Three days later Ethan walked into his tent and saw Noah standing right in front of the entrance.
"What are you doing?"
"Watching Lyria's plant come alive and take care of her."
"What!" Ethan moved around Noah to see the flower that always stayed on Lyrias wrist flying around with wings and a very tiny green man-body.
"It has fed her and just finished disturbingly giving her water." Noah made a disgusted face.
"We still need to check her." Ethan tried to move forward but Noah stopped him.
"Don't. It hissed at me and tried to attack me when I got too close. It doesn't want us around." Noah tried to warn Ethan.
Out of nowhere, both males could hear a lot of commotion going on outside.
"Let's go check it out since the flower isn't going to let us get near right now," Noah said the Ethan.
Outside a gorilla was making a mess trying to get into the campsite.
When they got closer Noah stopped recognizing the gorilla. "I know him. It looks like Silver." Noah ran up to the rampaging gorilla.
"Silver what's wrong? Why are you so upset?"
"Where is she? Where is Lyria?" Silver was very upset and not in his right mind.
"Calm down and I'll take you to her. You do realize you can't rampage through a warrior camp like this, right." Noah started to lead Silver to the tent Lyria was in.
"She dying. I feel it, she's slipping away." Silver whispered it but Noah heard and he felt his heart skip a beat.
"There's a flower that won't let us get near her though."
"I can handle her." Noah looked at Silver oddly.
They entered the tent and even Ethan walked in with them.
"Pip how is she?" Surprisingly the flower stopped, looked up, and shook its head.
"Is there anything we can do?" Pip nodded her head. She motioned for Silver to pick up Lyria. Silver did and Pip then headed out of the tent followed by Silver, Noah, and Ethan.
They walked for a while before they came to a river. Pip flew over the water and Silver walked in. When Noah and Ethan tried to follow, Pip hissed at them so they stopped and stayed on the bank.
Pip went over to Silvers's mouth and then pointed to Lyrias's mark. Silver bit his mark again before Pip wrapped herself around Lyria dragging her underwater.
Ethan watched. A claim mark is still a connection and if Lyria is the priestess who went missing over two years ago, the way she got her nature mark was when she went underwater as I heard. Was going under the final step? Why was Silver only standing there as Lyria was being pulled under?
A couple of minutes later Lyria jumps out of the water fully awake.
Everyone sighs in relief.
As soon as she saw Silver she started crying and went to hug him. Silver picked her up and carried her out of the water while she kept crying.
Pip went back to her wrist.
"Will she be alright?" Ethan asked first.
"She overdid it, but thanks to Pip she'll be fine."
"That's great, but what's with the flower?" Noah questioned. He didn't like the strange plant.
"Pip was sold around the dark market by beastmen and then by rogues. Lyria found her among the things that were going to be sold by the snake king. She said she didn't understand why a plant was in a cage and rescued her, planted her, and took care of her. Now Pip is stuck to her and protects her, but she is still delicate and doesn't like beings but Lyria."
"She's scary." Noah gave the flower a dissatisfied look.
Ethan chuckled at Noah, "Grow up Noah".
"I'm serious."
"Who are you?" Silver asked Ethan.
"I'm General Ethan. I'm in charge of this campsite."
"I'm Silver. I escaped with Lyria and am now her friend."
"I think you're more than someone she escaped with?" Ethan looked at Lyrias's mark.
"The snake king claimed her first I was just asked to cancel his by putting mine over it."
"That monster marked her?" Noah screamed out angrily.
"Why are you so upset over that? He's done much worse to her than force a claim." Ethan and Noah felt sick.
"How do you know what else happened?"
"He was my personal slave. He followed me everywhere, so he saw some and heard most of the things that happened to me and what I did. I was never allowed to object or I'd get beaten and if I cried the king would make my punishment worse." Lyria spoke up still nestled in Silver's arms.
Everyone got quiet after taking in what she said. Noah was so angry he morphed into his fox form and ran off.
"You don't have to say anything else."
"I wasn't going to. How are the other priests?"
"They woke up the next night and are back on their feet after resting for another day."
"That's good. I still need to send food to the females."
"The other priests are sending food every other night. They just did it last night."
"I guess I should thank them then."
"I wouldn't. They are way too happy about doing that." Ethan gave a small laugh.
"I suppose they really enjoy using their new skill."
They get back into the tent.
"You should change into dry clothes and get some sleep." Silver put her down by the bed and walked out. Ethan was slightly confused. He walked out after putting some dry clothes next to her.
"Why'd you leave?"
"I know what she went through personally and yet all I want is to hold her all day long. I crave her touch all the time. But I have to put my desire for her aside, neither one of us is ready for that next step so I'm keeping my distance."
"Yeah but isn't that hurting her too?"
"She can handle this much. Knowing that she needed me and I came for will put her more at ease."
"Is that why she was crying?"
"I think it was a little bit of that, but I became the only person she would show her pain to and not judge or tell on her."
"So how long will you be staying?"
"Not long. She asked me to look after the other females so I need to go back. The female chief mistreats them, but they are strong-willed and pushing through."
"Alright. Lyria wants to go back in a couple of weeks as well."
"Yeah, the others need her there."
Both males stood outside the tent and talked for a while before Noah came back and joyed in as well in light pleasant conversation.