Fever Dreams
AN: I own nothing in this story. Taking prompt requests as well for future chapters so let me know what you'd like to see. Please R&R.
For all the great mysteries she'd uncovered, all the supernatural she'd dealt with, and from this latest excruciating dig in a less well known section of the Middle East, Lara Croft was deserving of this two month vacation. The start of it had been just fine by Lara's estimation.
She'd lazed around a bit, caught up on the inane day-to-day minutiae going on around the little condo that was her current place of residence, and just basked in the presence of her Sam. The two months was her way of apologizing for failing to write, text, or Skype for days during the more grueling phases of the dig.
Then the fourth day of her vacation dawned.
"Good morning."
Whatever sickness was within her body transfigured the greeting into a wretched pair of words, Sam's hand going to her forehead a moment after hearing them.
"Morning Sweetie."
Lara groaned.
"Yeah, sounds like you've got a fever. But don't worry, I'll be your nurse."
Lara smiled a bit at that before a rough coughing fit escaped her lips. Sam propped her up with a few pillows tossed on the floor last night, grabbing a blanket from the living room soon after. Once she was certain Lara was snug and comfortable, Sam left to go get tea.
As Sam left, Lara's glazed eyes widened a bit. There, just above Sam's rear, was a poofy rabbit's tail, twitching to and fro. The survivor tried to call out, tried to open her lips, but the most she got to do was part her lips a bit, her sight going a bit hazy around the edges, the haze parting a tad like a curtain on a stage.
But she wasn't looking at the doorway to their bedroom or heard Sam's footsteps as she walked towards the kitchen.
All she could see was a black slab in front of her until she blinked.
Color erupted from that slab, writhing and twisting like vines on a tombstone, sound coming a moment later, Lara staring in silence at what played out in front of her.
/
Lara was small for a fully grown rabbit. Smaller than every rabbit she knew in the warren or really any rabbit she met. Her fur was a dirty brown, near the exact same shade as her eyes. Most other rabbits barely paid any attention to her aside from a treasured few after her parents' death four winters ago. There was Roth, the most experienced rabbit in the warren and a scout of the highest order. He was the one who first saw the potential in the tiny Lara. Under his tutelage she found a place to make her mark. She excelled at scouting, at vanishing without a sight, and Roth encouraged her where few others cared to learn her name.
Sam was the other part of Lara's life and where Lara was tiny, Sam was anything but. With powerful legs, a jump covering more ground than anyone else in the warren, and the fighting skills to back her frame up, Sam was someone the rest of the warren knew.
Almost as big as her frame was Sam's personality. Personable and energetic, Sam was able to move in and out of all the cliques. From the scouts to the gatherers, the large rabbit could be found at any of them, which made her constant friendship with Lara all the more valuable to the tiny scout.
"Are you ready Lara?" Sam asked, whiskers roving around a bit as she nuzzled Lara's fur. It was her way of getting the usually quiet rabbit to open up a tad more and it usually worked.
"Yes, Sam, for the tenth time, now stop slobbering all over me!"
"They're good luck kisses Lara! It's our first mission together, so let's go out there and make everyone know who you are!"
"Sam, it's just some berries less than a day's hop from the warren. Hardly the stuff legends are made of."
"Well I think it's still fun that we're going out together!"
"Yes, yes, I'm thrilled too, but don't go rushing headlong into a fight. Stay behind me until I give the all clear, got it?"
Sam nodded, thumping in time with her nods, Lara sighing at the sight before hopping on ahead.
Night had fallen by the time the first sentries spotted the large rabbit carrying the small figure on her back. The thump of her rapid stride soon followed, Sam racing towards the healer.
Lara's tiny form was coated in scars, Sam's wider frame sporting it's own fair share of damage, but nothing like the scout's.
"It's gonna be okay Sweetie, you're going to be just fine," Sam said.
Lara heard her fellow rabbit's voice on the edges of consciousness, replaying the scene in her head. Sam was bowled over by a badger, a swift slice cutting along her left thigh. Lara saw red, a harsh scream escaping her throat as she threw herself at the much larger creature. One of her paws found it's right eye even as it's teeth ripped a fairly large chunk of skin off her back. But the badger wasn't finished, a few more swipes driving deep into Lara's body before Sam finally managed to end the beast with a few well-aimed kicks. The last thing Lara saw clearly was her best friend's worried face.
"I'm...fine Sam..." The rabbit managed one of Sam's sloppy kisses for a second before writhing in pain, Sam holding her still.
"Don't move! I'll get you back home and you'll be just fine! Just stay awake, okay? Stay awake!"
The inviting fire in the healer's hut washes over Lara as she comes back to the present, her eyes opening to see Sam's floppy ears and worried expression.
"Made my mark," Lara managed to say in-between the healer's bitter herbs being sipped between her lips.
"Oh Lara," Sam sobbed, her face falling apart as tears started to rain down. "Lara..."
/
"Lara!"
Lara gaped a bit as she saw Sam standing before her, a warm mug of tea on a tray in her hands along with a glass of water and medicine.
"Sam...you're not a rabbit anymore..."
"Have some tea, Lara," Sam replied, deciding not to comment on her fiance's remark.
Lara nodded, taking a sip and sporting a goofy grin. "'Kay...thanks Sam...love ya..."
"Love you too, Lara, now get some sleep, I'll be right here."
Lara nodded again, drifting off as the lemon/cinnamon mix of the tea soothed the soreness from her throat, hoping that when she woke up it would be in a clearer state of mind.