her job as the leader of her enclave, in case they ever had a need to cross the border for safety reasons, but the tigress had been too busy trying to preserve the dregs of her own way of living to go looking into another's.

The conversation took a turn for the worse, Chala thought, after her warden revealed who she was and where she was headed. Their company had been casual before, friendly if she wanted to be generous, but now the tigress could detect his unrest despite the grins he'd flash at her charge. She spied how his muscles tightened and the tense way he now held his body, some uncomfortable atmosphere settling around the group and caused her to inch a little closer to the other woman almost right when Yara had done the same.

Unsure if it was the flutter of nerves, a little hiccup of anxiety, or something else entirely, Chala filed away their mirrored reaction. She pushed aside the part of her that delighted in the strength they drew from each other (such a drastic change from when they first met), more concerned for the safety of her companion.

The conversation sputtered and died all on its own, suffocated by the new pressure dominating the apothecary. Thankfully, they finished just as quickly, Chala keeping her sharpy grey eyes on the man at all times to ensure he didn't do anything odd or out of place. Yara didn't hesitate to retreat after they acquired the tonic, and Chala was right at her heels. The two made it back to Yara's caravan without another incident just as the sun hovered just above the horizon.

Chala nodded as Yara explained her concerns. "I understand. You're right to be concerned; I checked earlier when you poured it out, the liquid the apothecary gave us was poison," she confirmed, frowning to herself. "I'll sleep with one eye open."

• • • • •   

However, the night found Yara rather restless, though perhaps not in the traditional sense. She wasn't up pacing or tossing and turning in her bed. She simply never fell asleep completely. She'd drift somewhere in between slumber and wakefulness, her breathing never quite evening out all the way for a restful sleep, and wake up again to repeat the cycle. Her feline companion took notice of this, as she was also unable to truly rest with the threat of some faceless danger hanging over the two of them. She worried, and it kept her up. So she sought out a comforter.

Chala shifted and approached the bedside, the fabric dipping with her weight just as it had the first night. The small motion was enough to 'wake' the warden again, and she turned to face the tigress in her bed. Nothing was said as their eyes met, beastly grey and coal black, lingering for a few seconds more before Chala slid under the covers beside the other woman with the both of them facing each other. They had a silent conversation just then.

'Can't sleep.'

'Neither can I.'

'Worried?'

'Yes.'

The tigress reached, slowly so as not to startle, and wrapped her arms around Yara's waist, pulling her closer without resistance. The two paused before Yara's head found its place between Chala's chin and shoulder, her nose poking at the sensitive dip of skin before the collar bone and causing the tigress to suppress a shiver.

'I'm here.'

A heavy sigh escaped one of them, and they both relaxed as though simple exhalation and the comfort of touch and warmth were enough to drive away all of the stress that tightened their muscles and prevented sleep. Yara's eyes fluttered closed in time with Chala's, the warden's eyelashes tickling her neck. The two were asleep in no time at all.

'I know.'

• • • • •   

Chala's eyes snapped open, the smell of smoke and burning wood piercing her sleep, and she woke the warden in the face of the upset. There was shouting outside and the thundering of soldiers rushing about to put out whatever fire had started in the camp. It was close enough for the huntress to feel its heat - they would need to move quickly in case Yara's caravan was the next to catch. Unfortunately, before either of them could rise from the bed the warden's door shook fiercely as someone attempted to enter.

"Stay in the bed." Chala instructed, shifting and moving to hide in a corner of the room. A thunk sounded, the door burst open, and before them stood the apothecary from earlier that day. In one hand, he held a dagger, and vials of different colors lined his belt, some kind of assurance, perhaps, for if the knife was not enough. His eyes alighted on Yara's form in her bed and he grinned. He took a step forward...and yelled frightfully as Chala leaped at him from her corner.

They struggled for a time as he fought to keep the tigress' jaws from closing around his arm. He lost that fight of course, her teeth sinking into the skin of his arm as he screamed again, though his loss was not without consequence for the huntress. A pained howl tore from her throat as a haphazard swing of his dagger managed to slice an angry arc across her face, from the top of her brow to her cheekbone. The tigress flinched back, releasing his arm as she shook her head to clear the blood from her vision and the pain fogging her thoughts. In her weakened state, the man had inched back in a pitiful attempt to escape, almost making it to the door before she regained her senses. Unfortunately for him, Chala was quicker. She bit into his shoulder, effectively incapacitating him with the pain from both wounds, and he grasped at her fur weakly with a gurgling grunt. Her paws and the weight of her body held his other limbs down. There was no escaping this time. ⑄