Hunted

[Saruna]

Saruna let Rekkan go more easily than she might have, were she not so tired. She offered only a faint "Thank you, young man," as he opened and closed her door. The day had passed. It seemed only moments ago that the sun had centered in the sky above and she had been at the well, and had met Rekkan. Now it was near enough to dusk, and she had eaten very little. Her fire had been going all day and the room was hot enough to make hers sweat.

She eyed her supply of cut wood with some concern. She'd calculated the amount she'd needed to make it through the summer and the earliest moons of winter, intending to resupply when she felt the ache of cold in her bones. She'd have to buy more sooner. And supplies, well, she had no more water. How was she to nurse a sick patient without the stuff? Doubtless Ran would wake throughout the night, just long enough for a drink. She herself was thirsty. She'd nothing to drink all the day, and at her age she couldn't be expected to wait hand and foot for a sick man without a drink or bite herself.

Even then, her bladder informed her pointedly, without a drink she'd still bodily functions to see to, and had neglected those. She felt the balance of her neat and orderly expectations and careful plans tipping, and tipping, and everything sliding in a jumbled heap to the bottom of some nameless abyss. She sighed, considered the benefits of a good sob or two, and settled for another sigh. She plucked her shawl up from where she'd dropped it, picked up a bucket, set her shoulders and set off to begin yet another long and ultimately pointless night straining herself beyond what was reasonable.

Maybe she was an old woman, but Changers knew she was not yet helpless and feeble.

[Ran Azshmatha]

The second night since his arrival at Shim, Ran Azshmatha slept deeply, for the first time since all that he knew was swept clean in a bloodbath born of human greed and cruelty. For his body, the sleep was a blessing. For his mind, a curse.

For the alchemist, deeply though he slept, was not free from dreams. In fact, the depth of his slumber kept him trapped, made his dream self resilient and lasting, and where Ran would have awoken simply from the intensity of the images and emotions evoked by his nightmare, he withstood them now and remained thus, prolonging his exposure to his personal horrors, hand-picked out of the most traumatic of memories. And these horrors played themselves out in exquisite detail and showed itself to be more substance than reality; indeed in this dream from which Ran could not awaken, every object and every event seemed to be pure and clear in its substance.

Thus he witnessed the deaths he was beginning to know so well, every detail reconstructed to exceed even the original experience; he watched them die, and the deaths were swift and violent, heralded by a sinking despair, so cold that it burned straight down one's stomach and tensed one's shoulders. Yet the moment lasted forever in frozen agony, accompanied by silent screams of an indescribable nature. There was Oruhan, with a hand-axe sticking out from an awkward angle from the back of his head. Blood spurted out of his eyes and nose, just a few droplets, and just like that, it was the last time Ran saw his uncle whose eyes reflected his soul. After that intangible, monumental moment, the eyes saw no more and Oruhan was gone.

What did this mean, Ran wondered.

The alchemist could not figure it out. He stood, staring at the frozen death of his beloved uncle. Oruhan was more a father to Ran than his own progenitor. Still, Ran could not figure out the meaning behind Oruhan's death. His head hurt from thinking so intensely, yet something restrained the alchemist's mind with severe migraines, so that finally he woke up with bags under his eyes.

It was late morning when Ran got up from his slumber. His body ached everywhere, and he was mentally fatigued from his nightmares. But he was feeling better than he did the day before, which hadn't happened in over a month. Despite it all, Ran felt the urge to smile. But with that acknowledgement--that he was safe now, no longer in danger--the alchemist was forced to contend with the conundrum of what to do now.

Running, running, and then running some more, away from civilization and fleeing a most mean and violent death, and thusly he lived for many weeks. Had even once the alchemist pondered the question of what if he did survive? No, and so now Ran faced the question: what do I do next?

Ran decided to begin by assessing his physical condition. He slowly picked himself up until he was sitting with his back straight. He examined his body closely for any lasting changes which his ordeal might have afflicted on him. His body was sore, and the wound on his abdomen, treated as it was, still stabbed with sharp pains when he tensed his core. But he could move, and no bones had been broken, though plenty were bruised. He would be uncomfortable for weeks, and he'd have to watch the wound on the side carefully until it fully healed, but he was whole.

Ran immediately felt a deep sense of gratitude, not toward any specific being but simply the pure, undirected emotion of thanks. This gratitude the alchemist felt for his life, to escape with so much in tact. The extremes of fear which drove the alchemist to flee, transformed in the peaceful aftermath into glowing appreciation, left the man stunned for a moment.

[Rekkan]

The sun's rays pierced through the foliage and stroke Rekkan's face. The druid opened his eyes after a few hours of rest. By the position of the sun and the feeling he received from his body, he had overslept. The rustling of leaves, caused by the morning breeze, echoed around and inside Rekkan's mind. He yawned and stretched his arms and backs. His muscles were sore from the uncomfortable position he had fallen asleep in, but it was nothing a short stroll could take care of. The problem was probably Rekkan's neck. It was rather stiff. The druid's right hand held his chin while his left hand went over his head. The left hand's fingers pulled to the left while the right one's pushed upwards. A pop came as consequence, straining the muscles for mere moments before loosening them. "Feels better...", he muttered.

A few birds had made their home near Rekkan's branch. They sung and flied around, flapping their wings with grace. The druid sat there, simply enjoying the view as they experienced their everyday routine. From his eyes was created a sharp glitter, an innocent stare. The appreciation he had for living in the present could sometimes overcome the pain of memories from the past. "It's all over,...", he thought. "But why do I still feel uneasy at times?"

Daydreaming led the druid to forget Ran and Saruna. He shook his head and looked past the foliage, towards the old woman's house. The southerner should be awake by now, but it was possible that he was still resting. After all, the injuries were quite serious.
Rekkan grabbed the branch and let his body hang from it, followed by letting go and being dropped into the air. In just a second or two, the druid was in the ground, landing on his feet. He sighed after pulling his belongings towards him, carefully checking if everything was alright.
After double-checking each part of his equipment, Rekkan walked towards Saruna's house. He reached for the door with his right hand and knocked on it. The druid looked around, but there was no sign of anyone, at least outside of the house. He didn't want to peek through the window as well, as it would be rather rude. No, the only entertainment Rekkan had as he waited for some answer would be a cockfight for a chicken. Animals and humans were so similar at times.

[Saruna]

Dawn passed Saruna unremarked and quiet. She'd worked hard throughout the night, toiling for the simple desire of two buckets of water. She'd let the fire die to embers, but had kept it alive so her ward would not be chilled. He'd had no easy sleep, and so neither had she. The pendulum of her emotional regard for the man had swung back and forth several times until she'd simply resolved to go find Cal in the morning and leave the injured one to fend for himself for the day.

It was the knocking what woke her. She was quite displeased to find that her body did not quite obey her command to stand up and see to the door. "Come in!" She called sharply, more guards or knaves be changed for all the care she could stand to summon at the moment. So much for seeing Cal.

[Ran Azshmatha]

Ran's heart jumped a little bit when he heard the knocks. What did he fear? He wasn't sure. The alchemist decided this was as good of a time as any to try and stand up. His legs protested the effort but with a bit of willpower, Ran was able to stand. He didn't mind the pain too much--it was a good pain.

Ran heard Saruna call out for the visitor to enter and Ran made his way to her voice. He reached her before the visitor entered the house, and he gave her a look as if he wanted to say something, but instead he simply said "Good morning, Saruna," quietly and with some gravity. There were many things he wanted to ask her, now that he had accepted the fact that he was alive.

[Rekkan]

The druid entered after being given permission. He walked towards Saruna and Ran, who was already awake and standing on his own. It seemed that the southerner had quite the strength. Not only that, Rekkan's healing was working rather well.

"Good morning.", said the young traveler. "I see that you're doing better. I am glad, Ran."

There was a matter Rekkan should attend now. His purse was empty and his journey postponed until he could acquire money in some way. Perhaps the old woman or the southerner could pay for the druid's help.

"I am sorry to trouble you so soon after the beginning of your recovery, Ran, but...", started the druid. "I am afraid I did not help you without wanting something in return. A monetary tribute for my assistance would serve its purpose to settle this affair. I ask for enough money for a bed and food in the next village. No considerable sum, of course."

[Ran Azshmatha]

"The next village, is it?"

What village was this one, anyway? Ran looked about the room to a place where his modest belongings had been placed by Saruna. True to her word, his two pouches of bishani had not been touched. He felt a stinging pain in his chest as he looked at the pouches. The alchemists were given only small allowances, with the rest of the party's funds being rationed out by the Eyropan soldiers. In the first frantic days of the bandits' ambush, Ran had somehow ended up with the two pouches. Whoever it once belonged to was surely a naked, rotting corpse--or more likely had long become food for the creatures that stalked the wilds.

The alchemist grabbed one of the pouches, holding 25 bishani, and held it out for Rekkan. It was nothing to him compared to his life, and Saruna didn't want any of it. As a fellow traveler, Ran knew there was no shame in Rekkan's asking for a reward. It was a necessary transaction, one which allowed one to survive off of services to others.

"Here, herbalist. Thank you for your help. I feel much better now... the corruption of my flesh is beginning to go."

Ran turned slightly to Saruna so that the three formed a circle, he and Rekkan standing and Saruna still sitting. Still, he faced the old woman as he asked:

"Now that I am well, I must ask: where is it that I have ended up?"

[Saruna]

"This is Shim, outside of Marn." Saruna said to Ran, though she looked at Rekkan with some concern. "The next village in any direction is quite far away. You must forgive my presumption but you are in no shape to travel. Neither of you are."

There was more to say, such as 'would you like a drink of water?' or 'are you hungry?' or 'would you like to sit down?' but she was so tired and uncomfortable, and her head so full of uncharitable thoughts, that she only sat like a lump of ash and blinked up at the two of them.

[Rekkan]

Rekkan did not care. Although he appreciated the old woman's hospitality, his mission could not delay. However, it was possible that a few more hours in Shim did not hurt. In fact, what are a few hours compared to one's whole life?

"Thank you, southerner.", he said, reaching for the money and then storing it in his bag. The road would be hard, but not very perilous. Not for a druid, not for Rekkan.

"I think I'm capable of going out.", stated Rekkan, "But you are right about Ran. His wounds are troublesome, even if they started healing. A lot of effort would reopen them."

[Ran Azshmatha]

Marn, Shim. Places he might have heard of, but places he knew nothing about. Ran remained silent and took a moment to observe and respond to Saruna and Rekkan. Saruna seemed tired and withdrawn, her body seeming to weight much more than her looks implied, holding her in her place. From Rekkan, the alchemist felt a different kind of withdrawal, one he was more familiar with--the withdrawal of a man on the verge of leaving a place with no plans to return.

And who was he? Ran tried to form a picture of himself in his mind, but to no avail. He could not imagine his own intent, for how long has it been since he was able to decide wholly for himself, the direction of his life? Too long, the alchemist decided and before it all overwhelmed him, Ran decided to push the thoughts out of his head, to hide it behind the present moment.

"I feel good, but I'll take your advice."

Then, he turned to Saruna. He focused on her because it was easy for him to see her discomfort.

"Saruna, are you alright? You seem distracted. I haven't tired you I hope, " and Ran considered not asking Saruna this next part, but he did anyway, "... I need to know a little more about this place."

[Saruna]

"I will need -- " She said as Ran started to speak, flushed and looked away as he finished. She was quiet, and unsure he'd even heard her.

"I will need help to care for him. I will answer your questions child, but first I must know if this young man would be willing to stay a few days, until you are . . .healthier. I have money. I do not have anyone to help, and I am weary."

She felt selfish as she asked. Beaten, downtrodden, all the words that tied in to tired and alone. A bad thing, to have to ask a stranger when she had paid her dues to her children, and should have grandchildren to aid her in her waning years.

[Rekkan]

A few days? Rekkan shouldn't linger in a place for too long, else time would be wasted. "I am not sure if I can provide further assistance, especially considering that the southerner is now recovering.", he said. "The most I could do now was observe his healing, which is unnecessary if he does not strain himself."

The druid waited for replies, for the conversation to continue.

[Ran Azshmatha]

Ran waited patiently.

As he waited, he ran his right hand across his forehead, brushing aside the strands of wavy hair that obscured his vision. It felt strange to leave his hair unbound, but he felt too weak to be bothered by it. Ran wanted the herbalist to stay and help Saruna; he had barely enough bishani to stay at an inn for a few days, if he'd even be received looking like he did. He understood though the need for travel.

Ran held his tongue. He would have to wait until he learned more about his situation. Until then, he could not think or plan much.

[Saruna]

Saruna didn't want to say it. But she was too tired to play around it, so she just said it. "The help would be for me. I do not wish to strain my guest, and I am at my limit. I am, as you have repeated so often, old. There are chores that need to be done, and some of them are too strenuous for me with an addition to care for." The admission came out with a twisted smile. She looked down, smoothing her skirt out self consciously.

[Rekkan]

Rekkan looked down. His hand scratched the back of his head before he nodded. "Fine. I will stay a while longer.", said the druid, reluctantly. "However, this delays my journey in a considerable amount. For that, I would require some... better payment."

He didn't want to ask for it, but Rekkan had to think about the needs of his grove. If he arranged enough currency to purchase a mount, he would be able to regain the time he'd lose in Shim. "I require either a horse, or money to purchase one. That is my condition for staying here."

This was a part of his stay in Shim that Rekkan wouldn't enjoy telling his friends in the South. No, taking advantage of another being's needs was wrong, but necessary. The druid condemned himself in his thoughts, but swallowed it all and waited for an answer, now looking at the old woman with a blank expression, anticipating nothing.