Back in the Wenja village, I sat beside a campfire. Still shaken by Kion's death I didn't even look up when Roshani joined me beside the fire once Takkar left our group.
"You have blood on your face." Roshani finally said, not expecting me to growl at him. "Valery, it will be..." I leapt to my feet and he froze when I glared at him.
"Don't you dare say it'll be okay! I killed a friend today and it...hurts so bad." I shouted, feeling fresh tears spring into my eyes. "When you have to kill a friend let me know how it feels." I snapped, arms at my sides.
"I am trying to help." Roshani protested and I sniffed, wiping my eyes. "I know you hurt and I cannot help you." He sighed, eyes on me as I stared back. I spent the next few minutes just glaring at Roshani until I started to shiver, making me sit back in front of the fire again.
"If I hadn't rushed out there to find him, Kion would be alive." I sniffed, feeling Roshani wrap an arm around my shoulders. It wasn't until I rested my head on his shoulder that Roshani rubbed my back with his free hand.
"You are not to blame. The Izila attacked us and Kion saved our lives." Roshani replied and I sighed, closing my eyes for a few moments. "You also risked your life to protect me."
"Of course I did. You mean a lot to me." I muttered, lifting my head slightly. Lips curling into a smile, Roshani shifted his head and I blinked when I felt his warm lips brush mine. I kept staring when he sat back, that same smile on his lips.
"That is good to know." Roshani told me when I rested my head on his shoulder again, tears still streaming down my face. Instead of speaking he tightened his grip on my shoulders as I let myself grieve for my fallen friend.
We spent hours sitting by the fire and if Roshani hadn't noticed my shoulders shaking from the cold night air we probably would have stayed there.
"We should get some rest." Roshani suggested, getting no reponse. "Valery, did you hear?" He asked, craning his head to find Valery with her eyes closed. Giving her a tiny smile he wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her into his arms.
Surprisingly she didn't stir, not once as Roshani carried her back to his hut.
Later that night...
"No...leave him alone!"
Roshani struggled to open his eyes as someone shouted. It wasn't until he opened his eyes that he saw Valery still asleep, mumbling something. It took his mind a few seconds to clear before he realized she was dreaming and as he sat up, reaching for her shoulder she sat up.
Sweet dripping down my face and neck, I jumped when Roshani's hand landed on my shoulder. "W...whoa. What's going on?" I mumbled, rubbing at my eyes with one hand as Roshani stared at me.
"A bad dream?" Roshani asked when I shook my head to clear it.
"Yeah...just a dream." I whispered and he sighed, reaching up to wipe my eyes. "I'm sorry if I woke you."
"Do not worry. Just rest." Roshani said and I nodded, a yawn escaping. Not even questioning why I was in his hut and not mine, I lay back on the animal rug. As my eyes started to close I felt Roshani lie next to me and I snuggled against him, earning a sleepy smile from Roshani.
I woke next to Roshani, the ex-commader still fast asleep with his arm drapped loosely around my waist. I touched his cheek with my fingers and he sighed, curling into himself.
I'll let him sleep, I thought as I climbed to my feet. Tiptoeing through the hut I stepped outside, stretching in the bright sunshine. It's a pretty nice day, might go for a walk. Inside the village this time.
"Morning." Sayla said, standing outside her hut and I smiled. I joined her outside her hut and she gave me a smile, handing me a bowl filled with water. "Blood on face."
"Kind of forgot about it." I replied, sitting before I started to splash the water over my face.
"Valery upset about cave lion." Takkar said and I froze, water dripping down my face as he appeared beside Sayla. "It just an animal."
Shock soon became anger and I finished washing my face, handing the bowl back before I stormed back to Roshani's hut. Leaving both gatherer and leader with a suprised look on both their faces.
"Hm...Valery?" Roshani mumbled, stirring as I slumped beside him. "Something wrong?"
"Takkar doesn't care that I had to put down Kion." I blurted out as he sat, rubbing at his eyes. "Thinks he's just a cave lion."
"He was a cave lion." Roshani pointed out and I crossed my arms, eyebrows narrowed. "I am only..."
"I know what you're saying. He was nothing but a tool to be used." I muttered, not even looking back at Roshani before I stood storming from the tent. With nowhere else to go I headed back to my own hut, wishing desperately that I still had the wolf totem to send me home.
Everything I do just blows up in my face. I wish I was home and that I'd never even seen that wolf totem. It's brought me nothing but trouble.
As I paced, trying to figure out a solution to my problem, I didn't hear footsteps.
"Valery, are you in here?" Roshani called and I jumped, turning to see him just inside the entrance.
"Where else would I be?" I muttered, motioning him to enter. Before he had set foot inside the hut I had started to pace again, muttering under my breath.
"Valery, I did not mean to upset you." Roshani said and I stopped, still not looking at the Izila warrior. "I know Kion meant a lot to you." He began, pausing when I turned around and he sighed seeing tears in my eyes.
"He saved both our lives and to hear Takkar say he was just an animal hurts. He gave his life to protect us and all I could do was put him down." I whispered, wrapping my arms around myself. "What kind of friend does that?"
"A good one. You would not allow him to suffer. That takes a strong heart." Roshani told me, standing in front of me. I lowered my head, tears running down my cheeks. Cupping my chin he lifted my head, forcing me to face him. "You will get stronger."
"Not soon enough for Kion." I whispered, blinking when Roshani brushed a kiss against my forehead. "Thanks for being there, Roshani. Sorry I haven't been very nice to you lately."
"You are in pain from losing Kion. I understand." Roshani told me, giving me a smile when I hugged him.
"You're the first guy I've met since I came to this time that actually agrees with me." I replied and he raised an eyebrow at me. "It's a long story."
"You never told me where you come from." Roshani said, taking a seat on the rug. With a shrug I joined him, sitting crosslegged. "Valery?"
"I come from a far away place, as big as...um." I started and he tilted his head at me, eyes looking directly into mine. "That's a little distracting."
"I am distracting?" Roshani asked and I blushed, not realizing what I had just implied.
"You are but that's not really what I meant." I replied, not expecting him to sit a little closer. "What was I saying to you?"
I really wish he wouldn't sit so close when I'm trying to think. He still smells like smoke, must be because he's around it so much and...oh crap is that his tongue?
I completely lost my train of thought when I felt Roshani's tongue brush the very base of my neck. As he worked his way towards the very tip of my chin I shivered, a very familar and pleasant flutter flowing through the base of my stomach. Which only grew stronger when Roshani nuzzled my throat.
"Valery, what is wrong?" Roshani asked, unable to hide a smile as my face turned the exact shade as a ripe strawberry.
"What do you think?" I growled, yelping when his lips brushed mine. "Will you...stop distracting...me?" I whispered as he gently pushed me down onto the rug, ignoring my feeble protests.