Tank Borne

Part 19: Taking care if each other

Synsyn left the cave running out. He didn't care about his shoulder. Right now he had to find Liana, his Liana.
The thought of her being hurt or dead made his chest hurt worse than his flesh wound and bruises.

He made it back to camp and found her sitting and leaning on the tree where the her  hammock was. Her rifle was in hand and in front of her was a dead spider and it's blood and guts covered her.

Synsyn saw it came from above and that it landed a hit on her right leg at the thigh. All in all though she was hurt. Her head was bleeding from a rock that the Bad Blood threw at her to knock her out. He'd seen them together and decided to follow Syn first and let the spider have her. It waited till it thought the coast was clear but when it went to kill her, Liana shot it full of holes.

Syn rushes over to her and they both give each other the same concerned look of 'what the hell happened to you!'

Liana tried getting up but the pain in her head was too much. She couldn't see straight and was very disoriented, "are you alright? What happened?"

Synsyn crouched in front of her examining her head by touching the wound. It was bloody but the bleeding stopped and now her head was swollen on the spot, not good, he thought.

He answered her while trying to help her up, "killed spider in cave and one of my kind, a bad one, tried to kill me but I left his body to the spiders."

Liana noticed the cut in his shoulder and the new whip he dropped next to him so he could help her.

She was very unstable so he sat her in her hammock which was closer to the fire pit. He turned to add wood to it and found the rocks that when clashed together made sparks for fire. As he tried to start one Liana said with a tired and raspy voice, "explains who hit me with a rock. But why would a warrior attack you?"

Synsyn didn't know all the words to put together or what to really call that Youtja, he said, "he was bad kind. Said to be the best he as to kill me."

Liana scoffed but it made her head hurt more, she held her head in her hands wincing at the pain and hissing. Synsyn looked at her and said, "should go back. Was bad timing to leave. Very foolish. Parker fix you?"

He started the fire and added more dry grass and wood to it making the entire camp light up. It was almost dawn, in a few hours, and he needed to keep Liana warm and comfortable. He came over to her and watched her shake, all the while he tried thinking of what to do. He asked, "well can he fix you?"

Liana looked up with her eyes trying to wipe some blood away from her left eye where blood had dried from the rock. She answered, "he said he'd help but we have to find your people. Would be bad if the company found us while trying to pick him up."

She had a point. Parker was trying to get a ride out and if humans saw that Synsyn and Liana were alive they'd take them both back. Liana continued, "we are dead to them, to him, to everyone. We can't let them find us."

Synsyn nodded but then asked, "how do I help you?" Then he pointed to her head.

Liana felt like passing out but answered, "I definitely have a concussion, very bad. I'll need to keep it clean and rest till the swelling and dizziness goes away. I can't move before then."

Saying it out load just made her feel worthless and she tear up wiping dried blood with fresh tears. She said under her breath, "should just kill me so you can move on." She closer her eyes but Syn heard her and gently grabbed her shoulders with both hands pulling her to his face. He growled and while frowning he said, "do not dishonor yourself by speaking like that! If I don't give up, you cannot!" He barked in her face which made her flinch. Liana took a deep breath and closed then opened her tired eyes saying, "I'm sorry. I just feel like I'm slowing you down. I noticed to weak I've become."

Synsyn knew it too. He noticed how quickly she'd get tired after hiking and hunting with him. Because of how tired she seemed to always feel he never left her. Even when he would scout around a camp or the shuttle he'd always keep his senses on her.

Thinking about her Synsyn felt bad for barking at her and picked her up. He made sure to keep her head rested on his chest and carried her.

Liana closed her eyes feeling weak and tired thinking, this is it. He finally got tired of me and is going to kill me now?! She tested up but understood.

She was ready for whatever was about to happen when suddenly instead of feeling cold death approaching she felt heat. Not just from Synsyn but heat, comforting heat and water all around. She opened her eyes and noticed Synsyn was sitting on a rock and turned her around to face him while she sat on his lap. Liana tilted her head at him and cocked an eyebrow up wondering what was up. Synsyn didn't say anything but held her up with his left arm supporting her back and head from behind. Her head was in his palm as he dipped his right hand in the water and washed her wounded scalp.

He was being so gentle that even though Liana's head was pounding and swollen he wasn't adding to the pain. She just stared at him dumbfounded and watched with her lip quivering. Synsyn noticed this and asked about it.

"Was your mouth do that?" He trilled at then of each question which made her crack.

Her quiet crying made her voice hoarse, "because I'm crying."

"Why sad?"

"I'm not sad. I'm crying because I'm happy. You s was m to care for me but I don't know why."

Synsyn lifted his top mandibles smiling to himself and said, "because ooman. You teach me and are special to me. You found and fight for me even though your past with my kind. You stronger than you grand sire."

Liana just looked at him with big eyes and tears flowing from them. She was silent till she rested her head into his chest and balled. Synsyn let her cry not asking and just washed her would till the blood was gone and it smelled clean. The swelling stopped growing but there was still a large bruise and a bump there. He looked at his shoulder that was still dirty but decided it could wait while Liana was washing her face with one hand. She looked at his shoulder and then took both hands to splash the water onto it. His glowing green blood that was drying had started to become dull in color as it ran into the pool. Synsyn's shoulder started to throb and he tumbled from his throat because of the pain. It wasn't a lot of pain but just enough to cause serious discomfort like a migraine.

Liana did her best to clean it and wiped it one last time. It had already started to scan she noticed and the bleeding stopped. Her head started hurting more every time she moved and she got dizzy. Before she could fall backwards into the water Syn grabbed her with both arms and picked her back up. He stood up with her laying in his arms. He noticed she was still holding on to consciousness and said while walking, "enough. We go back and rest."

Liana could only look at him and say, "mmhmm" before she slowly lost consciousness and faded out.

When she went limp in Syn's arms he looked at her taking in her scent. He felt and heard her breathing and heartbeats. He thought to himself, what is this in my soul I feel?