I find my current situation really unseemly. Imagine, having skin contact with someone's girl, having your arm draping over her shoulders for support while her lover is simply at my opposite flank unable to do anything but help steady my woozy ass crossing the river. I could at least try leaning more away from Hearthe but my weight would never be distributed equally making our steps asynchronous. Hence, I fear that Chilo might misunderstand it as a ploy to deter him and have her for me entirely. Gawd Halp.
"How are you feeling now?", Chilo monotonously asked. I am not going to lie that I am surprised that he could still ask me in this situation and show a bit of concern. But wait—maybe he is just asking to check and confirm that I could now walk on my own so that I could keep my arms away from Hearthe and relieve them from this burden.
"I-I could somehow manage on my own now. Thanks.", I stammered as I try not to loll my head in every direction causing unwanted headbutts. I tried to put some weight on my hands just to subtly push them away, but they just shifted themselves and adjusted to my pacing.
"So, Hearthe", I prompted, bearing the dead air no longer, "What did you mean by referring to it as 'bad omen' earlier?"
"Uh...", she gasped, almost frozen in place; our pacing slightly disrupted, unsure of whether to answer or dodge my question. She gave Chilo an imploring gaze; I followed hers. Chilo, his chin slightly perked up, trying not to bat an eye in his attempt of trying not to meet my gaze, knowing full well that I am expecting for a response.
"I've got a lot of questions unanswered", I exclaimed in exasperation.
"Of course, you do", he answered but his eyes are still in the distant, thinking—I could hear his focused respiring. Given by his expression, I tried to convince myself not to press them any further; remembering how Lihla gave Hearthe the look, maybe they've got reasons why they couldn't tell it to me yet—reasons that I may find so hard to believe—so, I just had to work on my patience, instead. "You don't have any ideas yet, do you?", he remarked.
Hearing those words left me astounded. I tried to puzzle the pieces together—they didn't make any sense and all I could conclude was that magic exists and we coexist with the extraordinary. Until now, I used to never believe in such fairytales; they are right in front of my very eyes—much more being with them!
"Just try not to muse over it", she soothed with a motherly tone. "Strays happ..."
Before I knew it, my mind had drifted as she spelled out my probable case. The words, 'stray', 'mysticism', 'transcendence' and many more resonated within the depths of my sub-consciousness stirring a long-lost imprint that had been buried within life's ever-flowing entrenchments.
It reminded me of my childhood: I had been seeing—might have been a dream—this lush elven setting. I could still vividly call out the details of that somehow suspended, perfectly cone-shaped mountain from a distance where I am cradled with towering trees. That setting had been occupying in my head rent-free for what felt like forever—until recently.
"Ho~ So quick of you to adapt on the situation. I never expected that!", he said as I was recollecting my sanity. No, Chilo! I am just having flashbacks of my bizzarest dreams that have clung to me yet.
"Yeah! I was hoping that you'd be in a state of shock and curl up like a bal—", I felt her arms swiftly reaching behind my back and apparently pinched Chilo's sides and then shot him in the eyes. Ah~ love birds. Really. At this point, I can no longer tell if Chilo is waging a psychological warfare with me or just brutally frank and blunt. Apart from that, I could tell Hearthe's deep gaze of concern as if I had exited from them spiritually.
"Right. I've been seeing and experiencing these kinds of things since my childhood,"
Chilo, trying to mask his wince by adjusting himself, "So, that speeds things up now", Ooh... that must have really hurt.
As we paced and waded, I could not help but think about that recalled dream. I am in an unknown forest, deep and further down the thick canopies. I also could not help but wonder if this is the exact forest in my dream or how in the coincidence would it time it's recalling like this?
I scanned my gaze; the trees here don't have any resemblance nor similarities from of that dream. Would it be a good time to ask them about it? — I think not. These two give-off a tension of telling me or not telling me this something they cannot tell yet. Given from Hearthe's reactions and Chilo's suppressed hesitance, I could pick up from those subtleties.
"Can you climb?", Chilo asked, interrupting me from my internal monologue; snapping back to reality. Huh? What do you mean climb? I jerked my head from lolling. We're at the opposite bank. I looked at my lower; it was drenched. The wave of chill just came to me. Instinctively, I squatted to recover my body's temperature.
"H-h-ho-o-w l-l-ong have I been o-o-u-t?"
My hearing was muffled by the intense surge of chill that had numbed the entirety of my senses like brain freeze. The chattering of my teeth reverberated through my skull. A mischievous wind crept to my spine up to my nape and places beyond my permission, tingling—prickling even further, all the way up to my nips. Balling up, I lost all sense of balance. It felt like I was put inside a jar—swaying and bumping from all over the place. My vision was long—smudged and blurry, whipping everything past me in streaks. I felt euphoric when that warmth and softness jostled the tingled skin on my back, engulfing the coldness as if my body is reclaiming its heat.
I gradually felt myself relax from the relentless shuddering as it faded—no more chill. I felt my body slowly unfurl; limbs now stretched back into form. My vision regained back its focus. I saw orange highlights, but it didn't warn me unlike the orange lights back in the deep forest. Fire. I knew this fire was comforting. I should be safe... for now.
My eyes were lost in the orange tints. Cinders floated and flickered from the hearth. Shadows guarded the room; some gracefully danced to the rhythm of the pit, and some remain vigilantly still, as if guarding me to my safety. The serenity kindled a warmth spreading within me. I slowly peeled myself from what had been embracing me—a hemp blanket diffused with the fire's scent, coarse yet comforting.
Despite the comfort brought to me, a strange feeling kept tugging. I felt different—I felt sharper. It seemed that I also burned the same fire inside the room as if it pulsated from my existence. I noticed, everything was mostly made out of wood—except from the fireplace which was made of rocks. The room didn't seem to have a bed otherwise, it was occupied. I found myself on the wooden floor, nestled onto a pile of textures against the wall. I must have already made it into the camp.
I stood up to inspect the room. The flames flicked as a wave of nausea hit me, but I remained composed—so did the shadows. There was no bed at all, but an iron tea table and a chair of three that felt intentional. The room only had a single window perched across. I paced towards it and tried to budge it open, but with no luck, the glass only stared gloomily back at me. I reckon the window wasn't just stuck, it was sealed as if it had never been meant to open.
Outside, footsteps clattered with certainty then a knock at the door echoed across the room. The door swung open, revealing Hearthe with a plateful of something that smelt of roast. She knocked the utensil off the plate. It clattered onto the wooden floor as she swiftly turned against the door swinging back at her. Chilo, who was just a few steps behind her caught the door and stepped in to check. We met eyes, for a split second, he spilt the mug over the brim at his possession as he abruptly turned away.
I wondered what might have stirred them. I made my way to get my answers—to check what was going on with those two. As I reached half the floor, it was Lihla, unfazed, met me by the door. Our eyes met; she didn't falter. If anything, her eyes locked towards me. Whatever had driven those two tracing their steps behind, it had no effect on her—instead, it was the opposite.
In her possession was the undelivered plate and mug from moments ago. On the plate was a steaming chunk of roast meat. I could not tell which meat it was. It was perfectly charred and seared. It was paired with some greens—presumably, choy—and steaming baked potatoes. I forced a smile as she approached—my eyes still locked on the plate. She reached at the steak with her bare hands and set the rest of the plate on the tea table.
Bewildered, I inched towards her. As I was about to ask, she faced me—deadlock in the eyes. She raised the steak between our faces and without a word, she began to eat parts of it. I wasn't so sure what to do. I wanted to eat—famished. I inched my face closer, bit and ate the steak with her. As I savored, my taste buds erupted with umami—with every bite, I craved for more. I clutched her hand closer... and closer... tighter as I chomped my way at the dwindling meat.
I felt her breath—charred and tinged with the sweetness of grapes—upon the last few bites at her fingertips—just inches apart, at least. We locked our gazes at each other. She resisted whenever I pulled her closer. She perfectly timed the pullback, stealing the morsel to her lips. Driven by ravenous need, my visioned darkened and met her lips.
I salivated at the juiciness of the steak with hints of grapes laced in her nectar. She chewed as I hovered at her lips, indulging in what lingered beyond each of her bite. She cupped the back of my head; her tongue passed the unchewed half unto mine—savoring each flavor of her textures. I pulled and grabbed her by the waist. She nibbled on my lips as I chewed on the other half and lapped at the overflowed moisture trickling down my throat—swallowing the parts of what she had left for me.
She pulled herself right after. I opened my eyes and met hers glowing. Her pupils were in slits; the flames reflected in her eyes.
"I knew you were the one,"