Heal the Crystal to Save Us All
I own nothing that is familiar to the movie Dark Crystal. I own only the unfamiliar and the story here. No flames please, unless they are constructive. Thanks!! DC
Chapter 2
"You are Gelfling, aren't you Inora?"
The bandaged female looked from Jen to Kira, her green eyes pained.
"All I wanted was to make them proud of me…"
With those words, she turned away from them and walked to one of the bodies. The bandages that covered it were soaked in blood and a few were hanging in tatters where the Garthim had cut them and the person's flesh with it's claws.
"I failed both my people and the Podlings. There are hardly any of us left anymore…"
She looked up at the sky and then to the two who continued to watch her. Kira found Jen's hand and squeezed it tightly, taking a little comfort from his presence. Inora sighed and stood with her back to them, retying her hands into their bandages.
"You'll need to rest, and so do I. We will go to a place that I know near here. The Garthim can't reach it."
As soon as her hands were bound again, she walked to Jen and held on to him as she took to the air again and Kira followed, her eyes on Inora.
"How old are you Inora?"
Inora sighed and glanced over at Kira before answering in a sad voice.
"I'm not very certain, but I think I am about… twenty-five years old."
"You're the same as Jen! I'm only twenty-one…"
Jen smiled slightly. None of them were considered adults by Gelfling standards, early adulthood being reached when they reached the age of fifty years. Jen's heart dropped slightly as he heard her age though, even though Kira seemed happy to have a female her age around. He had hoped that they would have an adult with them…at least she seemed to be mature.
"There. Into that cave Kira. Be careful, the opening is small and goes up five feet before the tunnel evens out."
Inside, the cave was large enough for several more of them to fit in comfortably. Kira had just sat down when she leapt up at the sound of familiar barks.
"Fizzgig!"
Inora stood and slid out of the small opening and the barks increased before suddenly going silent. Jen watched as Kira tried to slide out as Inora did, but stopped suddenly as a voice came into the cave.
"Kira, move! Your foot is in my face!"
Kira clambered back into the cave and a few seconds later Inora's bandaged head came into view. Once she was in, the two Gelflings saw that Fizzgig was in her arms placidly gnawing at one of the bandages around her wrists.
"I suppose this is yours?"
Kira took Fizzgig, who tried to get back to Inora for a brief moment before remembering himself and snuggling into his mistress' chest. When the blond Gelfling looked in confusion to Inora, the bandaged female merely shrugged.
"I'm good with animals."
Jen chewed his lip before asking the question that had been begging to be asked for the whole time that he had known Inora. He didn't want to risk offending a obviously powerful warrior, but his curiosity got the better of him yet again…
"Why the bandages? What are they for?"
Inora turned her hidden face to him.
"To avoid contact. My kind don't want dream-fasting to happen ever. We cover all our skin to make sure that it doesn't occur. I don't know why we don't want it though…it was…nice. Like I was…a part of something. Does that make sense?"
Kira nodded and Jen smiled.
"Yes, of course it does. Now, can we see you without the bandages?"
The two watched her eyes flicker with indecision as Inora put a finger to where her mouth would be, as if she was chewing her fingernail.
"Alright, but only until we set out again."
She carefully tugged at all the knots and slowly the bandages fell away. First her hands and arms, then her legs. She seemed to have the most difficulty with removing the strips that held her hair and face. Finally she gave a hard yank and those too fell away.
Before them, still clothed but unbandaged, stood a female Gelfling with dark grey skin and long silvery hair that fell out of it's knot in a braid down her back. Her ears were decorated with several golden rings and she had a small stud in her left nostril. On her cheeks were two stripes of vibrant red that ran along her cheekbones.
Kira let out a sigh and took a tiny step toward Inora, smiling slightly in awe.
"You're beautiful."
Inora scowled and looked away, picking up the pile of bandages.
"Go to sleep, and don't mention what I look like. I know I'm as ugly as they come, so don't make fun of me by saying how pretty I am."
Kira looked at Jen, then back to Inora, who had laid herself down near the back of the cavern. None of them would speak for the rest of the night.