The days pass here with annoying normalcy, given that Kibra and Zilvar have no idea where they are. Time has passed slowly, with the starting of the day Zilvar awakens and slips into the woods, leaving behind his black-hilted knife... and Kibra to spend the morning alone.
Kibra spends the days resting and doing what she can to keep the campsite functioning. Boiling water, tending the fire, scanning greens for poisons.
The sun overhead reaches its zenith, bright rays of light shining from above. On this day, as the previous two, Zilvar slips out of the forest without a sound and watches Kibra quietly.
Kibra sits with her legs curled under her, brushing her headfur slowly. It shines in the light, catching and reflecting the sun's rays.
Zilvar leans against a tree, smiling slightly. He rests his head against the bark.
Kibra finishes brushing and tosses her headfur over her shoulder. Rising slowly, she moves to add a few sticks to the fire, still moving a bit stiffly.
Zilvar shakes his head, as if clearing it. With a casual movement he steps out of the woods and into the clearing. "Umm, the hunting is not getting any better. I think we are starting to make too much of an impact. There must be a lot of predators around.
Kibra looks up, a bit startled. "Zilvar! How long were you standing there?"
Zilvar kneels down at the edge of the pool and dips his head into the water. When he comes up for air, he throws the wet hair back. "Just a moment or two."
Kibra's eyes follow the wolf's movements, sparkling softly. "You didn't catch anything?"
Zilvar shakes his head, "I let them all go. I was running against the edge of something's territory. It seemed better not to pick a fight."
Kibra nods thoughtfully.."You were right, of course. Perhaps we should consider moving on."
Zilvar smiles, "I was thinking the same thing. I do not like leaving you with only that knife to protect yourself...but it was pointless to use up all of the stored food."
Zilvar scratches his nose, "Speaking of which...I would like you to keep that.
Kibra looks at the knife, then to you, then the knife, then you.."Zilvar..I.. can't take something like that from you.."
Zilvar leans back on his heels, "Would it help if I said please? We do not know anything about this place, except that the meat gets stringy if you cook it too long...I really do not want you to be left unarmed."
Kibra looks at you for a long moment, then nods.."All right."
Zilvar smiles and lets out a quiet breath. "Great. Now...I was thinking about going back to that ship. There must be a lot there that I missed, because I could not read the language."
Zilvar chews on his upper lip, not sure how you will react to the idea.
Kibra blinks a little, then nods slowly, sitting down on the bank of the pool. "I think it's a good idea."
Zilvar stands up, shaking some of the water out of his shoulder-length hair. "Really? I was not sure you would agree."
Kibra looks up at you, eyes shimmering a bit. "Oh? Why not?"
Zilvar twists his head to the side, wringing more water out of his hair. His eyes are closed, but he says softly, "If it bothers you that much, we need not go."
Kibra looks away, eyes darkening. "No. I think we should go, regardless of how I feel."
Zilvar throws his head back, the hair making a loud slap as it hits the back of his neck and flattens out. "I am very concerned about how you feel right now. If it troubles you so much, we can find another possibility."
Kibra looks back at you, tilting her head up at you. "Zilvar..thank you..for..car..for being concerned. I think it is very important to return to the ship. I will be all right, I promise." Gold eyes search yours for a reaction.
Zilvar watches you in turn for a moment or two, then he nods. "I trust you." He turns to the piles of supplies and starts to organize them. "I think it is best to leave most everything here. Just take what you think you will have an immediate use for. We will want to return before dark...I think that is when the local predators set their traps."
Kibra nods, gathering a few things. She tucks the knife into her boot. "What kind of predators, did you seem them?"
Zilvar waits for you to finish outfitting yourself and seals the supplies kit. "Oh..I have seen them. They appear to be some sort of arachnid. I have taken to calling them 'ettercaps', after a mythological creature I read about once."
Kibra shudders almost imperceptibly. "Ettercap..how..interesting." She finishes her preparations and says.."I am ready when you are."
Zilvar looks at you with a smile. "Then we should be off." He moves into the woods with only a trace of his usual stealth.
Kibra follows as quickly as she can, moving gracefully.
Zilvar checks his speed often, to make sure that he is not pushing you too hard. It seems strange, as you cover the three mile hike, that he apparently has some way of knowing when you are starting to push yourself, and eases off his pace accordingly.
Kibra frowns a bit now and then, still a bit weak, but doing a fair job of keeping up with you.
Undoubtedly, the trek would take only a short time on an open plain, or through a light woods, but these woods are dense. At times, you are convinced that they conspire to hold you back, so heavy is the growth.
After a time, Zilvar stops and points off to the right. "We will go through there. It is a little harder going, but it approaches the ship from the front instead of the rear."
Kibra nods, pausing a moment to catch her breath and untangle her headfur from a low hanging branch.
Zilvar watches you, "Going too fast?"
Kibra smiles slightly.."Only a little. I'm out of shape, I suppose, after two years in stasis."
Zilvar frowns, "Seems strange. I guess you would not think that muscle degradation would set in in stasis."
Zilvar leans against a nearby tree and waits for your breathing and heart rate to return to normal levels.
Kibra fiddles with her headfur, trying to remove it from the branch. Her breath returns to normal quickly.
Zilvar steps forward and covers your hands in his, "Here...let me help."
Kibra's hand tremble a little at your touch, and she looks at you.."Thank you."
Zilvar disentangles the stick, looking down at you when he gets it free, "It was..um, was..." He blinks a few times, "..tied in a knot...almost."
Kibra blushes.."I guess..I just made it worse."
Zilvar steps back quickly, bonking his head on a low limb and wincing, "Ow..." He rubs the back of his head, "Well..maybe."
Kibra smiles, chuckling softly, the sound floating across the woods.."Are you all right?"
Zilvar looks up at the offending branch and makes a face, "Yeah. I have a hard head."
Kibra's eyes twinkle a moment, then she stretches slightly.."Shall we go on?"
Zilvar glance at you as you stretch, "If you are ready."
Kibra nods, "Yes, I am ready."
Zilvar smiles, "Well then."
Kibra smiles, gesturing.."After you, my lord."
Zilvar blinks a few times, then smiles and heads into the woods. The underbrush is much thinner here, leaving wide trails between some of the trees. You have high hopes that the rest of the trek will be like this...but those hopes are rather abruptly set aside when you see the wall of broken and blasted trees that looms out of the woods just ahead.
Zilvar points, "That is our destination."
Kibra nods, coming up beside you, lightly brushing your shoulder and arm. "I see."
Zilvar looks down at you and grins lopsidedly, "It is a rather steep climb. Do you think you can make it?"
Kibra frowns a little.."I..I'm not sure. I'll try."
Zilvar lifts his finger to your chin, turning your gaze from the trees ahead. "You will make it. I have faith."
Kibra looks into your eyes, her own showing a flash of fear and pain quickly. She nods without speaking.
Zilvar lets his hand fall without looking away. He lets out a slow breath and turns to the trees.
Kibra takes a deep breath and gets ready to follow.
The path that Zilvar picks across the wall is not as difficult as it appeared from a distance. The wreck uprooted trees who might have seen the birth of the world, they were so old. The lattice-work of branches forms an easy ladder to climb. When you reach the top, you stop to take a deep breath, then look over the devastation of the crash.
Mountains
Woodland Scar
Trees and dirt are piled around this deep trench in the forest floor. The forest's scar stretches east and west in a straight line for several miles.
Near the eastern edge of the trench is a twisted and battered shape, a child's toy broken and discarded in the brush. The ship, for that is what it must be, is partially buried, the nose covered with tons of dirt. If it had wings, these are long since
gone, sheared away by the trees. The aft is wrecked and scarred, revealing its twisted guts to the world.
The aft end of the ship is hot as you approach, and you can see the corpses of some small animals at its base.
Kibra pauses at the top of the path, eyes dark with pain. She breathes slowly, taking in the view.
Zilvar squats, resting his forearms on his knees. "That must have been a pretty ship at one time...though I doubt you ever felt the same."
Kibra shakes her head.."No, I did not."
Zilvar looks up at you, a sad smile playing over his lips. "I am sorry."
Kibra looks down at you for a moment, the puts a hand on your shoulder. "Thank you."
Zilvar looks back down at the wreck. "Are you feeling any better?"
Kibra nods, moving a little away from you. "I'm doing all right."
Zilvar tilts his head, "That is not the question I asked of you though."
Kibra looks toward the ship.."I know."
Zilvar turns his head back to the ship, "Thank me when you are better."
Kibra blinks a moment. "Thank you? Is that what you want? Thanks? I have said thank you, you know. What kind of thank do you wish?"
Zilvar shrugs. "The only thanks I want is you feeling better." He turns to you, "Do you think that I helped you because I Wanted Something? Well, I guess you are right. I want to see you smile again...I want to help heal some of the scars."
Kibra stares at you speechless for a moment, then says.."The scars run very deep, Zilvar..they are not just physical." With that she moves past you and toward the ship.
Zilvar watches you move down the embankment and lets his head fall forward. "I know...Believe me...I know."
Kibra flicks her ear back toward you, but continues to move forward.
Zilvar sighs and stands, following you down to the ship.
Zilvar follows you down to the ship, the only words he offers are, "Stay away from the aft...I do not know anything about radiation burns."
Kibra nods, back stiff as she looks at the ship.
Zilvar slips past you. When he reaches the doorway, he takes a hold of the edge with both paws and levers it a little further back into the ship. "I think that will give us some light."
Kibra watches you appreciatively, eyes lidded.
Zilvar looks over his shoulder and tries to offer a smile. "Let me make sure nothing has decided to take up residence."
Zilvar slips inside before you can respond.
Kibra tenses a bit as she waits.
Zilvar pokes his head out a few moments later. "If there is anything in here, it is not alive."
Kibra walks to the door.."You look alive," she says, her nose inches from yours.
Zilvar blinks several times. "umm..Well...I was not counting myself, you see."
Kibra's eyes twinkle a bit.."I see."
Zilvar relaxes visibly and slips aside, giving you room to step inside, "It is, I think, because I do not usually count for much."
Kibra slips past you, brushing against you softly.."Oh, no, Zilvar..You count a great deal. More than you know."
Zilvar stands still for a few moments, staring at the spot you vacated..."I do?"
Kibra turns to look at you, eyes shimmering in the half light. She holds a hand out to you, palm up.."Of course you do."
Zilvar places his palm over yours and swallows. He looks into your eyes and says, "I'm ...glad you think so."
Kibra covers your hand with her other and nods, just looking at you. "I do."
Zilvar caps your hands with his other..."You count for a great deal as well...but I suppose you had guessed that?"
Kibra's eyes darken, and she shakes her head.."I do not..not..now."
Zilvar holds your hands in place for a moment. Softly, he rumbles, "To me, if not to yourself." He lets your hands fall away and turns to dig at the consoles, clawed fingers tearing at the plating in search of any useful compartments.
Kibra says, "There should be a log of some sort..something..and a weapons locker, I think."
Zilvar looks up at you, "Where do you think the logs would be kept? I think that panel behind you is the weapons locker. It is, at least, one of the few things still powered."
Kibra's eyes light at the mention of the weapons locker.."It is? I..they never told me where it was, obviously."
Zilvar halfsmiles. "Not unless they talked while you were sleeping."
Kibra tilts her head.."I wasn't in stasis all the time..most of it..but not all." She shudders a bit, and turns to look at the locker.."I don't think they would have kept logs in there."
Zilvar narrows his eyes slightly and makes a twisting motion with one hand, opening a compartment half-hidden under a ruined console. With a small 'ah', he straightens, holding a small device. "Hmm...now what is this."
Kibra moves close to you to look at it, arm brushing against yours.."An emergency light."
Zilvar flips it over in his hand. "You probably need it more than I. With my luck, it would blow up in my hand anyway."
Zilvar offers you the light.
Kibra takes the light, flicking a switch hidden on the bottom. The light comes on.
Zilvar purses his lips thoughtfully. "That is just not fair. I could have looked for 5 minutes and not found that switch."
Kibra chuckles softly.."You would have found it, I'm sure."
Zilvar smiles, "Probably. Not as quickly though."
Kibra smiles and shines the light around. "Perhaps in the cockpit?"
Zilvar blinks, "The logs? I doubt it. Not unless they were contained in the main computers. Probably in one of the staterooms."
Zilvar looks around, "I hope they were not in the main computers."
Kibra's eyes darken, but she nods. "This way."
Zilvar follows. "Your lead."
Kibra stops at a door knocked slightly open. "This was..the captain's quarters. He might have kept logs in his private computer."
Mountains
Inside the Wreck::Crew Quarters
Just aft of the cockpit lie the crew quarters: three small, sparsely furnished rooms. The doors into the rooms appear to have locked open, perhaps as a safety precaution during the crash.
These rooms have not escaped the damages of the crash. Personal effects are piled around the forward walls, sometimes intact, sometimes not.
Zilvar steps up and looks over your shoulder. "I wonder if he would have a shirt to fit me."
Kibra's body tenses.."He..was about your size. "
Zilvar looks down at you. "Are you ok with this? You are either scared out of your mind or ready to kill something. It is hard to tell which."
Kibra flicks an ear. "Both, perhaps. They..wanted information I could not give."
Zilvar raises his hand, as if to touch your shoulder, but lets it drop. "Oh."
Kibra takes a deep breath and walks into the room.
Zilvar leans on the edge of the door and watches you, rubbing his muzzle.
Kibra looks around, then searches through a pile of clothing.."There is a fair amount here..any color preference?" She looks back at you.
Zilvar shrugs and lets his hand fall. "Not really. I have never been really good with fashion sense."
Kibra chooses three and walks back to you, draping two over her arm and holding up a dark green shirt. "How's this?"
Zilvar nods and holds out his hand, "Just fine."
Kibra puts it into your hand, and then holds up a purple shirt and a light blue. "And these?"
Zilvar points at the light blue, "That one looks nice. For some reason I have never been able to envision myself in purple."
Kibra raises an eyebrow. "Then we can take it for me."
Zilvar nods. "For you then."
Kibra nods, handing you the other shirts. "Now we need to locate the computer terminal."
Zilvar pulls on the green shirt, fastening it. "Right.'
Kibra looks at you for a moment, then turns, muttering something to herself.
Zilvar flicks an ear, pretending that he can't hear for a few seconds. He steps into the room and starts digging through the trash on the floor.
Kibra starts moving rubble, sifting through the wreckage.."It should be fairly easy to spot if it is intact."
Zilvar sorts things into piles, "OK. What does it look like?"
Kibra says, "About this size..."
Kibra measures out a space with her hands.
Zilvar nods. "OK. Some sort of multifunction display then?"
Kibra nods.."A small keyboard and a screen."
Zilvar chews on his lower lip. "Gotcha."
Zilvar goes back to sorting piles of stuff.
Kibra pushes aside stuff, working along the bed. Suddenly her foot hits something that clangs back against the deck.
Zilvar looks up. "What was that?"
Kibra nudges her foot again, and bends over, sweeping debris away. "I don't....Oh..goddess.."
Zilvar crosses the intervening space so quickly that you are sure you did not see him move. In a moment, he is standing beside you, "What?"
Kibra kneels, brushing away more debris.."My..sword.." She pulls it free finally, lifting it across her hands.
Zilvar looks down at the sword, relaxing. "Oh..."
Kibra bends her head, touching it to the metal. She is silent for a few moments, then her whole body begins to shake.
Zilvar is on his knees in the trash, one hand on your back and one hand on your arm, "Kibra? What is it?"
Kibra continues to shake.."They..told me..they destroyed it..and sold the jewels.."
Zilvar swallows and leans back, keeping a hand on your back. He chews on his upper lip, his concern evident in his eyes.
Kibra says softly.."When I was forced to leave..Genesis..I..put much of my power into this jewel." She traces the large opal with a finger.."When I thought it was lost.." She shudders.
Zilvar's right hand is a gentle and warm weight on your shoulder...it gives no hint of the sudden tension in the rest of his body.
Kibra looks up at you, eyes shimmering.
Zilvar swallows. "I would that I could have spared you some part of that pain, Kibra. All I can do now is be here, and care."
Kibra flicks an ear.."But..why..me? Why..now?"
Zilvar reaches up and runs a knuckle across your cheek, "Because you are you. Because I care. Because I could not be there then."
Kibra shakes her head.."Because I am me? But..you hardly knew me..I was with Kamots..I don't understand."
Zilvar lets his hand fall, "I..once knew .. you? I do not know...Maybe it was not you, maybe it will be you. Maybe it was just a dream."
Kibra's eyes darken and lighten again..She nods, reaching her hand for yours.
Zilvar lets out a long breath and takes your hand. "I have an overdeveloped sense of responsibility. I had the power to stop them from taking you, but I was not there. Could not be there. Had no idea that anything was even wrong. Now, I find out that you were out here somewhere, being hurt.
Zilvar shrugs, not meeting your eyes.
Kibra pulls her hand away.."So it's just your sense of duty, not anything to do with me. I understand." She starts to stand, trying to move in the cramped quarters.
Zilvar says, in a voice that can barely be heard, "I was soulmated to you...in that other place."
Kibra freezes. "That's why you probed me..before."
Zilvar nods, both arms falling to his knees.
Zilvar sighs, "I could not stop myself."
Kibra turns to face you. "I'm sorry."
Zilvar closes his eyes. Kneeling beside the bed, he almost appears to be praying. Softly, "For what?"
Kibra kneels down facing you, softly touching your cheek. "That I wasn't..who you thought I was."
Zilvar swallows again, trying to chuckle. It has the sound of someone who's emotions have long since run amuck..but his eyes are dry when he opens them. "You are who you are. It may be that you will someday be the other...but do not be sorry for not being a memory. I do not think I could have faced her."
Kibra hesitantly strokes your cheek.."Faced her? Why not?"
Zilvar sighs, "I feel..guilty for leaving her. I had no idea it would happen, and know of no way to have changed it..but one second I had a mate...and in the next my soul was torn in half. I ... I do not know how she would have handled it."
Kibra drops her hand to your shoulder.."She is strong, I'm sure she was upset, but made it through, like you."
Zilvar reaches up and covers your hand. "I am sure she did...but..I still do not know if I could face her."
Kibra looks at you.."You don't..but you do have to look at me every day. Can you..can you do that and not..." Her voice trails off.
Zilvar waits for a moment, "And not what?"
Kibra swallows.."And not let your guilt complicate things."
Zilvar halfsmiles. "It is not my guilt that has been troubling me for three days."
Kibra tilts her head.."It is not? Then..what?"
Zilvar looks to the side. "I am afraid that it would be very easy for me to fall in love with you."
Kibra exhales softly. "And I thought it was just me." She shakes her head, chuckling quietly.
Zilvar blinks, ears swiveling toward you like radars locking onto a target. "...just you?"
Zilvar turns his gaze back to you slowly.
Kibra nods, looking into your eyes. "You're not the only one who's been busy...taking in the sights."
Zilvar looks down quickly, his ears getting red. "Oh..You noticed that..."
Kibra chuckles softly, reaching out to lightly tickle a red ear. "Yes...you just didn't notice that I was looking back."
Zilvar's ears get even redder, "I was busy trying not to look when I thought you were looking."
Kibra's eyes twinkle, her body relaxing. "I know."
Zilvar keeps his nose low and looks up at you, "So much for being sneaky, I suppose. I must be out of practice."
Kibra smiles.."You must be." She strokes your shoulder gently. "Thank you."
Zilvar lifts his head and smiles a bit. "Do you feel better?"
Kibra tilts her head.."Do you?"
Zilvar nods, "Some. I do not feel like I have so much to hide."
Kibra sets back a bit.."Is that bad?"
Zilvar chuckles, "No...that is good. I did not want to tell you, three days ago, for fear of how you would react."
Kibra's eyes darken.."You were right, I think..I would not have believed you..or listened, I think."
Zilvar tilts his head, watching your eyes "Why does that make you angry?"
Kibra shakes her head.."I'm not angry at you..but angry at those who contributed to my distrust."
Zilvar looks around the room. "Who were they?"
Kibra's eyes darken again.."Distant clansmen. Family."
Zilvar sighs. "Oh. Sorry. I should probably let it die."
Kibra arches her back, stretching a bit. "No..it's ok. I should talk about it, it would probably help me get over it."
Zilvar sits and watches you stretch, ears getting redder by the second.
Kibra pauses in midstretch to look at you. Her eyes twinkle.
Zilvar reaches up and ruffles his hair. "Uh..yeah. Good idea. We should find those logs." He turns to sorting through the mess near the bed with sudden energy.
Kibra laughs softly to herself and searches nearby.
Zilvar sorts, tosses, piles, and searches for several minutes before he rocks back on his heels, holding something. "I think I found it."
Kibra pushes aside some bedding and kneels next to you.
Zilvar hands the terminal over. "I really hope this is not restricted access."
Kibra takes it, her warm hands brushing against yours. "Me too. Hmm...let me see.."
Zilvar scoots a little to the side, resting one hand on your shoulder while he watches you work. "I suppose it would be easier to be helpful here if I knew the language."
Kibra presses buttons, pausing to look at you.."I can teach you, if you'd like." She returns to the screen.."What are we looking for?"
Zilvar smiles, "Sure." He turns back to the term, "Hmm...well, it would be nice to know what happened to cause the ship to crash. There might be some indication in the final logs. He might have had the passcodes stored with mission data...like the code to the weapons locker.
Kibra nods, continuing to press buttons.."Almost there.."
Kibra shakes her head.."Some of the files are damaged..it will take a bit of time to get to them.."
Zilvar rests his chin on the back of his hand and watches. "Well..I can see what character your people use for a space. I guess that is a start."
Kibra chuckles, looking over at you.."Yes, it is."
Zilvar shrugs, grinning, "Does that computer have any sort of database repair?
Kibra nods, "Yes, it does..I'm.." She pauses a moment, then continues.."Initiating repair routines now."
Zilvar looks down at your hands, "How much input is that going to take from you?
Kibra hmms, tilting her head.."What?"
Zilvar points to the screen, "Those repair routines. Do you have to monitor them, or can we look around some more?"
Kibra ahs.."No, we can look around some more."
Zilvar stands, offering you his hand. "There might be some more left in the hospital section, and I know there has to be more useful stuff in the supplies room.
Kibra nods, slipping a hand into yours. Her hand is smooth and slightly cool.
Zilvar fairly lifts you from the ground. He smiles a bit, "Or, we can bypass medlab if it bothers you that much."
Kibra squeezes your hand gently.."I'd like to, for now, if you don't mind."
Zilvar nods. "You stay here. I will go grab things from the supplies room and bring them up front while that computer fixes itself."
Kibra nods, suddenly looking a bit pale. "I could use the rest, I think."
Zilvar reaches up and touches the side of your face, "Are you ok? Your face is getting pale."
Kibra sways a little.."I..perhaps have overdone it a bit today."
Zilvar steps forward and scoops you into his arms, laying you horizontally on the bed after kicking off most of the trash. "Ok...just lie here and rest. I brought along some of that overly-healthy food that they packed."
Kibra says, "Can we take the time for me to rest? Didn't you say we had to return before dark?"
Zilvar looks around the room, "That is what I said...but I am not going to push you too hard, and I am not going to let you push yourself too hard either."
Kibra nods, relaxing a little.
Zilvar digs around in his pouch for some of the packaged food, handing you one package.
Kibra unwraps it and offers some to you.
Zilvar shakes his head, "I have another for myself. Eat up."
Kibra nods and eats the package surprisingly quickly. "That was good, in a way. I was hungrier than I thought."
Zilvar stands up and moves over to the door, looking up and down the hallway. "Could you stand to sleep here...or would that be too much?
Kibra shakes her head.."I can sleep here..if you promise to come back and stay with me."
Zilvar moves to the edge of the bed and sits down. He smiles a little bit, "I will stay here with you, and watch over you while you sleep."
Kibra looks up at you, eyes lidded tiredly.
Zilvar reaches up and cups your cheek in his hand. He turns to face the door and with a voice that is half-spoken, half-thought, he says, "/Dream well, and peacefully./"
Kibra's eyes fly open..**Zilvar?!**
Zilvar looks down and smiles, "What?"
Kibra looks back you.."I..didn't think I could hear you..or you me."
Zilvar rubs the side of your face, "Sometimes, I can hear you...we can talk about it more in the morning." He smiles, "Please...get some rest so that I do not worry so much."
Kibra nods and closes her eyes.."All right, Zilvar."
Zilvar gently rubs the side of your face as you fall asleep.