He swam slowly back to consciousness, unwilling to leave the pain free blackness that surrounded him. The sun was lower than when he had drifted off, and Lalia was nowhere to be seen. She had however left a cup of tea within easy reach, it was cold, and so she had been gone some time. The cave was warmer now, the fire still blazing happily away to his right. He looked around curiously as he drank the tea and waited for it to take effect. The cave was small and it was obvious that she was alone here, but there were a great many personal things neatly organized around the walls. She must have been here for some time.
He jumped slightly when the heavy leather drapes that covered the cave entrance moved back and she stepped inside. She smiled sweetly at him as she tied the drapes to the posts which supported them, letting the afternoon light fill the cave. His breath caught in his throat, she looked incredible, the last of the afternoon rays reflected in her midnight black hair, which was slightly windswept. She had changed her long sleeved tunic for a short sleeved one and there was a slight gleam of sweat on her arms and face, and her eyes were alive in a way he had never seen before.
As his eyes moved over her he notice that he hands were covered with blood, he frowned.
"What happened?"
She smiled and moved back out onto the large rock terrace at the entrance of the cave and his eyes were drawn the snow white stallion that waited patiently on the ledge, some type of travois strapped to its back. On the leather stretched between the two poles that crossed just over the animal's withers and reached down to the ground behind him, was the impossible large carcass of some sort of deer. He watched stunned as she wrestled it onto the ground outside the cave and began to butcher it. She had obviously removed the head to make it possible to bring it back, but it was a dead weight of nearly a hundred kilos, maybe more.
She looked up at him.
"I hunt" she said finally answering him "spring coming. Fresh meat" she indicated to the animal and continued to cut the body up into manageable chunks.
He grimaced. He had done and seen some terrible things but he doubted he could have skinned and butchered a dead animal with the ease that she did. As though hearing his thoughts she looked up at him again.
"Me alone. Need eat"
He considered this as she watched her set the meat on racks and light a smoky fire nearby, smoking the meat for storage. How long had she been alone that she was so comfortable with this way of life?
She smiled at him when she had finished, washing her hands in what looked like a hardened animal stomach filled with water. She patted and fondled the large stallion for a moment after removing the harness it still wore, before the animal moved away.
She entered the cave and taking in the failing light, closed the drapes behind her preserving the heat from the fire. She moved around quickly lighting a few crude oil lamps as she went, he watched with interest as she prepared as large chunk of meat, spitting it and rubbing it with herbs and salt, before placing it over the fire.
As darkness fell, the irresistible smell of roasting meat filled the cave. She served him first; bringing him meat and tender vegetables on a bone platter, settling back on her heels to watch him eat, before eating herself.
With a full stomach and whatever tea she was giving him to relieve the pain he lay back, relaxing, and watched as she banked the fire for the night. She threw what looked to be the hide of a lion onto the floor next to the floor and curled up on it. He looked down at the soft pile of furs that surrounded him and it was obvious that she normally would have slept here. He had enough time to feel guilty before his eyes drifted closed and sleep over took him, the last thing he had seen was her smiling face, and he felt his guilt wash away, she didn't mind.