Iris opened her eyes, looking around the hut she quickly realised that it was dawn.Looking at the sleeping man on the floor, her thoughts went back to her current situation.
If they would've known that I was still alive, they would've have come for me by now, trying to find the reason why was she still alive and breathing. How does the wolf even come into play? Why did he protected her in the first place? Iris let out a heavy sigh at her on own thoughts, trying to reason and find some sort of explanation.
From what she knew, this was an unusual situation and in all of the history of her kind no one had ever mentioned anything like this.
She was the last of hervkind, so she will have to figure it out on her own.
With another heavy sigh she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath, for now she will have to heal and gain her strength back. She will have to figure everything else later.
With that thought she slowly got up, she hissed when she felt jolts of pain running through her body.
Hearing her hiss, Ian opened his eyes and looked at Iris his brows knitted and a worried look on his face.
Without saying a word, he got up from the spot on the floor and made his way to table full of potions and herbs. Grabbing one the bottles, he made his back to Iris was and gave her the bottle.
Iris looked at him with a displeased look plastered all over her face, not because of Ian but because of content of the bottle in her hand.
" I see you like to torture me" Iris said breaking the silence between them
" As long as you're not in pain, I think that's small price to pay" Ian chided with an amused voice.
Looking at the bottle again, she gulped the content, grimacing at the awful taste in her mouth.
Handind the bottle back to Ian, she looked at him with same displeased look on her face and said with a pleading tone
"Water, please" .
Ian grabbed the the jug on the table, he quickly poured Iris a glass of water and handed to her.
Iris quickly gulped the water, wiping the remnants with the sleeve of her tunic, givind the empty glass back to Ian.
" Thank you". Iris said in a low voice
" You're injured, it's my duty as a healer to nurse you back to health" . Ian chided, his voice calm with a serene expression.
Looking at him in amazement, Iris thought about Ian's atitude towards her , trying to see if there's more than duty to his action. Not being able gauge anything else from him, Iris that there isn't anymore to it and it wold be best to let it go for the time being.
Looking outside through the small window the sun could be seen peeking from behind the hill in front of the hut, the warm morning glow enveloping the forest like a veil.
" I'll prepare breakfast for us!" Ian said his gaze roaming around the room as if looking for something.
Following his actions Iris did the same as Ian, trying to find out what was Ian looking at. Unable to figure out what he was looking for, her eyes went back to Ian whos was looking at her.
" What are you looking for?" Iris asked in a curios voice
" The wolf" Ian gave a short reply
Hearing his reply, Iris quickly realised that the wolf was missing from the hut, he didn't seem to have come back since he left the night before.
" He must've decided to leave, seeing that your condition has improved ". Ian added in a even and calm tone.
"Hmm.....you may be right!" Iris hummed to Ian's words in soft low voice, looking somewhat disappointed that the wolf just left.
Seeing Iris's expression Ian spoke again.
" I'm sure he will come back once in a while to check you , to see how you're farring " trying to make Iris feel better about the wolf's sudden disappearance.
Iris looked up Ian with shy smile and nodded.
Seeing she felt a little bit better, Ian turned around and made his way to where spent fire laid and started lighting it up with wood that was next to it. Soon the fire was ablaze and Ian started preparing breakfast, in the meantime Iris walked out of the hut without a word and started to have a look around to see that they were all alone with no other soul in sight.
Looking over the forest, she notice a small valley bellow her feet and a shimmering river flowing in the small valley, after looking some more around she noticed the hut laid on a small hill with plenty of shrubs bearing fruits.
Seeing the location of the hut, she smiled and thought that despite the shabby hut this place was beautiful in its own right and somewhat ideal seeing that one doesn't need to roam around the forest to pick fruits.
Hearing footsteps behind she looked over her shoulder and saw Ian looking at her with his furrowed.
" Breakfast is ready" Ian informed Iris who nodded and made her way back into the hut.
Leading to way Ian pulled the chair for Iris and helped sit down at the table, making his way to the other side of the table, he took his seat on the tree stump that he used as a chair.
Grabbing a spoon full of porridge he blew on it to cool it down and brought the spoon to Iris's mouth.
Seeing the spoon in front of her, she frowned and looked at Ian and gave him a small smile before opening her mouth to take the content of the spoon.
Seeing her awkwardness dissipate Ian felt relieved that she didn't say anything about him feeding her. Content with her calm expression, he decide to lay the plans for the day.
" After breakfast will be going to the river, to get washed up and after that will be going to gather some more herbs ". Ian added in a calm voice, looking intently at Iris who nodded.
Seeing that Iris was quiet and had nothing to add to his plans, he carried on feeding her.
Finishing their breakfast, Ian cleared everything that was used, which wasn't much, since he only had only one spoon and one bowl and packed everything that they need for them to wash.
Soon enough they made their way out of the hut and headed to the river that laid below in the small valley.
The journey to the river was short and the path was easy for Iris to walk on.
Upon reaching the river, Ian laid the bags on the floor, after a quick look around he turned to Iris, seeing that she scouting the surrounding area with a worried look on her face, he decided to ease her worries.
" This part of the forest is very isolated and not many people come by this way. They are very wary since they think it's cursed."
Iris looked at him with a surprised looked on her face .
" Cursed?" Iris asked in curios voice
" It's not cursed! When my parents were alive they made sure to tell every person that came their way that the forest is cursed to make sure to keep people away since they didn't want their pace disturbed. Soon the word spread like wild fire and fewer people roamed the forest, this part anyway!" Ian said with amused tone, thinking back at his mischievous parents.
" Don't worry about anything, you can feel at ease" Ian continued reassuring Iris
Iris looked at Ian, somewhat taken aback from what Ian said letting out a sigh she finally relaxed.
Seeing that Iris was ease, Ian started taking his clothes off one by one until he was completely naked.
Iris's who still looking around the forest, hearing the rustle behind she turned around to the sound. When she finally laid her eyes on the man behind that was completely naked she quickly coveted her eyes
" Wha....What are you doing?" she said stuttering
Her question was followed by Ian laughing.
" I saw you naked it's only fair that you see me naked this way we are even" Ian chided in a amused voice.
" We don't have much time to waste, its best that you shed your clothes and come join me in the water" Ian added before jumping in the water.
Lowering her hands, Iris took a look at Ian slender but well toned figure, he wasn't as fragile as she initially thought, looking at him she noticed his muscles were very well defined and despite his soft features, there might more to him.
" Come join me Iris" Ian's breaking Iris train of thoughts
" Alright" that was all Iris managed to muster feeling slightly embarrassed at her thoughts.
Slowly stripping the only piece of clothing that she was wearing at the time, putting aside the shame she was feeling from being naked in front of a man. Thinking that he had already seen her naked, she quickly brushed it off and made her way into the water.
"