The Snake in the Ice

Not All of Them

I was slowly suffocating in this room. I have no idea how long I have been trapped with the Outhradii. A month? More? That's what it felt like. I was given so little water my throat was completely parched, my mouth and nostrils felt like a desert.

The only thing I could do right now was breathe and that hurt. I was laying on my back with my arms spread out. I could still feel the dread Y/S/N was giving off. She was so close, yet I did not know exactly where she was. She was somewhere in the temple like I was, yet I could not get to her.

Most days Togul would drag me out of the room to witness horrific events. Many times he would execute other tribal prisoners in the most brutal ways possible. That was after he made them watch as he skinned their animals alive.

Still, there was no sign of the mother. She was as quiet as she had ever been, almost as if she did not even exist. Every day I lost more and more faith that she was coming. That Bobazo was coming.

Bobazo... I missed him so much. I wanted nothing more than to be in his arms right now. To feel his lips against mine as he held me close. Tears slid down my face as memories came flooding into my brain.

I jumped from slumber as the nightmare I was having ended. It was still dark, it was the dead of the night actually. Most of the village was asleep. Y/S/N who was curled up against my stomach rose her head and flicked her tongue out at me.

I shuffled around so that I did not need my arm to lean up and ran a finger over her head. The hut was alive with orange light that was coming from the fire. Bobazo must still be awake.

Just then, the coverings of the opening rustled as said shaman pushed his way through, stopping in his tracks when his multi- eyes met my E/C ones.

" You were fretting in your sleep, I went to get water to cool you off." He said, sitting down cross-legged in front of me. He dipped his hand into the water, reached up, and brushed my forehead with it. I sighed, that did feel good. I did not realize how hot I was.

" Thank you Bo," I whispered, leaning into his touch. He cupped my head in his large hand, holding me there as I rested my eyes. " I was dreaming of Urani again. Even in my dreams, I can still feel the claws... the pain." My voice grew quiet and tense. Bobazo quickly got up, grabbed something off of one of the shelves, and quickly returned, though this time he settled more behind me.

He fingered up some of the salve inside the bowl and started to massage my muscles with it. The cool minty feeling washed over me and I was able to relax a little more.

" Breathe Y/N. Dreams can be harsh, but you are awake now and it cannot reach you anymore." He said, his breath making a chill run down my back as the minty salve cooled against it.

" What about when I go back to sleep, it can get me again," I said, tensing up once more. Bobazo turned me around so that I was facing him. The orange firelight making his tan skin look like caramel in the night air.

" Perhaps you will have a different dream, a good dream that will make you feel good." He offered.

" I feel good when I'm in your arms," I said. Leaning forward into him. He gladly opened his arms and pulled me in closer to the point where I was practically in his lap. I pulled my legs up close to my chest and splayed my palm out on his warm chest. " I feel so safe in your arms." I continued.

" I feel as if you are safe in my arms as well." He replied. I closed my eyes as I felt him place a kiss on the top of my head. I leaned in closer, pressing my cheek against his collar bone and he rested his chin atop my head.