She's Not An Enemy

JP with mdman and Cindy

Islana returned the smile, when she saw Ch’Truta coming from the tent. "Of course," Islana responded.

There was a man, whose job seemed to be tending to the fire and stirring the stew in the pot on top of the fire. Islana hadn't even noticed, him before and wondered how long he had been there. He was likely one of the random helpers that the cooks used. She had this man, get Ch’Truta a bowl of stew. He handed the stew, with some bread and fresh water to Ch’Truta.

Islana then said to Ch’Truta, "Shall we sit?"

Ch’Truta squared on his haunches, feet flat upon the ground. If there weee a threat, Ch’Truta could respond from this position quicker. Sitting on his rear would be too relaxed. Besides, it was this position that he was used to in the swamp. You never knew when your brood may be ambushed.

The stew hit the spot. He nodded in satisfaction of the flavor. He commended the man who prepared it.

He turned his attention back to the one he had come to love. “Thank you, again for staying with me, Is…Sister Locust. I am sure that you are burdened with your role as the leader of this horde. I am grateful to you.”

Before finding a seat one of the guards had taken a blanket, Islana had used earlier, brought it out of the tent and laid it out. She thanked the guard. Despite how long she had been Sister Locust being waited on, especially without asking, was still a little surreal. How things had turned in her life.

The redheaded leader sat down on the blanket, but noticed Ch'Truta's stance. She knew what it was, as the way he had put his body wasn't foreign to her.

"No thanks are necessary but you are welcome." Islana said, before softening her voice a little. "I heard you were sick, to be honest I didn't think much about it other than I had to be there for you."

Ch’Truta was not used to this much attention. In the swamp, when he had disappeared for a couple of days, his brood realized that he was seeking the spirits.

“We must talk,” Ch’Truta confirmed before taking another spoonful of the stew.

Islana sighed, why did nothing good ever come from those three words? However, she had a feeling this wasn't bad necessarily. "I suppose we do," she confirmed. "I have a feeling that you're not used to the way I responded to you being ill."

“True,” Ch’Truta acknowledged. “I cannot think of another that I would rather have tending to my needs.”

He realized Sister Locust would be wondering about his investigation of Silina. He didn’t immediately report to her upon his return. Ch’Truta was too much in a hurry to seek the spirits.

“Silina is not a danger,” he solemnly reported. “She does not necessarily agree with you as the Twins’ choice, but she is committed to them. She will not come against you.”

There it was again, that nagging feeling of overwhelming danger. Why couldn’t he remember the trance? There was only darkness.

“Still,” he reported, “we should be on guard. Not from Silina, but from elsewhere. I’m not certain why I believe that, but it’s certain, I’m sure.”

Islana nodded, "Silina has a good number of those willing to follow her as leader. If she's not a threat I might have a job for her. I will send for her tomorrow." Sister Locust was just thinking out loud.

"Danger seems to be very integrated into my position. Other sisters have also been targets, though I am likely more of one because of my birth place."

Islana hadn't addressed, yet, why she had been so terrified at the possibility of losing him. Beyond, the comment earlier that she had lost too many already. She wondered if he would bring it up, or even remembered. The thought to explain more crossed her mind as she took a sip of water.

“She will serve you well,” Ch’Truta affirmed, swallowing the desire to call her by her given name, “Sister Locust.” He was in love with Islana, not Sister Locust.

He moved nearer to her, so he could speak quieter and the others would not hear. He squared by her side, vigilant against any possible aggressor.

“Have you ever wondered why?” Ch’Truta perplexed. “Why would the gods choose one from the very people they are trying to push out of the land?”

Especially when there was a great difference between Islana and Sister Locust, Ch’Truta wondered. “I have observed you since I have been with you. You have a soft side, when Sister Locust tends to be hard. You are warm, while Sister Locust appears cold. You are thoughtful, caring, loving, and beautiful. You care about your people, when I don’t believe Sister Locust would care who she loses, just so she wins. I have seen you battle her,” he observed.