It was an interesting experience to converse with Katherine, really. Most times when Ahote had a chance to meet someone new, his mother and father always seemed to be in the picture. Someway, somehow, they were there. Not that he minded his parents' presences, he just never had the opportunity to enjoy conversation with a stranger without there being some violent trial or interrogation. To others, those sort of events seemed exciting and twisted, but to the raven haired youth it was simply another day at home.
Ahote asked his question, but even after several seconds passed, silence remained between the two. Words did roll off her tongue and slip past her pale lips, but in fragments, never connecting into a full sentence. He now understood that the subject was a troubling one for her, and she was going through a number of ideas of how to handle the situation. Ahote knew this well, as it was a similar reaction he had experienced when on a difficult subject he didn't want to share his feelings on. He knew she was going to lie, and lie about it consistently. Surely, in her mind, there was no danger in doing so towards a stranger who was a younger boy. Ahote studied her thoroughly as she spoke, ready to decipher her next comments; but to his surprise, it was anything but a lie. In fact, she was rather blunt about it. Ahote couldn't find the words to talk for the brief silence in between.
Mother, huh? I didn't expect her to be so honest about it. Maybe that's a disadvantage on her part, giving such details to a stranger, especially after a stranger attacked her without so much a reason. She isn't quite bright, is she, huh? The boy thought to himself. Of course, he was curious and didn't worry for his mother's well being, but surely was curious in knowing the details.
"Vital, huh? Sounds pretty important. What have you heard about Famine? I hardly get a word from those jackals for settlers out there, barely know a thing about the mages who live on the mountain." Ahote queried, insisting that he was just as in the grey as she was. Clearly, he wasn't, being their son and protege. But to some extent, he really did not know anything about his family's business outside of the mountain or their reputations as mages. Even after the talk he had with Famine, he was still clueless.
The crimson-haired mage squinted her eyes in annoyance. He must think her to be an idiot. Perhaps her words hadn't been the best or the smoothest, but what other choice had she had? She'd never been a very good liar, so telling the truth was all that could save her ass. Katherine felt the sudden need to defend herself.
"You know... I was going to lie to you, but you seem the type to be able to weed that out. She leaned forward in her seat, letting the coat slide off of her shoulders as she rested her elbows on her knees. "In my defense, I'm not the best at speaking anything but the truth. However... I can deny you information. You seem quite intelligent, Ahote, and personally... I doubt you know nothing about that guild. Let alone Famine." Deep in her gut, she felt like she might be pushing her limits a little too far, but she couldn't bring herself to care. She felt like there was something off about him...
It had taken her too long to notice it and now she was wary. She could feel it just by sitting across from him. A tingling in her skin, just like... Magic. She should have known immediately, but she'd been too out of it, even when he'd touched her. He was a mage, and quite strong she must admit. There was no way in hell that he didn't know about the mages living on the mountain, he was one of them.
The heat of her frustration boiled in her veins and she pressed her lips together so tightly that they almost bled. In fact, they did a tiny bit, the harder she pressed. She tasted the copper seep though the cracks of her dry lips and absently wiped it away with the back of her hand, dragging some of it across her pale knuckles. She sighed heavily, wiping her hands down her face.
"I-I'm sorry, I don't...know." Her heart burned, begging her to let out her turmoil, but she wouldn't. "I can't believe this is happening..." She whispered. Heaving another sigh, she stood abruptly and stalked over to the fire. She shoved up her sleeves and stuck her hands into the flames. The pain was welcomed, the injury she was sure to receive was not a concern; she could heal it anyway, so what was the problem? Katherine needed something to distract her from the fact that she had ultimately just buried herself in a pit, so deep it was mere inches from being at the center of the earth. The fire was about as hot she imagined that would be.
She growled through clenched teeth, enduring the pain as she watched the flesh get fried off of her fingers. Hot tears leaked from her eyes then, and she forced herself to pull away, clenching her charred hands into fists. The skin began to regenerate immediately, but she knew it would take quite a while for this one to finish. She was glad then, that these kind of injuries didn't require her to do a full-body heal. She didn't have the energy to burst into flames at the moment.
Looking up at the Ahote through teary eyes, she spoke. "I don't think...you will ever...understand why...I just...did that...so to save you from your own curiosity..." Katherine stood up weakly and stared him down with what she hoped was as piercing of a gaze as she could manage in her current state. "I will leave. Right now." She swallowed hard, surprised by what she'd just said. He must think her to be insane and honestly... She couldn't tell if she was or not. Her mind had been scattered after she'd learned about her past just weeks prior.
Hesitantly, she took slow steps toward the door and somewhere in the back of her mind she thought... Please stop me. If I leave I'll surely die. Please stop me, please... Please... She wanted desperately to just stop being, but at the same time, she wanted to make up for her lost time. She'd only just met Ahote, and at the worst possible time too, but she wanted him to keep her there. In his storage room with the fire and the tea. She guessed that it might be because he looked so much like Alec... Oh God, her mind was everywhere and nowhere. She needed something static to keep her sane.
Katherine's hand was on the door's handle, tightly, despite the sharp pain that shot through her arm.
Stop this. Stop it. You should be dead, but you aren't. Look at yourself. Look at what you're doing in front of this kid. She looked slowly down at her hands. The flesh was sewing itself back together over the burns. Why had she done that? Oh, she knew why... It was an unhealthy way to cope with her reality that she so desperately hoped was just a nightmare. Or maybe she was in hell? Her hand was still on the door, and less and less was she tempted to leave the warmth of the room. But she needed a reason.
Subconsciously, Katherine whispered, "Don't let me leave..."
Ahote still didn't think of the girl too highly because of her actions, unsure of why she would open up so willingly and so easily to a man she knew only the name of. Though, it did help that she was so specific about who she was wanting to meet, making it much more convenient to move from this point onward.
He observed Katherine in her every move, wandering if she had been completely revived right about now. He imagined that frostbite would melt away quickly with the kiss of the heat, but it was something he never experienced on such a level, so he couldn't quite tell. Ahote began stirring his spoon into the now warm Oolong tea, followed by an exhausted sigh, "Fair point, I suppose. You can deny me information, but a bizarre choice to make towards someone who's saved and hosted you so warmly." Ahote avowed. He didn't particularly care whether Katherine left or stayed, and would continue to host her and provide for her in reasonable means. But he knew better than to be pressured into giving information to a stranger.
Ahote lifted the teacup to his pale lips and let a warm stream of tea make way into his mouth, down his throat and resting in his stomach. His hand descended back to the table, resting the cup there before giving Katherine his undivided attention once more. "Anyway,
I still have more questions for you, so if you don't mind. . ." Ahote began, raising his head to only find a distressed and upset Katherine, "Is everything alright?
Did I say something. . .?" He fretted, confused by her sudden discomfort. Did he do something wrong? He was never used to this kind of behavior for a person, so he was at a loss for words.
Oh, man. What do I do? I don't think I could sleep well at night for making a girl upset for seemingly no reason! Ahote thought to himself, feeling himself slowly descend into a panic, but remained in a relaxed posture. He continued to watch her, no matter what disturbing behavior she exhibited. He didn't question it and didn't intervene, but watched in awe. She must surely be in pain, the boy thought, knowing the unbearable heat flames bore. Watching the flesh melt off her fingers, he felt himself becoming sick. He felt himself drown in the the memory of his own flesh fry off his own arm, losing it in the end. He knew that perhaps it was no hazard to her, if she could repair the damage. But not everyone could repair the damage, not everyone could magically regain what had been lost. The memory of his amputation and his magical, fiery incident came to like and provoked a fit of ferociousness and fury in the boy.
In moments of her burning her flesh, Ahote stood from his seat with an unprecedented hatred swelling his eyes, a sharp gaze that could cut just by a gentle touch. Never had he felt so disgusted. He walked over the suffering woman, grabbed her by the wrists with his metal grip, and pulled hers out of the flames with fingers charred and burnt. With the same tight, unforgiving grip, he raised her to her feet, released his hand only to let the metal digits smack her across her white, smooth cheeks.
Ahote glared at her, furrowed brows and a pained frown. "Don't you ever
do that again, or at least in front of me." he hissed, taking the same metal hand and grabbing her jaw, bring her face to his, so close that their noses nearly touched, but far enough that she could view his unadulterated anger in full, "Don't try so hard to destroy something I've worked so hard to protect, miss Katherine. I've been far too kind to you to have you disgust me like this." He spoke in his usual quiet voice, but fumed with each word that would pass his lips.
But as a quick relief of that stress, Ahote slowly pulled her into a friendly hug, patting her back before releasing her without a word. He cared for her as much as the next guy, but even without words, without explanation, despite the brief violence that took place seconds ago, he felt that this was the right gesture to do. A friendly hug. He thought that maybe things would experience relief if he did so.
"Sit back down, miss Katherine. We still have much to discuss."
Katherine yelped when his hand came into quick contact with her cheek. The welts stung, but she stayed quiet, listening carefully to what he said as tears pooled at the brims of her widened eyes. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her, their chests pressing together only briefly before he pulled away. She stared at him, her eyebrows scrunched, and forced herself to relax a little. Still stunned, the woman sank to the floor in front of the fireplace instead of going back to the chair she'd sat in before. Her hands were almost completely healthy now, and she stared at them in her lap with her head bent. Crimson locks fell forward and hid most of her face except the left side. With her useable eye covered, she couldn't see much of anything.
"Hey...Ahote?" Katherine shifted to look into the fire beside her. "I know we've only just met, but..." She sighed through her nose and turned to the boy. "I need to tell you something."
She thought carefully about what she would say next. After all, all she'd done since arriving was act foolishly. She really needed to get a hold of herself. Closing her eyes, she took in a deep breath and let it out through her nose. "I don't want any trouble with you, or anyone here for that matter, and I apologize if I've made you upset with me. It really shouldn't matter, but to me, it does. Every person I meet is important to me, in a way someone your age could never understand." She swallowed. "I am not... I'm not as young as I might look. I haven't been able to change in the 10 years I've been awake and all that has happened to me is... a lot. I know it doesn't excuse what I just did, or how I've spoken to you, but..." Katherine looked away from him. "I think if we're going to do this properly, then you should know something about me. I'm taking a risk, I know, but so are you by taking in a stranger. You may not care if I leave or stay, but I get the feeling that this is important. For both of us." She stood carefully.
"Let's start over?" She said, reaching out her newly mended hand.
She hoped they could forget this momentarily, but she knew it would be fairly difficult to. Something like this wasn't known to go over too easily and Katherine was worried she might be going into this wrong. The level or risk she was emitting herself into was extremely high, but maybe this would end in her favor.
They both settled into the awkward silence, Ahote returning to his seat, fuming while sipping his warm Oolong Tea. He stared down at his metal hand, shocked at his own actions. That was his first time hitting someone like that, without any provocation whatsoever. He didn't regret it, and wouldn't apologize. He got his point across, and that was all that mattered.
The silence had been disturbed by the soft and silky voice of Katherine, who insisted that she tell him something. Ahote turned to face her with a rather irritated expression, but said nothing. She spoke of many things, her true age, an apology for her disturbing actions, and other this and thats. None of it was particularly significant to the boy, but he did appreciate her quickness to apologize.
With a quick, weary sigh, the boy placed the teacup back onto the wooden table and extended his hand out to meet hers. "All is well, miss Katherine. Forgive and forget. But I appreciate your honesty and quickness to. . . amend things. It's a well valued characteristic if you plan on meeting the mages of this mountain. They value respect and submission above all else, so tread lightly." He suggested, a smile cracking his lips, "Though back to the point, where are you from and what business do you have with these mages? It's dangerous around here, you know. I'd hate to see someone harm you again, it's not pleasant to watch, you know. . ." Ahote finished.
He had many other questions, but knew that maybe he should ask them in doses. With small outbursts like that, and such questionable and disturbing behavior, he wasn't quite sure what she would or could do next with her stability in mind. The boy could understand that perhaps she may of had a troubled past, a past that involved his parents, and he had nothing to do with it. But his curiosity got the better of him, and was resolved to understand her intent.
The crimson haired mage hummed dejectedly, and dropped her hand to her side. She didn't feel like sitting down, so she remained standing between him and the fireplace. It felt like the medium of hot and cold, the boy being the frozen end. He appeared to be quite annoyed with her, which she could understand completely. After all, she just done something extreme that, to him, might not have made any sense at all. But to her, it was a way to get herself back on track. Of course, that plan had failed miserably and now she had a bloody lip and burning red welts on her cheek. Katherine gingerly ran her fingertips over them, but winced immediately at the contact. It felt long-lasting, and she kind of hated that. Maybe it was because his hand was...metal? Why did he have a metal hand?
He accepted her apology, in some way, before cracking a small smile. He seemed glad to return to the original subject, the one they'd been on about before she decided to roast herself. She took heed to his warning of treading lightly, but was surprised when he said he didn't care to see her hurt. That did not bode well with her and, somewhere in her stomach, she felt a tight clenching. Ignoring the odd sensation, she went on to answer his question as best she could.
"If I'm to believe what I read about myself a few weeks ago... I must be from Shirotsume. But, long before it was ever called that. I can't seem to recall the name..." Katherine hummed curiously, plainly bothered by the fact that there wasn't a name to a place that played such an important role in her past. Despite that however, she continued. "Ah, that's not a matter of concern, though. Who really cares if I can or can't remember the name of a place that no longer exists... Um, I suppose I should preface." She pushed some of her hair behind her ears, as it was getting in the way, and stared confidently at her hands while she fidgeted. "About a year ago, I was hosted by a family in Magnolia. They were very dear to me and... Some time around when Basilisk Fang came, they got sick. The water was by no means consumable then, but they had no idea and drank it. They passed away a fews days later. I know it was the water and I know that it was the basilisk's fault, but... well, I've come here because I don't want to go on never knowing why they died." She looked up at Ahote, nervously so. "I do not at all expect to get a kind answer or even one at all, but the least I can do is try. Not just for me, but for them. I doubt this is unbeknownst to you, but I am quite undeniably...upset...by this, for lack of a better word." She hoped desperately that this made sense to him. It might not, seeing as she wasn't totally disclosing her intentions, which she still had yet to figure out. She mostly just wanted something to be done about it. "Oh, and, Famine... She seemed to be the um, best, to ask about it..."
The tension of the room combined with the heat of the fire was suffocating. Katherine's legs were getting a little weak from standing, so she made her way back to her seat, pulling her long hair out of the way to save her from any more discomfort. As she sat down, she checked the tea she left behind. It had grown significantly cooler. Tempted to warm it up once more, she looked carefully to Ahote before she snapped her fingers underneath the cup and lit a fire just hot enough to make it steam again. She took a sip, but then groaned as she swallowed it. This magic, I swear, is a much a curse as it is a blessing. The tea tasted now as bitter as her own emotions.
Katherine was an interesting woman, to say the least. She clearly had some trouble recalling certain information, or maybe she was completely able to do this but she was simply out of touch with her own time. It surprised Ahote still that none of this came as a shock to him besides her harming herself. After murdering men and sneaking off the mountains and participating in jobs against his mother’s will before, no subject or idea really shocked him as much as it would’ve before. Or perhaps it was subjects regarding mages and magic and other topics of similarity that never clicked with him. Something to think about, he supposed.
It was briefly after this train of thought that she began to discuss her past in a town they both had been familiar with. A visit of Basilisk Fang followed by the sudden illness of her caretakers until death had passed his judgement. It was an incredibly underwhelming way to pass, as opposed to the sort of deaths Ahote had witnessed. He imagined it being a very ill death, perhaps painful, but not as imaginative as the ones he experienced. Regardless, coming all the way to Mt. Hakobe to discover the “truth” behind her caretakers’ deaths seemed silly. If she knew that the Basilisks had done something to the water supply, in which they drank, it already broke down into a small tree of reasons.
Poison, waste, harmful chemicals. . . there is only a small spectrum of conclusions one can come to with such a specific cause of death. Clearly a substance that couldn’t be detected by the average man who drank it through water or some other beverage. That being said, if said substance tainted the entire water supply, it’s highly likely that there were many other reported cases of illness or death. . . so she could do a bit of less dangerous research and just ask officials, medical professionals or morticians. . . when asking the cause of death, you’re more likely to ask the investigator and not the murderer. She claims not to be too unintelligent, so why is she here? Ahote thought to himself, always analyzing little things. At his question, he became more weary in her presence, quietly observing her heat her cup. It was nothing to comment on.
”Miss Katherine, if I may. . .” he began, looking into the flames that crackle on the charred logs resting in its hearth, ”if your caretakers had died through drinking contaminated water, the spectrum of possible cause of death widdles down to poison, waste, harmful intake of chemicals. . . things of that sort. If the water or water supply had been contaminated, there’s a high chance that there had been multiple reported cases of illness or death by the consumption of this water or other beverages. . .” Ahote’s soft voice suddenly became more intimidating, turning to face Katherine, ”local medical professionals or investigators would have the information you wanted so badly. Why not ask them? It’s far less dangerous and far more fruitful than confronting the supposed culprits themselves. So with that in mind, did you choose to travel here because you had nothing else to do or are you lying?” He queried, beginning to question her sincerity.
Katherine narrowed her eyes at him and frowned deeply. "Don't patronize me, boy." She said, her voice lowered and entirely unpleasant. "I know how they died, don't take me for an imbecile. I checked everywhere I could and found nothing. Do you think, that anyone with even an ounce love in their heart, would not try their damndest to seek justice? For every effect there is a cause. I am here to find that cause." The mage leant forward in her seat, far enough to be inside his personal space. Her flaming hair hung around her shoulders, sweeping the floor with the tips. "You can go on believing I'm a liar all you want, but know this, Ahote... I do not act without reason."
Their noses were mere inches away from each other, she could feel his breath on her lips and pulled back. She sat down wearing a tight grimace, her body aching from the tension.
"Oh, and by the way, stop calling me 'miss' would you? It makes me feel old." Katherine folded her arms over her chest and stared him in the eyes, pursing her lips. She can't have been making herself look very good, but he wasn't exactly helping that. Every question he asked her sparked a new annoyance in her veins. Who did this kid think he was? Sure he might deserve something in return for saving her, but he shouldn't expect it. With the way he behaved, she was becoming less and less interested in cooperating. If he really wanted her to talk, he should try his hand at respect, rather than assuming she was moronic. She, along with most other people, never enjoyed being talked down to.
Ahote maintained his indifferent expression as Katherine began to become angry in his questions. It was no surprise that she would feel the way she did, being accused of lying. But her actions thus far made her out to look like a fool.
As she brought her face in closer to his, he could feel her hot breaths blow against his pale, white skin. Her expressive, fuming eyes met his topaz ones, an atmosphere much less docile settling in the cabin. Although she did not seem very well spoken, he knew that had intense resolve. She was willing to advocate for herself, no matter the person, it seemed. The boy took good notes of her behavior in order to aid him in communicating with her in the future.
Ahote sighed a long, weary sigh as Katherine would pull away from his face and back into her own stiff position, clearly not pleased with how their conversation had been going. Though, what she had said was rather interesting. Justice? An ounce of love? It was difficult to understand the idea of justice when Ahote has never had a sense of it instilled within him from society. It was jarring to him, and couldn't help but speak on the subject after her clear request of the use of miss. Understandable, the request seemed.
"I'd hardly call what I did patronizing, Katherine. I think what I'm asking are reasonable questions after understanding the context of your situation. But very well." he began, staring into the flames of the hearth once again, "Lets talk about the aftermath of your resolve. Lets say that you do find this Famine character, and you discover the truth of why they made your family suffer tragic deaths. Then what? You kill them? Kill yourself, perhaps?
I wouldn't put it beyond you, given the self destructive tendencies you've displayed already." Ahote began to play with his Oolong tea, swirling his spoon deep within the toasty beverage. "I'd say leave the serving of justice to the men and women who do it for a living,
not some hot blooded girl who says she's serving justice when she really just needs a reason to keep living. I mean this figuratively, of course. We live to reproduce, really. It's an instinct that is shared universally between all things. But a reason to truly live. I imagine for you. . . that there is nothing left to live for with no one to welcome you home, no home to be welcomed home to. But to march into a cesspool of murderers and the supposed killers of your family,
understanding the risks and the sacrifices at stake just so you can relieve your curiosity is fruitless and something only a fool would do." Ahote's eyes darted back over to Katherine, a certain coldness to them. "If I let you up this mountain, and you talked to Famine, and she didn't kill or imprison you, what then? I'll tell you what happens next,
a broken girl walks around Fiore holding onto memories and a dream to be someone who is strong enough to get answers and start a new life when that girl doesn't exist. She's really just an incompetent, foolish girl who's too afraid to kill herself but too weak to move on."
Ahote sipped his tea, gazing into the wooden planks of the table. "This is just speculation, of course."
Katherine sat numbly for a moment, staring at him incredulously and processing every single word he had just said. She hung her head low, pressing her hands to her face so he couldn't see her expression. Her head was pounding, her ears ringing as she fought back her tears, but she couldn't do it this time. She couldn't make excuses or force a distraction, like burning her hands to a crisp. The tears came hard and fast, but she cried silently for the most part. She was fuming. She felt like she might burst into flames from how heated she had become in a matter of minutes. Her hands gripped the sides of the chair, knuckles burning white.
Unable to keep her anger contained, she leapt out of her seat, gripped the front of his shirt, and slammed her ignited fist into his jaw. "WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" She shouted, heart-wrenching sobs breaking through at the same time. She felt her hair fanning out around her, burning just as hot as the rest of her body. "Son of a bitch! You don't know me, you don't know the pain I have endured in the last thousand years! I lost every piece of my past, everyone I have ever loved is DEAD! I CAN'T GET THAT BACK!" With every word Katherine's body trembled and she dropped Ahote back into his seat. She turned her back to him and wrapped her arms around herself, breathing heavily. "What kind of soulless monster are you..." Katherine whipped back around to face him, her expression grim. "What was the point in saving me, huh? You could've left me to die, in fact, you probably should have. I would be much fucking happier dead, than I am right now, so what's your goal? WHY DID YOU SAVE ME?"
She stood before him, tear-streaked and aflame. Sobs quaked her body and her heart throbbed painfully. He wasn't wrong, and that's what hurt the most. She didn't have a home, or anything to live for but this excuse. What was the point of wandering around anyway? She should have just offed herself when she woke up, that way she wouldn't have had to go through ten years of the bullshit leading up to this moment.
"Ahote, you said that you didn't want to see me hurt by anyone, but I guess that didn't include you, did it?"
Ahote found himself hesitant to return his gaze back to Katherine after what he said. He imagined that it had upset her far beyond what the boy could tolerate. He felt himself sink into deep thought, questioning whether he should say any more after that. Maybe I shouldn't have said all that so bluntly. I bet she's pretty upset. Should I apologize? Maybe I should, actually. But then again, it's not my fault she can't handle the truth. Honesty is always the best policy, even if it hurts some feelings. But I should still apologize, I guess. . . He pondered, turning to face Katherine in hopes that an apology would mend the wounds between them.
Abruptly, it seemed as if the apology would never cross his mouth when the crimson locks brushed against his cheeks, her hues filled with flames and warm hands gripping themselves onto his sweater and undershirt. Before Ahote could even think to speak or to process the situation, wide, topaz eyes winced in shock when Katherine's tough knuckles pounded against the boy's white, smooth jaw. A brief jolt of pain went through the boy upon impact, but he failed to react, to speak, to defend himself. Instead, he slid back into his chair with wide eyes and an a stiff body.
Ahote simply looked down at his feet, listening to the woman's ranting and furious tangents. He absorbed the words in without releasing them, but couldn't think of them too deeply while recovering from the shock. But slowly, he raised his hand to the wound and gently rubbed his fleshed fingers across the bruised, bloody skin. It ached, stung and itched, but his fingers descended from the wound and onto the arm of the chair, raising his head to look at Katherine with an angered expression.
"Soulless monster?" Ahote jeered quietly, "I have been kind to you, Katherine. . . when I could've let that man beat, rape and kill you, I didn't.
And I don't need reason to help someone in need. Someone who did nothing wrong.
But despite my hospitality. . . despite everything I've done for you in such little
time. . .' The raven haired man stood up, walking over to the distressed woman with fury in his eyes, "you dare strike me and demean me because you're too weak to accept the truth! It is people like you that need to be fixed, that need their morals and perception adjusted! If waking others up from these silly dreams of a perfect world or unstoppable resolves means hurting them, then my god, I will gladly call myself a soulless monster, you stupid girl!" Ahote yelled at her with a trembling voice. He never raised his voice, much less to a woman.
Ahote took his left hand and grabbed a group of crimson threads, pulling her face close to his. "A broken, foolish girl who can't wake up from her dreams needs someone to help her do that! But to strike me. . . to strike me. . .!" Ahote's tone became more stressed, feeling his metal fingers dig deeper into her scalp before he could no longer contain his frustration and slammed her head into the table.
Silence brushed over the two, nothing but heartbeats and rough panting could be heard. Ahote held his chest, turning back to sit down in his chair with tears nearly swelling in his eyes. He felt like crying, really. He's never hit someone like that and not kill them. It seemed like murder and attacking someone without death being involved felt completely different. The adrenaline coursing through his veins settled, and his heartbeat didn't feel as rushed. Quietly, Ahote's shaking voice passed his lips, "Hey, Katherine. . . I'm. . . I'm sorry.
. ." Ahote stammered, looking over to Katherine's idle body. Worried, he reached over to shake her shoulder with his right hand, "Katherine. . .? Hey. . . you okay?" With no response, Ahote began to understand what had happened.
With an upsetting sigh, he stood up and checked her pulse through her wrist. "She's still alive. . . I need to take her up the mountain. There aren't any medical tools here. . . alright. Time to go. . ." Ahote told himself, wrapping the jacket around her tightly, rummaging through the other areas of the cabin to find a spare jacket himself before he would carry her up the mountain.
The nerve she had to hit me. I'd ought to just leave her out in the snow.
. . but. . .
[End]
STATISTICS
HP: x/y
MP: x/y
Spells Used: xxx
Abilities Active: xxx
Weapons Equipped: xxx
Monsters Killed: xxx
Other Notes: