Chapter 222: They’re all hurting where they were hurt before

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: They’re all hurting where they were hurt before

Eira climbed directly into Swanly’s lap.

Swanly looked at them.

Serious.

"No eating anything I did not give you."

Miko immediately opened his mouth.

"No."

He closed it.

"No drinking water unless I or one of your fathers says it is safe."

Kairo nodded.

Nilo nodded.

Miko nodded too.

Swanly narrowed her eyes specifically at him.

"Miko."

"I listened."

"I mean it."

"I know."

"No climbing away because you saw something interesting."

Miko looked personally attacked.

"I don’t always."

All four siblings looked at him.

Miko sighed.

"Fine."

Swanly’s voice softened.

"I don’t want any of you sick."

They quieted.

"I don’t want any of you hurt."

Kairo crawled closer.

"Mama."

Swanly pulled him into her.

Then Nilo.

Then Miko.

Eira was already there.

Sira forced herself into the middle because obviously.

Five children.

Too many limbs.

Too many tails.

Warm little bodies everywhere.

Swanly kissed Kairo’s hair.

Nilo’s forehead.

Miko’s cheek.

Eira’s nose.

Sira’s round face.

"I love you."

Kairo answered immediately.

"Love you too."

Nilo hugged tighter.

Miko:

"I love you more."

Kairo looked offended.

"That’s not how it works."

"It can be."

Sira said:

"Love."

Swanly nearly cried.

Eira pressed her cheek against Swanly’s chest.

"Mine."

Swanly laughed through the sudden ache.

"Yes. Mama is yours."

Then she found Kael.

"You too."

Kael blinked.

"What?"

"Do not eat or drink anything questionable."

He stared.

"Swanly."

"I know you’re grown."

"Apparently not."

She pointed at Soren.

"You too."

Soren raised one pale brow.

"I am harder to poison than all of you."

"That was not permission to be stupid."

His mouth curved.

Then Nerin appeared with fruit.

Swanly pointed.

"And you."

Nerin froze.

"What did I do?"

"Nothing. That is why I want you to stay alive."

His ears went bright pink.

Soren’s eyes narrowed.

Kael’s tail flicked.

Swanly ignored all of them.

"Safe water. Safe food. Tell me if anything hurts."

Nerin nodded immediately.

"Okay."

Of course he did.

Soft deer.

...

Nilo found the first real pattern.

He was sitting quietly beside Swanly while she questioned another sick warrior.

The male had no fever.

No headache.

He only kept pressing his palm against an old wound along his thigh.

Swanly asked:

"Does it hurt?"

"Yes."

"When did that injury happen?"

"Years ago."

Another female nearby rubbed her shoulder.

Nilo watched.

Then looked across the shelter at a third patient touching a scar near his neck.

His little brows pulled together.

"Mama."

Swanly looked down.

"What?"

Nilo pointed.

"They’re all hurting where they were hurt before."

Swanly froze.

Slowly, she looked around.

Scar.

Old bite.

Broken bone.

Healed spear wound.

All aching.

Her quiet little cub had noticed before the adults.

Swanly touched his hair.

"Nilo."

He looked worried.

"Is that bad?"

"I don’t know."

His eyes lowered.

Swanly kissed his forehead.

"But you did very well."

His tail flicked once.

Tiny.

Proud.

...

That night, Eira crawled toward a feverish male.

Swanly immediately followed.

"Eira?"

The baby stopped.

She looked at the man.

Her silver eyes became very still.

Then:

"Bad."

Everyone froze.

Swanly crouched.

"What?"

Eira pointed.

"Bad."

"What is bad, baby?"

Eira looked at her.

Swanly touched the man’s forehead.

"Is he bad?"

"No."

The male looked insulted.

Eira frowned.

Then touched the floor.

"Bad."

Swanly’s heartbeat changed.

"What do you mean?"

Eira did not have enough words.

She simply crawled back.

Lifted both arms.

"Mama."

Swanly picked her up.

Eira wrapped around her neck.

Then whispered again:

"Bad."

Nobody understood.

That was the problem.

...

Swanly found Thalara alone later.

The Root-Eyed Mother stood near the garden’s darker edge, looking toward the trees.

Swanly slowed.

She realized something.

They had barely spoken lately.

Not properly.

"Thalara."

The ancient woman turned.

Her purple forehead eye softened.

"Swanly."

"How have you been?"

A strange question in the middle of an impending nightmare.

Perhaps that was why Thalara’s expression warmed.

"Fine."

Swanly smiled faintly.

"Only fine?"

Thalara looked toward Ironwood.

Children sleeping.

Guards moving.

People whispering about sickness.

Her smile disappeared.

"I do not know how long that will last."

Swanly’s chest tightened.

She stepped closer.

"You’re worried too."

"Yes."

Thalara’s blackened fingers lifted.

Hesitated.

Swanly took the hand herself.

Thalara looked down.

Then back up.

"You are different."

"From what?"

"The female who first found me."

Swanly laughed softly.

"That one was terrified of you."

"You still are sometimes."

"Correct."

That made Thalara smile.

Tiny.

Swanly squeezed her hand.

"You’re not alone."

Thalara’s eye dimmed with emotion.

"I remember."

They stayed like that for several breaths.

Then Swanly left.

Thalara watched her go.

The settlement quieted.

Nobody looked toward her.

Her purple eye suddenly widened.

Something moved through her.

A sensation.

Memory.

Recognition.

Her face went pale.

She looked toward the forest.

Once.

Then again.

Nobody was watching.

Thalara slipped away.

Over the boundary.

Into the trees.

Fast.

Faster.

White hair streaming behind her.

Bare feet barely touching the ground.

She ran.

And did not stop.

...

The Rot Nest was far.

Thalara traveled for hours.

No rest.

No hesitation.

The forest changed around her.

Different creatures watched from branches with open curiosity.

Long-bodied things moved constantly beneath roots.

A horned animal with too many eyes stared as she passed.

None attacked.

Thalara did not slow for even a second.

Eventually the trees blackened.

Water darkened.

Old serpent bones appeared between roots.

The Rot Nest.

Or what remained of it.

Thalara entered.

The place still smelled wrong.

Dead Rot.

Ancient power.

Old blood.

She walked toward the place where everything had happened.

Where Swanly’s blood had once fallen.

Where the living Seed had awakened.

Thalara crouched.

Touched the ground.

Her forehead eye opened fully.

Memory moved.

Swanly’s blood.

The Seed stirring.

Ancient flesh reacting.

The huge creature waking.

Then dying.

Something else responding deeper below.

Thalara inhaled sharply.

She followed the memory.

Soren.

Seeds.

Ancient life matter taken into his damaged body over their journey.

His core changed.

Stabilized.

Bound to things that should never have mixed.

Then Swanly.

Her blood.

Her body.

Their daughters.

Thalara’s eye widened.

"No."