literature

Blood Ties- Salvation

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Stepping lightly amongst the withered grass, Catrienne glided along through the woods, humming tonelessly to herself. Rather bemusedly, she reflected on the foolishness of what she was doing. Even if this Jackyll person had managed to survive the initial capture, she was likely dying slowly in the Monastery’s torture chamber- and though she had pledged to help, Cat wasn’t about to risk her own safety in some foolhardy rescue mission. She was a healer, after all, and that is where her responsibilities ended. This was a lost cause.

Then again, it’s not as though she had other things to do.

Passing through a copse of sickly trees, the unusually tall priestess stopped in her tracks and blinked slowly as a crumpled figure- presumably, Jackyll- came into view. Trotting over interestedly, Cat knelt at her side, looking her over for injuries. The poor thing had clearly collapsed from exhaustion, and no wonder- she was sickly pale and thin, she was in no condition to be dashing about the outdoors.

Catrienne was rather amazed she was here, actually, assuming this was the girl she had been tasked to find. Escape from the Monastery was virtually impossible, but it was unlikely there just happened to be another auburn-haired girl fainting in the Tirisfal forest. Besides, she had the look of a prisoner- the fresh scar across her cheek was likely one of many, and even in sleep she had the look of a hunted animal.

The priestess gently ran a finger along the scar with a twinge of sympathy- and pulled back when the girl flinched, whimpering pathetically and curling closer to herself in a half-conscious attempt at self-defense. That settled it, then, this was definitely miss Jackyll Fletcher. Few would react to such a slight touch like a beaten dog, especially whilst sleeping.

An alien yet ever so faintly familiar feeling started then, a spark of empathy and concern deep down in Catrienne’s core- and at this she recoiled. She was a machine. She felt nothing. She refused to allow this foolishness; why let some stupid girl evoke pity when she’d been reckless enough to get herself captured for the illusion of love? But… she was so like Catrienne herself, long ago on another cold and misty morning. Broken and hurt and alone—a violent shudder ran through her and she forced herself away from that train of thought until the twitching subsided.

She had promised.

Slipping her arms under the slender girl, Catrienne gently picked her up, cradling her close like a sleeping child. Jack cringed again, and Cat smiled emptily.

“Hush now,” she crooned, looking almost affectionately down on the girl, “You’re safe now, little one. Shh…”

She began to sing again, voice drifting eerily as she made her way back to Brill.

xxxxxx

Jackyll awoke normally for the first time in ages, slowly slipping into reality as her eyelids fluttered open. This was quite a pleasant change from being slapped or dragged from her spot, and she smiled as she shifted to a more comfortable position, listening to the sheets rustle softly-

Wait. Sheets? Where was she?

She sat up with a start and winced at the sudden onset of dizziness, pressing her fingers to her temples as she glanced around the room. It was simple enough, made of faded wood and furnished sparingly. A few chairs around a small table in the corner, some shelves along the far wall beside the second empty bed, a simplistic iron lantern in the windowsill- she knew this room, she’d been here so many times before with Eilynn. This was one of the larger rooms in the second floor of the Brill town inn.

This recognition brought another wave of lightheadedness, but this time it was due to incredible relief as Jack lay back against the pillows. She was free. Finally, she was out of the Monastery; she was finally safe.

Even so, the click of the door latch opening still made her flinch. She looked up in surprise as an unusually tall woman slipped inside, clearly a priestess with shimmering silver hair and eyes, clothed in a stunning jade robe with gold accents. The woman blinked slowly at Jackyll, tilting her head a bit to one side.

“Oh. You’re awake.” Her voice was oddly flat, sounding dead and machinelike. “I hadn’t expected you to be up so soon.” Gliding over to the bedside, she stood over Jackyll attentively, gloved hands clasped loosely in front of her. “Do you need anything? Can you eat?”

At the mention of food Jack’s stomach seemed to join the rest of her in alertness and she nodded quickly. “Er, yes—but—who-?”

“My name is Catrienne Dawnbreaker,” the priestess said smoothly, an empty smile flickering across her face. “I was tasked to find and care for you, miss Fletcher.”

“O-oh.” Jackyll replied, not entirely sure what to make of this woman. “Thank you, miss Dawnbreaker, but you can call me Jack—”

“Then you may call me Cat,” she replied promptly, sitting down on the bed across from Jackyll. “It is my duty as a priestess, there is no need for thanks. Now, shall I bring up some food?”

“Er, yes, please—” Cat nodded and turned to leave, and Jackyll propped herself up hesitantly. “Wait, I—w-who hired you…?”

“A Forsaken by the name of Corvina,” The priestess replied softly. Jack blinked in surprise, and Cat tilted her head to one side, watching her interestedly. “Not who you expected?”

“No, I… It—It’s not important,” Jack murmured, at a loss. Cat slipped noiselessly from the room, leaving Jackyll to brood.

She was grateful, of course- any way out of that hell was to be appreciated, and Jack did love the little Forsaken rogue as a dear friend, but… where was Eilynn? Surely she had worried and agonized? She must have tried to help somehow… She wouldn’t have just given up. Certainly Lynn had tried, hadn’t she?

But what if she hadn’t? She could have easily given up and assumed Jack had died. Jack herself had thought she would die the first night of her capture; she couldn’t possibly blame Eilynn for thinking the same. Lynn could have tried to move on and be happy, just as Jack would have wanted her to… but… that wasn’t like her, not at all. She had to have done something, but… where was she?

Lounging on the Sunstrider Isle cliffs in someone else’s arms—

No. Jackyll shook her head, pushing aside the thought. Lynn would never. How could she believe Vishas over her memories? She wouldn’t. (Would she?) No.

Oh, Lynn… my beautiful Eilynn Priderunner, where are you…?

Fortunately Catrinne chose that moment to reenter, pulling Jack from her reverie. She bore a tray laden with food; there was steaming, hearty soup, newly baked bread and several pieces of fresh fruit, a feast not seen in the Forsaken town in quite some time. Cat daintily set the tray on the end table and passed the soup into Jack’s hands, smiling her oddly empty smile.

“Eat up, your meals are all on the house. Apparently, Monastery survivors evoke Forsaken sympathy. Renee nearly emptied the pantry.”

Jack looked up curiously as she ate, sensing that this wasn’t quite the full story, but it was really none of her business. She was simply thankful for the food and company. Cat watched impassively, forcing another false smile as soon as Jackyll had finished. Ever attentive, she tilted her head like a curious animal, asking “Is there anything else you need?”

This became her mantra over the next few days. The priestess was constantly at Jackyll’s bedside if not on an errand, keeping watch like a protective mother and prepared to do anything at a moment’s notice. It was quite a pleasant change from what Jack was used to, and she was quite content to rest and recover- though Lynn’s disappearance still worried her…

xxxxxxx

“Cat…?”

“Yes?” The priestess asked, turning around from the window. “What is it?”

Jack hesitated a moment, a bit unsure. She knew the woman never accepted her attempts at thanks, and today she seemed particularly odd, but she still felt she had to try. Jack owed her a great deal, after all.

“T-thank you,” she murmured softly, looking up earnestly as she spoke. “If it weren’t for you I would have died.”

“You escaped on your own, I simply helped on the last leg of the journey,” Cat demurred. “It is my job and I was happy to help.”

“Still,” Jackyll insisted, “You could have easily left me to die and you chose not to… I am in your debt.”

“Oh?” Cat gazed impassively at her, silver eyes unfeeling. After a pause, she continued, “You may not feel the same when I tell you about your beloved.”

Jack froze, eyes widening in concern. “Wh-what? Eilynn? What happened?”

“I received word from Corvina that she had fallen into a deep depression and had not contacted any of her friends for some time.” Cat’s expression and monotone had not changed, but even her deadened eyes couldn’t hide the sparks of something- regret? Sadness?- behind them.

“When?” Jackyll breathed, trying very hard not to panic.

“Days ago. I withheld it because you needed your rest and time to heal, and worry would have only—“

She stopped, blinking in surprise as Jackyll immediately pulled the blankets aside and pushed herself to her feet. She opened her mouth to protest, standing, and Jackyll shook her head.

“I have to go,” the huntress spoke quickly, suppressing a wave of dizziness and anxious nausea.

“You can’t- you need to rest, you’re not—”

“Doesn’t matter, I need to find her,” Jack commented, walking unsteadily to the shelves where her armor had been laid out, pulling on her chainmail. “Where was she last seen?”

“Jackyll, listen to reason—”

“Tell me where,” Jack repeated, voice deadly quiet as she turned a level stare on the priestess. There was a beat of silence before the taller woman stepped back, pale eyes flaring.

“Tanaris,” Cat finally replied, nearly hissing the word.

“Thank you,” Jack answered, visibly relieved. Tanaris was only a day’s journey away. “Thank you, Cat… I owe you my life, and likely hers as well. I won’t forget.”

The priestess took her by the arm, helping to steady her as they walked towards the stairs. “I knew you would leave. Charging recklessly into danger again…” she shook her head and sighed. “The stablehands have your mount prepared.”

Jack brightened; she’d forgotten she’d left her horse in the care of the Brill stable before this whole ordeal. “R-really?”

“And your dinosaur,” Catrienne added with a hint of disdain. “The keepers wouldn’t let him inside, he’s been waiting. I’ve been feeding him scraps.”

Jack nearly glowed with happiness; her pet Renacht had been her companion ever since she was very small. The orange and blue jungle raptor was the cleverest beast she knew. Today was a day of reuniting, apparently, and the reptile hissed in recognition as he trotted to her. “Oh, Cat-“

“Don’t thank me again, that’s enough,” She insisted quickly, leading Jackyll to the waiting stable manager. “Go find your lover.” With a slightly amused grin, Cat waited as Jackyll purred to her skeletal horse Arsenic, reanimated and tamed by the experts at Brill. “Take care of her,” the priestess added. “Yourself as well.”

Jackyll climbed up into the saddle, gesturing for Renacht to follow along behind. “It’s a short journey, I’ll be all right, Cat.” Catrienne nodded, and the huntress galloped off.
This is an interlude chapter, just a period of rest before the drama starts up again. Catrienne is more explored (I have a deep, deep love for our miss kit-Cat <3) and Jackyll gets a clue.
© 2008 - 2024 MorbidCheshire
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Memnalar's avatar
it was unlikely there just happened to be another auburn-haired girl fainting in the Tirisfal forest.

Well, you never know. :D

Sorry it took me so long to read this one; I've amassed quite a backlog lately. :O Great characterization, as usual; I enjoyed the introspection. You handled the POV shifts very well, too.