The corner of my mouth twitched into a small smile. It was nice that he sought out similarities between us, but we were too different to truly understand each other, weren't we? Still, I appreciated the sentiment.
If I could speak, the chasm between us would be a lot smaller…
My quest to find a spirit had to wait until Ashe healed. As much as I wanted my wish to be granted, it was more important to me that he got better. The thought of sending him home half injured—or worse, him getting hurt again on the way there—was an idea I refused to entertain.
"How do you feel today?" I asked.
"Sore, and a bit feverish," Ashe admitted.
I frowned and placed the back of my hand against his forehead. He was right. It was warm to the touch. But his body was fighting off infection, which was good.
My wish would have to wait. Ashe was in no shape to go anywhere. Like hell I was going to let him get hurt again. Just thinking about it made my blood boil.
It was strange. I always showed compassion to others, sure, but wasn't this an overreaction? There was no reason for my skin to grow hot with anger and for my bear to growl and pace inside me, stomping around like the king of the mountain. Why was I acting this way?
Ashe’s brow furrowed as he glanced up at me. I couldn't quite read his expression. He almost seemed a little wary.
I realized my hand was still pressed to his forehead. I yanked it away and quickly signed, "You still need rest. Eat something, then sleep. Don't go anywhere."
"Wasn't planning on it," Ashe said in a mild voice.
Knowing he meant to stay put was a relief, even if it did mean my wish was delayed.
Somehow, I didn't mind.
7
Ashe
SayingBear was confusing was an understatement.
One minute he was calm and gentle, feeding me and taking care of my wounds. The next, he seemed annoyed at my very existence. Maybe he resented having to take care of me. If that was the case, why didn't he just let me leave?
Not that I needed his permission. It wasn't like he was blocking the exit. Hell, my legs weren't broken. I could get up and walk out. Unless he manhandled me, he wouldn't be able to stop me.
I'd considered that option when I woke up this morning to find the hollow empty. But honestly, my wounds hurt like a bitch. I tried getting up once and the jagged jolt of pain was enough to make me sit my ass back down.
There was a hot minute where I thought Bear had abandoned me and I got scared, but then he returned with a morning feast, albeit one covered in bear drool. Not that I cared. They still tasted good, even if we were indirectly kissing.
My cheeks flushed.
Why the hell am I thinking about that?
At times, Bear would zone out, thinking deeply to himself. He kept looking out the mouth of the hollow in an almost yearning way, like there was something out there he desperately craved. I was the obstacle standing in his way. My guess was he felt responsible for me and would feel guilty leaving me behind.
That made me feel worse. The last thing I ever wanted to be was a burden.
I dozed off, slipping in and out of consciousness. I underestimated how exhausting it was to be injured. But Bear was right. I needed to rest to get better.
I had to admit, it was comforting that every time I roused from a bleary sleep, Bear was sitting there in the hollow with me. He always looked over at me with a concerned expression then asked how I was feeling in slow, deliberate hand gestures, like he thought my being groggy made it harder to understand him.
Then there were times when Bear seemed impatient, like he couldn't wait till I was gone. He wouldn't look at me, choosing to stare at any other corner of the hollow. His jaw would clench and his muscles went taut like I was bothering him. It was confusing as hell. Did he like me or not? It was the latter, why didn't he just tell me to get lost? Gods know I wouldn't put up with somebody I disliked for this long.
I blinked awake from another drowsy sleep. Judging from the birdsong outside and the green leaves rustling in the breeze, it was day time. Speaking of time, how long had I been here? Time blurred together in the way it did when you were ill.
A question nagged at me. Why hadn't my family come looking for me yet?
Had Bear… stopped them somehow?
