"We should be close now." Marsu led the large group of humanus through the forest.
"So, how bad is this disease?" Althea said uneasily, knowing she wasn't the only one who noticed the smell of rot in the air.
"The worst I have ever seen. Luckily they knew to keep it contained before it spread to their entire colony." Marsu sighed.
They came at last upon the field filled with sick insectus, every humanus and human save Marsu stopping in shock to look around at the number of sick.
"Gods, this is probably more people than the number that live in Tora's capitol!" Toran gasped at the sheer number of insectus around them.
"Welcome to the hive, humanus. I am grateful you decided to help us." The queen walked up to them, looking at the large group with an expression of relief.
"We would not leave you to suffer alone when we can help." Jan nodded politely, glancing to Rain beside him, smirking when she stared at the queen.
"So, you must be the new king of Tora." The insectus queen looked to Toran in interest. "I have heard much of you and your human mate. Where is she?"
Toran looked for Althea, finding her hiding behind him, peaking at the queen over his shoulders with wide eyes.
"Althea, there's nothing to be afraid of." Toran grinned in amusement. He had seen her fight certain death with courage, but here she was cowering from an insectus.
"She's a spider." Althea whispered, keeping a close eye on the nearly 7 foot tall spider-woman in front of them, who was also looking amused at her fear.
"So? Don't be rude- say hello." Toran pushed Althea toward the queen, holding back a laugh as she dug her heels into the ground.
"H-h-hello." Althea stammered, shaking as she looked up at the queen.
"You are afraid of spiders, little one? Do not worry- I mean you no harm, dear." The queen smiled reassuringly, her eight red eyes peering down at Althea.
Althea nodded quickly, not entirely convinced.
The queen smiled toward the others and led them toward the sick at the other end of the field.
"I didn't know you're afraid of spiders." Toran asked quietly as they followed the queen.
"Yeah- always have been. I don't know why, they just give me the creeps." She whispered back, shuddering involuntarily when she watched the queen's hairy legs move as she walked.
"Well you have no need to fear anything- I am here to protect you." Toran smiled warmly, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her toward him. She smiled and looked up at him gratefully as the queen stopped in front of a familiar face.
"Tasa!" Marsu ran forward, kneeling beside the mantis, who looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Marsu- you came back with the others." She said, her voice cracking as she held up a hand, the plate on her lower arm wriggling as she moved, a sickly crack sounding through the air as she flinched in pain.
"Hold still- maybe they can help you." Marsu looked back at the healers in the group.
"Your Majesty, a humanus has never tried to heal an insectus…" Naru said uneasily, looking down at Tasa.
"I will try." Rain stepped forward, and the queen stared in shock.
"Another human? Who is this?" The insectus queen looked toward Toran and Jan in confusion.
"She is my mate, Rain." Jan said simply, and Toran stared at the wolf with wide eyes, before nodding as well. Rain blushed from the sudden attention everyone was giving her, and walked forward to kneel beside Tasa, who hissed warily at a human coming so close.
"Don't worry- I just want to help." Rain said reassuringly, gently taking Tasa's arm to examine the plate that was coming apart from her skin. She looked it over thoughtfully, and finally put a hand above the plate, the silver glow forming around Tasa's arm as the insectus watched with amazement. The plate melded back onto the skin, and the gray hue faded to a healthier green- Tasa's normal coloring. Rain took her hand away and let out a soft sigh from the effort, before looking at the insectus uneasily.
"I must warn you- this will probably feel odd. I have to get the disease from your blood." she warned before putting both hands on either of Tasa's shoulders, the silver glow forming from that point, and spreading so that her entire body glowed. Tasa let out a small groan of pain and tightened her eyes shut as the magic sought out and destroyed whatever foulness was left in her system. When Rain was done she leaned back, looking Tasa over and nodding in satisfaction.
Tasa looked down at herself in shock, blinking a few times before realizing she was no longer sick. She smiled gratefully up at Rain, who smiled back.
"I am glad the disease is so easy to cure- but I have unfortunate news." Rain turned back to the group once she had stood again. She looked at the queen uneasily before continuing. "This disease is not natural- it is… artificially made."
The queen looked at her in confusion. "Meaning?"
"The disease was most likely made by the human kingdom to wipe out the insectus. After all, the human's greatest enemy right now is the insectus- mostly because of the sheer size of your hives." Rain watched the queen as she shook with anger, her red eyes bright.
"I do not hold it against all humans- but those who are responsible will pay for their actions. Are all of them curable?" The queen motioned to the rest of the insectus around them.
"It will take time- and much effort, but most will be able to be saved. Unfortunately once the plates fall off, there is no way to reattach them back on."
"Well, is it possible for those who cannot be saved to be made more comfortable?" The queen said uneasily.
"Of course." Naru nodded. "I can handle that. I have dealt with it many times during my imprisonment by the humans."
Jan and Carlissa looked at Naru in surprise.
"You were imprisoned by humans?" Carlissa gasped in horror.
"Long story- I'll tell you later. For now, we should get started on helping these people." Naru looked around at the huge number of the ill and shook out his tail before moving forward to the first insectus to be healed.
"How are you feeling?" Toran walked over to sit beside Althea in front of the fire they had set up. They were camping just outside the clearing.
"Tired." Althea sighed. She had been helping Naru heal all day- She had learned quite a bit from Rain, but she was still in practice- and so she wasn't able to control her magic as well.
"You can lean on me if you want- if you're as tired as you look, you need the support." Toran grinned, gently putting a hand around her waist to scoot her closer to him.
Althea smiled warmly and leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his fur through his tunic. She realized it should strike her as odd- to love someone who's covered in fur. But for some reason it didn't bother her at all- after all, he was still the same as a human. Just with… stripes. And weird feet.
"So, is it really so weird that a humanus and a human get together?" Althea said uneasily, not able to look up at Toran to see his reaction.
"Yes. It is rare, but not unheard of. Remember what I said about the furso? They were the result of humanus-human pairings. Why?"
"I just don't want you to get in trouble once we get back to your kingdom. From the reactions I've seen so far, people don't usually like it." Althea whispered sadly. "I don't want to make it any harder to be king that it already will be."
Toran smiled softly, hooking a finger under her chin, gently pushing her face up so she looked at him. "I would never hide you from anyone. For any reason. Just because I happen to be king does not mean we should act any differently. They will get used to it, with time. They will have no other alternative." Toran said confidently.
Althea nodded and blushed, smiling warmly as she leaned against Toran's shoulder again.
"You worry too much. Just try and get some rest- I will be here with you." Toran scooted them back so that he leaned against a tree, resting his head against the trunk as Althea sighed softly, nodding and both drifted to sleep.