"How tastes your fear, Nephalem?"
Natasha slowly opened her eyes, her head was throbbing and her entire body ached and she could feel a heavy weight on her legs. She took a deep breath in and choked on the smoke-filled air, her lungs burned and she tried to shift under the weight. She lifted her head, ignoring the dizzy feeling, there was a wooden beam. She tried to remember what happened. The fire. She looked around and saw her home in flames, the roof had collapsed on her. She pulled herself out from underneath it and stood. She could see the bodies of her family splayed out across the room. They were torn apart, there was blood everywhere. She could she her sisters body in the clutches of a shadowy black monster standing in the flames, it tore her apart and the blood splattered across Natasha. She looked down to see the blood of her sister on her and screamed.
Natasha bolted up, her face wet with tears, body shaking. She tried to calm her breathing as she wiped away the tears. Just a dream, she told herself. She was grateful that Lyndon was still asleep and Kormac was still outside. She got up quickly and walked out to stand beside Kormac.
As she opened the door she could see him sitting on top of the stump, his weapon upon the ground beside him. Natasha took this opportunity to try to sneak up on him. She ran towards him and attempted to tackle him to the ground. It did not go as she had planned. Kormac flipped her, using her momentum against her. He had her pinned to the ground, their bodies firmly pressed against one another, and his hands holding her wrists to the ground. It had become a sort of game between the two, always checking to make sure the other had their guard up.
He had a passionate look in his eyes, whether that was adrenaline from taking her down or something else, she didn't know.
"Good morning," she breathed. She could see the look in his eyes soften.
"Morning," he said just before pulling her up off the ground with him. Natasha looked away and back towards the barn. The door was opening and Lyndon was walking out, he had already packed up all his things. Natasha looked back up at Kormac and said, "Well I guess its time to go then." Kormac shrugged and they both walked back to the barn to pack up.
They continued their journey for two more days before they reached the next town. Natasha was relieved to see the town, she was tired of this wretched cold and couldn't wait for the warmth of a well cooked meal and the soft delight of sleeping in an actual bed.
Kormac smiled as he saw Natasha unconsciously speed up as soon as she could see the town. As they entered the town she practically ran to the inn, he could almost see her mood fade as the mayor of the town approached them. She knew what would happen next, the mayor needed their help and she would give it, even though all she wanted was a good night's rest. He commented on how they looked like just the right people for the job. They always did, she mused. She waited patiently for him to explain the situation, and of course they would be paid for their services.
Apparently they had a spider problem. The trio made their way to the outskirts of the town, there was a cave atop the hill that had become infested with giant spiders, that would make their way into town at night. They had to enforce a curfew but still the spiders managed to take the mayor's daughter the night before.
Kormac lead the way slashing through the spiderwebs. Natasha didn't even want to know what she was stepping in as it squished beneath her feet. She wasn't particularly fond of spiders after her last encounter with them in Wortham and took pleasure in filling them with her arrows. They found the girl at the end of the cavern, cocooned in a spider's web. Lyndon was all too pleased to be the one to cut her down.
They thought they could make a clean escape until the were interrupted by the largest spider Natasha had ever seen. She dropped caltrops before she and Kormac backed up towards Lyndon.
"Cut faster, Lyndon, I don't like the thought of any of us becoming a meal for this beast," Kormac said.
"I'm cutting as fast as I can," he murmured.
Natasha ran towards it and slid underneath it until she was on the other side and immediately started firing her arrows. Kormac charged it to keep its attention away from Lyndon and Natasha. He hacked away at its legs, the massive spider responded by letting out a spine chilling screech.
By the time Lyndon finished cutting the girl free, Kormac and Natasha had the spider crumbling with only two legs intact. Kormac delivered the finishing blow by thrusting his spear in between the spider's extremely large pincers. The spider came crashing down on Kormac, it took the three of them to lift it up enough so that Kormac could escape, but not before Lyndon made a crack at him.
Natasha sighed as Lyndon charmed his way into the girl's heart on the walk back to her town, Natasha was sure he would convince her of the best way to thank him for heroically rescuing her, best way in his mind at least. Kormac fell into step beside her, "He'll never change will he?"
"Well, at least we won't have to pay for a room for him at the inn." Kormac retorted, earning him a little smile.
After returning to the town, they collected their rewards and went their separate ways. Lyndon was certainly going to chase after women, what Kormac always did when they went to town was a mystery to her, she just figured he went to the church and normally she would be right. This time, however, he had a very specific mission in mind, one that required a merchant.
Natasha hurried to the inn and paid for a room, she only had one thing that she wanted; a long hot bath. She washed the dirt from her body then had the tub filled to the top with hot water. As she slowly guided herself into the water she moaned in pleasure, it had been far too long since she had felt something so relaxing, far too long since she had been able to wash herself. The water poured over the edge as she submerged her entire body in the water.
When the water lost its heat she stood and dried off. Natasha walked to the bed and collapsed on it, not bothering to dress herself.
Natasha awoke feeling wonderful, compared to the hard ground the bed felt heavenly. She stretched and laid in bed staring out the window, the sun would come up soon. Natasha dressed quickly and opened the door and almost stepped on a package. She picked it up and walked back to the bed. When Natasha opened it she found a high-quality red scarf, almost exactly like her old one. On top of the scarf was a small card that read:
For what you've lost.
-K
Natasha smiled, you wouldn't think that such a large, intimidating man would be so thoughtful. Kormac seemed to not only want to rid the world of evil, but also fix every problem he could along the way. Natasha wrapped the scarf around her neck and walked happily out of the Inn.
They had agreed to meet near the front of the town just after sunrise. While walking Natasha noticed Lyndon climbing out of a window, he dropped to the ground and sauntered up to her, a smug grin on his face.
When he reached her Natasha gave him a disapproving look. He only smiled and started whistling that merry tune, symbolizing a successful night.
Kormac was already waiting by the main gate of the town when he saw Lyndon and Natasha walking towards him. He smiled when he saw Natasha wearing the scarf. He wasn't sure if she would accept the gift but he knew she had loved that scarf. His gaze locked with hers and she smiled back at him.
Natasha looked up at the ship with unease, this was the last thing she wanted to do. She felt a hand rest on her shoulder and looked back to see Kormac, he looked at her with sympathy. She wouldn't admit it but the only thing she hated more than spiders was sailing, but Tyrael needed them to travel east to Caldeum, and they didn't have the time to travel north, as she did when first making her way to New Tristram.
They would sail across the twin seas, if Natasha could muster up the courage to get onto the ship. She took a hesitant step forward and walked onto the boat, feeling it rock beneath her feet she quickly turned around to leave and bumped into Kormac's chest. He gently turned her back around and urged her forward.
Natasha could feel him against her back making sure she didn't try to make another run for it.
The three of them had managed to save up enough money to get them passage across the sea, safe and comfortable passage, or so they were promised. Kormac guided her below deck and into her room. It seemed the nothing phased him, he acclimated to any place they went, any situation they were put in. Natasha fell forward onto bed and silently cursed her heels and the rocking of the ship. She could hear Kormac chuckling behind her.
"I suppose you think this is hilarious," she stated, glaring at him. His expression sobered a bit, but he still kept a small smile, "No one would guess that the fearsome Nephalem, a dangerous demon hunter, would have such a fear of sailing. Of all the things we've faced, I just imagined that nothing would phase you, it seems I'm collecting quite the list of things that unnerve you."
"Such as?"
"Sailing," he said taking a step towards her, "Spiders," he took another step, "and this!" Natasha yelped as he scooped her up into his arms. She squirmed about trying to escape his grasp. Kormac gently set her on her feet, laughing wholeheartedly.
"Didn't I say if you ever did that again I would-ack!"
The boat shifted and Natasha grabbed Kormac before falling backwards on the bed, bringing him down with her. She squeezed her eyes shut as they fell, Kormac watched her slowly open her eyes. Time seemed to pass infinitely slower as they gazed into the other's eyes. Natasha could see that same passionate look in his eyes. Kormac slowly leaned in, stopping mere centimeters from her lips, almost as if asking for permission. Natasha closed her eyes, her lips just barely opening.
Kormac jumped back and Natasha bolted upright as they heard a loud knock on the door just before it opened. Lyndon walked in, "There you two are," he had an unsatisfied look on his face, "did you know that there is not a single woman aboard this ship?"
"Other than you, of course," he added after glancing over to see Natasha's glare. Kormac smiled, looking pleased with himself.
"You!" Lyndon threw an accusatory look at Kormac, "You knew."
"Of course, it's not as if this is a ferry ride across the river. Wouldn't want to be thrown overboard because you slept with the wrong woman."
"A wrong woman...no such thing" Lyndon grumbled under his breath before storming out.
Kormac walked towards the door muttering something about getting food and quickly left after Lyndon. Natasha collapsed on the bed and hid her face in the pillow. "You idiot," she muttered to herself. For the rest of the trip she did her best to avoid spending any more time alone with Kormac.
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