The warm afternoon sun filtered through the lair on a steady breeze, sending a few early leaves fluttering into the crystal tunnel of Thorn’s cavern. All was quiet, and one might think it was almost calm. But…not quite.
As the spirit shuffled through the somewhat crowded lair Katali was sitting up on the makeshift bed with her back against the wall and knees partially pulled up. She clutched a large pillow against her chest and was just…staring at the ground ahead. Her expression was a mixture of things, seemingly unable to settle on just one. Only two stood out more prominently than others behind a stunned and furrowed brow.
Lian stood practically frozen at the threshold of the cavern as he glanced between her and their guardian. The news still hadn’t fully sunk in it seemed. Or he was still processing. It was hard to tell. But above all it appeared he was still deciding on something…
That…couldn’t be good. At least not for a certain individual…
Even so, Thorn was doing his best to ease them -Katali in particular- into the….situation. “I do wish you had come to me sooner,” he said as he turned and gingerly took her hand, placing a small herbal assortment in her palm. “I could have stopped the illness before it became this bad. Combined with your condition and already meager health, it had you in and out of consciousness for the last two days.” Her only response was wrapping her fingers around the herbs, so he continued. “You really must take better care of yourself, my dear.”
The poor thing was silent as she held the pillow closer, but decidedly not too tightly as she made an attempt to make herself look smaller. Somehow she had been so mentally preoccupied she hadn’t even noticed how sick she was. And for some reason she certainly hadn’t thought that…
“A-are…are you sure….?” she finally muttered weakly. A question meant for what he decided to tell her only moments ago.
Thorn nodded. “I have known for a long while, so yes,” he said evenly. “Originally I did want you to discover this on your own. However, the coming days are few. So there is little time to spare in high risks.” Thankfully not too high anymore, given the archangel’s efforts, he thought to himself as he turned to his craft table and began picking through an assortment of dull colored stones.
“So…I wasn’t just imagining things…”
Finally Lian spoke up, though his voice gave nothing away other than the fact he was still sorting through all the thoughts in his head. “Did you really not notice?” he asked her.
Katali gave him a glance. “Not…entirely?” she said with a cringe under his gaze. “I mean…how I’ve started to look isn’t exactly easy to miss… I just thought I was imagining it.“
Perhaps a small part of you was also denying it, Thorn thought as if she could hear. Given your doubts, however, that could be understandable.
The dragon-shifter groaned under his breath as he leaned with his shoulder against the wall, covering his mouth with a hand in thought as he cast his gaze to the side. “I still can’t believe I didn’t notice until now,” he said then glanced at her apologetically. “Sorry about that, by the way… ..It’s all those big dumb sweaters you’ve been wearing.”
After finishing with Thorn’s herbal medicine Katali wrapped her free arm around her middle like a barrier while careful to avoid agitating the year-old scars. “I’m sorry… For some reason I just…wasn’t thinking,” she said quietly.
“Do not apologize, my dear,” Thorn corrected gently. “Illnesses like this can negatively affect the clear-thinking mind, particularly in your case. There is nothing you need to be sorry for.”
“Yeah, don’t worry about it. I’m just still trying to wrap my head around all this…” Then he fell quiet a moment. “What about Tamatoa? Has he caught on yet?” Honestly he figured not. Katali’s condition may have slipped by him, but one thing he did notice was a sheer lack of the crab’s presence around her the past four weeks. So frankly, he was expecting something akin to a simple ‘no.’
But it was as if he drove a sword right through the target at the core of her fears. The color drained from her face as her eyes grew wide, and she became dead silent as if she forgot how to breathe. Her eyes glazed over…
Then hell started to break loose.
“Oh no…no- nO- NO!!!” Her panic skyrocketed, her voice rising in volume with each word as if she were being driven mad. She nearly launched off the bed, scattering straw in her wake.
“KATALI!!!” Startled off guard Lian and Thorn whirled around to stop her, as the moment her feet hit the floor her legs buckled from fatigue.
Thankfully they caught her mid fall, but she was still fighting to get away from them while nearly shrieking at the top of her lungs like a wounded and terrified animal. “He doesn’t know!!!” she shouted as she fought to get away. “I have to tell him NOW! If I don’t HE’LL HATE ME!! HE’LL THINK I’M LYING!”
“You have to stay put and recover!” Thorn grunted with the effort of holding her still, trying not cause her harm while also avoiding being hit himself. Contrary to possible belief, it was rather difficult.
“BUT HE DOESN’T TRUST ME!!!” she wailed back. By now tears were streaming down her face. “WHERE IS HE?!?! WHAT IF HE CHANGED HIS MIND?!?!!!”
Every single vibration from her voice bellowed through the tunnels, shaking dust free from the walls and causing the inlaid crystals among them to sound as if they would shatter any second.
“Katali, stop it!” Lian shouted over her thrashing. “You’re only making it worse!” At the same time, fearing the worst and having no other options, Thorn placed his hand in the middle of her back and barked something in ancient wolf-tongue. With an intense flash of light she was suddenly forced back into wolf form. Her struggling finally ceased, and she fell limp in their arms.
The wolf’s eyes were closed and her chest heaved with every gasp to reclaim the air she lost in the panic, but she was calming down.
Lian didn’t let go until after he and the guardian eased her to the ground. Once she was settled he sat back on his knees, shaken and a little out of breath. Even when she’s sick…she’s a lot stronger than she looks…
Thorn did the same, running his hand along Katali’s scruff and shoulders as an added calming gesture. “I was afraid of that…” he muttered gravely. After a minute he added, “When she is stable again the spell to keep her bound in wolf form will wear off…. But her human body cannot withstand all of this while she is sick… Even in health it can be dangerous…” And that was implication enough. Thorn saw the younger shapeshifter’s hands form tight fists against his legs, also hearing a dark growl rumble from his chest and throat. And when he looked up he saw Lian’s eyes glowing yellow, glaring and burning with a furious inner fire.
He was not going to tolerate his sister being under this much pressure.
With an abrupt snarl he got to his feet and marched toward the exit. He had another target to hit, this time with the utmost intention. “Where are you going?” In all honesty, Thorn could already guess. If he didn’t have to keep such a close watch on Katali he would be all too tempted to do the same.
