Memoir of Xayah - The lost sparrow and the lonley fox

[34.1]

After they had cast out darkness, green vines came out from the ground. They covered the blank walls, blossoming into bright pink flowers.
A spring had flowed from the center of the altar, raising until the pit and creating a floating lake. The waterfall had come back and given back life to the pool in front of the cave.
Small creatures had gone out from their underground hiding places. Birds with long tails had entered the cave and landed on the green vines, while the fishes had regained strength.
It was a beautiful sight; nature had come back to life, along with her tired body. She had saved a magical and sacred place and was able to defeat her enemies.
Everything would have been perfect. She would have contemplated that rebirth with joy and pride if the mood of Ahri had not worried her.
She had been unmoved by everything. She had tried to show her what they had done, but her only response was a nod and a fake smile.
She had not opened her mouth for all day, and they had walked side by side without saying a word. Ahri had also dressed her wound in silence, using a ripped sleeve for wrap the mixture of herbs.
She wanted to ask her what had happened in the cave, why she had burst into tears after the fight, but she was afraid. She did not want to hurt her and to interfere with questions that probably did not concern her. Ahri was helping her, and she had proved to be a good ally, but she was not sure she could get too closer.
She had spoken about her tribe only to dissuade the Vastaya to follow her; otherwise, she would have made that confession only to a person worthy of all her trust. She knew the past could be sorrowful, and she knew that not everybody could share that pain with strangers.
So she had stayed in silence, hoping to see a smile on Ahri's face or, at least, to hear her voice.
Nothing happened until they had camped under a projecting rock, enough largo to shelter them from a possible night shower. The Vastaya had nodded to ask her to settle down there, and she had accepted.
After, there was only silence again, even when they had eaten their poor meal. It was strange to not talk about strategy and to not speculate about their next battleground or trails. She could only swallow mouthfuls with a bitter aftertaste; now she feared she had made Ahri ended up in that mood.
She had killed that adept to rescue her, and to rescue her she was hit by the giant. The Vastaya had reason to be hungry at her. She had torn her away from her peaceful life inside a cave sheltered by the forest.
« I know where we have to go. »
Cold and inexpressive words, but they still were a signal of life.
That sound got her attention and raised her face. Ahri was tightened in her cape as if she was cold.
It seemed she wanted to pursue the mission. She was not angry at her, or she would back out. So, why she looked so sad and glum?
« They had conquered a temple in the northern mountains. I know those lands, I am sure they are there. »
Her voice trembled when she said those words. She had kept them all day, unsure of revealing them or not.
She had to be careful, or Ahri could fall back into silence, that silence that hurt her as tiny pins.
« Perfect. I take the map so that we could think about a path. »
She took the bag but, when she tried to open it, Ahri grabbed it.
She looked at her puzzled and worried. Something was wrong, and she hoped the Vastaya would tell her what; she did not want to wait in agony.
« Xayah, we have to talk about this mission. »
She felt a blade pushing into her flesh, plunging more in-depth than the real wound. Her fears came back, that could be the prelude to a farewell.
And she found herself not ready to leave her.
« Today we were lucky but... that was a minimal part of their forces. »
« Are you telling me to give up? » she asked, fearing a negative response.
« No, absolutely not. The safety of your tribe is at stake, but... I think we are too weak. »
She felt relieved. All her fears went away; she was just worried all the time.
Her words made sense, but, thinking about it, she did not understand why she had not said that earlier. One the way, they could have found Vastayas willing to join their cause, mainly if they had losses too.
Maybe the fight had scared Ahri? She felt the same after the second time inside the Temple of Whispers. And at that moment, she was sure that if she had to go back inside that place, she would have never done that alone.
But that fight was easier than escaping the priests.
« Do you think that in this temple in the mountains there will be more of them? »
Ahri did not answer and started to bit her lips. But she guessed what she wanted to say.
« All right, we will find some allies. We can start with the tribes that knew my father. A lot of people respected him. »
« How do you do that? »
A harsh question, maybe too much. She fell silent and waited for the river to overrun the dams before it would pour on her.
« How can you be so positive if you do not even know who are you fighting? Those are madman, and they do not fave the slightest fear. They let darkness infect them without thinking about the consequences, following the words of a fool that only wants power. They are dangerous Xayah, and we can not pick up random people without knowing what they are capable of. »
She did not like those words, not for their harshness, but because of their meaning. It did not make sense that she had helped her until that moment without blinking an eye and, now, she felt guilty. She was hit hard, but it was not that that closed the square.
« You also do not know what they can do. We have decided to be careful because... »
She had another question, considering what she had just said to her. Ahri had added an element that it had never shown before. She had never mentioned it.
« Hold on. You have never spoken about their chief. You have told me you did not know... the details. »
Ahri was still biting her lip and lowered her head without giving her an answer.
« You know them... you know them, and you have never mentioned them. »
She was not only disappointed but also embittered. It did not make sense that she kept them for her; Ahri was not so stupid, she knew they were essential.
« Is not that you know where my tribe is or where their chief is hiding? »
She demanded an explanation; Ahri could not going on avoiding her eyes. She would have it at all costs. Her stubbornness would not draw her away from her tribe.
But her silence was worse than a direct confession. She had never thought that the lack of sounds could hurt as a blizzard on her face.
« No, you have not... »
« I will never tell you where their chief is. You will rush there and try to kill him, being killed in your turn. »
Ahri finally raised her face, and she shivered when she saw the seriousness in her eyes. But she would not be intimidated, not when the rage was rising inside her.
« And you will not do that if your tribe is in danger? Will you not do everything to save them? »
« Yes, I will, but I will not do that with suicidal actions. You will not even get close to him; his strongest men will kill you before. »
She remembered how much she had risked inside the Temple of Whispers and swallowed the bitter pill; she was right on that.
« So could you finally enlighten me about what you know, so I will understand how we should move. Maybe you could also add other contaminated places because it seems you also know them! »
She had vented. She had told Ahri what she was thinking, and she felt relieved. She hoped she would give her also some explanations about her behaviour, or during the next trials, she would be the one remaining silent.
« If you promise me you will not kill the youngest adepts. »
She looked at her, incredulous; she would have expected everything, but at that moment, she was baffled.
« Are... are you kidding, right? We have to kill them. They are destroying our land and will keep doing it if we let them live. »
« The youngest are war orphans that have accepted to join them for desperation. They had nothing, and now they have to follow the orders of a tyrant to not lose their lives. They do not deserve to die like the others. »
She stood up and turned their back at Ahri. She could not believe that her empathy toward humans was that deep. She could not hesitate in front of the enemies that threatened the life force of Vastayas.
« Do you really think that between them there is some... redeemable? » she asked, turning.
Ahri hesitated. She had to take a deep breathe and stand up before she answered.
« I do not think... I do not know. »
Her voice trembled; it was another confession she had paid dearly.
« I can absorb the life force and the memories of the persons. What I have told you, I have seen it through the memories of the man I have killed in the cave. »