Chapter Text
Lear peeped her head inside the cave entrance, sniffing at the musty odor, her ears pricked on high alert. There was a rancid, rotten smell deep within the darkness, and she could hear the faint dripping of water on rock.
The young taur girl was on her own, and had been for a while. She needed a place to rest if for only a moment, but this cave made her pelt stand on end.
She was not a centaur per say, as the other half of her body was not a horse, but of a ring tailed mongoose, dark red with darker legs and a banded tail, which she bushed out in apprehension. She would take a few nervous steps into the cave, and then hop back two steps, indecisive. Dark storm clouds brewed ahead, and the air was heavy. An icy wind blew, making the trees rattle their branches, leaves cast off in a flurry.
Brave the storm, or brave the cave?
A rumble of thunder made up her mind for her, and she scampered inside. She paused, letting her eyes adjust to the gloom. It was a dark place, and went deep into the cliff face.
She made her way further in, stepping lightly, on high alert. The place gave her the creeps, but the thunder outside grew even louder.
***
Asher was going mad from the pain. All he had to look forward to was constant misery, tightly bound in a dark, cold, dank cave, with the promise of more pain to come. He did not know how long he had been there, but he knew it had to at least been a few days, enough for her to feed off him and his wounds to grow sour.
His belly clawed with hunger, his throat was on fire, constantly parched, his body was infected and oozing, itching. The stench of his own rotten meat clung to his nostrils.
All of it made him want to crush the Dridders throat between his coils. The very idea of that feeling alone gave him the strength to keep going.
She had left, though to where he had no idea. Outside he thought he could hear the rumble of approaching thunder. Through the cave walls he caught the scent of a storm in the air.
He heard the sound of feet stepping on stone and automatically felt a rage boil in him, raising his head just enough to glare at his tormenter, but froze in surprise.
It was not the eight legged skittering walk of the dridder, but the soft four footed paw steps of a taur. A young taur girl stood, silhouetted in the faded light from outside. She gazed on him eyes growing wide with gathering horror. Asher’s heart pounded, not sure if he even dared to hope. Had salvation actually come to him- or was it a trick of his starved and desperate mind?
She approached him, tentative, timid, surveying the situation, collecting information.
“Please…” Asher croaked, his voice dry and broken from pain and dehydration. “Help… me…”
If he could just get an arm free, just an arm!
“There’s… a dridder… she’ll be back… soon.”
The taur girl’s pelt was fluffed up, but she slid out a small blade from her belt, and, while casting furtive glances back at the entrance, circled around him. The blade was strange, like a straight short sword, but the tip curved at a sharp angle, like an angular fish hook. It looked more like a tool than a weapon.
“Where do you want me to cut first?” she asked, her voice barely a breath.
“My tail.” Asher sighed in relief. If he could use his tail to fend off that scuttling wench he’d be better off than he was at the moment. “Hurry!”
The spider silk was thick, sticky, and stretchy, making it hard for the taur to work against, but she remained determined, though jumpy at the slightest sound. Occasionally she would nick his scales, squeak out an apology, and then continue.
When the bonds were damaged enough for him to swish his tail freely, she clambered onto the stone and set upon his wrists. She had just started to break through, when she froze, ears upright.
There was the soft clicking sound of eight legs on stone.
“Hide.” Asher hissed. “Or she’ll do the same to you!”
The taur girl cast him a look of worry, but then vanished with a few swift bounds behind a large rock.
Asher started to bounce his weight, feeling the bonds on his wrists very slowly begin to give. He grit his teeth in frustration and jerked himself around harder, swinging himself from side to side, back and forth, despite the immense pain and effort it took.
“Well now.” he heard that vile silky voice coo. “I would seem that someone’s got themselves a little unstuck. And I even brought you dinner. How ungrateful.”
The dridder let a rabbit’s corpse drop onto the ground with a soft thud before she lunged for him, stinger poised.
This time, Asher was ready for her. He swung his tail hard with a hiss of rage, satisfied when it struck his enemy across the skull, sending her reeling.
She spat at him, shaking her head, all eight of her eyes darting in different directions. She let out a high pitched laugh that made his skin crawl. “Well, I shouldn’t think you did this all on your own!”
To his horror, she suddenly scuttled to the rock where the taur girl was hiding, clambering over it. “Here she is!” the dridder sang out.
She screeched as the blade in the taurs hand swung very close to her throat. The red furred taur back stepped quickly, weapon poised, eyes wide with fright and hackles raised.
“Get free! I’ll distract her!”
“Oh! Is that so?” The dridder laughed mockingly, and started to back her into a corner. She lunged, and the taur slipped under her with surprising speed, but the dridder reacted equally, twirling around and catching the girl a blow across the head with her legs that made the taur trip and crumple into the rock pool. All the while, Asher struggled frantically to get himself free, working himself into a frenzy.
The bonds finally gave way, and Asher crumpled to the stone floor in a painful, searing heap. He grit his teeth to hold back a scream of pain, panting for breath as he looked up through a curtain of matted hair.
The Dridder had the taur girl pinned into the rock pool, and was laughing gleefully as she attempted to press the girls head under to drown her.
Asher let out a low, enraged hiss, and scrambled clumsily against the ground, eager to get his hands around the Dridders slender, elegant neck and crush the life out of her. The fact he was weak and in pain was forgotten as raw, animalistic fury coursed through his veins.
He didn’t know how he managed to make it across to her so quickly, but he soon had ahold of her, throttling her, wrenching her head back to pull her off the taur, trying to snap her neck.
The Dridder gagged in shock, and then started to struggle furiously, attempting to claw him off with her long legs, clawed fingers scratching at his hands. She was unable to shriek, though he could feel her gulping, her eyes bulging. Asher let out a wild laugh, squeezing tighter.
The little taur girl came up from the water with a choking gasp, her hair and clothes clinging to her. She blinked water out of her eyes and heaved for air, staring in horror at the battle in front of her. Asher watched through blood misted eyes as she raised her weapon, still clenched tightly in her fist. The hooked point of the frog gigger was poised like a stinger.
The Dridder stiffened as the blade pierced her belly, unable to gasp or cry out in pain. Asher took this opportunity to push all of his weight on top of her, pinning her head underwater. The rock pool went red with blood, and the Dridder still thrashed stubbornly, spinneret whirling about in circular motions as it struggled to find a target to sting.
Her struggles were weakening, and the water grew redder. Asher would not release his hold, and the taur girl lashed out again with her weapon. He felt the sting of it against his coils as though in a dream. His body was in too much agony to even notice one extra cut.
He felt the Dridders neck snap under his hands, and he moaned aloud with triumph. Her body went limp, and he released her.
Asher flopped out of the water and fell to his side, panting heavily, suddenly noticing how weak and feeble he was. He let the cold water lap at his fevered, infected skin, soothing his pain. The cold floor of the cave felt good against his upper body, and he moaned again, not wanting to ever have to lift his head.
He could feel the taur girl flop beside him, and heard the sound of metal hitting rock as she let her weapon fall. She draped over him, body shielding him protectively, and water dripped from her body onto his like rain.
Outside, the wind howled and the storm broke with a raging cascade.
He had no doubt in his mind that he was going to die soon. He closed his eyes and savored the feeling of the Dridders neck popping between his fingers. She was never going to feast off of him ever again. It felt good.
The taur pressed pulled herself shakily off the stone floor, and Asher watched her, in a dream like state. Her hands were trembling, and she was still coughing out fluid, still recovering from almost drowning, and the rush of adrenaline.
“Are you alright?” he asked his voice so soft it was barely audible. He didn’t have enough strength left to speak up.
The taur tucked her tangled, wet hair behind her ear, nodding stiffly, her face pulled into a tight, anxious look. “I’m fine… what about you?”
Asher managed out a soft huff of amusement. “I’m dying.” His voice was a croak, cracking from dryness. The girl looked at him with an expression of concern and sympathy that would have bewildered him if he had the strength to care. It was more humorous to him than perplexing, that she would care what became of someone she didn’t even know.
She turned her back on him, and picked up the ladle that had been used to draw water. She pressed it up against the fissure where the water trickled steadily from, rather than dipping it into the now tainted cave pool.
Asher closed his eyes as the taur kneeled beside him and held up his head, pressing the ladle to his lips. The icy cold water felt like moonbeams in his parched desert of a mouth, and he greedily choked it down, desperate for it.
A soft, warm hand stroked his filthy, tangled hair from his face. “Hold on.” Her voice sounded as though it was at the other end of the cave. “I’ll get you some more… I’ll make you something to eat too. I don’t know a lot about healing, but I’ll do my best and-
“I give you my thanks.” Asher forced his tired muscles to move so he could give her a smile. He looked up at the face of his rescuer. She was young, her face was soft and round, dappled with freckles.
“And you were very brave, a tremendous help.” He added.
Her touch was comforting, and he was glad for it. Glad to have someone there in his final moments to soothe him and care for him. He had never enjoyed his solitude, and the idea of dying alone in this dark, gloomy cave, away from his garden and the open sunlight, troubled him.
He nestled into the warmth of her body, eyelids growing heavy. “I suppose I owe you a great debt. How troublesome.”
“I was too late…” the girl’s hands on him trembled.
“I avenged myself, so no harm done.”
“But…”
The girl was protesting, but he was too tired to respond. He let the comforting darkness take him. Eventually he felt as though he was being pulled into the void by comforting hands, his ears ringing with faint echoes.
***
He awoke, and was in automatic anguish. His skin felt as though it were melting off. He grit his teeth, finger nails scraping the stone floor as he automatically seized up from the pain.
He sobbed for breath, writhing, as though he could somehow shake off the pain.
Gentle hands brushed his back tentatively, a cold cloth wet from water from the rock pool was placed against his feverishly hot neck, and he was able to make out the taur girls voice.
“I’m sorry, I know it hurts, but it’s supposed to clean up infection.” Her voice was tight and shaky with anxiety. “it’s just an herbal dressing and some hot water… I couldn’t find much, and I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Asher sucked in his breath, allowing his body to relax despite the searing pain. His eyes were watering.
“Why am I not dead?” he managed to hiss out, as though she would have the answer to this. It was a rhetorical question, so naturally she didn’t answer him.
Another ladle of cold water was brought to him, and he gulped it down, the frigid contents causing goosebumps to pop up on his already abused skin. The cave was awash with the warm glow of a fire, and he could see a small campfire burning by the pool, a clay pot full of some acrid smelling something bubbling beside it.
As he lay on his stomach, his arms curled over his head, still contorted in pain, he watched the girl out of the corner of his eye. She was staring at the fire, her brows furrowed, chewing on her thumbnail in obvious tension.
He moaned to get her attention, and she glanced at him quickly.
“If I am to live after all… would you perhaps consider bringing me some food?” he managed out through gritted teeth. The inside of his stomach clawed and bit at him, not sated by mere mouthfuls of water. “Also, I’m quite cold.”
“You’re running a fever.” She agreed, her soft, warm hand brushing his forehead as she felt his temperature. “I don’t have any blankets to give you though.”
Asher glanced at the rock pool, where the dridders corpse still lay. “She had some furs she slept on.”
The taur girl pointed. The pelts hung on the rocks, sopping wet. “I had to clean them, they were gross. I don’t know how long it will take to dry.”
Asher sighed in resignation, laying his cheek on the cave floor. “Lay beside me. You’re warm.”
She nestled against him obediently, and Asher hummed contentedly at the feel of her fur. She was so soft and warm- if he wasn’t so weak he’d curl his coils tightly around her, utilizing every inch. But for now, he had to make do with just a small part of himself touching her warmth.
“I have some wild nuts with me.” The girl reached into her satchel and offered him a handful.
He supposed he didn’t have any place to be picky. He watched as she cracked an acorn with a rock, handing him the mushed yellow meat.
It was bitter, and hard to swallow, but the hunger inside his belly ranted and stormed for it like a wild animal. He ate all of her offerings to him, not caring what effect it might have later. After all, having eaten so little, his stomach might revolt if it were fed too much.
With the soothing warmth, and a small amount of sustenance, he started to drift off to sleep again.
***
He wasn’t sure whether to be disappointed or not that he hadn’t died in his sleep. He had enough strength to raise his head.
He realized that the girl was gone… and so was the dridder’s corpse. The fire had gone out and was only ash.
Suddenly aware of his isolation, his chest rose with panic, and he tried to sit up. Then he noticed, that he was now laying on a pile of furs.
He heard the stone scratch, and the taur girl entered the cave. Her arms were full of blocks of wood, and he could see her satchel was heavy and bulging. She beamed at him, letting her load fall with a graceless clatter.
“You’re awake!” she kneeled beside him, checking him for fever. “I brought some more nuts, to eat. Are you hungry? Does your stomach hurt from eating before? I can see if there’s something easier on you.”
“Where is she?” Asher pointed meaningfully at the pool with a shaking finger.
“Oh… I dragged her out.” The girl was already setting to work on shelling the acorns. “I didn’t want her to stink up the cave, that’s not good for anyone’s health.”
“That must have been hard work by yourself.” Asher allowed himself to be fed the bitter tasting treat, but he was unable to keep from pulling a wry face. “Ugh! Can’t you hunt some real meat?!”
Her face fell, and she looked uncomfortable. He automatically regretted his protest, but it was too late now.
“I didn’t want to leave you on your own for too long.” She explained. “So I did tasks that I wouldn’t have to wander off too far for.”
“She… dropped a rabbit earlier.” He frowned, remembering the dridder’s last moments as though it were a dream.
“It… smelled funny.” The taur girl explained awkwardly. “I think it was her venom? I didn’t feel safe using it.”
Well, she had a point about that.
“Are you feeling better, mister naga sir?”
He let out a surprised little laugh at that, derisive and stiff, his old arrogance coming back. “What did you call me?”
“Um… well… I don’t know your name.”
He gave the tip of his tail a weary flick. “My name is Asher.”
“Asher.” She repeated it, committing it to memory. “Well I suppose it’s nice to meet you.”
“It could have been in better circumstances.” He agreed. “But you know how it is.” He closed his eyes, pulling one of the pelts over him.
“Aren’t you going to ask me my name?”
He opened one eye. Come to think of it- he DIDN’T know her name. “Very well. What’s your name?”
“I’m Lear.” She beamed at him.
“How do you do?” Asher’s tone was dry.