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Fire and Ice – Reforged -

Chapter Four

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

15th March, 2020

All Rights Reserved.

Jessica stretched lithely, her muzzle opening wide in a deep yawn, before she rubbed at her eyes with her paws, then turned her head to lick adoringly at the cheek of the human Knight who groaned and shuddered. Jessica slipped a paw onto his hairy chest, then idly traced random patterns across it, making him shudder.

“I haven't been that pleased in a very long time - “ Jessica murmured, as she rolled over onto him, then knelt with her knees either side of his hips and both paws pressed against his chest, her looking down into his eyes.

“I - “ He grunted, then squirmed as Jessica wriggled her hips against him.

“Regrettably Sir Knight, as pleasurable as this was, I must prepare breakfast."

His strong, calloused hands gripped her by the hips, then Jessica squealed as she felt movement between her furred thighs.

“Breakfast can wait..." Sir Kathis chuckled, as he reached up and cupped one of Jessica's warm furred breasts in one hand.

*

Closer to mid-day, Jessica crawled from the bed, her body slick with sweat and a low, quiet groan escaping her muzzle. Sir Kathis lay on the bed, his deep ,exhausted snores making Jessica smile with pleasure and happiness. He wouldn't be waking for hours yet, she was certain of that! Quietly, she placed her cloven hooves on the floor and rose, before a shiver ran through her from ears to ankles as she splashed a little water on her muzzle and shivered again.

Making her way into the main living quarters of her small cottage, Jessica suddenly gasped as her right hoof slid from under her – having stepped awkwardly on the shed scabbard that had fallen over during the night. She heard a second later, as she stumbled, the loud crunch of bone and she fell heavily, pain tearing up her leg and into her mind as she gasped in agony.

Tears slid down her cheeks as she pulled her leg away from the sword, before she gripped it in her hand, intending to throw it into the corner...then her pain from the broken ankle was forgotten as an unimagined agony ripped through her entire body. It felt like her paw was on fire – no – burned to ashed and charred bones, as her fingers touched the silvery blade that instantly burst into a brilliant cerulean glow.

Her agony was unspeakable, she literally felt like her heart would surely seize in her chest, before a muscular contraction of her spine snapped her backwards, her paw flying from the sword and her head cracking against the fireplace's thick stones – then mercifully – darkness come down upon her and freed her from the hellish torture...

*

Sir Kathis gurgled and rolled over, then sat up as his hands met the damp straw stuffed mattress. He was a moment coming fully awake, as his hands fluttered over the bed – before his eyes opened and he released he was alone. A cold shiver ran down his spine, as he got to his feet, as naked as the day he was born and looked around the small bedroom. To his horror, he seen a furred leg and a cloven hoof lying un-moving just outside the crude bedroom door. Wrenching open the door, his eyes fell upon Jessica, who lay sprawled on the floor, a pool of blood beneath her furred head.

"Lady Jessica - no!" Sir Kathis screamed in horror.

He slumped to his knees and picked up her limp form, clutching it against his chest. Jessica lay like a bag of bones covered in fur, her every muscle limp and unresponsive her neck flopping backwards as if it were surely broken.

"Come on, please, oh please! Don't you dare die on me!" Sir Kathis wept, as he cradled her head against his chest. "Milady, please - come back to me.."

He began to weep - something he had not done in over forty-five years, since he was only a young child, and as his tears slid down his cheeks, long buried memories came back to haunt his tormented mind...

*

He had been a mere strip of a boy, barely six winters old, when he had witnessed a pair of Dragon's descend down on his village and proceed to raze it to the ground. They had been rampaging, unstoppable engines of destruction. Effortlessly, they tore apart the stone and thatch roofed huts like they were mere kindling. Powerful talons seized humans and livestock alike, tearing them apart like sheaf's of wheat – often killing just for the seemingly pure joy of the death and destruction. Some were thrown into the air and caught, then their terrified screams ended in choking gurgles as powerful teeth and jaws crunched down upon them.

He had stood rooted to the spot, as the two terrifying reptiles tore apart friends and family alike. Soon, nothing but wreckage remained of his village, its inhabitants dead or dying. Only three remained out of nearly a hundred – himself – and his parents, his father standing clad in a leather apron and holding aloft a silvery coloured blade. He stood defiantly, soot and smoke stinging his eyes as he sought to shield his wife and child from the ravenous and uncaring Dragons who stood a dozen paces away, eyeing this foolish mortal with cold, callous eyes.

“Leave or suffer!" Snarled the man, as he took a step forwards.

Both Dragons exchanged glances, then leapt aside, forcing the Blacksmith to have his back to one of them, as he faced the other one.

As he watched, horrified, tears streaking down his face, his mother drew her own sword, and stood back to back with her husband, clutching the sword in both hands, she raised it towards the second dragon, whose eyes widened and a cruel, predatory smile parted those scaled lips.

Their standoff seemed destined to last until the end of time – two mortals versus creatures spawned from the darkest depths of the hells...

At an unspoken agreement, both Dragons lunged forwards – their heads snapping to the sides as their mouths sprang open, revealing their rows of dagger like teeth and long, forked tongues...

Together, they each chose one of his parents, and as the terrified young boy watched, snatched them up and with cruel, malevolent pleasure – bit them in half, the two pieces falling with sickening splats onto the torn and bloodied ground, the swords falling from lifeless hands.

He stood, barely eight winters old – watching the death of his parents, as the two dragons feasted on the dead and dying. It was as if they considered him beneath their contempt, a morsel not worthy of their seemingly insatiable appetites...

After they had gorged themselves, one took to the air and left, the other knocked aside rubble and ruin, as if seeking further sustenance. As the boy knelt, then picked up his fathers discarded sword – barely able to lift it with both hands – the Dragon's smile spread and it licked its scaled lips.

“Foolish child - “ It hissed, the scent of blood, sulphur and other scents washing over him like a wave.

As he advanced, tears running down his cheeks, he began to scream in rage and hatred, struggling to heft the sword.

“Pathetic, you're not even worth the effort it will take to crush you beneath my claws!" Snarled the enraged Dragon.

As it arched its head up, drawing a deep breath that'd end in incinerating dragon fire – it suddenly screamed as the other one dove down and crashed into it. It's jaws locked around the throat of the one who threatened the child, then bit deep. Blood gushed and spattered over the ground, as it screamed and trashed, tearing itself away from the teeth and claws of the one who had attacked.

Within seconds, the two Dragon's were involved in a violent, bloody battle, clawing, raking and biting at each other, their long canines gleaming as again and again they lashed out at each other.

Helplessly, the boy watched on, transfixed by the battle of these two incredible beasts, but at last the larger one screamed as the one who had ambushed it, bit again into its throat, then savaged it like a terrier would a rat. Larger and stronger – the first dragon roared and slashed with its claws, tearing open deep slashes in the smaller dragon.

Yet through perseverance and cunning, the smaller Dragon held on – despite its own nearly mortal wounds, as the struggles of the first grew weaker and weaker – then with a rasping gurgle, it shuddered and its body collapsed to the ground, dying within moments.

Bloodied, weak and exhausted, the smaller Dragon lay itself down and its great panting breath washed over the boy with the smell of death and blood. Sensing the smaller Dragon was weak, near death and no threat, the boy hefted his father's sword.

Eyes the size of his head looked at him, the mercury like colour of them dimming as the Dragons life faded.

“You..." Screamed the child, inconsolable and beyond reason or remorse. “You killed my family, my friends..."

Shuddering, the Dragon closed it eyes, then slowly opened them again, giving the child a look of longing and regret.

“I hate you..." Shrieked the boy, as he raised his fathers sword.

With a shudder, the Dragon coughed and half closed its eyes, before with considerable effort, it spoke.

“You do not..."

With a shriek of frustration, anger and other powerful emotions, the boy slammed the sword down right before the Dragon's nose. Before him, the Dragon only rolled its large, liquid mercury like eyes up at the boy.

“Live with the guilt of that which you brought..." Spoke the boy, as he began to turn away. “You're dying, I won't honour you with a quick death – I'd rather watch you suffer and die, as you made my family and my friends die..."

Incredulous, the Dragon slowly lifted its scaled head off the ground, before it stared dumbfounded. In this child, a mere stripling...

Lifting its head barely off the ground, the Dragon stared at the child, who glared back, folding his arms over his chest. As he watched, two large tears squeezed their way from the corner of the Dragon's eyes, turning to fine crystal as they slid down the reptile's cheeks and plopping to the ground.

It was this one moment, that made the boy pause – before all his anger, his fear and hatred, it just boiled up inside him. He began smashing his clenched hands on the Dragon's snout, unmindful or perhaps uncaring – he just poured everything he had into this last, great act of defiance.

Its eyes crossed, the Dragon frowned, then with a snort and a flick of its scaled head it threw the boy a dozen paces, so he landed heavily on his back. As he lay gasping and coughing, the Dragon strode over and pressed one large scaled foot down on him, the claws tearing effortlessly through the soil and pinning him to the ground. As its baleful eyes that shone like purest silver stared down, the Boy defiantly stared back.

“Get it over with..." He choked out.

Something happened – neither child nor Dragon could perceive it, but something bridged that gap between them – and in that instant, both knew for a heartbeat – each others fear and pain. With a hiss of fright, the Dragon snatched its paw off the boy and backed away, shaking its great scaled head.

Weakly, the child staggered to his knees, then to his feet as he stared into those large, silvery eyes once more – and the Dragon stared back. Neither had understood what had happened to them, yet, both felt deeply moved by their experience.

It's silvery scales gleamed as the Dragon blinked once more, before it executed an intricate curtsy, bending its left foreleg out straight, the right coming to a kneeling position, as it stretched out its neck and lay its chin against the ground, the wings unfurling and sweeping back to brush against the ground.

Blinking, the boy bowed stiffly in reply, then stepped back as the Dragon reached out and took its crystallised tears in its claws, then squeezed them shut, before it closed its eyes.

“I can not give back that which was taken - “ Intoned the Dragon quietly, as it seemed to draw some sort of mystical energy from the very air and ground itself.

A bright, almost pure white light encircled the Dragon's clenched claws, then it turned them over and the light vanished, before the Dragon crouched and held out its claws to the boy, who looked on in awe as the two tears had been fused into perfect fist sized diamonds.

Nodding, the Dragon held them out, and the boy hesitantly took them one at a time, then looked up in confusion at the Dragon, who only smiled sadly, then unfurled its leathery wings and slowly began to beat them - raising a stinging cloud of grit, dust and debris. Hurriedly, the boy moved away and with a roar of wind, the Dragon leapt into the darkening sky and was soon swallowed up by the swirling storm clouds far above...

Kneeling on the ground, clutching the precious stones to his chest, the child swore and oath there and then, he would hunt down this beast, one day, and there would be a reckoning...

*

His salty tears spattered down onto Jessica's bloodied muzzle, then in desperation, he pulled her limp, boneless neck up and pressed his lips to hers.

“Live, please my Lady - “ Sir Kathis begged, as he cradled her against his naked chest. “I would do anything, give, anything..."

For several minutes, Jessica's body was limp and unresponsive – before as he despaired her life was surely fled from her beautiful Cervid body, she suddenly drew a weak, choking breath.

He rolled her onto her side, tilting her head back and watching as she gagged and choked, before she emptied her stomach onto the floor and her breathing broke into a loud, gasping wheeze.

Half-cradling her body, he held her against his chest, as he stroked her muzzle and looked down at her.

“My Lady – surely I thought your spirit departed..."

Relief washed from him in waves as he lifted her limp form up in his strong arms, then carried her into the bedroom. He lay her gently down on the bed, before he left and returned with a crude wooden bowl, an old rag and a bucket of water. Filling the bowl half full, he held it up to her lips and made her take a few shallow sips.

“What..." Jessica moaned.

Words fled, as the agony from her broken ankle sent its torturous force searing through her body once more – only to be met and challenged by the sickening ache from the back of her head.

“Easy!" He spoke, placing a hand lightly on her belly, trying to comfort her. “You're hurt – I know not just how badly..."

Weakly, Jessica gestured towards her ankle that had started to swell badly. He followed her gaze, then shuddered. Taking his discarded leather belt, he forced open her muzzle and set the thick leather between her jaws.

“I can not lie to you my Lady – this will hurt... I've seen enough broken bones, to know you've done a serious injury – if I do not straighten it now, you'll be forever crippled. Please, bite down on the belt..."

Tears sprang from her eyes, as she sniffled and clenched her jaws, watching as Sir Kathis timidly touched the ankle. With a loud squeal, Jessica thrashed in agony.

“Aye, its broken...forgive me my Lady, please..." He murmured, before he gripped just above her cloven hoof and pulled hard.

Jessica's back arched off the bed, her scream was loud, long and agonising, before unconsciousness swept her into its dark, merciful embrace once again...

*

For three days and nights, Jessica lay in a near cataleptic state, her breath barely felt and her heartbeat so low, that Sir Kathis surely felt she must surely die from her grievous injuries. She wouldn't awaken, despite how many times he would gently shake her. He had bandaged and splinted her broken ankle, then he had done what he could for the head wound.

Every morning, he would bathe the wound, using what little herbal craft he knew to try to stave off any disease that might yet still take her life. He lay with her, covered with the warm blankets and sharing his body heat with her, despite her being ice cold to the touch. It was like something was sapping the very warmth from her furred body, and he began to wonder, if a single dagger stroke might not be a blessing in disguise. For it was better a quick, painless death at his hands – than a slow, lingering one …

It was late on the third night, the cottage blazing with bursts of light as the heavens outside roiled and clashed, the thunder booming like Titan's engaged in some mighty war, the torrential rain pounding down from the seething, boiling heavens.

Sir Kathis dozed quietly beside Jessica, then without warning, her catalepsy broke and she began screaming and convulsing wildly, clawing at the air and shrieking incoherently. Sir Kathis leapt from his chair beside her bed, then pulled the shrieking Whitetail against him and held her tightly, stroking her ears.

"My Lady. Shhh. You're alright." He whispered, trying to soothe her.

"Who...get off me!" Jessica squealed, er paws slapping at him in her fright.

“Lady Jessica, please!" Sir Kathis yelled, then slapped her sharply across the muzzle.

He hated himself for striking her, yet it seemed to shake the last vestiges of whatever nightmare had held her in its merciless grip. Her eyes filled with tears, before she blinked them away and looked sideways at him.

"What, what happened to me?" Jessica gasped. “Water...please, I'm so very thirsty..."

Quickly, he half filled the bowl and gently held it against her lips, watching as she took a dozen mouth fulls of water and swallowed them, before she shuddered.

“Oh Gods, it hurts so bad..." Jessica moaned, then glanced at the crude wooden splints and bandages that bound her leg.

“I wish I knew more to help, is there anything I can get – do you have anything to ease the pain?"

Jessica shuddered, then gave a very weak nod. “Shelf...in the main – willow bark..."

Lord Kathis quickly rose and made his way to the main room, before he frantically searched the crude shelving. At last, he found the powdery substance and quickly brought it back to the bedroom. Here, he sprinkled about a third of it into the water bowl, stirring it with his finger, then thought better of it and added another third. Carefully, he held the bowl to Jessica's furred muzzle and made her drink the bitter liquid.

Jessica choked and shuddered, before she pushed the bowl away and ever so gently sat herself up a little higher, before she clutched her head and shivered.

“What...happened to me..."

"I was hoping," Sir Kathis spoke soothingly. "That you could tell me."

It would be about fifteen minutes, before the Willow bark finally began its effects, so Jessica sipped some fresh water and tried to recall her memories, only to find the last four days, seemingly wiped from her mind.

“I...can't remember - “ Jessica whimpered.

Sir Kathis frowned, then set a wet cloth on her forehead and held it there gently.

"I found you unconscious outside, in the main room. It seemed that you'd tumbled over my sword, and." Sir Kathis began, then his words trailed off as his eyes widened slowly. "My sword.."

Jessica shivered, then looked down at her paw, finding it bandaged from hooflets to wrist. Her eyes tried to focus, before they saw double, then triple and back to singular vision. A moment later, her fragmented mind began to reassemble itself from the shattered pieces. Experimentally, she flexed her bandaged paw, then felt the sickening pain slice like a knife up her arm. Jessica's eyes widened as memory flooded back in on her, and she hurriedly gave a low, whimpering cry that brought Sir Kathis' attention back to her.

"Rest here my love." Sir Kathis spoke as he gently stroked her ears. "I need to go check something."

"No!" Jessica wailed, as she clung to him. "Please, I'm scared and..."

Torn between his duty of care to the injured Whitetail and his niggling doubts, he paused and stood trembling.

“Sir Kathis..." Jessica pleaded, reaching for him.

“Lady Jessica, I need to check something, it – it will just take me a moment, I swear!"

“Please!" Come the weak, pleading wail.

Sir Kathis paused, his hand on the door frame, before he shuddered and stepped through, the door swinging closed behind him with a quiet thump.

To Be Continued...