The Birth of a Ranger

Chapter Four

When Yuki woke from her sleep it was night and the only light in the cabin was coming from the Rangers who were still sitting by her side guarding her and the fireplace. She didn't move, not yet as her instincts told her not to, though her eyes were open and fully aware of who was in the room. Much to her own surprise, she found that Eraden and Branford were still at her side and had actually gotten closer.

She was slow to sit up, her scars aching once again as if they were fresh wounds forcing a hiss of pain from her. Eraden and Branford both looked from the fireplace to her and a clear quick look over her body from them told them they were looking for injuries. Injuries that she no longer had and instead had a scar in their place.

In truth she wasn't she if she had a dream or a vision from the way her body screamed at her to lay back down. She didn't feel rested at all and the movement alone made her feel as if she was sapping her strength. Branford reached a hand over and helped ease her into a sitting position causing her to tense but she still gave a smile of thanks. The only person who had heard her speak was Connor and she wasn't sure how many of them would actually hear her voice at this rate. She was in grief over the loss of her family and they all spoke to her as if they were expecting some lengthy response only for her to give a few words, if any.

She sat for nearly an hour after that watching the fireplace, somehow entranced by the sound of the wood popping and the way the flames danced around and even made shadows around them dance. She was quiet sure, but amused by the smallest of things. Finally the shuffling of one of the Rangers brought her out of her trance and looked over at them. They were offering her a piece of their jerky.

It was a small piece but she took it nevertheless and nibbled on it slowly. It tasted terrible to her the longer she went without feeding her body wanting her actual diet and not small things that don't sit well with her. "Thank you..." her voice was quiet but they heard it loud and clear in the silence of the hut.

For as perky as her voice seemed she herself wasn't. She was suffering inside and it took everything inside her to push it to the side and ignore the pain and grief. The Ranger nodded his head and had at this point, turned to glance at her.

"Your name is Yuki?" His smile was kind and his cowl down as well as his hood. She seemed shocked by that revelation after having seen most of them with both up, hiding from the world. Finally she nodded her head, having finished eating the last bit of her jerky. She didn't ask for another piece in fear of it coming up at the stage of hunger she was at and instead settled for leaning back against the wall, a blanket wrapped around her body for added warmth. Her tail however, was sprawled out on the bed and hanging off the side, it was as long as her legs were and wide as her body from fluff.

"You do not talk much do you, little one?" She allowed her eyes to meet his own eyes once again after having drifted for quite some time and smiled a laugh. She had nothing to say really and perhaps they didn't see that. The fear was all too clear in her eyes and she hoped he saw that in the end. She was afraid of her area, of the people here and their surroundings. She had never been so close to the mountain before and here they were, in the shadow of it.

The smile she gave was contagious but she noticed Eraden didn't even seem concerned with her being there or talking. Her gaze went around the room once before coming back to Branford's eyes. "Why speak when you have nothing to say?" It was true. Talking should come on someone's own choice and she didn't have much to say to the Rangers other than load's of thank you's and the rare smile.

"Truer words were never spoken." He said, the same kind smile on his face that Connor had. "You needn't be afraid to be here, child. You are safe as long as you are inside these walls." There was truth and sincerity in his voice that seemed to bring her out of her shell. Thus far everyone had told her the same thing and that was that she was safe with them. After hearing it so many times she finally began to believe it and even knew it.