Memoir of Xayah - The lost sparrow and the lonley fox

[14]

The following day was better. The forearm did not hurt too much, and the company of the healer helped her to bide time. She also thought her how to take off and put on her splints when she had to smeared the ointment.

But she had never seen her savior. She had asked some information to Tikkewha, the Vastaya, but her answers were not so clear. She also did not get to talk enough with her. Her saviour was often fleeting and she came to the cave only to give her food supplies.

She was afraid it was apparent. But her fear was too much for her situation.

But it was not a problem anymore; her plans had changed. She was able to medicate herself, and with some exercise, she could be able to throw her feathers even with her left arm. She was ready to leave and would have asked Tikkewha to bring her to the next village.

She could not abandon her intentions toward the witch, but she was too weak to face the priests. And she still did not know how they had found out about their presence. They came inside the cave quite after Zakai. It was not him that triggered the alarm.

A noise distracted her from her thoughts. She tried to listen and could hear two voices.

« You have to show yourself, you can not go on like this. I have to leave, I have other mansions to do, but she can not be left alone. »

It was the voice of her healer, but she sounded angry. She could not imagine indignation on that sweet and friendly face, but her interlocutor seemed to have made her upset.

« I do not... could you try to understand? I have never taken care of anyone, and I do not know where to begin. I am not the right person for this. »

A female voice, very smooth. It was the mysterious woman, she was sure: that dialogue framed her. She could come out from the lair and see her, but she waited. She had to understand where that argument would have led and after she would have acted appropriately.

« She is not a child, she can care of herself, but she should not go outside with a broken arm. Noxus left behind many corrupted persons and those feathers are like gold for them. You have only to keep her company. It is not difficult. »

That was the right moment.

She stood up, but her savior anticipated her as if she had foreseen her intentions.

« But she can come with you, in a village... »

« Villages have already their problems. The Noxian invasion had afflicted the wild magic of this region, and the earth does not give us food as years ago. Another mouth to feed can be a big problem. »

Tikkewha's words made her blood boil. Humans were always the cause of their problems. She did not realize the conditions of the Vastaya of that region; she had not met many of them. That news made her even more nervous. She could not tolerate their blindness in front of their mistakes.

« Maybe I have also some problems. »

Her anger raised when she heard that sentence. She lived alone, in a good location and dared to compare her situation with some villages wasted by hunger. She had to be unconnected with the world, no one would have ever think in that way.

Tikkewha did not answer and went inside the lair with small, fast steps. She tried to put a warm smile on her face when she turned into her direction.

She was wrong; that face could frown and be intimidating.

« I am sorry dear. I do not want to leave you this way but... », she said, taking her bag and goatskin, « The miss did not gave me other choices. »

She had to take action, or she would have never seen another Vastaya until her complete recovery.

« I can come with you. I have heard, the villages are hungry, but I can help them, I still have a good arm. » tried to explain.

Tikkewha took a breath and looked lovingly at her. Rage seemed vanished from her face, and it was again motherly as all the other days. She did not want to leave her, and even more, she did not want to switch her with a fleeting shadow.

She owed her life to that stranger, but if she did not show herself, she would have never thanked her.

On the other hand, the healer was always with her and helped her to cheer up. Now she was more confident and her sadness faded, so she could grow a new force of will.

« I do not want to get you in trouble. These lands are not like the ones of your tribe. Men are greedier. The war has left deep wounds. Nothing will stop them if they would ever cross your path. »

She knew she was right; the wounds left by the smugglers still hurt her pride. She would have never forgotten such behavior. It would have been imprinted forever on her memory.

« But... I can not stay with her! I even do not know how she looks like, and now she would have hidden! »

Tikkewha turned against the exit and she sighed, shaking her head.

She had guessed.

« And you try to recover on your own. Here you are in a safe place, even more than a village. I will come to visit sometime. » said the Vastaya, caressing her cheek.

She tried to stop her, but she slipped through her fingers, running towards the exit and inside the large leaves that hid the entrance.

She was alone, again, that seemed to be her sad destiny. Every time she was able to build a connection, that person faded away, leaving her on her own.

She was sick of it, even more now: she had realized that some company could relieve the monotony of the days. If she had to wait for the total recovery of her forearm alone, she would have gone crazy.

She went inside the big lair, the one with the pool. It was empty, and no sound came to her hears. She went on, and she reached the entrance, where the sunlight passed through the crack of the big green leaves. She moved them, finding only other plants, surmounted by huge trees with pointy branches.

There was no one, only some birds flying around.

« Do whatever you want, tomorrow I am leaving! » she shouted, hoping her savior would have heard her.

She went inside the cave, satisfied. She clarified her conditions and was ready to respect them. She would have left that place, after all, no one would have objected.