I Who Should Not Be
Chapter 12
Onika opened her eyes to see the sky was a silver grey. The sun hadn't risen yet, but Arya was and Eragon was nowhere to be seen. The female elf was gathering the things for breakfast. She turned when she heard the Wolfborn getting to her feet.
"Why…up?"
"Elves don't sleep like other people. We just don't have to. If you need more rest, go back to sleep. We'll wake you when it is time."
Onika shook her head and looked to Mishee, who lay with her head resting on Saphira's right foreleg and her tail touching Thorn's side. The Wolfborn smiled. The young dragon had chosen the two to be her parents, and the two didn't seem to mind at all.
"I'm going to…pray? Pray."
Eragon tipped his head and looked at the Wolfborn, looking like he was fighting not to laugh. He had never heard of Onika praying before, and with how she sometimes acted it was downright laughable. Especially when she had just woken up.
To prove his point, Onika scowled and flung a shoe at the chuckling man and turning to walk into the woods, smiling when she heard a thud followed by a muffled curse.
Before the man could catch up to her, she shifted into her wolf form and bounded through the familiar forest. She slowed as she neared the ravine that she had visited last night, carefully sniffing the air.
I wonder if the spirits are still here. After all the bloodshed, it wouldn't surprise me if the little things took off…
She gave a friendly bark and shifted back into her Tame form, her eyes scanning the shadows around her. Her eyebrows shot up when she saw a tiny pale shape, like a misshapen human with an oversized lumpy head on a thin little body. When it noticed that she was watching it, the creature took off into the woods.
Onika sighed and sat down away from the edge of the ravine, deciding that if she was going to do the traditional prayers, she should be sitting. She had passed out during the prayers before, and she didn't want to go crashing to the bottom of the ravine where jagged rocks jutted out of the river.
Drawing a long needle and blade out of her sleeve, she looked around for the bottle of special ink she had made last night before Arya had come to find her. She set the knife down on her thigh and reached for the ink bottle and blinked when she pulled back her hand and saw that the little spirit had come out along with the bottle, seated on top of the cap.
:You're here again? Where is your family little one? I thought you had all left.:
The spirit shook it's head, making a rattling sound. She could understand their odd speech, even though she knew that none of the others would ever even see them probably.
:Your brother was here. Don't you smell him?:
:Yes, little one, I do. But I need to do this first…placate my family.:
The little spirit nodded and rattled again and arranged itself by one of her feet and held the bottle steady after she uncorked it. Dipping the needle into the ink, she used her other hand to remove her shirt and touch the twisting tattoo that she was adding to. The spirit kept watch as the Wolfborn closed her eyes and let her mind slide away. She was aware of her hand moving to trace a pattern with the inking needle, then the knife as it was used to fill in lines and curves. As she finished, she felt her mind slipping away again with a feeling of nausea.
I wondered when that was coming…
She uttered a low growl as her eyes rolled back in her head and she toppled over, blood running out from under her skin. The little spirit rattled sadly and set off a tiny explosion to warn her friends, it knew she was not alone, of her position.
Murtagh had just risen in some confusion when he heard the bang. All three of the people in the camp looked into the woods. Recognition dawned on Arya's face and the elf took off into the woods, Murtagh and Eragon hot on her heels.
"I think I know where she is. Come on, we're slower in the woods."
As they ran, Murtagh could swear he could hear a faint rattling sound, like many little bones being shaken together in a bowl. What could be making that noise? He decided that he would call for Onika as they ran, hoping that she would answer him.
:Pack Female! Where Pack Female? Answer Leader Male!:
When he heard nothing, he began to feel a little fear for his fellow Rider. He was still running when he heard Arya shout from a way ahead of him.
"She's bleeding!"
That's it. Goodbye calm calculation, hello panic-rat.
Murtagh put on a burst of speed and launched himself over fallen trees and came to a screeching halt to see Arya trying to get Onika's shirt on as the Wolfborn's pale face rolled off to one side, her hair falling over it.
"What…what happened?!"
"I don't know Murtagh, but she's fine. I think she passed out."
As if on cue, Onika's eyes opened a little and fixed on the elf.
:They are still here… Little… Spirits…:
Murtagh heard the rattle again and looked up into a tree to see seven little pale creatures. They all began to rattle at the same time and clamber down toward him. He yelped and fell over his feet, scrambling over the ground until he felt Onika's hand settle over his.
:Friends.:
"In your…language, they are… Kenbosi."
The Kenbosi rattled again and Eragon watched as one brought a sphere of water to Onika and splashed it onto her bare belly and chest. Onika yelped and wiped the water away with her hands. Eragon was engrossed with the Kenbosi and Arya was trying to coax a few more out of a bush.
"You scared me, Onika. Please…don't do that again."
:It was the prayer, Leader Male. I had to add to the prayer…:
He looked at her skin and saw that some of her skin was angry red under new twisting patterns.
"Where did you get ink?"
Onika smiled and mimed cutting her hands and he saw the slash marks on her hands and arms.
"When?"
:Last night. Before I came back.:
He shook his head and put his hands over the wounds and murmured the Ancient words of healing, feeling her skin knitting together. After that, he looked at the swollen tattooed skin and almost went to heal that too, but Onika stopped him. Pulling on her shirt, she pulled herself into a real sitting position and looked over as the Kenbosi all turned to look at her. They rattled at her and she nodded, holding up a hand to silence them.
:They watched me. Don't worry so much.:
:Worried.:
:I know.:
She smiled and rose to her feet, waiting for the others to stand. In her mind, she heard Mishee yammering happily to her 'parents' while they looked for food. She turned to tell Murtagh that the Kenbosi would follow them while they were in the woods when the dark haired man leaned down and kissed her on the cheek.
"Ah…"
Murtagh kept walking, calling over his shoulder to the others as he walked.
"Well, I don't know about you three, but I'm hungry. We should be leaving soon, and we won't be stopping often, so we had better eat now."
He and Eragon walked ahead of the two women, talking quietly while the elf tried to gage the Wolfborn's reaction. At first, Onika followed mutely, but then blood rushed to her face. The Kenbosi crowded around her feet while one sat on her shoulder. The one on her shoulder crinkled it's brow and put a hand to her face as if it was worried she had a fever.
"Don't worry, little one" Arya said with a giggle "she's just…happy."
Onika crossed her eyes and stuck out her tongue at the elf, making her laugh and give her arm a gentle swat.
"You know I'm telling the truth."
"Don't…tell."
"I won't."