She lay back, shivering slightly in the cool sheets until her body heat warmed them up, and then she dozed for a while, half-dreams flickering in and out of her semiconscious mind. There was a huge creature, black and red, full of teeth and claws and spikes. It seemed to be looking at her, it's tail lashing, it's great wings back folded tightly and it's head lowered in what might've seemed like a submissive or friendly manner, if it hadn't been for it's blazing red eyes, full of malevolence. It's whole being seemed to cancel out all the light around it, like the depths of space, where the stars would shine as brightly as the sun if the sky around them had not been empty and void.      Chiami turned restlessly in her almost-sleep, whimpering softly, and before her mind's eye appeared another creature. This one was much smaller and more fragile looking than the first, shining white and gold and blue, a single, silver spiral horn on it's forehead. It stood its ground before her, stomping a silvery hoof. The girl looked at the ground where that strike landed, and watched in awe as a wall of light arched up into a shield around the girl and the creature. It turned to look at her sideways, and Chiami gazed into a clear blue eye. Then the creature nodded, and there seemed to be a smile in the gesture. A calm descended over her, and she felt much better, falling into a deeper, dreamless sleep.      The next morning, the healer was gone, and the woman seemed to be out doing other things, so Chiami was left to her own devices. There was a small, neat pile of clothing at the foot of her bed, and she guessed that she was supposed to wear it. The fabric was soft to the touch, which was a relief to her still burned shoulders, and in various shades of off-white and cream, much like the woman's clothing had been, so that the girl suspected she was borrowing them from her.      The boots, however, looked brand new, and fit perfectly. They were soft enough that she wondered if she still needed the bandaged around her feet, though thought it best to leave them on, just in case.      She ran her fingers through her hair and discovered that it was short-cropped and wild, so she decided not to mess with it, since she probably couldn't make it look any other way it already did. When she rose and explored the tent she had been brought to, she discovered another room with two more beds. There was small table between them, with a few odds and ends, including a little hand mirror.      Curious, Chiami picked it up and saw herself for the first time that she could remember. Yes, her hair was short and wild, and also very red-orange, with paler streaks. Her eyes were also a deep, rich amber color, with brighter sparks scattered about the iris. Her skin was very pale, compared with the other humans she'd met, except for that strange man that had been here yesterday and left so suddenly.      She still felt bad about that.      The colors of her new clothing seemed to compliment her natural colors, rather than wash her out or clash with her hair... not that she really knew anything different. She just recognized that they looked pretty on her.      After the thorough inspection of what might be her new home, Chiami peeked outside and looked around for the first time. It was bright, the late morning sun doing it's best to warm the atmosphere, and there were many other tents pitched around what appeared to be a communal fire-ring, which was not lit at the moment, but was still smoking faintly from the fire that must've been there earlier in the morning, probably before sunrise.      People were about their business, some hurrying, some wandering, some sitting, and one young looking woman caring for a flock of small children.      The other humans in the camp seemed to shy away from her at first, and she wondered why. However, after she'd spoken with many of them, and helped a little boy up when he fell and skinned his knee, speaking softly and calming him until the woman came to help and heal, they began to be more comfortable around her.      She must've been a strange sight to them, all wild and fiery, but pale and delicate as a newborn, where they were all strong and tanned from working out in their various fields. Even the children were darker and sturdier than she was.      The woman returned near dusk. She held a large basket of greens with one hand, balanced on one hip, and a small child trailed behind holding her other hand. She looked very young and delicate, with bright green eyes and hair that looked almost as vibrantly orange-red as Chiami's in the light from the newly-rekindled fire. The child grinned and waved, and the woman looked up, smiling brightly even though she looked tired.      "I see you're up and around," the woman said cheerily, putting the basket down near the fire and separating out different types of plants. Some, other humans took away and added to what appeared to be a large pot of soup, probably for the whole group. The rest were placed back in the basket in small piles.      She talked as she worked, and the little girl stuck close to her, looking up at Chiami every once in a while and smiling shyly, though remaining silent. "How has everyone been treating you? Good, I hope," she looked up to see Chiami nod, then smiled and returned to her work. "Good. And you got breakfast and lunch?" Another nod-check and smile before returning to her sorting. "Even better!" she said, then paused and looked at the little girl thoughtfully, before asking Chiami one final question. "I don't suppose you remembered anything else about where you came from, did you?" When she shook her head, the woman sighed.      "I'm sorry," Chiami said, worried that the woman might be sad, but she shook her head.      "No, it's alright, dear. You just work at your own speed, those memories will return sooner or later, in their own time." Another smile followed that, and, though in anyone else she would've wondered whether so many smiles were genuine, the woman exuded a kindness and joy that put all thoughts of deception out of one's mind.      The little girl smiled too, with an aura of innocent childhood glee. Chiami couldn't help but return that smile.      That night, they all dined around the fire, each family sitting together and talking and laughing about their day, renewing the bonds forged through hardship and blessing. Chiami, the woman, who's name she came to find out was Eluranna, and Lani, the little green-eyed girl all sat together, somewhat apart from the rest, and she wondered why.      The little girl munched on a root in her stew, humming happily to herself, but saying not a word to anyone. In fact, Chiami couldn't remember ever actually hearing her speak once since the two arrived. That, and the fact that the girl wasn't with the other children, confused the newcomer, but that was alright. She'd probably find out later. Or maybe she'd recall something that would shed light on the matter. Maybe this happened in every human village, and she just didn't remember. Either way, it was probably unimportant.      The three of them all slept in the same tent, Elura and the girl that Chiami had decided must be her daughter in the same room, Chiami herself in the bed that she'd slept in the night before.      It was then that she remembered the dream, but it was late, and she didn't really remember much about it, so she didn't want to bother anyone. So she carefully pulled off her boots, wondering why they didn't hurt so much now, and stripped off the bandages, only to reveal perfectly healed feet, the only indication that there was any injury to them at all only evident in the red staining the bandages, and a slight tracery of scars on the soles of her feet. That healer man must've known what he was doing!      Relieved of all pain and warm under the covers, Chiami drifted off to sleep again, and this time, there were no dreams, good or bad. Back | Next