The gray light of dawn was beginning to seep through the openings in the cave, painting the space with a pale hue. Colin's exhausted body lay on the rocky ground, while the girl was dedicated to the task of caring for her companion.
With dexterity, she improvised a pillow using her backpack, providing a minimal level of comfort to her unconscious friend.
Her eyes, heavy with sleeplessness, moved carefully, examining the false elf's wounds.
Cautiously, she cleaned the injuries, applied makeshift bandages, and did her best to ease her fallen companion's discomfort.
When she had finished, she sat there, watching Colin sleep.
It was agonizing not knowing what the next step would be.
She had spent days following him, and it was always Colin who hunted and knew where to go.
Without him, she felt lost.
[…]
As night gave way to day, the girl remained vigilant, devoted to her mission of care.
Sitting next to her savior, she resisted the fatigue weighing on her shoulders, fighting the sleep that tried to envelop her.
Even in the face of exhaustion, she stood up.
I need to get some food and water before Mr. Colin wakes up.
Picking up a dagger from the pile of bodies and grabbing her canteen, she decided to face the outside world once again.
With cautious steps, she left the cave, venturing into unfamiliar terrain.
The first task was clear: find water and something to satisfy her hunger.
Although terrified, she pressed on, her mind calculating the safest route to take.
[…]
She advanced through the rugged landscape, her hands still trembling, senses on high alert.
Amid the silence of nature, her eyes caught the swift movement of a rabbit darting through the shadows.
Her heart raced, and her trembling hands instinctively reached for the dagger.
Can I…?
Calm down. I have to be able to repay what Mr. Colin did for me!
She approached the rabbit, apologizing in her mind, then lunged at the animal, clenching her eyes shut as her dagger tore through its torso.
It's softer than the bear. The meat must be much better, too.
With a skill born of necessity, she tied the rabbit to her shoulders with a makeshift vine. However, she had barely begun moving west when a peculiar sound broke through the air: the gentle murmur of running water.
Her heart pounded with hope at the possibility of finding the vital resource she so desperately sought.
There, past the trees!
However, as she approached the comforting sound, her steps came to an abrupt halt.
Between the trees, she saw a grim scene: burly men armed with swords had set up a rudimentary camp.
Women and children were trapped in cages, vulnerable like helpless prey. Panic seized her, and she hid in the shadows, watching the scene with wide eyes.
Are they Ultan soldiers?
The largest of them—a tall man with long hair—was sharpening his sword on a rock, while other members of the camp prepared goat meat over a crude fire.
There's no way I can help them all. I'd better get water somewhere else.
But as she thought about leaving, her eyes caught sight of one of the men approaching a cage, grabbing a woman by the hair, and throwing her roughly inside.
He adjusted his pants and stepped aside, allowing other girls to comfort the shaken woman.
Shit…
Okay. If I'm going to do this, I need to be smart!
[…]
With her heart still heavy from the shocking scenes at the camp, the girl hurried back to the cave, her concern for Colin lingering in the back of her mind.
When she arrived, she found him still unconscious but showing signs of stability. A wave of relief flooded her chest.
"Thank the gods…" she murmured, kneeling beside her friend. "Sir… there are some people trapped nearby… I know I should stay away, but they… I have to help them. Don't worry, I'll be right back!"
Determined to use all available resources, she grabbed Colin's not-so-heavy sword and began to dismember the downed bear.
The contact with the animal's entrails made her stomach turn, but she forced herself to continue, ignoring the churning in her gut until she finally vomited.
"Shit… I don't have time for this."
Raising the sword again, each cut was calculated, and she gradually grew accustomed to the coldness of the task.
At dusk, with parts of the bear in hand, she approached the camp where the women and children were being held.
With dexterity, she placed the animal parts near the camp, a strategy designed to attract the wolves that roamed the wilderness.
"There. Now just wait."
Climbing a nearby tree, the girl watched intently, waiting for nature's response to the bait she had laid.
"Come on… come out…"
However, something beyond her expectations began to manifest.
The piercing cry of a powerful eagle broke the silence of the night, echoing through the forest. Then came the loud, majestic flapping of wings, resounding in the darkness.
"What the hell was that?" muttered one of the men from the camp, stepping out of his tent.
The roar of wings was an omen of something greater, something beyond their comprehension.
The tension in the air grew thick when, suddenly, the figure of a majestic griffin emerged from the shadows, its wings spreading wide in an awe-inspiring spectacle.
"What the hell!"
The creature's cry echoed again, now closer.
"Wake up, you bastards! It's a fucking griffin!"
In one swift motion, the creature snatched one of the men and flung him high into the air, letting him crash to the ground with a sickening thud.
The horses, still tethered to their posts, reared and jerked, panicked by the chaos.
"Shit!" whispered the girl.
She quickly climbed down from the tree and crept through the undergrowth toward the cages. The people inside were terrified, their wide eyes reflecting fear and confusion.
Taking advantage of the camp's confusion, she emerged from the shadows.
"Stay back—I've come to help!"
Using the handle of her dagger, she broke the rusty padlock.
The women, clutching their children, wasted no time and began running toward the horses and carriages, desperate for freedom.
"The hostages are getting away! Get the damn hostages!"
She broke another lock, but one of the soldiers grabbed her from behind, throwing her to the ground.
"You bitch! Is this your fucking fault?"
He raised his sword, but a woman grabbed his arm, followed by another who helped knock him to the ground.
With a scream, the girl charged forward, stabbing the man in the throat.
The women released him and ran toward the horses.
Carriages and more carriages stampeded away, disappearing into the darkness.
The griffin continued to tear the soldiers apart with its claws and massive beak. Torches fell near the tents, setting them ablaze.
"Damn! The gunpowder, the bloody gunpowder!"
One of the men ran toward a trunk near the tent, but the griffin swooped down, snatching him up before he could reach it, shaking him violently from side to side.
The creature grabbed another soldier with its sharp talons, beating its wings and spreading the fire even further.
The flames reached the gunpowder. The girl's eyes widened.
"Damn!"
Boom!
An explosion ripped through the camp, shrapnel tearing into the griffin and the remaining soldiers, dismembering them.
The shockwave flung the girl across the ground, her head slamming hard against the earth.
[…]
With a jolt, the girl awoke. Her eyes opened to a scene of utter destruction—a camp reduced to ashes in an apocalyptic landscape.
Small fires crackled, casting dancing shadows over the smoking wreckage. The wails of dying men echoed in the air, a haunting chorus of despair.
"My head…"
She stood up slowly, her body aching, and walked across the ruined field.
She passed what was left of the griffin—half its body torn to shreds.
Stepping over corpses with faces frozen in agony, she rummaged through the wreckage, eventually finding a half-buried canteen.
With the urgency of someone searching for treasure, she dug it out and sighed in relief at the metallic sheen of the object.
Approaching the river, she washed her face, the cold water soothing her accumulated anguish.
Gazing at her reflection in the calm waters, she sighed softly.
The gentle murmur of the river felt like a distant echo of comfort, as if nature itself was trying to heal the wounds left by that dark night.
"Right… time to go back."
[…]
Back in the cave, the girl stumbled upon Colin, now awake and conscious.
Their gazes met in a moment heavy with unspoken meaning—a silent exchange that transcended words.
"Mr. Colin!"
She ran toward him, throwing herself into his arms.
"Take it easy, I haven't recovered yet, hehe!" he chuckled, wincing slightly.
Noticing she was covered in blood and soot, he frowned. "What happened to you?"
She smiled faintly and held up the canteen.
"I went to get some water! Do you want some?"
"Yes…"
With an insatiable thirst, Colin drank every drop from the canteen in one go.
"How long was I asleep?"
"Um… I think three days…"
"Got it… hey, girl, we've been together for a while now, right? Can you tell me your name?"
She hesitated for a brief moment, then smiled softly.
"Yeah… Safira. My name is Safira."