The Birth of a Ranger

Chapter Three

Once she had entered the hut, she found it to be even smaller on the inside than it was on the outside. Noticeably it was warm from a fire that had been going for quite some time thanks to Connor, or at least that was her assumption. There was a wash basin with soaps in the corner of the hut. The bed off to the side of the room had a simple feathered mattress, a large fur blanket and feathered pillow. She wasn't sure how to feel about the room in the grand scheme of things. On a table in the middle of the room sat a half loaf of bread and a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables. She wasn't sure how much they got luxuries like that and she felt bad they were giving it to her.

Yuki quickly found herself looking over her surroundings but for the first time since she had been with Connor, she set her daggers down on the table next to the bed, freeing herself from their sharp blade. She took note that Connor had yet to leave and so without another moment's hesitation she started to strip herself of her old, raggy clothing and stepped into the basin.

Her hands and feet burned as the warm water touched her skin, making her grasp the edge of the basin and let out a silent cry. She wouldn't be able to describe the pain she was in at that moment, nor did she want to. She was quick to wash herself and her tail and ears as well as her hair. From where they had become nearly black from dirt, now you could tell she had white fluff.

She glanced at the door to see that Connor had turned away so she could bathe. Granted it was probably a good thing he did lest rumors spread that he would have to deal with. She finished washing herself, taking as much time as she needed before reaching to dry herself off and dress herself. The Rangers in the fort were kind enough to offer her a set of clothing that was comfy but rather baggy on her skin, not that she could or would say anything about it.

When she was done and Connor could tell she was done he turned around to face her only to see she was walking across the hut to the bed, curling up in it. Noticeably she didn't lay down nor did she eat the food that was set out and given to her. She couldn't. She wasn't hungry for that kind of food and in the wake of her parents death, it didn't seem right. Connor made his way over to her but before he sat down he picked up his cloak and removed a silver pin, probably what was holding the cloak together, folded it and sat it down by her bed.

He grabbed a nearby stool and moved the table that held her food close to her, gently most likely not to spook her anymore than she always was and to prevent the soup from spilling. She wasn't quite sure in that regard but she didn't linger on the thought too much. His voice once again shook her out of her thoughts. "Eat. You need to have something in your stomach after wandering through the snow like that." He paused, it was unclear if he was thinking or waiting for her to move. "You're frostbitten and starving." He gave a sigh, his attention going out the door and into the fort for several moments before he continued his thoughts. "You're safe here. I can count on one hand the number of outsiders who know where Annuminas is. If you won't trust Harbarad then at least trust me." She couldn't tell if it was a plea to her to talk or not but whatever it was, it seemed to work.

She sat in thought for several more minutes before speaking up, clearly letting the warmth of the hut soak into her body and even seemed to be painful from an outside perspective. Her hands burned as the warmth began to run through her body, the blood beginning to flow through her body once again. Her voice was strangely perky given the situation but that could just be the way she spoke, it was also gentle in a strange way.

Her eyes met his and the words began to slowly escape from her lips. "It is not that I do not trust you, Connor." She could see the shock on his face from her suddenly speaking out as she did. Her maturity came through too, for as young as she was it was quite adorable for her to speak in such a way that an adult would. "Now that my parents are gone..." she swallowed hard, given the silence in the room aside from the fireplace it was rather audible at that. "I am destined to a life of servitude to the Morrigan. I do not know the woman but my mother often spoke of her. All the evil deeds she had done and why we are in debt to the woman." There was sadness and truth in her eyes. Perhaps even a plea for help once again from the Rangers.