An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Prompts: Scary scratching, Hide
Published: 2022-01-01, Completed: 2022-03-11
Chapters: 12/12, Words: chapter 6: 3110, story: 30667
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences, Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach & Yennefer of Vengerberg
Additional Tags: Spoilers for The Witcher (TV) Season 2, POV Yennefer of Vengerberg, Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends, The Amazing Devil (Band) lyrics references, missing scenes Witcher season 2, Cahir Whump, Caretaker Yennefer of Vengerberg
Summary: After Yennefer and Cahir have escaped on horseback from the site of the failed execution, they are stranded on the Isle of Thanedd with no plan, no resources, no anything. Will the unlikely duo make it to Gors Velen in one piece?
Excerpt from Chapter 6: That Scratching
"Cahir?" She touches him lightly on the shoulder. Startled, he flinches and reflexively gropes about for a weapon, but, of course, there is none.
"Shhh. Don't move or make a sound," Yennefer breathes urgently. "Can't you hear it? Can't you hear that scratching?"
They both listen intently. There it is again. A faint but distinct scratching on sand as if something large is hauled - or is hauling itself - up the beach toward their cave.
"You wait here. I'll have a look." Cahir makes a move to get up quietly.
"Wait!" Yennefer cautions. "We don't know what's out there!"
"Could be wolves. Dragging the carcass of a stranded dolphin or whale up the beach. Although," Cahir adds pensively, still speaking in a barely audible whisper, "a pack of wolves would certainly make more noise."
"Could be ghosts or monsters or a vampire!"
"I don't know. But I'm going to find out." Determined, Cahir gets up and, as noiselessly as possible with those annoying manacles still attached to his wrists, fumbles through the darkness moving toward the cave's entrance, Yennefer following closely behind him.
"Damn, I don't see a thing. It's too dark."
Unfortunately and much to their dismay, it is, as the entire sky is shrouded in heavy clouds. No moon, no stars nor any other source of even the faintest of light. No matter how long they stare, they cannot make out any shape or movement in the blackness of the night. However, they can still hear the scratching on sand. It cannot be far from their cave now. What is even worse, there seem to be more of these mysterious beings or entities hauling out of the ocean and creeping up the beach. One more to the right and several, maybe three or four, to the left. Glorious. Now they are being surrounded by an invisible and potentially lethal ocean-dwelling creature and not able to do anything about it. Anything at all besides noiselessly moving back inside the cave, hide and wait and hope that those beings won't find and eat them alive. Where is a fucking Witcher when you actually need one?
Giving up on their original intention to find out more about the source of the scratching Yennefer and Cahir retreat quietly, and, apprehensively listening for more sounds from outside, huddle against the far wall of the cave. The creature whose noise woke Yennefer up in the first place is crawling ever nearer toward their hideout. Now they cannot only hear the scratching, grating sound of flesh on sand but also heavy breathing. Were Yennefer still in possession of her chaos and not on the run from the Brotherhood, this situation would be so laughably easy. She would simply cast some illumination spell to find out what kind of creature they are dealing with, and, in case they are truly dangerous, she could portal the both of them out in a jiffy. No need to be afraid, to break out in a cold sweat, not even for a single second. Without her magic though, it is a totally different story. Pearls of perspiration accumulate on her forehead and, unwittingly, Yennefer digs her long, clammy fingers painfully into Cahir's thigh. For a time there is timelessness, endless anxiousness, nothing but that scratching, the wet heavy breathing of the creature and the scared beating of their hearts ...
Read the complete chapter on Ao3:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/36103483/chapters/91740730
