Chapter 4
Over the duration of a few hours, Miria had come to learn that the hunter cared little about her goings on, or her movements. She was always wary and careful not to make any sudden movements however, she didn't want to startle him or cause any confusion. The predator was quite placated in his recovery, and expended as little energy as possible. Hours at a time would pass before she would note a change in his position, which was always sitting, and most often leaning back against the crates. She stayed as far away from him as possible, without venturing too far. She feared angering him, and whilst he didn't seem to mind her presence at the moment, she wasn't sure he would be of the same frame of mind once he was fully healed.
Miria had just retrieved her boots from where she had left them in the storm, and was crouched in the clearing not too far from the container. She was trying to pry off the abundance of caked on mud with a sharp twig when the hunter made a loud bark like noise. Startled, she spin so fast that she lost her balance, and felt like an awkward fool as she regained her footing. She had a clear view into the container, and once the creature had her attention, he yipped again. Was he summoning her? She wondered as he made a series of hand motions that seemed as if he was beckoning her to come closer. When she slowly moved towards the container, he let off a high pitched trill, that appeared to Miria as if he was happy with her compliance. She paused at the doorway, and the hunter flicked his head, beckoning her yet closer. He emanated a soft clicking noise from his throat, the noise was oddly reassuring that she was doing what he wanted.
She crouched before him when she reached his feet, and he lifted an instrument for her perusal. She looked at the object he held before her, and jumped when the device sprung open as he pressed a small plunger. A small amount of amber fluid leaked from the tip of the steel tubing, and she realised them that this was a syringe of sorts.
"Oh!" she gasped as the realisation dawned over her, and then confusion once again clouded her features as she wondered why he would be showing her such a thing. He held his hand out, palm facing up, offering the device to her. She took it slowly, examining it carefully, and holding it like she would a delicate flower that would fall apart at her touch. Once she had the instrument, he leaned forward, groaning somewhat at the movement. Miria realized that this caused him discomfort, and knew then that whatever this needle held, was to aide in his healing.
The hunter touched his hand to his shoulder, and then pointed to the needle. Is he that big of a sook that he cant give himself a needle? She thought for a moment. She swallowed hard, not sure she wanted to perform such a task. She shuffled around to his side carefully, becoming uneasy with the close proximity to the hunter.
"Ah, here?" She lifted a finger to his shoulder, surprised at how damp and clammy his lumpy skin felt. She was answered with a gruff bark and a shake of the head as the creature once again clawed at his shoulder and neck, whilst trying to flick his odd hair to the side. Perhaps he meant further back? Miria lifted her finger again, touching his shoulder blade as her leaned forward. He didn't give such a gruff sounding answer this time, but he still didn't seem pleased.
'Um… Whoa!' She cried as her grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around. His handling of her was rough, and she sensed his frustration. She shivered involuntarily as she felt his finger pressed at the bottom of her skull. She had a sudden impulse to recoil, and she gulped as she clenched her eyes and tried to pay attention to what he was trying to tell her. His finger began moving slowly, and she realised then that he was counting her vertebrae. Oh god, he wants it in his spine?
The combination of the hunters finger trailing slowly down her spine and the task before her, made her a little giddy. His finger stopped just below her shoulder blades, and he pressed firmly for emphasis.
'Ouch! Ok, ok, I get it' Miria turned around to face him again, and met his staring eyes. His mandibles twitched and clicked together, and he gestured towards his own back once again. Miria positioned herself behind him, and took a few deep breaths to calm her jittery nerves. She raised her finger to the top of his spine, pressing firmly to feel his bone structure beneath. It was no easy task, he was well muscled. She counted slowly, her finger sliding easily over his clammy skin. When she got the where she thought was the same point she leaned forward.
'Um, here?' She pressed firmly, the same way he had emphasised, to try and get her question across. She was surprised when he nodded, and the humanly gesture reassured her, even as he trilled an odd sounding verbal response.
She took another deep breath and clenched her eyes together for a moment, not daring to remove her finger from the location where she was to inject the amber substance. From the moment she opened her eyes she set herself with a grim determination.
'Ok, hope you're ready' she wasn't sure why she spoke, not knowing if he understood her or not, but he seemed to brace himself as she touched the point to his skin, and then pushed hard. She almost gagged as it made a horrible pop as it broke his skin and slid into his flesh. She pressed the plunger all the way in, and withdrew the instrument quickly.
She couldn't say she was surprised that it hurt him, but she wasn't expecting his head to fling backwards, or to connect forcefully with her own. She didn't have time to let out her own wail of pain as her vision went black and she slipped into the oblivion of unconsciousness.
Miria felt giddy as she began to rouse. She felt as if she was falling, and it took a few moments to realise she was indeed moving. She forced her eyelids open, and squinted as the glittering sunlight tried to find its way through the forest canopy. She clenched her eyes shut again as a wave of nausea almost consumed her. But after swallowing hard several times, it thankfully passed. She opened her eyes again, and realised almost instantly why she felt like she was moving. She was being carried!
She began to squirm when she had woken enough to realise the hunter was carrying her off somewhere. Her struggles were met with the tightening of his arms around her small figure, and a disgruntled sounding growl. The hunter stopped in his tracks, and as Miria ceased her struggling, he set her down on the ground. Her head pounded something fierce as she tried to keep her feet. But shamefully, her knees buckled, and the hunter reached out to steady her as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. She was surprised when he handed her a flask of water. She nodded her thanks, and took a cautious sip as he crouched beside her on the ground.
Miria realised then that the hunter was now wearing a mask. He had not been wearing it when he had first shown up, and she was now curious as to how long she had been out for, and how far they had travelled. She was quickly becoming overwhelmed as her racing mind aggravated her recent head injury. So many questions she needed answers to. But the more she tried to decipher her surroundings the harder it became to focus on anything at all. She didn't realise she was swaying until the large hand on her shoulder steadied her.
Miria swallowed hard, choking down the acrid taste of bile as nausea threatened to overcome her. There was too much to think about. She was weak, vulnerable, and helpless. She was at the complete mercy of this hunter, and the thought alone terrified her. In her concussed state, her mind failed to see that he was in fact aiding her.
Vaguely her mind registered the thunderous explosion somewhere in the distance. The last thing she remembered before slipping back into the black depths of unconsciousness was the strong arms lifting her off the ground once again.
