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Gem was injured, but she didn’t care.
She didn’t care about the escalating swelling in her leg, the wound deep and bleeding, leaving a crimson trail behind her. She didn’t care about the small yet sudden episodes of vertigo that struck her out of nowhere, causing her to wait it out as her head spun. She didn’t care about the temperature, which was growing much too warm for her liking.
She didn’t care about anything but survival.
Damn zombies. Always trying to ruin her fun with their aggressive claws scratching at her leg, leaving an open, sore wound. Thankfully, Gem was skilled with the blade, so a zombie was no match for her. But still, it left its mark.
Gem trekked on, heaving out sharp breaths as she moved. The pain in her leg was getting worse, but there was nowhere else that she could go. Home was a place she hadn’t heard of in a while, and if she wanted to survive, she had to keep moving.
Gem’s vision blurred as she was hit with another dizzy spell. She clung onto a nearby tree, holding tight to its gnarled trunk. Gem’s stomach churned like a storm, and thoughts of regurgitating what little food was in her stomach onto the grass below filled her mind. She swallowed, throwing her head back along with those thoughts. She couldn’t just stand around and be sick. She needed to move.
Gem continued to stumble about, noticing the world still twisting and turning about. She couldn’t keep doing this. She needed to rest for a minute.
With conflicting thoughts, Gem finally surrendered to the urge to sit down. She closed her eyes, waiting as the wave of nausea washed over her. She tried not to focus on the twisting of her stomach or the sweltering heat around her, causing sweat to cling to her torn clothes.
Gem didn’t feel so good, but she couldn’t let that stop her. She needed to go. She needed to move. She wasn’t sure where, but not here.
“Hey, are you alright?” A kind yet gruff voice cut through the void of her mind.
Gem huffed as she opened her eyes. There, right in front of her, was a gryphon hybrid. She was lean and muscular with large tawny wings behind her. A long, lionish tail sat next to where she was squatting, moving slowly.
Making a pained sound, Gem recoiled in both fear and awe.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” There was assurance in her voice. “I promise. Just let me help you.”
She sounded trustworthy, but could Gem really trust her? What if she turned around and attacked her? After all, she was a gryphon hybrid. They were known as peaceful tinkerers, but like all creatures, they weren’t afraid to kill to survive. They had claws and teeth for a reason, and she did look quite fearsome, if her grizzled look and faint scars running across parts of her skin were any indication.
Gem cowered in fear as the gryphon hybrid reached out, weighing out her options and figuring out how to escape. She wasn’t going to die. Not today.
Without another moment to think, Gem pulled out a knife she’d been hiding under her clothes. A long dagger, not quite a sword, perfect for hand-to-hand combat. She lunged at the gryphon hybrid, fire in her emerald eyes.
Thinking quickly, the gryphon hybrid moved out of the way, causing Gem to stumble over. Growling in pain and anger, she turned around to face her enemy, who looked at her with intimidating but worried eyes.
It was a fierce battle. Gem put up a fight, but the gryphon hybrid knew her stuff. She managed to bob and weave with every incoming blow almost as if it was an art. She moved fluidly like water but attacked just like a swarm of angry bees.
In the scuffle, Gem managed to land a blow just above the gryphon hybrid’s elbow. One not fatal, but just enough to warn her about what happens when someone decides to mess with GeminiTay. She let out a pained screech, one of shock if anything.
Taking a moment to breathe, Gem noticed she was trembling uncontrollably. She wasn’t sure why. She shouldn’t be shaking. It was quite warm and she sure as hell wasn’t afraid. No, that couldn’t be it.
“Calm down.” She commanded softly, not taking the moment of weakness to attack. “Please, I just want to help you.”
Gem’s skin turned paler than usual. She felt something drop into the pit of her stomach as she felt herself go queasy again. Her vision started to go weird again, bending and twisting in an unusual way.
The gryphon hybrid stepped closer. “You don’t look—”
Gem didn’t hear the end of it.
As if on cue, the knife slipped out of Gem’s hand. She started swaying side to side, eyes growing unfocused as she tried to concentrate on the gryphon hybrid before her. Gem fell over onto one side, landing on the grass with a dull thud.
As much as Gem fought for her consciousness, exhaustion pulled her under anyway.
~~~~~
False wasn’t going to lie, the little reindeer hybrid put up quite a fight. She hadn’t met someone with that type of energy in a long time. Well, not since she joined Hermitcraft.
False looked down at the wrapped-up slash on her arm. It would heal in time, but she worried more about the reindeer hybrid before her. She was lying down on a sleeping bag Bdubs had so graciously gathered for her, one that would keep her safe and comfortable until she awoke.
As soon as she got back into camp, Cub looked her over. An infected wound, he said. One that resulted in a high fever. If False hadn’t stepped in, the infection would have finished her off. False sat and watched as Cub cleaned out the wound, wrapping it up and giving her some antibiotics and anti-fever medication to keep her fever manageable and the infection at bay.
Still, False worried as Cub’s words echoed through her head. If she makes it through the night…
False turned her gaze towards the reindeer hybrid, who was sleeping peacefully. Not trapped in horrific fever dreams like before, but actual, blissful sleep.
As she slept, False studied the reindeer hybrid’s dagger in her hands. It was as sharp as the day it was made, covered in zombie juices and blood. From how dried it was, False theorized it was probably a few days old. Just enough time for a gnawing infection and a nasty fever to settle in.
False gave a small whine. To know that she had been alone, fighting a futile battle with her own body, made False’s heart sink. The least she could do was clean the poor thing’s dagger. Just to give to her when she was stable enough to return home, wherever that was.
Taking an oiled cloth she kept on her at all times, False rubbed at the knife. She must have spent an hour or so cleaning it, making sure every edge was as shiny and perfect as a knife should be. False was almost done when she heard a subtle groan from the sleeping bag.
False moved closer, as slowly as she could. She put the knife on top of the cloth so it wouldn’t get dirty as she kneeled down. The reindeer hybrid’s brow moved, face contorting as her green eyes finally fluttered open.
False stayed patient as the hybrid started coming back to herself and observing her new surroundings. She blinked around, slowly sitting up and wincing before noticing the bandage around her wounded leg grimly, as if she remembered how sore and red it used to be. It would scar over, but at least she was alive.
“Yeah, that’s going to hurt for a bit.” False responded, startling her.
The frightened hybrid turned back to False, making a mean face as she growled. “What are you doing here?”
False ignored her aggressiveness. Instead, she offered a shiny red apple from one of her pockets. Apples she often saved for her vigorous training but now felt could serve a better purpose. The injured hybrid’s pupils expanded at the sight, sniffing and poking at the apple before taking a bite.
“Tastes good, huh?” False smiled as the reindeer hybrid took another bite, shaking her head. “Thought you would be hungry after everything you’ve been through.”
The reindeer hybrid perked up, responding much calmer this time. “You still didn’t answer my question.”
“Oh, I’m part of a server called Hermitcraft.” False clarified. “We were just getting settled for the new season when we noticed you hobbling around out there. You’re glad I found you when I did. It got badly infected and we were worried for a second we were going to lose you.”
The reindeer hybrid turned her head away, the apple still in her hands. “Why do you care?”
“Because I couldn’t just let you die out there.” False replied, raw honesty in her voice. “Look, you don’t have to trust me. Hell, you don’t even have to like me. But right now, you’re much too weak to go anywhere, and your leg needs time to heal. I would like it if you stayed here with us. Just until you’re back on your feet again, alright?”
After a few moments of hesitance, the reindeer hybrid nodded like she defeatedly understood.
“By the way, my name’s False.” False extended her friendly gloved hand out. “FalseSymmetry. What’s your name?”
“Gem.” Gem said shyly, her shaking hand connecting with False. “GeminiTay.”
“Nice to meet you, Gem.” False shook Gem’s hand.
False could tell Gem had potential. Potential to be a fighter, potential to be a hermit. From how brightly her eyes glistened as she sat up, still energetic despite her wounded state, False could tell that she could make a great addition to the server.
If she decided to stick around, that is.