The campfires blazed high, their flames shooting into the sky and the Walkers screamed in shock as the night was filled with light. “Out of my way!” Turning Markus saw four figures pop out of the air beside them and saw his patriarch and the healer. Both both hold their heads and scream in pain but they were as nothing to the figures in front of them, the figure of the sorceress from the forest and her silver-haired protector.
The screams around the camp stopped, turning to silence and around them, Markus could feel his family members beginning to turn. “Hold,” he shouted, his voice ringing over the silence. “They come to heal our sister.” Getting out of the way he nodded to Sasha who still jerked wildly, “This has only just started. I pray you came in time.”
White flecked foam erupted from Sasha’s mouth and her body writhed brokenly on the ground like a rag doll. The sorceress ran to her daughter, falling to her knees and then looked over her shoulder at Alice who still knelt groaning. “Get over her healer, we have work to do.”
Panting for breath Alice got to her feet and staggered over to the pair to keel by the sorceresses side. She watched as Sera placed her hand on Sasha’s chest, “Hush, mother’s here,” she whispered and Alice caught the sorceress whispering syllables that made no sense, felt magic like a wind surround them and then green fire erupted from the sorceresses palm encasing Sasha like a cocoon.
“Time will move slower for her, buying us time. Now, what attacked her?” Sera spoke loud in the night hearing only silence return. The sorceress’s eyes turned to her and Alice felt them search her soul.
“We do not know. All she said was it was a large worm-like creature that erupted from the earth. The wound on her arm is like no bite I have ever seen though and it is poisoned.” Alice’s hand hovered above the green cocoon, “look, you can see the dark lines escaping the wound.”
“I need to know,” With more gentleness than Alice would have believed existed, Sera pushed her hand through the shroud of leaf green magic and moved a lock of dark hair from the sick woman’s forehead. “I will seek her memories,” she whispered and placing her middle and forefinger on the hot sweat-slicked skin she closed her eyes.
A frown crossed the sorceress’s face and then Sasha’s eyes snapped open and her back arched as her mouth opened and she screamed wildly into the air. Sera arced through the air, thrown off like a rag doll in a hurricane and she landed on the ground some feet away with a thud but Alice was concentrating on Sasha. Screaming, the young woman twisted on the ground and Alice could hear bones crunching as they fought to keep her human shape.
She’s going to die. Without waiting, without thinking Alice plunged her hands through the veil of magic that held her friend in thrall. Gasping she felt icy grasp her fingers, but she fought through the pain pushing her hands down until they touched the writhing woman. “Sasha,” she whispered, “Calm down, I am here.”
Slowly the young woman quietened, her chest rising and falling naturally. Her hands were numb, and she could not feel them anymore but Sasha was all she could think about. Looking over her shoulder to the sorceress who was groggily getting to her feet she shouted, “Sorceress your daughter is dying. Do something!”
“I cannot. She will not let me into her mind to see what it was that attacked her.” Stumbling towards the pair the sorceress dropped to her knees. “I cannot heal her until I know exactly what to heal. You are a healer girl you know the wrong thing will likely kill her more than not.” The sorceress looked down and whispered so gently Alice could barely hear, “And she is more powerful than I could ever have imagined. I cannot fight her.”
Alice looked down at the comatose woman as her chest faltered. She is my friend. She was there for me and now I can do nothing. Hands numb to everything she bowed her head, face mere millimeters from the green shimmering shroud. “Sasha,” she whispered, her head bowed, “My friend what do we do?”
Help me, she heard Sasha’s voice whispering in her mind, heard the whisper that ran through the Walkers that stood behind them watching. Looking up, Alice stared at the sorceress. “Use me. I am her friend. She knows I am here and asks for my help so use me. They say in the village you are evil and anyone who comes to see you puts their soul in peril. So be it. I take that chance. Go through me, send me into her memories and see through my eyes.”
“If I do this, I will have access to your mind, to your memories. Are you still willing, knowing everything will be laid bare to me?” The sorceress' eyes turned a dark purple, light began to shine through them and Alice looked down at the desperately ill woman. Then she nodded, once, her face set and grim.
She could not escape those dark purple eyes as they stared at her. She could not fight when the sorceress reached down to grab her numb wrist, moving her hand to the young woman’s forehead. “I am here Sasha,” she heard her voice speak but she had no control over it. “Your father cares for you, your mother looks over you, but you know no one will ever love you as I will.”
Then she was falling, down further and faster and she could not stop. Through sky and earth and water she fell as her eyes were covered with images. Faster and faster they came, parading in front of her. Snatches of things she could not understand. Snatches of a life she should not have seen.
She saw the forest from Sasha’s eyes, large and wondrous, full of smells and sights and things she could not imagine. She felt the earth under padded foot and felt the crunch of a rabbit between her powerful jaws. She felt the joy of running as other members of her family ran beside her and she felt the desire to howl course through her veins.
Then she heard the cutting remarks as they met with other families. She felt despair as she realized she was different, so very different from the rest of them. She felt the loneliness as she was ignored at the gathering. Pushed away and muttered about. She felt the darkness threaten her heart as she was left alone and by herself as the others left her because she was different.
Then she was falling further, saw a young girl in a forest and smelt the sweet perfume of a pastry. She heard the snuffling of a badger and then the enraged screech that came out of its mouth. Plunging forward she drove the badger off and turned, to see no fear in the girl’s eyes, only acceptance.
Then the memories changed again and she saw a young woman walking in the dark, a straggler from the gathering with long blond hair. She felt her heart rate increase, felt a yearning that was almost physical. The blond haired woman turned, scowled at her and she felt her heart crash down.
Lying on the ground, blankets wrapped around her she stared into the night and felt a tear run down her cheek. “If I am not wanted then I will become known for being the most fearless, the strongest, and the one that finds everything. I will show everyone I am worth something.”
Then she was in a woodland glade. Stone blocks, large and strangely colored marring the ground. White marble with electric blue lines that spread across them she moved carefully towards them, her senses primed. The light streamed through the trees and she could sense something dangerous but could not see it.
Reaching one of the blocks she ran her fingers across the strange stone. It felt warm under her touch, almost like it had drunk in the sunlight and at her touch, the ground trembled. Shakily she looked around, her hand going to her side where lay a large wickedly sharp knife. Rumbling, loud and broken filled the air and then the earth broke apart with a sharp crack.
A snake-like worm rose into the air. Silver and pale, its head was fixed with one baleful red eye. Looking up at it Alice felt the terror in her system, felt the urge to run and fought it down. “No,” she heard herself whisper in a voice that was not her own and yet so recognizable. “I have to be fearless. I have to be the best. I have to be worth something.”
Quicker than she could see the worm stuck, the head diving and she moved out of the way at the last moment. Even then it struck her arm and she felt her skin tear as something hot bit into it. Screaming she then ran diving into the cover of the forest as red ran down her skin
. Her only thought to get home. To get to the family that accepted her.
With a jerk, Alice awoke and saw the sorceress’s eyes change back to normal. ”Now you see what did it. There was nothing you could have done healer for this is a being created by the first race to protect what was theirs.” The sorceress sighed and wiped the sweat off Sasha’s brow gently. “I never foresaw that she would be so lonely, that the families would reject her for being just this little bit different.”
“Maybe you and green Lady Sova are not so very different.” The bitterness of the memories chocked her and Alice coughed. “Can you help her now?” Alice whispered it as her strength left her and falling she felt captured before she hit the floor. Looking up at Pyter’s face she lifted her hands and saw they were withered and old.
“You risked much to help her.” A finger touched her hands and she felt life flowing into them once more. The flesh plumped, thickened and she screamed once, high and tight as blood rushed within them once more. “Now I know this is a thing from the old age I know what needs to be done.”
They watched as the sorceress whispered, “I’m going to heal you now daughter, hold on.” Plunging her hand through the magic once more the sorceress lifted her head to the sky and sang. A snatch of song that filled the air with a tune that was both wondrous and terrifying.
Her voice echoed in the night, meaningless sounds that nonetheless came together to weave a tapestry. Sasha began to shake and Alice tried to get too her but she was too tired, too exhausted. Watching she saw dark lines crawling up the sorceress’s arm and across her body to be pushed from fingers that touched the ground.
Where the dark poison touched the ground, the soil burned. Moment by moment the young woman breathed stronger settled and Alice felt a rush of relief roar through her body. “It is done.” Sera got to her feet swaying slightly. Immediately her wolf was by her side and she looked down ruffling its coat. “It’s ok my love,” she heard the sorceress whisper, “I will be ok.” Turning she began to walk away, stopping only to nod to the Pyter who stood silently apart.
“Won’t you stay?” Alice called out, “She is your daughter after all. We both saw what she goes through. She needs someone.”
Then the night ripped apart and light filled the campsite. Wincing Alice closed her eyes against the onslaught before opening them once more to see nothing but darkness. “She has someone,” the voice came floating across the wind, “She has you, the woman who would risk everything to save her.”
Chapter 17
Slowly Sasha opened her eyes. Brown leather covered the sun from her gaze but the light still hurt her eyes. She laid still for a moment, letting the pain of her body wash over her, a stream that told her she was still alive. Around her she could hear the camp, alive yet quiet and turning her head she groaned as her neck bones cracked alarmingly. Long blond hair met her gaze and Sasha could not help the smile that passed her lips. She didn’t go, she thought to herself. She stayed with me.
With one trembling hand, Sasha reached out and let her fingers gently stroke the blond hair. Like silken water, it slid through her fingers and she sighed, closing her eyes once more. “You should tell her,” Elize’s whisper broke through her reverie and her eyes went wide as shock filtered through her system. Twisting, pain flashed through her system as her wounded arm banged on the ground but she barely felt it.
“How you feel I mean. You should tell her that. She deserves to know.” The Walker woman sat cross-legged, her hands busy stitching a pair of leather trousers. “Whilst you have been unconscious she fought for you. You mean something to her. Why not tell her she means something to you?”
“If my own kind does not want me that way why would she?” Sasha’s bright green eyes stared, angry and feral at Elize. “She is my friend. She accepts me that much. That is all she can ever be.”
Elize shook her head and sighed. “You are my sister and I love you. But you are being a coward right now.” She watched as Sasha blinked, her face shocked and stood. “It is up to you. But when she gets up in a minute, tell her these are for her.” Elize lay the tough leather trousers down next to Sasha and then bent her head. “Do not throw away a good thing Sasha just because some of the families are idiots.”
As she walked away Elize shouted, “Healer, time to get up. Your charge is awake,” and was rewarded with a hiss of disbelief from her Walker sister.
Alice groaned softly as she opened her eyes at Elize’s shout. She could hear noises around her, knew the camp was awake and whispered, “What in the gods made that woman so evil.” Her pounding head took her attention for a moment and then a thought flashed through her head. “Sasha,” she whispered and turned over to see how her patient did.
Intense green eyes stared at her with a hunger that sent a shiver through her body. Long dark ringlets fell over the young woman’s face, its streak of silver moonlight caressing the air. “Hey,” Alice managed to croak before swallowing against dryness. “How are you feeling today? It was touch and go for a moment so if your answer is anything but ok I won’t be happy.”
“I hurt all over.” Sasha whispered, “But I feel,” Pausing for a second Alice felt her face blush as the young Walker woman bit her bottom lip unconsciously. “Cleaner I think.” Raising her arm she put on a pained expression, “This still hurts though.”
Instantly Alice was kneeling by her side. Her hands caught Sasha’s arm and she moved it gently peering at it intently. Sasha felt the pain of her wound disappear at that touch, felt an entirely new pain replace it and she had to concentrate to her Alice say, “It will. We got rid of the poison that was infecting you but the initial wound is still there. That will take time to heal.”
Cocking her head to one side she frowned, “Unless of course, you change. Your mother gave you that much of the gift I believe.” Sighing she shook her head, “I knew you were the same wolf as when I was small, my wolf protector who was always there when I was sad or upset. Do you have any idea how much you meant to me?”
Meant to me, not mean right now. Sasha thought and that thought brought a smack of bitterness she could not stop. “If you know about my mother, then you know how I came to be, you know I am not the same as the other Walkers. I am cursed to be something different.”
“No.” Alice shook her head and her long blond hair fell about her like sunshine. “Not cursed, blessed.” Then she smiled “Besides if your mother had not done what she did then I would have probably been killed by that badger.”
“Daughter,” Pyter’s voice broke through their conversation. “You are not cursed. You are perfect just the way you are. A little less stubborn would be nice for we nearly lost you,” He knelt by her side “Do not ever go off exploring by yourself again understand.”
“I wanted to make you proud of me.” Sasha stared at her father and Alice looked between them both. I see what he saw. She takes after him in coloring but she has her sorceress mother’s features. It must have been difficult taking care of her knowing but he still did, he still fought for her.
“No matter how they treat you in other families, you are here and you are ours. I am and always will be proud of you Sasha.” Turning his face to Alice he said in a tight voice, “Look after her until you cannot bear to be away from home anymore.” Then he was up and walking away leaving the two young girls alone in a camp full of activity.
“He is upset with me,” Sasha whispered it before lying on her back and staring at the leather above her. “I have shamed him.”
“No,” Alice got to her feet. “He loves you more than you realize. I was with him as we fought to save you and he never gave up even when it cost him.” She stretched and then looked down at the young woman “You are loved Sasha, that is more than some people can say.”
“Now,” Alice said in a voice she only reserved for patients, “I am going to go and get us some water and something to eat and then we are going to find somewhere private where we can give you a wash. You have been running a fever for days. You will fee
l a lot better when you are cleaner and after that, you can change and heal your arm.”
Sasha went bright red, her face and body flaming and Alice looked at her before realizing what she had just said. “I meant you are going to wash, not that I am going to wash you!” She stuttered and then with a silent “Oh gods,” she turned and walked away looking for what she needed.
“How is she?” Markus came to meet her as she walked towards the campfires. Seeing her bright red face he fell into step with her, a smirk he couldn’t quite stop crossing his face. “What do you need?”
“She hasn’t eaten in days and I don’t know but I would guess for all your gifts you still need to eat. Her fever would have taken a lot out of her as well. So after food and drink, I want her to wash. Feeling clean will do more than any herbs I can give her although I might make up a tea for her just to strengthen her body. It’s been quite a shock for her system. Then I hope she will be able to change without a problem now the poison is out of her system.” She stopped and threw up her hands, “After that, I don’t know. You don’t need me here so I’m not sure why I should stay.”
She felt his hand on her arm and looked up at him. “Stay so you can see how we exist. Get to know us. I have been thinking a lot these past two days and nights. Pyter would never ask but I am to be leader after he steps down. The families have never had a healer. We have never had need of one for our blood heals everything. But Sasha’s experience has taught me one thing. There are still things out there that can hurt us. And nature has shown us that nothing exists solely by itself. Where one exists, more will exist.” He looked over her head, “You know we sometimes get flashes of the future, intuition they say. I can see a time when we will need healers.” Then his eyes caught hers. “Are you sure you want to stay with the village for the rest of your life?”
Wolf Heart: Moon Born book 1 Page 10
