36. Into the Gray
Into the Gray
Prism Malefic
The days passed in a blissful haze of fearcat paws and wither claws. I’d long abandoned my cottage to sleep with Vore in his cave during the daylight hours. When the sun set, we joined Nisse for fires, food, and conversation. My garden thrived, and I distributed its spoils to everyone each evening.
I felt like one of them
A maiden with her monster.
Happy .
On this particular twilight, I rested on a grassy bank by the falls, watching my growing fearkitten splash in the shallows.
Vore soon joined, taking a seat and wrapping his arm around me. “The runt fearcat is your shadow. Where you go, he goes. He’s been standing watch at our cave as we sleep. Have you thought of a name yet?”
I beamed up at my wither. “What about Thistle? He did pop out of a thicket when he first found me.”
Vore smiled down at me. “Thistle is a fine name for a fearcat. Now the other ladies can stop pestering you about it.”
“Did you ever find out how Thistle made it into Nisse? Did Wraith not sense him coming in?”
Vore eyed my fearcat as he chased a frog through the water.
“Somehow, the runt made it through the wards of protection we have around this place. What’s as surprising as that is he somehow made it past the swamp and the crocmares…
all while his kind migrated north nearly a month ago.
That is where they were headed when you came across them on our journey here—and why the fearcats were so aggravated. Cats hate travel.”
“Wow, it’s been almost a month… a month of us .”
Vore sucked in a heavy breath and nodded, his expression contemplative. “Are you happy, Prism?”
“Extraordinarily so. Why do you ask?”
“Because I know you regret leaving your surviving kin.”
My chest tightened. As it did, two big, wet paws slammed into my lap as Thistle licked my face until I was laughing.
I rubbed his velvety ears. “I do wish I was able to say goodbye to my sister and make sure she is okay. To let her know I am okay, in case she ever decided to risk her life and come looking for me. That sounds like something she would do.”
Vore hummed low in his throat. “The crocmares are hibernating and the fearcats have migrated. The ground outside of Nisse is soon to freeze with frost, making an easy, unhindered path.”
Surprise flitted through me as I sought to understand his words. “Vore… what are you saying?”
“I will take you back to Willowspire so you may wish your sister farewell.”
Stupefied at his revelation, my mouth hung open. “Really? You’d do that for me?”
“I would do anything for you, Prism. Let it be known, I do not like it, but I will allow you this.”
“Thank you, thank you!” I jumped into his strong arms and kissed his cheek over and over again. “When do we leave?”
“We leave at sundown tomorrow. We will travel by night without stopping and reach Willowspire by morning.”
This chance, this opportunity to share with Rumor how much I adored my new life…
how I’d found someone to love and how they loved me back ferociously.
This opportunity would allow Rumor to move on with her life and explore other things aside from me being her every obligation and responsibility.
When I saw her, I could assure her that I was safe, taken care of, and happy.
Very, very happy.
My wither had truly given me everything, and I couldn’t have loved him more.
When the sun rose, it was difficult to sleep, even within the darkness of Vore’s cave and with Thistle standing watch. All I wanted to do was begin our trek to Willowspire.
Questions began to flood my mind. Was Rumor okay? What had she done in my absence? Vore had claimed she hadn’t been seen… had she really locked herself away in our cabin and refused to emerge? Or had her ailment, her pain with her head, taken over and rendered her helpless?
I hoped not.
Urgency was at the top of my restless mind as I forced my eyes closed.
Vore squeezed me in his grip, always holding me tight as we slept.
If I even opened my eyes from a dream, he’d somehow awaken at the same time and ask if I was okay.
We were connected, my monster and I, in the most intimate of ways.
At long last, twilight fell, washing Nisse in soft purple hues once more. We emerged, and Vore encouraged me to pack supplies. In my cottage, I found a backpack already packed with fruits, breads, a change of clothes, and a blanket. Leather boots and a hiking dress awaited me as well.
Fable was good. Really good.
Once I was changed, I shouldered my pack and met Vore outside. Promptly, he removed my backpack and carried it with ease. “You shoulder nothing but your beauty,” he said softly.
We passed by the town’s gathering, and I hugged the ladies goodbye. “I can’t imagine anything in the realm could force me back to Willowspire.” Fable’s rounded belly bumped me as she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. “But I hope you find what you need in your goodbyes and return to us swiftly.”
“I already miss you all,” I sighed. “Thank you for everything, Fable. The dresses, the warm water for baths, the backpack and gear waiting this morning. It means a lot. Though, you really shouldn’t overwork yourself in your condition.”
Fable’s brows furrowed in confusion. “I’m not sure what you mean? I haven’t been to your cabin since I first prepared it for you a month ago.”
“Then where has all this come from? Vore is too big to go into my house, and I’ve seen none of the other ladies coming or going.” I shook my head, puzzled.
“No idea.” Fable shrugged. “You better get going, Cadaver is waiting for you both at the border.”
“Cadaver? He’s coming with us?” I asked, passing Thistle to Petrichor and Omen, who eagerly accepted my vivacious critter.
Fable nodded. “Withers always travel in pairs unless it’s their journey time, like Vore did with you, and Cadaver did with me.”
“And as I did with my beloved Petrichor,” Omen added as Thistle walked across his broad shoulders. “Please be safe in Willowspire. It is… very dangerous,” Omen warned ominously.
With a forced smile, I wished them farewell and told Thistle to behave while I was gone. He wouldn’t. No doubt he’d mew for me every night until I returned. The thought had me questioning my decision to leave—but I had to go.
Checking on my older sister and showing her that I was okay would be the only way to close the Willowspire chapter of my life. This life with Vore and Thistle and my new friends in Nisse was what I wanted. This new adventure had given me everything I’d never known I’d needed.
It wasn’t clear in my mind whether this closure trip was more for Rumor or for me. Was this journey to assuage my guilt for leaving and finding bliss while leaving my sister behind—or to truly ensure that she was okay?
I wished a wither would choose her as well.
Perhaps if she actually tried to go through with a marriage rite…
maybe I could ask if someone in Nisse would be interested?
My brain was a jumble of unanswered ponderings when Vore and I finally reached the border, the same hill Vore had held me and showed me Nisse for the first time.
That seemed so very long ago now.
Cadaver emerged from behind an oak tree. It still astonished me how withers were so enormous but so easily blended in with their environment. A human could walk right past one and never know. “Hello, Prism,” Cadaver said before addressing Vore. “The way is clear.”
“Thank you, brother. We march onward.” Vore offered me his arms, and I jumped in—already spoiled by being carried around so often.
“Remember, past these borders, us withers lose our ability to communicate with words. When you step into Willowspire, I will not be able to protect you. If I cross into the town, I am breaking magical binds, and all hell will be unleashed.”
I shuddered. “Rumor won’t hurt me,” I assured him. “I will be safe and careful.”
Vore hesitated before asking, “Do you have desire to see… the man who left you?”
A small laugh pushed from my throat. “Birch? No, not at all. In fact, I would be more than happy to never see him ever again.”
My heart cracked as we moved further away from Nisse, reaching the smelly swamp. “We’ll be back home soon?” I asked Vore, more for comfort than true questioning.
With a soft smile, my wither nodded. “We will be back home soon.”
Leaving behind my utopia, I prayed to the goddess I wasn’t making a mistake, as we stepped into the muck once more.