From the Ashes - 5
Warnings: Sickness, fever, begging, fear.
Taglist: @stuck-in-this-mortal-form @whumpwillow, @wolfeyedwitch, @befuddled-calico-whump, @bliss757, @whump-for-all-and-all-for-whump, @hoe-for-oreo
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He knew he had made a mistake, but it was too late to escape the consequences.
Acanthir squirmed weakly, not quite delirious, but not lucid either.
“Lie still.” The girl said calmly.
Acanthir shivered. “I-it hurts.”
“I know.”
He whimpered, unable to escape the pain, but too weak to do anything but lay against the dragon's flank.
She started to withdraw, but he caught her wrist in a weak grip.
The girl put her hand in his forehead, and Acanthir pressed into the touch slightly, desperate for any comfort.
"Please, st-stay with m-me." He begged, too out of it to care about his pride.
"It’s alright." She said softly.
********
Zera felt the blazing heat of Acanthir's fever, and inwardly winced.
Without thinking, she gently brushed his damp hair back, murmuring reassurances.
“Mnhhhhh.” The prince groaned, nuzzling into her hand.
“Sssshhhhh.”
“I-I don’t know your n-name.” The Prince moaned.
There was a long pause.
"Zera." She said quietly.
“Zera.” He repeated weakly. “St-stay with me, p-please.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Zera told him quietly. “Just relax.”
“I-I...” He whimpered. Thorn twisted his neck to look at the prince, and Zera gently stroked his snout.
Acanthir shuddered violently, his half-lidded eyes meeting Zera’s. He moaned weakly.
It didn’t take long for him to sink into sleep, albeit a restless one.
Zera sighed, noticing the slight lightening of the sky.
Thorn lowered his head, resting it in her lap. Zera laughed slightly. The dragon’s head was bigger than her torso, yet it brought her comfort, to have him so close to her.
Zera gently stroked the smooth scales, and the dragon made a noise that was almost a purr.
They stayed like that, watching the sunrise, and for a long time after.
*****
Acanthir blearily opened his eyes, feeling only marginally better. He tried to sit up, but his arms were too weak to support him.
The dragon had moved, and was sitting at the entrance of the cave, eating something.
Zera was sitting next to her dragon, who seemed to be sharing his catch with her.
“What do you call him?” Acanthir croaked out in a gravelly voice.
Zera turned to look at him. “Thorn.” She replied.
“It suits him.” Acanthir rasped.
She knelt next to him, wordlessly offering him a piece of still steaming meat.
His stomach churned, and he shook his head weakly.
Concern flashed through her purplish-blue eyes, and she sighed.
“You need to eat something.”
“I can’t...”
“Alright.” She said calmly. “We’ll try again later.”
She looked out at the snowy field.
“They’ll be looking for you.”
“I doubt it... They must think I’m dead.” Acanthir groaned. “Surviving a dragon attack is almost unheard of.”
“I guess so.” Zera said quietly. “But he wasn’t trying to kill you. Just to protect me.”
“I know.” Acanthir told her. “If he’d wanted to kill me that night. I wouldn’t be here.”
Zera
Thorn
Acanthir