Jessi: Hiya everybody. I'm sorry for being late with my update but unfortunely my dog, Sammy, died this week at age sixteen-and-a-half. This being a year after my other dog, Walter, was put to sleep. I hereby decicated this story to Sammy and Walter, the best dogs a girl could hope to have.
What had taken Chel five, ten mintues at the most, to fly was taking a lot longer to walk. It didn't help that he had to carry Kemi along the lizardmen's trail.
The star remained glowing on his forehead and his emerald-green eyes were closed. His face was relaxed. That at last was a blessing after the events of the previous night. Chel stumbled along the path, all his innate elegance and grace gone in the face of his fatigue. His wingtips dragged along the ground.
He looked up. A small pool glistened in the light falling through the gaps in the canopy and the ground looked inviting. Sighing he disposited Kemi by the shore of the pool and slumped against the truck of near-by tree.
His eyelids slid downward, his long, silver lashes spreading out on his cheeks. Gently he began drifting off into sleep.
A splash pulled the winged elf immediently back into wakfulness, his claws springing from his fingers.
The dark-haired male looked bashfully up from his seat. One end of a branch was in his hand and the other had sank below the surface of the water. He'd been trying to pull himself up with it.
Chel groaned and stood. Seizing Kemi's bandaged wrist he hauled the male to his feet. The other elf swayed on his feet before grabbing Chel's arm to steady himself.
"I guess you're not used to going about on two legs yet," when Kemi looked up at Chel, eyes wide with shock, the winged elf continued, "It was pretty obvious when the star appeared on your forehead," his flawless brow creased slightly when he realised the star had gone, "Why are you here?"
Kemi shrugged and Chel sighed,
"Well, come on then," he caught sight of himself in the pool. His hands and mouth were stained with lizardman blood, his robes similary soiled. His wings hadn't been preened and they had picked up many twigs and other detritus from being dragged on the ground. Dark circles still marred his face and half of his thick hair had escaped from the neat plait he tied it in yesterday, "I feel the need for a bath."
Two hours later Chel walked back into the main body of the camp. His hair, still slightly damp from his bath, hung loose down his back in a heavy fall. A fresh robe, black as always, was belted securely onto his slight frame, the high collar unfastened for now, displaying his pale throat.
"Chel," Vale smiled up at him from her seat, embracing him when he drew close, "Are you alright now?"
Chel nodded,
"I just need rest Vale. Nothing to be concerned about."
He streched out for sleep, head on Vale's lap. Before his eyes closed Vale spoke again,
"Did you really kill all those lizard people single handed?"
Chel looked up, the truth already springing to his lips. Vale's face hovered above his, wide, blue eyes shining. Vale... beautiful, innocent Vale.
"...Yes... Yes I did." Vale kissed him as he settled back down, the shame of his lie already making him sick.