Chapter 12: Beginning the Journey

45 BULLETS

Thann was not a good traveling companion. He was someone to talk to sure, but it was like going on a walk with my dog. I could talk to him all I wanted, but there really wasn't any conversation. He could speak back at me, but he only knew a few simple words.

Hmm... maybe I should teach him sit and stay and all those commands. My own little trained pet alien.

A lot of the time I just felt like I was talking to myself. After a while I started telling him the story of Harry Potter just so there wasn't silence. It was actually kind of fun to reread my favorite book, so to speak.

Late into the afternoon we hit a stream with clear crystal waters. I put the wheelbarrow down and secretly patted myself on the back. It was working out pretty well. Sure Thann had to carry the wheelbarrow up the steep mountainsides for me whenever we hit one, but on all the flat areas, I rocked it.

I pointed to the water. "Water? Good? Yes-No?"

He looked cautiously in the water and surrounding bank and then stepped to me.

"Is it okay then?"

His hands came down on my shoulders and pushed down.

"Whoa Dothraki? What do you want?" I asked confused.

He kept pushing until I crumpled under the weight and he kept going until I was sitting in the grass.

"Okay, I'm sitting! Are you done yet?"

Thann then pointed at me and strode off into a thick patch of trees.

I didn't know where he was going, but figured I'd thoroughly enjoy the time off my feet. I laid back in the grass and grimaced, realizing all the walking was catching up with me and that time of the month. My back was aching with cramps. I held my arm out and picked at the inside of my bicep where the birth control rod was implanted just under the skin. I flicked it indignantly. "Start working you. You're supposed to keep cramps away."

Standing up I dug through the wheelbarrow until I found my purse and the small bottle of ibuprofen. I inwardly cursed that I took out my better meds a few weeks ago. They would work so much better for me right now, but ibuprofen was better than nothing.

I felt like that's all I've been saying the whole time on this darn planet. Better than nothing.

I downed the pill with some water and Thann came back through the same patch he left. "Water yes."

"Water yes? Water good?" I reiterated and sat at the bank with the water bottle in my hand. I studied his reaction as I put it down in the stream, but he just nodded.

The stream felt so good after the long hike. Cool water running over my fingers was heavenly. Thann filled all the extra containers we had, I had my own fill from my filter straw, and then placed bare feet down in.

"Toes water," he laughed.

I flipped my feet around. "Yes, toes water!" Then I flicked some water playfully up at him. "Now water Thann."

"El," he cautioned a teasing gleam in his eye.

"Wasn't me!" I turned to look behind and then shrugged. A slight grin formed on my lips.

He crouched down and splashed a handful up me.

My hands shot out to guard myself and I laughed at the cold now dotting my clothes. "Darnit Thor!" I laughed and went to kick some more water, but he caught my ankle and held it in place.

"Ngikufaka emanzini?" He smirked and then tugged on my ankle making me move forward a few inches toward the bank.

"Thann!" I shrieked, steadying myself. "Don't you dare!" I laughed and tried to dig my hands into the soil.

He chuckled and released me, then stood and grabbed a few pieces of jerky. He then sat next to me and dipped his feet in too. Holding a slice out for me, I took it and started gnawing as we watched the water flow over our feet.

After finishing my slice, I stood and grabbed all of Jia's scrubs now made into fabric strips, and my second outfit, including the once too small pants, and washed them out in the stream. Then I gave myself a quick basic clothes-on sponge bath. It wasn't too cold to just jump in for a full bath, but Thann was already surveying my every move, taking my clothes off didn't sound like a smart idea.

I rung out the cleaned clothes the best I could and then draped them over the side of my wheelbarrow. "Molly?"

He nodded and stood from the bank, going to gather up the bins.

We walked.

And walked.

And walked.

I had gotten almost through with relaying the first Potter book when I just couldn't talk anymore.

The cramps were catching up and I was having trouble moving through the pain. "Stupid ibuprofen," I grumbled under my breath.

Thann had been watching me carefully the last hour. He knew something was up, but it wasn't until then he said anything. "El hurt."

I sighed and shook my head, but my forehead was dotted with perspiration. "El no hurt." My words were labored.

He stopped and put his load down, grabbing at my arm to halt my movements too. "El hurt yes."

I sighed and looked out in front of us. Stupid Molly! This was so embarrassing. "El hurt yes. Little." I pinched my fingers together to show just a bit. "El ...." Stupid Molly! "El, period hurt. But it's okay. I can still walk."

"No hurt El." His brow furrowed, hand still around my arm. He pointed to a log.

I followed and stared longingly at a chance to sit down. "I can't. No Thann. No El sit. If I sit down, I'll never make it back up." I looked at the sky, the sun getting low. "Night soon. We need to find a shelter or something."

"El yes!" He pointed again.

Groaning, I just pulled away from him and started walking again.

He was clearly not convinced I should still be walking, but picked up his boxes and followed.

And we walked.

My breaths were strong pants. I was desperately trying to hold in any cries of pain.

And we walked.

My eyes dotted with tears. 

And we walked.

It was close to sunset, so I pushed myself. It wouldn't be too long before we would stop and make camp. I could do it. Just a little further.

But we kept walking until I unintentionally forced us to stop and make camp. Mid-step I blacked out and collapsed into oblivion.



I gasped in a frantic attempt not to drown as cool water was tossed over my face.

"El! El!"

I was cradled in Thann's arms and he leaned back against a large tree with a relieved expression. After a few moments, he sat up staring me straight in the face, monologuing something angrily in his language.

I could only shut my eyes in pain and curl in on myself. Thann...no. Why couldn't you have just let me die?! I couldn't breathe my jaw was so clenched in pain.

"El? El?" He stopped his anger and now was wiping the water from my face, concerned. "Hurt? Hurt!?"

I nodded into his shoulder, huffing and puffing, my hands pressing hard into my stomach. You were right Thann. We should have waited until tomorrow.

Walking today was stupid, Eleanor.

He scooped me up anxiously and twisted me back down, my front now straddling his hips. "Holy!" I yelled. "Thann this is highly inappropri... ohhoohoh," but I was cut off as he pushed me against his warm chest and met his heated hands at my back inside my shirt. His hands moved in deep massaging circles at my lower back and I was spent. Immediately I dug into his warmth like my favorite heating pad. The pressure nearly overcoming in delicious reprieve.

"Kayo. Lissette. Period hurt." He spoke softly.

"I don't know what you're saying, but whatever it is just keep doing it." I muffled out through his shoulder.

My Savoir.

Oh gosh you feel good Mr. Thann.

And you can tell how far gone I was when his fingers pressed to the skin under my waistband at my butt, and instead of having a freak out on him to keep his dang hands to himself, I leaned up just enough to undo my belt and jeans button to give him better access.

Yes sir. You just keep going.

My acknowledgement of the pain started to drift away as he massaged me tight into his chest and for some reason, I was able to even fall asleep, right there pressed into him, monster cramps and all.


I woke up late into the night, crescent moons shining brightly, and still straddling Thann's lap. Now that the cramps had eased, I realized what a strange position we were in. Me across his lap, belt unbuckled, him only wearing some thin leather pants.

Oh gosh!

Scrambling off from his chest, I woke him. His eyes focused on mine and before I could slide the whole way off, his grip came around my wrist. "Hurt," he spoke softly to the cool night air.

"No. No hurt. Better. Thank you."

He nodded and let my wrist free and I sat to the side of him, leaning up against the same tree. I realized this was my first night free to the elements and immediately all senses went on high alert, scanning the area for dangers. My hand went to grip the rifle that was habitually at my shoulder and it was gone. Panic beginning, I scrutinized the grasses around us and Thann held the gun out, from its position beside him.

I sighed in relief and held the weapon across my body. While it made my thoughts feel better, it did not have the warmth that Thann had. The coolness of the metal and the loss of his body heat already starting a chill.

He stood and walked a few paces away, returning with my sleeping bag. He unrolled its cocoon and placed it over me. I tried to smile at him and tucked it tight around me.

Sitting back in his original position, he leaned his head back against the tree. I watched with curiosity. He could just lean back and go to sleep? Here, out in the open? No traps set? No wire set? My glance darted around nervously again.

I was not going to be able to sleep.

Adjusting my rifle for easy movement, I decided I'd take a watch so Thann could get some sleep. But as I searched the dark area, I really wished I had my headlamp.

I could see well enough with the double moonlight, but I was bound to miss things. And I'd really prefer not to miss a werewolf. Could a bullet even hurt a werewolf if it wasn't silver?

I shook my head out. The darkness was making me crazy. They were sabretooth tiger things, not actually werewolves. Regular bullets would be fine. But the image of that toothed beast staring at me from ten feet away freaked me out enough that I now really wanted that headlamp.

And I wanted more bullets.

A single reload in my pocket was not going to cut it for me at night.

Tossing the sleeping bag, I stood upright, and tip toed over to where the wheelbarrow was. I had pushed it this far and just faceplanted I guess. Things blackened and then water was tossed in my face, so I guess that's all.

I started rummaging through the tools and things in the wheelbarrow. I put a handful more bullets in my pocket next to the mace bottle and continued the search for my headlamp. It wouldn't have been left behind would it?

I swore out loud.

Leaving my light behind was a terrifying idea.

Thann's scruff voice cut through the quiet air, making me leap up in surprise, my fingers automatically stretching for the rifle. "El. Night."

My heart pounded a symphony. "Goodness Thann. You scared me." I took a few shaky breaths. "Sorry I woke you. You can go back to sleep." I turned back to the wheelbarrow and kept my search up.

He stood and stepped up behind me, annoyance flooding his eyes as he grabbed my hands and twisted me to see him. "El. Night."

"Yes. It's night. That's why I need the headlight. I can't see. Night no see."

"Night," he said stronger and started tugging me.

Making a whining sound, I allowed the pull and followed him back to the tree. He sat and held his arms out, inviting me back to his warmth, but I was too embarrassed about earlier. "Uh, no thanks."

He put his arms down with a nod and then laid his head back against the tree.

When I hadn't moved for a full minute, he opened his eyes back to me and patted the space next to him. "El. Night."

Sighing, I sat back down against the tree. "I guess I could try, but I keep feeling like some boogieman is going to jump out at me."

He scooted the sleeping bag up to my shoulders and then went back to relaxing.

I did not relax.

Darn Dothraki is probably used to sleeping under the stars. No werewolf is going to jump on his giant of a being, but here I was some teensy tiny bunny. I was dessert tied up with a bow for any passing nocturnal creature.

Nope. I would not be sleeping.

My eyes stayed bolted open, rushing to any potential movement.

"Lala wena ntombazane ehlanyayo." He then grabbed the gun from my hands and placed it lying beside us. "El. Night!"

I tossed my hands up in surrender. "I can't!"

Growling, he grabbed my hips and lifted me placing me sitting on his lap, my feet out sideways towards the rifle. "Night."

"Thann," I hesitated, "I don't think I should be..."

"Lala." He pulled me back against his warm chest and started rubbing my back again. This time in comforting circles.  "Ulale kahle sihle sami."

And I stayed put.

Don't stay put.

Eleanor!

Why was I staying put?

Was I starved for "human" affection? Why did I keep allowing these advances? Maybe I was just too tired and frightened in this silly planet. I needed to feel cared for. Maybe I was getting some kind of absurd hero complex.

Was it still Stockholm syndrome if you weren't technically kidnapped?

Maybe I just liked being warm.

Heck, whatever helped me survive the night, right?

As he kept stroking and speaking his lulling words, I laid my head to his shoulder. And after a few minutes I was able to fully relax into him and close my eyes.

It took some time, but I was able to eventually fall back asleep.

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