Chapter One: The Canyons of Cataclysm
3 years later
I'm lying on my back staring up at the grey sky, gasping for breath. It's days like this when I wish I had stayed home. But no, I'm in the canyon of Cataclysm being attacked by a Slinger, if the green markings on its back are correct, I'm facing an Acid Slinger. Lucky me. I jump to my feet just in time to dodge an acid ball hurtling towards me. My only thought process is 'Damn damn damn damn...' on repeat, before I yell aloud, "Damn that Fire Nation!" Yes, I'm a geek. Get over it. Out of the corner of my eye, I see another blow coming, and I have time to jump away, not noticing the acid coming from the other direction. Before I have time to process what's happening, I'm being knocked out of the way by another person. Directly after, a young man's screams echo through the canyon. I whip my head around in time to see him fall to the ground, a mop of dark chocolate hair falling over his face. I cannot see his eyes, for they are closed. I have time to reach my arrows in my quiver, load my arrow into my bow, and shoot the slinger right between it's eyes, seeing the tip of the arrow penetrating out the other side, black blood spraying across the side of my face. It's only then do I realize this man had just saved my life. I sigh. Now I've gotta help him. Reluctantly, I scoop him up in my arms and get him into a crook in the rocks, ignoring his cries of agony. Weaving through the tunnels lit by the glowing moon stone, I get to a symbol in the wall, marking a room on the other side. I step in, and the wall closes up again behind me. I set the man down on the ground, leaning his back against the wall. His cries have died down, and a soft whimper takes its place. His whole left arm, from collar bone to fingertip has been damaged due to the acid, white bone visible in places. I rush over to grab ointment from my satchel. I kneel down beside him, and gently start to rub the ointment in. He stifles a scream. "Bloody Hell–" he yelps through clenched teeth.
"Stop being such a baby," I reply with a shake of my head. "And for heaven sake, quit moving," he flashes me a stare that speaks louder than words. He sighs, and turns his face away, but I have no doubt the expression on his face. An expression I can't quite describe; a mix of pain, embarrassment, and annoyance. His bright ice blue eyes begin to search the room, looking at the torch, the walls, with a sense of awe.
"W-where is this place?" He stutters out, his voice full of confusion.
"Within the canyon," I reply simply.
"But, there are no openings in the walls..." his eyebrows scrunch up together causing lines of confusion to appear on his forehead, making him look like Yoda. I sigh, growing impatient. Guess I'm going to have to show him. I stand up, and press my hand to the wall. He flails his arms, and sets off a chain of curses.
"Arm-oh hell-arm..." I just giggle. Wait–giggle? I've never giggled a day in my life! What the hell is this guy? I feel heat start to rise to my cheeks. Thought process–what? Blushing, me? Those two words should never be in the same sentence. Brain: Does not compute.
•§•
I'm probably gonna kill myself for this later–but damn she's cute when she blushes. I raise my eyebrow.
"What?" she snaps back, without a moment's hesitation. Wow, defensive much.
"Nothing," I say as I turn away, heat rising to my cheeks. I can feel her eyes on me, and after what seems like forever she walks over and continues rubbing ointment on my arm. I bite down on my tongue, stopping my screams. I taste iron in my mouth, but it's better and less significant than the pain radiating from my am. Eventually, I can't feel it anymore, a feeling of numbness replacing the pain. A little time later, my eyelids get heavy, and I drift to sleep, the last think I hear is the soft hum from the girl that saved my life.
•§•
I was rubbing ointment into his acid burned arm, and shoulder, humming a wordless melody, and only a few minutes later I realize he had drifted off to sleep. I quickly finish bandaging his wounds. I go to move away but I'm stopped by a shiver shooting up my spine, goose bumps beginning to form on my arms. I sigh, if I was this cold now, he would soon become freezing, and in the state he was in, he would surely catch his death. I move to his other side and curl up against his side, lending him my warmth, while borrowing some or his at the same time. I snuggle closer, "god damn how is he so warm…" I mumble under me breath. I feel myself begin to drift away, just praying that we would be safe for the night.