Capítulo 239: [49.2] Zephyr POV: A Priestess like No Others
[Disclaimer: This chapter contains hints of violence against children that some readers may find disturbing.]
I drifted through the dreamscape surrounded by burning pain. I could feel Astra trying to connect to me, but I was too weak to respond.
In the end, she ensured I was alive and pulled back until I could recover enough to properly respond.
I felt my senses slowly start to return and I realized that I couldn't hear the usual sounds of my sister's morning havoc. I could only hear the sound of water dripping in the cave I had taken refuge in.
Ah. That's right.
I'm not on my comfy mountain.
I left to go get justice for my family…
But wait… Why am I so warm then?
I was startled awake by this realization. My eyes burst open and froze when I saw a small girl in a white robe staring back at me.
She didn't look surprised to see me awake.
In fact, there were no emotions reflected in her dull blue eyes.
There was only me.
I immediately recalled the other priestesses who had attacked me and recoiled in fear, "G-Get away!"
She didn't pull back nor did she seem offended. She merely said, "Don't move. Your wounds will reopen."
I paused in confusion, "Huh?"
It was only then that I looked down and saw she had been applying salve to my wounds that hadn't healed from the Holy weapons.
I looked her up and down suspiciously, "Wait… Why are you helping me?"
Is this some kind of trick to get me to lower my guard?
She responded emotionlessly, "Because you asked me to."
Eh?
I did?
When did I do that?
She ignored my confusion, "You've been sleeping for a while. I thought you would never wake up."
I felt my cheeks heat up, "I-I usually sleep to heal…"
She hummed, "I see."
I checked out the wounds curiously and muttered, "But why aren't they healed yet? I usually can sleep them off within a day or two."
She gave me a look, "You don't know? Demons can't heal wounds made from Holy Light weapons on their own."
I blinked, "Oh? Really? I didn't know."
She nodded, "I tried to give you my blood, but it made things worse. I had no choice but to give you salve."
My expression tightened, "Blood!?"
She held up her palms that had large X's on them. There were old scars and new scars over it. The white underneath the purple and red scars contrasted frighteningly, making my own palms ache. My stomach flipped as I imagined how many times an X was carved.
She continued without noticing my disgust, "They usually take my blood to make medicines and to forge swords. It's usually very useful."
I reeled back, wincing from the look of them, "That's terrible."
She shrugged, "Every Holy Priestess must go through it."
*Grumble*
I held my stomach, "I-I'm a bit hungry."
She put the salve down and pulled out a handful of berries from her robe, "Have some."
I turned up my nose at it, "Foxes don't eat such things."
"...Really?"
"Rabbit and chickens only!" I paused and added in a small voice, "-Cooked in oil."
She stared at me silently for a bit before standing up, "Okay."
In the blink of an eye, she disappeared from the cave.
I immediately sat up in a panic and felt a rush of pain in my abdomen.
Did she just leave!?
Did she abandon me?!
Was it because I didn't eat her berries!?
I felt tears surface in my eyes.
The silence of the cave was so deafening, I felt a creeping sense of doom that clutched at my throat.
I've always hated silence!
I don't want to be alone!!
I-I want my family!
I couldn't take it anymore and burst out into tears, overwhelmed by the wave of emotions.
I cried so hard, my eyes swelled up and I couldn't even see or hear the girl walk back in.
She rushed to my side and grabbed my arm to show she was there. Her voice finally betrayed a hint of emotion, "What's wrong!?"
I rubbed my eyes as I hiccuped, "W-Why did you leave!?"
She held out a dead rabbit, "You were hungry."
I sniffed, "O-Oh."
She let out a sigh, "Lay back down. I'm going to go roast this."
I watched her start to turn away and panicked. I grabbed her arm, "Where are you going?!"
She stared at me in confusion, "I have to go to the opening of the cave to cook it."
"Why?!"
"...If I cook it in here, we will die from smoke inhalation."
"O-Oh…"
She stared at me a little longer to determine whether I would panic again or not. When she figured I wouldn't, she went to leave. My heart thundered in my chest as she walked away and I silently crawled after her, ignoring the rippling pain in my abdomen.
She stared at me from the corner of her eyes but didn't stop me.
Once we were at the opening of the cave, I watched with wide eyes as she started a fire without only two stones. The rippling pain was now overcome by hunger cramps as I watched her cook the meal. My tail swished in the air while the aroma spread into the cave. The metallic smell of blood was no longer as potent.
She held out a bite, "There was no oil."
I leaned forward and ate the food directly from her hands. I felt her flinch, but the meat was so good I didn't care to figure out why.
I licked my lips, "Delicious!"
She stared at me silently for a moment before holding out another piece. I continued to eat until I realized that she wasn't eating herself.
I swallowed and grinned at her, not even caring that my face was dirty, "You should eat some too."
"...Okay."
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
Nekoru
Nekoru Hm. I wonder who this is?
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder