Friend or Foe (RP)

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(Part 3) For a complete list of this series, go here.

“Food…” Aerissa felt her stomach rumble.  “He brought me meat!”  She looked to the edge of the woods, a small smile upon her lips.  She could hardly believe that this beast, this Lynx, would bring her food.  The smile faded as she realized he was no longer near by.

Aerissa picked up the two rabbits, still warm in her hand.  She chewed at her lower lip, thinking of how to prepare them.  She slowly stood up and limped back into the woods near the berry bush she had found a few nights earlier.  She set the rabbits down near her bedded down area.  Aerissa scanned the forest floor, searching for twigs and branches to be gathered for firewood.  She piled the branches and brought out her trusty flint.  She gave it a thankful kiss for staying with her before lighting the fire.

The fire crackled, making the twigs snap and pop from its heat.  Aerissa rubbed her hands together and held them before the fire.  The warmth was soothing and calming in a way she never remembered it to be.

Aerissa turned her attention back to the task at hand and began to assemble a make shift spit out of the longer, sturdier branches she found.  She looked at the rabbits again, and reached for her belt.  She frowned, realizing she no longer had her daggers.  Aerissa sighed and slipped off her boot.  She turned it upside down, tapping it several times until something fell onto the grass before her.  She slipped her boot back on before picking up the spare throwing knife.

“I always kept it for emergencies….” she mumbled to herself as she carefully skinned the rabbits.  Aerissa laid the skins out to the side and skewered the rabbits, putting them onto the cooking spit.

Aerissa lay back on the grass as the rabbits cooked.  The stars twinkled brightly as the night clouds lazily moved across the sky.  She stretched and laced her fingers behind her head, contemplating what her next steps would be.  She couldn't very well live in the woods forever, could she? She wasn't sure how long she'd be running and hiding, or even how far she had traveled.  Aerissa silently shrugged to herself, as though it didn't really matter where she had ended up, as long as he couldn't find her.

*Snap!*

Aerissa's heart pounded in her chest as she lay still.  Listening.  Waiting.  The smell of the cooking rabbits filled her nostrils and made her mouth water.  She knew she should check them, but she didn't dare to move.  Yet.

“Mrrr…” came the deep sound behind her head.  The leaves and grass rustled as something moved closer.  Warm, moist air tickled her ear and cheek.  Her eyes widened as she tried to look and see what was so close to her, breathing on her.

“Lynx…” Aerissa whispered as she turned her head slightly towards the beast.  Sure enough, he stood next to her, sniffing her.  He snorted, backing up a few steps, then sneezing.  Aerissa wiped her cheek off in disgust.  “Yuck!”

The Lynx cocked his head to the side as he sat back on his haunches, staring at her.  Aerissa sat up slowly, watching him carefully.  She leaned towards the fire, checking the rabbits that were almost ready to be eaten.  She looked back towards the Lynx, who had tilted his nose upward, sniffing at the night air.

“Th-thank you… for the meat,” she gestured at the cooking rabbits.  The Lynx bobbed his head as though nodding at her.  He sat there patiently, continuing to watch Aerissa as she took the rabbits off the spit.  She set one upon her lap and raised the other to mouth.  Her teeth pierced the crisply charred skin, the juicies running down her chin.  She sighed loudly at the first tastes of meat in days.  Or maybe weeks?

The Lynx dipped his head, pawing gently at the ground before him.  Aerissa looked at him as she wiped her greasy mouth with her forearm.  She took another bite.  The Lynx mewed, cocking his head to the other side as though questioning her.  She swallowed slowly, tugging a leg off of the rabbit.

“You must be hungry too, huh?” she murmured as she tossed the leg towards the Lynx.  The Lynx hungrily devoured the small rabbit leg.  He laid down on his belly and inched closer to Aerissa.  She smiled, tearing off another piece of meat.  She tossed it partway between where she sat and where the Lynx was laying.  He scooted forward, lapping the meat up.

Aerissa continued to share every few bites with the Lynx.  Although he could have easily gone and hunted his own food, she was grateful for him to bring her some.  She figured the least she could do to repay his generosity was to share the cooked food with him.  Cooked rabbit surely tasted better than raw rabbit!

A few hours later, the fire was dying out, nothing but a few warm coals that still glowed brightly.  Aerissa laid on her right side, her hands beneath her cheek.  She watched the Lynx through sleepy eyes, for he still laid out of reach.  She inhaled and exhaled deeply a few times as it became more and more difficult to keep her eyes open.  The breeze ruffled her hair slightly, the forest fairly quiet.  The Lynx stood up slowly as he saw her eyes close and padded off deeper into the forest.  Aerissa's eyes fluttered open at the sound of footsteps.  She didn't see the Lynx anywhere, but was too tired to comprehend this.  She snuggled into the ground and went to sleep.

** Please note that some of the events included in RP pieces are based upon actual in-game role play.  Also, some of the events and/or character names may have been altered during the transition from in-game RP to story formation. **

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