Several days later...
"Valery, is something wrong?" Roshani asked as we walked the forest. I didn't answer right away, too focused on finding the tall elk and he frowned. "Valery?"
"Sorry but I'm a little busy right now, Roshani." I replied and he rolled his eyes as I raised my club, pushing back the reeds. "Look there he is...or she, whatever." I added, crouching as the tall elk came into view.
"Be careful. They are strong." Roshani warned and it was my turn to roll my eyes, moving slightly forward as the tall elk bent towards the grass. "I was only trying to help you hunt." He whispered.
"I am grateful, Roshani." I started before we both heard a snort. We looked up at the same time as the tall elk pawed the ground, its eyes on us. "Oops." I whispered just before it charged and I yelped, diving to one side. It just missed Roshani, the ex-commander rolling out of its way. Hooves just missing us, the talk elk took off and I groaned climbing to my feet.
"We will not catch it now. It is too fast." Roshani told me, brushing dust from his legs and I sighed. "I was only telling you the truth." He added when I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah I know. Maybe we should just call it a day and...hang on, what's that?" I answered, hearing growls in the distance. "Sounds like a lion." I added, quickly heading towards the noise. Sighing, Roshani rushed after me catching up when I skidded to a halt. A few feet away rested a cage similar to the one once used to hold Roshani and inside was a cave lion, reminding me of my lost Kion. However this one was jet black, pacing the confines of the cage before it saw us.
Instantly it growled and Roshani warned me to leave it alone, unable to believe it when I stepped close to the cage. "It's okay. I'll free you." I whispered and the cave lion stared at me, amber eyes watching as I lifted my club. Seeing the weapon raised it growled but I shook my head. "Shh...it's going to be okay." I told it, swinging the club at the cage's door. After one good whack the cage broke, freeing the cave lion.
In the blink of an eye it leapt at me and I screamed, thinking it was going to kill me. Even Roshani raised his own club, about to attack when the cave lion growled softly. It moved its head close to my own and I tensed, thinking I was about to die until it locked eyes with me. As I stared back the cave lion sniffed my head, opening its mouth and I giggled as it licked my face. Confused, Roshani hesitated as the cave lion moved back allowing me to climb to my feet. "Good lion." I whispered, rubbing its head and that's when it purred.
"Did you just...tame that cave lion?" Roshani asked and I nodded, the cave lion nudging my legs. "That is...strange."
"Hey this is kind of what happened with Kion." I shot back and he grinned, chuckling when I snorted. "Oh shut up. Come on...Dusk." I called, running towards the Wenja village with my new jet black cave lion. Keeping a firm grip on his club, Roshani followed at a quick pace.
Of course the moment we entered the village, Dusk raced back into the forest and I sighed forgetting he would do that.
"Don't worry, Valery. Dusk will be fine." Roshani said, giving my shoulder a squeeze and I nodded. "Come on, I am hungry and I am sure you are." He added, chuckling a second time when my stomach growled loudly.
With a grin and red cheeks, I headed deeper into the village in search of food with Roshani not too far behind me. A few minutes later we sat in front of a campfire, eating cooked meat from stone bowls. "You are interesting." Roshani commented and I blinked, half a piece of cooked meat sticking out of my mouth. "You tame beasts like Takkar."
"No idea how I do it but why complain if it works?" I replied, chewing the meat as Roshani grinned at me. "I hope nothing happens to Dusk. I don't think I could bear losing another friend."
"You will not lose, Valery. You are a stronger warrior now." Roshani replied and I felt my cheeks burn at the complement. "I am telling the truth." He added, eating a piece of his food.
"Never thought I'd be called a warrior." I answered, digging into the rest of my meal. Swallowing I looked at Roshani who was focused more on his meal than anything else.
After everything he put me through, the arrow for one, I still can't believe we're a couple. Though he is kind to me despite being Izila. Too bad all Izila aren't like that...
"Valery, is something the matter?" Roshani asked and I quickly shook my head, giving him a smile. "You looked a little worried."
"Sorry just thinking about us. Feels kind of nice having someone looking out for you." I replied, setting down my empty stone bowl. With a big smile, Roshani set down his now empty bowl then straightened. With an eyebrow raised I watched as Roshani stepped close to me before he sat. Seconds later I was glad I had set my bowl down when he pulled me onto his lap, making me giggle. "What are you doing now?" I sighed, both eyebrows raised at him. "One track mind." I muttered as he wrapped his arms around my waist.
"I have been thinking..." Roshani began, pausing when I raised both eyebrows. "I am being serious, Valery." He added when I grinned at him.
"You're thinking about the Izila finding out about us, aren't you?" I asked and he stared at me. "We've been training a lot and I know why. You want to take out Batari."
"You are a mind reader now?" Roshani asked, his lips curling into a smile when I shook my head. "This is the only way to keep us safe."
"I know, Roshani but we could use some help. Maybe Takkar can help." I suggested and he sighed, lowering both eyebrows at me. "Hey it was just a suggestion. Look I know you're a commander but even you know we can't take on a whole fort of Izila and Batari on our own."
"I will agree to his...assistance. But I will lead us to Batari's fort." Roshani answered after a pause and I nodded, silently wondering why I chose someone so stubborn as my boyfriend.
A little while later...
"Her fort is heavily guarded and the gate is closed." Roshani said as he stood in front of his hut. Nearby stood Takkar who watched on silently
"We need to knock down that gate if we want to fight Batari. Any ideas?" I put in, sitting on the ground to rest my leg. Judging from how itchy my leg had become in the last few days I knew it was healing even if the urge to scratch was driving me crazy.
"You will need Krati's mask." Someone answered and I looked up as Tensay stepped towards our group. Instantly, Roshani moved closer to me and I grinned. "Batari hates Krati, fears Krati."
"So if we get Krati's mask Batari might think twice about fighting us. Maybe she'll surrender." I replied, hearing a faint chuckle from both Takkar and Tensay. Even Roshani cracked a smile and I pouted, arms crossed against my chest. "Hey it was just wishful thinking. Give a lady a break."
"I will bring back Krati's mask." Takkar said and Tensay nodded, giving the hunter directions. As they walked away I frowned, starting to rise until Roshani set his hand on my shoulder.
"No, you stay here. It is too dangerous to steal from Batari." Roshani warned and I snorted, not expecting him to cup my chin. "Valery, look at me." He sighed and I growled, eventually meeting his eyes. "I fear what Batari will do if she finds you again. This time she will not be so...kind."
"Kind?! How is it kind to shoot me with an arrow?" I snapped, pushing myself to my feet. "I'm getting pretty tired of being pushed around by everyone. I have a damn burn on my leg because of some jerk Izila and when I want to get some payback I can't."
"You are not listening, Valery. No one wants to see you get hurt or worse." Roshani told me and I paused, watching as he paced. "I do not know what I would do if I lost you." He whispered, his eyes looking at the floor. Rolling my eyes I limped over and his head shot up when I wrapped my arms around his waist.
"You will never lose me." I answered, hugging him tightly. "Now if I can't go looking for Krati's mask, whoever that is, what am I allowed to do?" I asked and Roshani turned his head, both eyebrows raised. "Don't even think about it, commander." I sighed, my eyebrows narrowed and he laughed.
"Can you blame me for wanting to spend more time with you?" Roshani asked and I giggled this time, liking the way he held me.
"No I guess not. But right now I'm supposed to be resting my leg." I replied, laughing when he lifted me into his arms. "Hey!"
"Then I will not touch your leg." He told me, heading in the direction of his hut as I tried to ignore several Wenja stares.
Within a few minutes I was sitting in Roshani's hut, watching with interest as he knelt beside a set of stone bowls. Checking the contents he straightened, heading over to me with two bowls in his hands. "What are those for? I thought you said you weren't going to touch my leg?" I asked as Roshani sat behind me, setting down the bowls.
"Your burn needs to be cleaned and you still have those arrow wounds. They need cleaning and dressing." Roshani explained, reaching for the back of my skirt and I tensed. "I am not going to hurt you." He sighed and I nodded, my cheeks burning.
"Kind of tense right now but do you blame me?" I replied, feeling Roshani's hands on my leg. Once he found the arrow wounds, still deep pink, he reached inside one of the bowls. Being as gentle as possible, Roshani took his time rubbing the green paste into each wound. I tried very hard not to fidget or laugh when Roshani chewed his bottom lip, concentrating on cleaning the wounds but the face he pulled was just so funny.
It wasn't until he reached for the burn wound that I pulled my leg slightly away and he looked up, seeing my eyes go wide. "Can't you just leave it? It doesn't hurt." I told him and Roshani frowned, his fingers briefly touching it. That made me flinch and he paused, staring as I shifted out of reach.
"It will not heal if I leave it." Roshani protested when I glared at him. "Valery...stop being difficult." He growled, making a sudden grab for my leg. With a yelp I ended up falling on my back, my eyes narrowed once the shock wore off. "I did warn you." He chuckled, gripping my leg when I raised myself up by my elbows. Rolling my eyes I stayed still while Roshani checked my burn, one hand keeping a firm grip on my leg while the other hand dipped into the bowl.
"Just be careful, okay?" I told him and he lifted his head, giving me a brief nod. Even with Roshani being as gentle as possible I still yelped when he touched a sore spot on my leg, the skin still an angry looking red. "Ow! What did I just say, Roshani?" I growled and he actually chuckled, rubbing enough green paste over the spot to cover it completely. After setting down the bowl, Roshani wrapped two green leaves around the burn.
"Now you can move." Roshani said and I nodded, giving my leg a stretch. "You need to keep the burn clean so I will check on it in another day or so."
"Okay. Hey I have a question; who's Krati?" I asked not expecting Roshani's eyes to widen. "Tensay seems to think we need his mask to stop Batari."
"Krati is...was Batari's son. He rebelled against his mother and when the rebellion was crushed, Batari burned his alive for his crimes." Roshani explained, fiddling with the bracelet around his wrist. "She fears he will return to take his revenge on her."
"I guess that makes sense...wait she burned her own son alive?!" I asked, my own eyes wide and he nodded. "Geeze that's a little cruel."
"So is turning against his mother." Roshani countered, handing me a bowl of water. With a grin I took a long drink, handing the bowl back to Roshani. "Still even I believe Batari needs to be stopped." He replied, staring into the water. "She will be the end of Oros."
"I hope Takkar's got that mask. We could use all the help we can get." I said, lying back. "I do feel a little sorry for not helping him bring it back. I should be out there instead of lying here on my backside." I complained and Roshani laughed, standing. He walked towards the rug and I moved to one side, giving him room to sit beside me. "Can't see what's so funny?"
"You want to help everyone but yourself. Let Takkar take the mask." Roshani said and I frowned.
"I don't want to be selfish." I replied, turning over so my back was facing Roshani. "That's not me."
"You have permission to be selfish. There is nothing wrong with that." Roshani told me, leaning over as I ran my fingers across my side of the rug. "This is why I chose you. You are kind, selfless and...different."
"I know I'm not Wenja, Izila or even Udam. Is that what you mean by 'different'?" I asked, feeling his fingers running across the base of my left ear.
"That difference is obvious. What I mean is you care about others before yourself. Also you can tame animals like Takkar, which is unheard of in my tribe. How do you do that?" Roshani asked, rubbing his thumb along the tip of my ear next. I turned over until I was staring directly at his face.
"Taming animals is something that just happened. Besides I like helping people who need it, it's just who I am." I answered, a tiny smile on my lips when I felt Roshani's lips brush my ear. "Is that what you like about me?"
"That and more." Roshani responded, catching the tip of my earlobe in his teeth and I purred as he nibbled it. "You like that don't you?"
"Would I let you get this close if I didn't?" I replied and he grinned, leaning in until his lips found mine. We had only just started to kiss, Roshani's hand rubbing slow circles along my back when we both heard a faint knock. "They finally learn how to knock and it has to be that this exact moment?" I grumbled, not expecting Roshani's chuckle.
"It could be Takkar." Roshani answered, climbing to his feet before he offered me his hand. As he helped me up I glanced towards the doorway to see Sayla there.
"You know it's useless to knock if you're just gonna barge in anyway." I told Sayla who glanced at Roshani, who just shrugged. "Never mind. What's going on?"
"Takkar has returned with Krati." Sayla told us and I grinned, hurrying past her and through the doorway.
"Valery, wait for me." I heard Roshani call out as I headed outside and I slowed, waiting for him to catch up. "You should not be racing around." He told me, chuckling when I rolled my eyes. "I worry about you."
"I know that, Roshani. Come on let's find Takkar." I replied and he nodded, walking beside me. When I felt his hand brush mine my lips curled into a smile, his fingers curling around mine.
Together we headed for Takkar's hut only to see him heading for Tensay's hut instead, a stone mask clutched tightly in one hand.