Treachery. She paused at the name. It was a different name yet rung so similar to the name of the beast that had captured her nearly a year ago. She nodded silently as she confirmed her name and then her teeth started chattering once more as she was shaken from her daze. Her arms wrapped around her torso as she stood near, closer than what would be comfortable for most, as the zith fumbled with his various straps. One by one the pieces of armour were taken off. One by one the creature made itself more vulnerable. The Eypharian shook her head quickly, trying to clear herself of such thoughts. The creature, he, had just saved her life. It wasn’t going to harm her now. It hadn’t harmed her the last time.
A new bout of shivers racked her body and she rubbed her hands up and down around her body in attempt to warm up. She had been so lost in thought that it was only now that she noticed that the zith, Treachery, was having particular trouble with one of the straps on his armour. Her eyes traced lines upon his body. Across his neck, a slash diagonally upon his chest, a puncture to his heart. She reached to her left hip for a blade, but her hand merely grazed across her empty belt, the blades thrown during the river incident.
His question jolted her out of her thoughts and she blinked several times before turning to look at the remaining strap. Yes, she had offered to help. The breastplate still covered his torso but there was one strap around the back that he hadn’t managed to undo. The Eypharian moved behind him and placed her mid hands upon his shoulders. His wings… they were fearsome yet beautiful and her eyes couldn’t help but wander over them. With another shiver, she turned to the task at hand and used her high hands to unclip the buckle just under his wings. Her wet hair hung in straight long clumps and she looked quite the mess, but he was probably not much better. She moved in close to help pry off the breastplate and her low hands found themselves wrapped around his sides. He was warm beneath the cold wet fur. Warm and…
There was a slight shifting of his wings and she immediately broke away. Her teeth were chattering again. “I-I should g-go. Go get my things.” She spoke, once again shivering. She had switched her pronouns from ‘we’ to ‘I’ and already started walking in the general direction of upstream. Miraculously her boots had survived the river incident and they sloshed with each step as started jogging away, putting distance between her and the zith. Her feet and fingers were starting to feel numb and she knew she had to get some of her warmer things before she froze completely. Yet her mind couldn’t tear itself away from the zith. Treachery. He had saved her, and she in turn had helped him. He seemed gentle, nice even, yet her gut still churned at the idea of spending a single moment more than necessary with him. She needed to get home. Warm up, dry out, and be home as soon as possible.
With new determination she ran more quickly, the exercise warming her limbs yet the cold air hindering the process. She took a glance back wondering what he was going to do with all his bits of armour. They would have made him colder had he worn them, yet they were still awkward to carry. But she was too focused on her goal to get back to Syliras to offer to help now.
A new bout of shivers racked her body and she rubbed her hands up and down around her body in attempt to warm up. She had been so lost in thought that it was only now that she noticed that the zith, Treachery, was having particular trouble with one of the straps on his armour. Her eyes traced lines upon his body. Across his neck, a slash diagonally upon his chest, a puncture to his heart. She reached to her left hip for a blade, but her hand merely grazed across her empty belt, the blades thrown during the river incident.
His question jolted her out of her thoughts and she blinked several times before turning to look at the remaining strap. Yes, she had offered to help. The breastplate still covered his torso but there was one strap around the back that he hadn’t managed to undo. The Eypharian moved behind him and placed her mid hands upon his shoulders. His wings… they were fearsome yet beautiful and her eyes couldn’t help but wander over them. With another shiver, she turned to the task at hand and used her high hands to unclip the buckle just under his wings. Her wet hair hung in straight long clumps and she looked quite the mess, but he was probably not much better. She moved in close to help pry off the breastplate and her low hands found themselves wrapped around his sides. He was warm beneath the cold wet fur. Warm and…
There was a slight shifting of his wings and she immediately broke away. Her teeth were chattering again. “I-I should g-go. Go get my things.” She spoke, once again shivering. She had switched her pronouns from ‘we’ to ‘I’ and already started walking in the general direction of upstream. Miraculously her boots had survived the river incident and they sloshed with each step as started jogging away, putting distance between her and the zith. Her feet and fingers were starting to feel numb and she knew she had to get some of her warmer things before she froze completely. Yet her mind couldn’t tear itself away from the zith. Treachery. He had saved her, and she in turn had helped him. He seemed gentle, nice even, yet her gut still churned at the idea of spending a single moment more than necessary with him. She needed to get home. Warm up, dry out, and be home as soon as possible.
With new determination she ran more quickly, the exercise warming her limbs yet the cold air hindering the process. She took a glance back wondering what he was going to do with all his bits of armour. They would have made him colder had he worn them, yet they were still awkward to carry. But she was too focused on her goal to get back to Syliras to offer to help now.
