PM to join Fishing and Falling [Enthere]

[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow 56th Day of Summer 514 AV W ith the shifting of the season had come a reprieve from the heat that Saraphina found so comforting. She was eagerly awaiting the kiss of Morwen's hand upon Zeltiva, it would be so nice to feel some touch of Avanthal again. Naturally she could go back home, see her Mother again, run through the snow. But somehow the thought of going back to the ever winter land still frightened her. When she'd been literally kidnapped from the one place she thought she'd been safe from harm, it had left a deep scar on her soul. One that would take a long time to heal. She still suffered nightmares on occasion. Fortunately, today hadn't been one of those days. Saraphina was honestly surprised that Enthere had yet to breach the subject of her night terrors. Perhaps the Cougar Kelvic still felt that they went yet close enough to each other to be able to talk about such personal things. In any case, the morning was wasting and with the season change came shorter daylight bells. So the ginger had plans she wanted to carry out. Shaking off sleep, she stepping into her camp and readied herself for the day. After grooming Abaccus, tethering him on a long lead and putting a pound of feed on the ground mixed with a few fresh pieces of meat from her most recent hunt in case the Bloodbane didn't feel like chewing on grass, Saraphina shouldered her backpack and jogged out into the forest. S he set a brisk pace. After spending most days in animal form wandering the hills, Saraphina knew the area fairly well. From the south of the campsite, over a patch of rocky terrain and across a green field that grew tasty ripe raspberries, she came upon a large river. The run through the forest was a bit trying. Saraphina's leg muscles ached a bit and her breathing was increased. Running up the rocky portion was harder, as there was an incline upwards which forced the Kelvic to further bend her knee and take larger gulps of air. Her pace slowed substantially, particularly since she had to mind her footing to make sure she didn't slip on a patch of loose gravel or dirt. By the time she reached the open field, she was forced to slow to a more steady jog. The flatter area was easier to run through, but the long grass brushed at her thighs and was still wet from with dew. Still after about half a bell, she made it to the river. T he river was wide and as far as she could tell, relitivly deep near the middle. But latly she'd been having a craving for fish. A bad craving. Going into town and buying some of the freash fish woul have solved that, but Saraphina found herself not wanting to relie so much on the city. Which meant she needed to learn how to catch fish on her own. Enthere had mentioned that she'd caught a few from the river before. Saraphina was confident she could do the same. Setting her backpack by a large rock and stripping off her clothes leaving only her heirloom pedeant around her neck, Saraphina shifted to her Tiger form. It was always like a door was opened wide every time she was in her animal form. The smells were stronger, the sounds clearer, everything was so much brighter. Shaking her feline head, she walked up to the edge of the river. The water ran by and she studied the ripples for a bit, the current looked slow and she could easily see the bottom. As long as she stayed close to the shore, she should be able to find some fish and flick them out of the water. Jumping in, she was mildly surprised when her paws sunk into the mud a bit deeper than she'd thought. Still she was only up to mid leg in the water. Now to find some fish. W ading through the water and studing the rippling surface was rather dizzying. It wasn't like hunting in the grass. The reflecting water made everything look bigger than it really was, which made judging how close or far things were much harder. A small school of silvery fish swam near her and she lunged at them, swatting at the water to try and hook one. No luck, the fish moved as seamlessly through the water as wind moved through grass. She didn't give up so easily on any hunt though. Splashing wildly as she chased the flashing scales, water coated her feline face and darkened her orange fur to a ruddy red. She managed to get one ham sized paw under a small trout and with a upward flick, Saraphina made the fish fly up into the air. But it didn't go towards the shore as she'd hoped but plopped back down into the water and disappeared into the deeper middle section. Saraphina growled lowly, Enthere made this sound so much easier when she'd brought fish back to the campsite.

[Enthere]

Breakfast was squirrel. Enthere had caught several of the rodents the day before, and decided to roast them for the mornings breakfast. The quick-scurrying squirrels were fast, and could dart up a tree faster than a cougar, and though she had found hunting them more challenging than expected, it was oddly satisfying. They presented a unique challenge of speed and agility, a game of darting and climbing. The Kelvic spitted the squirrels over a low fire, still in their furry skins. The smell of burning hair was atrocious, but it was better than trying to skin the bite-sized animals, or to eat them with the fur on. While the squirrels cooked, Enthere looked around the camp to see if Saraphina was up yet. She thought the tiger might like a few squirrels for her breakfast too, but it was apparent that she had gone already, the Bloodbane was finishing his breakfast, and everything was still. It made eating more melancholy, she had grown used to company, but her absence didn't surprise Enthere, the other Kelvic was gone as often as she was. Enthere took the squirrels from the fire and held them at arms length to cool, waggling them to free the carcasses of clinging ash. It didn't take long for them to be bearable, winter was quickly closing in, especially near the mountains. Enthere took a messy bite of her catch, it was delicious, perfectly cooked. Blackened and charred skin, and fatty succulent meat flavored with a hint of the autumn nuts favored by small rodents this season. She finished her meal, thinking she might go on another squirrel hunt while the pickings were good, maybe Saraphina would be around next time. The Kelvic stood and shook herself, putting out the fire and scanning the camp again. Her hunters instincts told her the other cat had gone into the mountains, she would have taken Abbacus if she was going into Zeltiva. Enthere thought for a moment, Saraphina had probably gone hunting...that was pretty standard. They hadn't gone on a dual hunt for a while, and Saraphina couldn't have been gone too long, it was barely light. Decided, Enthere set off up the rocks. She kept her pace brisk, but didn't strain herself on the climb. She knew the mountains well by now, and could find the easiest routes into the stony hold of Zeltivas mountain castle. She listened the squirrels chattering at each other in the trees, and watched birds collecting nuts and berries. Fall was a lively time of year, when everyone, from humans to chipmunks had to store enough food to last through winter. Steadily she rose higher in the hills, placing her feet carefully where there were no loose stones to trip her. She had seen few signs of the other Kelvic, really only faint footprints that could be anyones had she not known better. Enthere was still unsure of her direction though, she was nearing a more even section of ground, where the river was, and the river was difficult to cross.

[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow A s challenging as chasing after the fish was, Saraphina was having quite a lot of fun in the water. The crystal droplets that flew into the air as she splashed about aimlessly glittered in the morning sun, sending rainbows of color and thin mists dancing through the air. The Tiger Kelvic bounded through the shallow shore waters with no other purpose that to create waves and large sploshes that coated her fur, leaving her dripping wet. She didn't care, she was having fun. A hunt was always enjoyable for her. The thrill of stalking a prey animal, getting close and knowing that there was no escape was very satisfying. It was a powerful feeling, an addictive feeling. But here in the river, the fish had nowhere to run to. They could only swim to deeper water and there were so many of the finned creatures that even splashing around and making a racket, she could still see flashes of the shimmering scales of the odd fish. Wading out a little deeper into the river so her chest was submerged, Saraphina dog paddled her feet and cruised around the water. Her claws came out of the sheaths as she kicked her feet. It was almost like running, but a bit more strenuous. She had no experience with swimming, no one in their right mind went swimming in the waters of Avanthal....except the Kelvic that had winter animal forms designed for it. The muscles in her shoulders and thighs flexed and stretched as she turned her head back towards the shore. The water resisted her movements, clinging to her fur and making each stroke of her legs a fight. When her feet again touched the rivers bottom, Saraphina walked to the shallows again and shook her body like a dog to shed the excess of water from her fur. H aving had her fun in the water, she refocused on her primary task....catching some fish. Sliding back into the water and walking with more carefully placed movements, she hunted about for some more torpedo shapes under the wet surface. A flash in front of her made her freeze and focus with laser intensity at the spot. A large, brownish colored fish was swimming in circles by a large submerged rock. It had what appeared to be long whiskers on its head and was alone. Saraphina carefully waded forward and with one quick movement, she lunged forward. Shoving her head under the water and exhaling, she opened her jaws and snapped them closed. Feeling the slimly sensation of the fishes body slid between her teeth, the tiger clamped down harder and yanked her head above the surface. The fish was caught in her jaws by the tail, but most of its body was still free. Before she could toss her head towards the shore and release the fish onto the ground, its flexible body thrashed back and forth wildly. The frantic fishes struggles hit Saraphina in the eye and the flash of pain made her yowl unintentionally....which caused her to open her jaws and release the fish. She barely noticed the splash of water which the wriggling fish made as it disappeared back into the river and swam to safety. S haking her head and pawing at her eye, she started to back up without realizing she was even moving. Unfortunately...she backed up onto a drop off. The muddy ground under her paws suddenly disappeared as her back end sank into the deeper part of the river. She barely had time to let out a distressed roar before her whole body sank below the surface. The gentle current of the river that had been present higher up was no longer present. As her head dipped underwater, the river seemed to turn into an angry and vengeful demon. A current sailors would normally call a riptide grabbed the thrashing Kelvic and mercilessly dragged her towards the middle of the river. Saraphina flailed her legs wildly, twisting her body about. Her lungs burned horribly and her heat pounded in terror as she began to feel lightheaded from lack of oxygen. In a desperate lunge, her feline head broke the surface of the water. She gasped in a fluidized breath, half coughing, half choking as her aching lungs drew in precious air. The river didn't want to give up the fight so easily and Saraphina was dragged back underwater again. P anic was an odd thing. It made completely crazy and stupid ideas seem like grand plans. Like how Saraphina's panicing mind suddenly thought that she should shift back to her human form because her tiger forms fur was weighting her down. It didn't occur to her that her animal form was actually much stronger in the water and had a better chance of staying on the surface or that Tigers were actually known for being good swimmers. That was the problem with panic and terror. It clouded the mind and made thinking rationally almost impossibale. But...Saraphina did indeed shift to her human form. The change in temperature made her inhale in shock, a very bad idea when underwater. The lungful of water only added to her thrashing attempts to break the surface again. Her arms and legs flailed and kicked in useless motions, her frantic struggles only managing to cause her head to break the surface again for a moment. The rivers current hauled her body further downsteam, the rapids becoming stronger and white foam breaking the surface of the water. A large rock slick with slimy moss pasted within arms length of Saraphina and she kicked her legs with ever once of strength she had. Her fingers scrambled on the slick surface, finding a tiny handhold and giving the drowning girl precious seconds of reprieve to hack up some of the water that she'd swallowed and inhaled. But she could already feel her grip slipping. 'Gods above!! I'm I truly going to die out in some petching river because of a damn fish!! After all the fights I've survived, the successful hunter I've become....This is how my end is going to come about!!' As she felt her grip on the rock start to fail and the strong current of the river start to pull her back out into the water grave, her last ditch effort to preserve her life was to do what anyone on hovering of the verge of death would do.....she screamed at the top of her lungs, "SOMEONE HELP ME!!!"

[Enthere]

The sun warmed the dew-damp grass, creating wooly clouds of mist that clung to the dark green of the low-lying mountain trees. The sun also warmed Enthere as she walked across the more even terrain of a shallow plateau, which was more the hills evening out before rising steeply into the Zastoska mountains proper. The Kelvic padded along on her worn boots, sniffing for signs of her friend. She considered shifting to her animal form, the wide-open spaces and cool, fresh air called to her. But she didn't want to leave her clothes where she might not find them, she didn't have any extra apparel. She knew she should remedy that, her outfit was getting rather worn out, though it was in good condition considering the fact that she spent almost half her time wearing no clothes at all. She was entirely caught up in her thoughts when she head the first sounds of running water, Enthere was familiar with the river, and something immediately sounded...off. The normal sounds of rushing water were broken by the sound of splashing, desperate thrashing. Then she heard the shout for help, exclaimed by the only other person out there. The Kelvics sharp hearing and tracking instincts knew exactly where the sound was coming from, she ran, her cougar form was faster but Enthere wasn't wasting time. She knew how dangerous water could be, rivers, lakes, even ponds and streams could drown the unwary. Stones and soil slid beneath her, then the inclined bank of the river. The Kelvic fell and slid on the descent, catching herself on her hands and knees at the waters edge. Where was Saraphina? Enthere was close to where she had heard the shout, but the current must have taken her further downstream. Enthere scrambled to her feet, running down the riverbank, she knew that until she located the other girl her advantage was on land. There was no thought in the Kelvics mind besides that of getting Saraphina to shore. She didn't think about failing, she didn't think about the times she had failed, she was a hunter and she wouldn't let anything distract her from her task. Then, there she was, Saraphina's red hair was hard to miss, even darkened by the swirling water. Enthere shouted, trying to get her to turn, or just to let her know she was there. "I'm Coming!" She ran until she was almost level with her, just slightly ahead, then jumped. The water crashed in around her, blurring her vision and dragging her further from shore. Her head broke the surface moments later. She had no experience with swimming, but the water was shallower here than in the very middle of the river, she had touched the bottom when she plunged in. She inhaled air, looking around, Saraphina was ahead of her, she thought, she hadn't gone far enough ahead. Enthere knew she would have to go into the middle of the river, where the current was quickest. She kicked herself toward a rock, thrashing plumes of water behind her. She used the rock to push off of diagonally, going both towards Saraphina and the deeper waters. The water efficiently sucked her under, whirling and harassing her in hazy black clouds. The coiling water was the enemy now, and she fought it, fighting her own weight that dragged her down. Enthere was still under when she bumped into something soft and struggling. She grabbed Saraphina and kept sinking, dragged to the bottom. Everything was blurred and unclear, her thoughts fuzzed by lack of oxygen. They hit bottom, and Enthere kicked against the ground, kicking and clawing with her free arm until they both broke the surface. Air was a blessing from the gods, Enthere gasped it in, vaguely aware of Saraphina doing the same. They had traveled far downstream, and the river had narrowed just enough that the back wasn't too far. "Kick." She said, not having breath enough to say more. She kicked at the water, then the pebbly bottom, and finally pulled them both to solid, muddy ground. Thankfully the bank wasn't too steep.

[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow H er fight to maintain her hold on the slick rock failed and the black swirling vortex of death latched onto the helpless Kelvic with greedy fingers. Saraphina’s head vanished again under the water, though through some miracle she’d blame on her insticints, she managed to take in a gulp of air before being pulled back under. Her body twisted violently, pulled and pushed by the rivers fickle whims. She felt her back scrap painfully along the rocky bottom before her desparate thrashing movement managed to maneuver her back to the surface for a brief moment. Terror pounded in her chest, her heart hammered so loudly it nearly drowned out the roaring sound of the angry rapids around her. A terrible black panic clawed at her mind, taunting her mercilessly, ‘You’ll never see your Mother again…didn’t she always say you’d die doing something foolish…oh how proud she must be of you…to learn that you died in a river….’ Her ears played cruel tricks on the drowning ginger as she dimly though she heard a voice call to her from a distance. Her panicked limbs stubbornly refused to stop flailing about to save the now half-conscious Kelvic even as Saraphina finally accepted that she was going to die here. No longer possessing the strength to fight the rivers current, she surrendered to her fate. A s the swirling waters caught hold of the limp girl and dragged her dizzy oxygen deprived body to the rivers depths, Saraphina felt something soft hit her. Too weak and tired to react to the new sensation, she didn’t register the arm that wrapped around her torso or the legs not her own that kicked into her own limbs. What her body did react to was the sudden burst of her lips breaking the surface of the water and precious, precious air being suddenly available. Her lungs instinctively drew in a desperate gasp of oxygen and the rush of life giving breath woke Saraphina’s sluggish mind. Hacking and coughing blindly to try and clear her chest of water, she briefly saw a pair of greyish eyes and brown hair before Enthere’s voice spoke one simple word, "KICK!!" Still trying to draw in air, Saraphina could only attempt to obey the order. Still caught in a panicked, drowning state, her movements were likely more of a hider that a help to Enthere’s recuse. Saraphina’s arms still flailed wildly and she struck the Cougar Kelvic several times on the shoulder and arms. But she managed to kick her legs in succession with her friends and the combined efforts saw Saraphina’s toes brush the bottom of the river. Victory was nearly snatched from the two struggling Kelvics as the red haired girl made a desperate lunge for the shallower water and only succeeded in dragging them both back out into the current again. But Enthere wasn’t exhausted like Saraphina was, and she struggled against the panicked girl, managing to drag them both to the muddy shore. S araphina was pretty sure she fell unconscious for a few seconds after Enthere let go of her. Because the next thing she knew, she was laying on her side, heaving and coughing while thin streams of water fell out of her mouth. Her lungs burned like she’d just swallowed a fire pit worth of hot coals, she couldn’t see straight from all the shoulder shaking hacking she was doing and every breath she took in made her throat feel like the very air was laced with needles. Finally ceasing in her chest rocking coughing fit, she collapsed onto her back, gasping with desperation and fuzzily trying to focus on the blue sky above her. Slowly her senses started to return. She was laying on her back, partially propped up against an incline. The river water swirled around her naked body, chilling her skin. She could hear the coughing sounds of another to her right side and briefly heard the wind whistle through some leaves. Above her, she blanked stared at an orange leaf dance through the wind. Somehow that flying leaf brought her situation to full light. She was ALIVE!! She was breathing, thinking, feeling, hearing….she wasn’t dead!! But….how? Turning her head towards the coughing sound, Saraphina saw Enthere lying beside her in the water, hacking up the last of the water from her lungs. Embarrassment filled the red haired Kelvic suddenly and she waited till Enthere was recovered before speaking. Her voice was childlike, almost awestruck,“Enthere……? You…..saved me?” The Tiger Kelvic blinked several time, dumbstruck and confused before clarity seemed to come to her fuzzy mind and her cheeks changed color to match her hair and she stupidly stated in her still dazed mindset,”You’re gonna yell at me…..aren’t you?”

[Enthere]

The deep, muddy, pebbly sand was soft but firm beneath Enthere, the water still tugged at her feet, much less threatening now. The air was...perfect. Kelvic's definitely needed air to live, unless you were a fish...Enthere's thoughts were hazy as she spluttered on the bank, her mind a reeling whirlpool, sloshing in several directions simultaneously. She almost missed Saraphina's words. She lifted herself onto her elbows, squinting at Saraphina. "Of course I saved you. I wasn't just going to let you drown." Her voice was harsh and raspy, she had inhaled a bit of water, and her lungs were strained from trying to hold her breath. The Kelvic was a mess, they were both a mess, all covered in mud and soaking wet. Enthere's hair was a bedraggled brown mess. Her clothes nicked and torn by the rough riverbed. Saraphina was in a worse state, her fur had protected her in her tiger shape, but in human form she was pale and bare, her skin bruised and scratched by her wild ride. Enthere was surprised she was conscious, the mountain river was freezing and the waters unusually rough. Enthere had to wonder why the girl had been in the river in the first place. It did show considerable fortitude of Saraphina, though, she had survived the dangerous waters, even with help that was impressive. Both Kelvics could have drowned in the river, their bodies carried out to the bay. Enthere took another deep breath, letting it out in a much louder voice than she'd intended. Barely hearing Saraphina's second phrase. "What were you doing! Do you even know how to swim?! This is the worst time to swim-the water is freezing!" She barely took a breath from shouting, the quiet Kelvic turned to a reproachful figure of anger, furious with worry. "What if I wasn't there?! I shouldn't have been there, I could have been anywhere! You would have died! And it would be your fault for being stupid!" She was being unfair, she knew it, but the weight of the situation fell upon her like a crashing wave. Saraphina could have died. Enthere found the thought saddened her. The two had been companions for over a season, Sarapina was Enthere's first and only friend to whom she could truly relate to as a Kelvic. And Enthere wanted her to realize her mistake so she wouldn't one day be faced with another absent friend, disappearing into the water forever. She quieted a bit, drawing herself into a sitting position, her legs still splayed in the water. She didn't touch the other Kelvic, she should have comforted her after such an ordeal, not yelled at her, but....she didn't know how to comfort her, she couldn't. "I'm sorry." She said, her face softening for a moment before forming a half-scowl. "That was still stupid. You shouldn't have done that." She repeated, not knowing what else she could do to help.

[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow S araphina’s comprehension of Enthere’s anger and worry didn’t fully penetrate through the trembling, bone chilling cold or the aching bruised body she now had to deal with. But enough was understood for the young red haired Kelvic to feel shame and embarrassment at her actions. Naturally it hadn’t been her intention to get caught in the rivers current…and Enthere was right of course. Carefully backpedalling out of the icy water and further up the bank, Saraphina stuttered out between chattering teeth, “I-I’m s-s-sorry En-th-there…..I d-didn’t m-m-mean t-to g-g-et in tr-tr-trou-b-ble. I-I w-was tr-tr-trying t-to c-c-catch….” Her jaw trembled to much and Saraphina was too upset to say more. Knowing that her body temperature was rapidly dropping and that neither Enthere nor herself had anyway to make a fire to dry off and warm up beside, Saraphina did the next best thing. It was mostly instinct that drove her but a moment later, a large tiger stood on four paws on the riverbank. I n her animal form with layers of fat and fur designed to protect against the cold, Saraphina was much more comfortable. Carefully padding down to her still wet and angry friend, the Kelvic lowered her body to let the brown haired girl lean on her as she help Enthere out of the water. Her fur was dripping wet and there was still a uncomfortable chill in her body, but she was much better. Once Enthere and she were both on chore and out of the mountain water, Saraphina dropped her head in shame. She looked up at Enthere with soft, sincere eyes, ears drooped in a pitiful display. The Kelvic felt awful. She’d endangered her long-time friend with her foolish actions and nearly caused both of them to be killed. Enthere had every right to be anger with her. But her end rant seemed to suggested that she was glad that Saraphina was alive, so maybe there was still hope to preserve their friendship. W ith a bit of a clearer head, Saraphina shifted back to her human form again. She wanted to talk to Enthere and speaking in the feline tongue often got words garbled. The air was still cold and crisp, but now that she was out of the frigid water, she felt better. Hanging her head she spoke in a small and shameful voice, “I’m so sorry Enthere, I didn’t mean to fall in the river. I was trying to catch some fish for you and me. You like them so much that I just wanted to give you back something for being such a good friend. I…I’m sorry……I don’t blame you for being angry, I deserve it. I won’t blame you if you wanted me to leave, I’m nothing but trouble for you and everyone else…..” Saraphina wrapped her arms around her torso to keep in as much heat as she could. She still shivered in the mountain air, but if she go too cold, she could just shift to her Northern Tiger form again. It was meant for the winter, but she waited with baited breath to hear Enthere’s demand that she leave her campsite.

[Enthere]

Enthere Enthere let Saraphina help her out of the water, she could have done it herself of course, but the gesture was as close as either would get to physical comfort. For a moment after she stood, Enthere rested a hand on the Tigers soft, wet head. She let it rest there in a moment of indecision. Then she looked Saraphina in the eye, "Its okay." She said, not sure if the words even got through to the shocked girl. Enthere took her hand off her friend. She busied herself brushing water from her clothes. Hesitant to do anything else. Afraid she would make things worse if she said anything more. She listened to Saraphina's meek explanation without saying anything, even after she finished, it took her a long time to say anything. Her thoughts were frozen on one memory. One fleeting moment. Enthere remembered staring into the cold water of the lake, sitting silent with the knowledge that her only friend was never coming back. Certain that his body was sunk in a bloated heap of bones and flesh at the bottom. The younger Kelvic still lost and bewildered and wondering why he had left that night. Wondering why she hadn't asked where he was going. She wondered darkly if she would have known what happen to Saraphina had she drowned. She could be dead and Enthere would never have known. Entheres jaw tightened, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to dispel the thought, but it persisted until she started her tirade again, her voice softer but more bitter. "You're no trouble for me, you're only trouble for yourself. You need to take care of yourself! Theres not always going to be someone who wants to save you, theres not always going the be someone who cares enough." The timid autumn sun had begun to dry her clothes, though her thick brownish hair was still damp and mussed. Her shoes were completely soaked still, maybe ruined. Enthere looked up finally, almost surprised that Saraphina hadn't left.She probably would leave now, to find someplace safer. That was what Enthere would have done, run away again. Enthere straightened her shoulders, her arms hanging loosely by her sides, she let her face loosen into its normal bland expression. "We should get back to camp."

[Saraphina Skyglow]

Saraphina Skyglow T he hand Enthere put on the top of her feline head after Saraphina helped her friend from the river made her feel a bit better. She was still consumed with guilt, shame and fear of loosing someone she'd come to care about, but the small bit of contact brought her some comfort. Once she'd shifted back and weakly explained her reasoning for being in the lake. For several long moments, the chilly ginger heard nothing. No sounds, no teeth clicking in annoyance, no huffing breaths. With her wet bangs hanging over her eyes, Saraphina gingerly risked glancing up at her rescuer. What she saw was not what she expected. Saraphina expected annoyance, anger maybe even regret, but Enthere's face showed none of that. What it did show was....pain? But not ordinary pain, like from a cut or stubbed toe, this was a heart-wrenching, gut-twisting agony that flickered across her friends face. Saraphina stopped feeling sorry for herself and made to open her mouth and ask Enthere what was wrong, but the Cougar Kelvic answered before she could speak. C hastised again, Saraphina allowed herself to forget for the moment that her companion had show a side she'd not yet seen. Enthere was often quiet, soft spoken and rarely talked about herself or where she came from. Saraphina still knew nothing of the Cougars past aside from the fact that she came from Ravok. Had the scare in the river wrenched up some painful memory for her friend? Did Enthere trust her enough to allow Saraphina to help her as Enthere had helped her? Perhaps....but not right now. Right now, she just needed to placate her. That might be the best help she could offer at the moment. "I'm sorry Enthere....Mother always did say I would get myself killed from all the trouble I found. I.....I'm glad you were here.....and I will always care for you....even if you don't want anything to do with me anymore." She gave a meek smile to Enthere when the elder Kelvic suggested they head back to camp. Nodding in agreement, she fell in a step beside Enthere. T he silence between the two friends was thicker than new morning fog. Saraphina didn't know what to say, how to express her thanks or how to ask the elder women why she'd looked so hurt and upset. Glancing at her once and a while as they walked back up the river, she spotted her clothing near the rock where she'd left it. Jogging forward and now almost fully dry, Saraphina quickly dressed. Shaking out the grass and leaves from her black cloak, she offered the dry garment to her damp companion silently. As the two headed back towards the campsite, Saraphina glance at Enthere again and finally spoke, "I lied before. I was trying to catch fish, but that's not the whole reason I was at the river. I....I'm afraid of the water. Ever since Nicholi took me...kept me prisoner and tried to break me. I.....I have nightmares....horrible nightmare. I thought.....maybe if I could go in the water....they might stop.....but now I think they'll get worst..." It was a start. Saraphina could not pretend to understand what had caused Enthere's break in her normally bland and calm demure, but perhaps if she showed some of her pain, Enthere would share as well and the two could draw comfort from each other.

[Enthere]

Enthere was lost in her own thoughts, but when Saraphina broke the silence Enthere listened attentively. Maybe she could distract herself from her terrible memories. Maybe. It took the woman a long time to reply, not because of hesitance; she was simply trying to formulate a caring response. She was touched by Saraphina's sincerity. "Ah." she said first, her carefully planned words dissipating as soon as her mouth opened. "I-Your my friend Saraphina. I don't have many friends." One friend. Actually. "And I don't want to loose that friendship. I am glad I got to you in time, and I really don't blame you. I hope you'll stay, you don't have to leave." The words were less painful than she had anticipated. Perhaps because she meant every word of them. The silence enclosed them again, and as Enthere walked in silence she wondered if she had said the wrong thing, which made her even quiter. She focused her efforts on trying to contain even the small sounds of her still heavy breathing. She placed every footstep carefully, not wanting to step on a twig or dry leaf. Afraid to break the semi-comfortable silence. Or rather the subtle, comforting sounds of the mountains. These were the only sounds that could mask the roaring in her head, the torrent of memories-all holding their share of pain-that were near ready to break their dam. So Enthere focused on easing that strain, letting the crisp, cold grass and sweet breeze take the edge off this mental stress. She had long ago found it was easier to forget when she let herself become just a little more wild. Something that was hard to achieve when she was around too many people, who's emotions tugged and prodded at those painful memories constantly. Enthere stopped while Saraphina dressed, taking the cloak and wrapping it about herself with a mild "thank you." She was slowly returning to herself, she was good at putting things behind her. Good at making the bad memories leave, for a while at least. The tiniest of smiles had crept over her face, the insanity of the days adventure almost caused her to laugh. Then Saraphina gave her real reasons for being in the river. Enthere's smile disappeared. She knew about Saraphina's nightmares, of course. She slept barely a dozen yards from her, and had exceptional hearing. Enthere had just thought Saraphina would want to be left alone, Enthere had her own less frequent nightmares and she had never wanted to...talk to anyone about them. She knew no one would understand, so she had never tried to understand Saraphina's dark dreams. Maybe she should have. "We all have nightmares," she said gently. Then more hesitantly; "do you want to talk about it?" Saraphina had mentioned the nightmares of her past, her bondage. Enthere had never shared much of her own past terrors, but she sensed both Saraphinas' and her own grievances stemmed from their Kelvic bond. Enthere continued to keep her personal space as the campsite came into sight, but offered more words of comfort. They were comming easier now. "Your not alone Saraphina, I might or might not understand....but I'm still here."