Memoir of Xayah - The lost sparrow and the lonley fox

[23]

Tikkewha palpated her forearm, touching the point where it had broken. Her fingers were soft and careful not to hurt her.
« Does it hurt you? » the Vastaya asked, without raising her face.
« No, » she answered.
It was true. She was not acting, trying to hold her pain. She did not feel anything; Tikkewha's touch was like a gentle massage. Maybe it was for loosening her muscles instead of checking her arm.
« Try to move it, » the Vastaya suggested.
She obeyed, moving it carefully. She feared it would sting, a signal that her forearm had not recovered yet. She would have hated to keep those splints and not to move freely. She wanted to climb on the trees and jump from a branch to another without any help. She wanted to be independent again, capable to handle herself.
She was able to bend it and did not feel any pain. It was weird indeed; she was used to having it splinted, moving it felt like a new experience.
She smiled satisfied. She could finally proceed with her plan and go to keep an eye on the Temple of Whispers. For that moment, it was enough to climb on a tree and watch the area. She would have enough time to rest. And she knew she had to do it; she could feel that her arm was weak.
« Did it hurt? » Tikkewha asked, looking at her with her deep dark eyes.
« No, does it mean it is healed? »
She hoped in a positive response. She was looking forward to going back in action.
Her routine was certainly more animated as before. Ahri was more talkative. They had some conversations, even if they were about their daily life. They talked about how to prepare some meals and which berries to collect. But they also discussed how to avoid humans and how to manage their spaces. They did not bring up personal topics anymore. They both knew they were not ready to talk about them. Probably they would have never done that, and she would have said farewell to the Vastaya in that way, remembering her merely as her saviour.
But she did not want to think about that moment yet. She was not ready to go back to her days spent alone. She was enjoying that unexpected company, even if sometimes Ahri disappeared. She did not ask her some explanations. She used that time for her training and her plan. She had to enter the temple alone, so she had to organize it by herself. It was her mission; Ahri was not involved.
« Yes, but this does not mean you could strive right now. Take your time and if you feel some pain, stop immediately, » Tikkewha answered her.
Maybe she had expected too much, but she was still satisfied. She could leave the splints and strengthen her arm. She had to proceed slowly; she had no other options. Entering the Temple of Whispers would not have been easy alone. She had to recover most of her strength if she wanted to succeed.
« Until I will stay in this area, I will come back to make you some massages. They will help you, » Tikkewha said.
« Thank you, for everything, » she replied gratefully.
That Vastaya and Ahri had saved her life, giving her a chance to pursue her research. She could attack and defend herself again, two fundamental actions if she wanted to find her father and her tribe.
She would have never forgotten her. She would have kept that token inside her heart, and one day would have rewarded her. A vow bonded her with the Vastaya, one of the nobler. One that could also ask for one life in exchange.
« Is she healed? » Ahri asked, entering the lair where they slept.
She had invited Tikkewha for lunch to thank her, and so, until that moment, she was cleaning some food.
She could also not forget Ahri, probably her debt with her was even bigger. She had found her in the forest and had tried to treat her wounds. She had also looked for a healer for her forearm, that she was not able to cure.
If she thought about abandoning her in that solitary life, it left a sour taste in her mouth. Tikkewha had a job to do; she helped the Vastayan villages in difficulty. Ahri would have spent her days in that cave, going on with her miserable life. It was not a fair deal, not if she had such an important vow with her. Before she left her, she had to be sure she was at least happy.
« Yes, she has just to strengthen her arm. Try to help her and be careful; she does not strive too much. She does not have to lift weights and does not have to do sudden movements for at least two weeks. »
That sentence removed her from her thought and made her concentrate on something more concrete.
« But can I throw my feathers? » she asked.
« As weapons do you mean? No, just to be sure. I know that you Lhotlans used them to defend yourselves, but for now, it is better if you rely on your partner. »
Even if Tikkewha was speaking to her, she understood that she directed the last part to Ahri.
The Vastaya nodded, confirming that she would have helped her.
She felt again powerless, unable to be independent. It was an endless agony, that would have never let her breathe. She was forced not to defend herself, forced to rely on someone who was still a stranger, like a toddler that moved its first steps.
It was a harsh lesson, but she would have learnt it. She would have never acted without calculating all the obstacles. She would have planned everything and would not have followed somebody else's ideas. She had to consider the other only if they were reliable and not humans.
« Until now, she did a great job, and I am sure she will keep doing it, » Tikkewha said, caressing her head.
She accepted that lovely gesture. Under the soft fur, she could feel the warmth she wanted to convey.
« Luckily, your arm was not the only thing that was repaired. »