Chapter 27: Fallen

KITH

Several days go by before the group reaches some semblance of civilization. The town is small with 50 people at best. The dome houses are made of clay and wood, which provided little relief from the day's heat as they all sat inside the chief's hut. The elder offered them food and water plus some more salamander elixir which they'd run out of days ago.

"We have two small springs, one for males and another for females. You can cool off there," says the elder's daughter. She is beautiful, with long, raven hair and a scantily clad bodice with a skirt to match. She also looks pretty interested in Kith. Much to Eris's annoyance. Kith didn't care for the attention either. His eyes were still on Eris. But he did love teasing her… Made for better foreplay.

The woman sits next to Kith and runs her hands down his arm, where a small bandaged cut is.

Kosh and Harrin quickly grab his arm, feigning concern. "Oh, my," Kosh says, examining Kith's arm. "Does it still bother you, brother?"

Harrin nods, a smirk playing at his lips. "Eris, Kith needs more healing."

Kith smiles broadly as he looks at Eris. Her eyes are on fire, and the room fills with crackling energy. Sparks of electricity dance between her fingertips as she looks at the elder's daughter with increasing irritation.

The elder nods. "Worry not. My daughter has outstanding healing abilities."

Eris stands quickly. "As his wife," Ren chokes a little on his food, as does Kosh and Kith on their drinks. "I should be the one to tend to him." she nods her head to the elder and his daughter. "Thank you, though."

Kith's heart did many flips in his chest before it finally settled back down. He eyes Eris, who keeps looking at the elder, intentionally ignoring his amused gaze.

"My fur companion requires a cooler place. These baths you have, would she be allowed in as well?" Flig says, breaking up the moment.

"Aye, of course." The elder leads them outside, and they walk up a small hill around his home. "Up that way," he points. "Is for the ladies. "There," he points again in another direction. "Is the one for the men. I have some business about town to settle. We shall talk at tonight's feast."

They all thank him as the man exits, leaving his daughter behind. Didn't he realize what danger his girl was in? Kith shakes his head.

The elder's daughter looked visibly sadden by the news that Kith was 'married.'

Kith grabs Eris by the waist and cradles her neck gently. "I will see you later, bride of mine ." He looks up at the vixen who caused all the trouble, then back to his Eris. "Try to stay out of trouble, hmm?"

Eris jabs him hard in the ribs, and he lets go of her to rub the spot, all the while laughing as he joins up with the other men.

Renimil claps him on the shoulder. "Funny how not too long ago you had no idea if she even liked you." chuckling, he adds. "Now she's your wife."

Flig laughs, as well. "You certainly act like you're a married couple."

"No, they don't," Harrin says dismissively. "They wouldn't fuck as much as they do."

"How the hell would you know?" Kith asks. "You've not been married before."

"Why don't you just marry for real than we'd all learn," Kosh adds. "And I agree with Flig. That was jealousy if I ever saw it. Her claiming her assets, if you will."

Kith rolls his eyes. "As long as she's the one claiming, she can say and do whatever the hell she'd like."

The adventurers reach the pool. Three exotic women were spreading flowers of different colors in the water. Their sweet scent permeates the air.

"Ladies," Renimil says, smiling that elvish smile that says 'let's go -'

"Kith," Flig says, interrupting his thoughts. He hands him a towel.

The men undress and unwind in the refreshing pool. It'd been a while since they all had a chance to relax and not worry about what they'd have to continue tomorrow. They all know this moment is fleeting, and they savor it with gusto. The afternoon breeze feels good against Kith's damp skin. His body is half-submerged as he lays back and thinks about Eris. In the distance, he can hear Ren's voice and ladies giggling.

"I see Ren's blowing off steam the best way he knows how," Kosh says.

"I don't blame him," Kith says, his mind imagining Eris naked in the pool.

"He probably doesn't want to be with us anyways," Flig says across from them. "Giving all that has been said."

Kith closes his eyes. Seductive moaning floats in the wind-down to the men.

"I'm thinking about telling Aluuna how I feel about her," Harrin says quietly, almost to himself.

"I thought you weren't going to go down that road." Says Flig.

Kith sits up to look at Harrin. "Now is the time." He offers. "Who knows what will happen when all this is said and down."

Harrin and the others nod in agreement. "My father is out of the picture now. And what I feel for her has had nothing to do with him."

"You don't ever talk much about your family," Kosh says.

"My mother died giving birth to me, and my father was an abusive bastard who blamed me for it." Harrin shrugs. "He taught me how to take a hit. Taught me what it is to be a man. Not whatever he is. But someone that defends people, not mistreats them. Harrin rises out of the pool and wraps himself in a towel left by the ladies earlier. He sits down on a nearby flat rock. "I was getting stronger than him. He was getting older, and he knew with all my training and resentment, it was all a matter of time before I did something I'm not sure I would have regretted."

Kith thought about how he felt about his tribe. They knew better than to touch him though some were foolish enough. Most of his abuse was verbal and emotional. Something Kith hated about himself. That he gave a shit. But isn't that want everyone looked for? A place to belong. To be loved. He didn't need the village for that anymore. He knew Eris loved him as well as Kosh. Ren and the others are fast becoming his family.

Movement down the walkway grabs their attention. Okami makes a beeline for the water and jumps in, splashing everyone with her antics.

"Kith," Eris calls out.

He quickly dons on his pants and walks to meet her down the way. She's waiting for him at the split. The wind catches her hair, and she looks at him with a warm and inviting smile.

"The walls of these huts are very thin, bride of mine." He wraps his arms around her. "You'll have to be extra quiet."

She looks at him confused and cocks her head. "Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you?"


ERIS

She tried. She really did. But the pettiness in Eris prevented her from remaining too silent. She wanted to make everyone in the damn village knew he was hers. Her hands caressed down Kith's broad chest below the covers that shielded him for her hungry gaze. Kith stirs awake.

"Mmm." Kith moves his hand to hers and brings it to his lips. "We have to get up."

"I know," she says, moving to straddle him.

Kith groans. "You know what I mean, woman."

Eris pouts. "I hate all this traveling." she leans down to kiss him. "They don't need us. They can go on without our help."

Kith spins her, so he's now on top. "The sun is not yet up." He kisses his way down her body, teasing her with his hands as he goes.


ERIS

Eris and Kith leave a short time later, Eris well spent. Renimil is waiting just outside with their horses. "You sure you don't need a few minutes, Eris? You look tired."

Eris grins, and Kith attaches their gear to the horses. "You should talk. I know that was you making that commotion with those girls yesterday."

"How many was that anyways?" Kith asks flippantly.

Renimil holds up three fingers. Eris at him with mild disgust. And a little awe. She could never imagine sharing Kith with another female. A mischievous smile hangs on her lips as Ren helps Eris onto her horse. "Two other girls… NEVER." She says, adjusting herself on the mount. "But mayhap, two guys. Hmm, there's a thought."

The look on Kith's face is deadly. That's what he gets for letting that woman touch all over him.

Ren puts his hand on Kith's arm. "Anytime you need a friend,"

Kith unsheathes his blade and points it to lie beneath Ren's chin.

Ren slowly puts up his hands in mock surrender. He pushes down the sword with his finger, but it doesn't budge.

"What the hell did you say this time, Renimil," Aluuna asks, shaking her head.

"If you were anyone else, elf." Kith sheathes the sword and steps close to Ren's ear. "I would have killed you without a second thought."

Renimil turns to walk away. "Isn't that what you're planning to do anyways, hond ebrath."

Eris's heart sank. She hated the tension that was in the air with everyone recently.

"Kith, I was just playing," she says. Though Eris was attracted to Ren, she had no intention of sharing her bed with someone other than Kith.

Kith doesn't look at her or say anything as he mounts his horse and follows Renimil.

The others join, and another day goes by where no one talks to one another. She was getting tired of it. She rides her horse hard to the front and rears up to stop them from advancing.

"We'll rest here the night." She says, dismounting. "We're also going to have to come up with a solution to our current problem."

"There isn't anything to talk about," Renimil says, dismounting as well. He walks past her to tie both of the horses to a boulder.

Kosh yells out, and the horses buck them all off, running in any direction. "MOVE!"

A burst of blue emerges from the desert sand. Lightning streaks forth as Kith rushes forward to shove Renimil out of the line of fire. Kith takes the full blast to his back. He slumps to his knees then falls to the ground. Eris looks on in horror. No.