AT THE SAME TIME
WANESSA'S POINT OF VIEW:
The village is quiet for a moment, but then chaos erupts as a loud crash rings through the air. A villager, one of the men from the fields, stumbles into view, clutching his side. Blood pours from a deep gash, his face pale with pain. The crowd gathers quickly, panic spreading as the man collapses to the ground.
"Get him inside." He orders, his voice commanding. "We need a healer now."
But before anyone can act, I step forward. The blood, the panic, it all feels so familiar, and something inside me clicks. I've survived the Death Forest. I've seen wounds, I got hurt. I know what to do.
"I can help." I say, my voice shaking but determined.
Noah turns to me, surprised.
"You?" His gaze flicks over me, still unsure. But there's something in my eyes, something he can't ignore. He steps aside, nodding for me to move forward.
I kneel beside the injured man, my hands shaking but steady as I take in the situation. His wound is deep, too deep for a simple bandage. The villagers watch me closely, murmuring, unsure. I ignore them, focusing on the task at hand. I can't afford to hesitate.
"Someone, bring me water and clean cloth." I say, my voice firm.
A few villagers scramble to obey, fetching what I need. I quickly clean the wound, trying not to think about the pain I can see in his eyes. My fingers move as I grind together herbs I've found in the forest, making a paste to stop the bleeding. I press the paste into the wound, using a clean cloth to apply pressure. The man groans, but his breathing steadies as the pain starts to dull. The villagers watch in silence, the initial shock of my appearance slowly fading as they see my hands work. I'm focused, my entire world narrowing to the task in front of me. I've helped myself survive for so long. Now, I can help someone else. Noah steps closer, his eyes watching me with something like respect. The others are starting to murmur, their expressions changing from suspicion to awe. After a few tense moments, the bleeding slows, and the man's breathing becomes more regular. He opens his eyes, looking at me with gratitude.
"Thank you." He whispers, his voice weak but sincere.
I give him a soft smile, though my heart is still pounding in my chest.
"You'll be alright." I assure him. "Just rest."
Noah looks at me, his expression unreadable. But I see the shift in his eyes. The villagers are starting to understand. They've seen me as an outsider, a rogue, but now they're seeing what I can do. The healer in me, the strength I've had to find to survive. One of the older women steps forward, her eyes still wary but softer now.
"You've done well." She says quietly. "We didn't know you could help."
I nod, standing up slowly.
"I've learned to survive. And sometimes, that means helping others."I said.
Noah steps closer, his voice low.
"You've proven your worth here. It's not easy, earning trust in a place like this. But you've done it."He said.
I look around at the villagers, their faces no longer filled with suspicion. They see me now not as the outcast, but as someone who can contribute and help.
A month passes in the village, and life begins to settle into a rhythm. I've learned to gather more herbs, help with the crops, and even assist the village healer when she needs an extra hand. The villagers are no longer as wary of me as they once were. I've earned their trust, slowly but surely. They no longer see me as a stranger, but as someone who belongs. One evening, as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, I sit by the fire outside the small cabin where I've been staying. The warmth from the flames feels good against my skin, and the air smells of fresh bread and roasting meat. The village is alive with the sound of laughter and chatter, the first real sense of peace I've had in a long time.
I'm sitting with a group of villagers, a few of the older women, as they talk about their day. Their voices are calm, and almost soothing, and I'm content to listen.
But then, one of the men, a tall, broad shouldered villager named Joren, speaks up, his voice low and serious.
"You've heard the rumors, right?" He asks, glancing around the group.
The others fall silent, their faces turning serious. I raise an eyebrow, intrigued.
"What rumors?"I ask.
"There's a man some call him the White Knight. He's been searching for his Luna. A warrior, they say. Dangerous."Joren said.
The word 'dangerous' hangs in the air like a threat, and I feel a chill run down my spine. I've heard whispers of dangerous men, of warriors, but this one feels different. There's something in the way Joren speaks like he's trying to warn me.
"He's been traveling for months, looking for her." Joren continues. "Some say he's ruthless. He will stop at nothing to find her. His true Luna. And when he does… well, no one knows what will happen."
A woman beside him, her face lined with age and experience, shakes her head.
"I've heard he's not just dangerous. He's relentless. If he's looking for someone, he'll tear through every village, every town, until he finds them. And when he does, no one will be safe."She said.
The mention of a 'Luna' catches my attention. I know what that means. The bond between an Alpha and his Luna is sacred, an unbreakable connection by Moon Godness. But why would a man like that be looking for his Luna here, in a small, hidden village like this?
"What does he want with her?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. The question hangs in the air, heavy with tension.
Joren's expression darkens.
"Some say he's obsessed with her. That she's the key to something much bigger. Others say he's… dangerous. Too dangerous. He's not someone you want to cross, especially if he's after someone you hurt."Joren said.
There's something in the way they speak about him, fear, caution. The White Knight is no ordinary man. And now, the villagers are talking about him as if he's already close, as if he's already found his way here.
"But why would he come here?" I ask, my voice shaking slightly. "Why would he be looking for someone in a place like this?"
Another woman, her face wrinkled with age, leans forward, her eyes full of concern.
"He's not here for the village, not exactly. He's looking for someone who's been lost to him. A Luna, someone who's meant to be with him, but for some reason, they've been separated. And once he finds her… well, no one knows what he'll do."She said.
I can feel the weight of their words pressing down on me. The thought of a man like that searching for his Luna, someone who could tear apart everything in his path is terrifying. And yet, I can't shake the feeling that this isn't just a random story. There's something about the way they talk, the way they fear him. He's real. And he's close.
"Do you think he'll come here?" I ask, my voice trembling slightly.
"He's been getting closer. We've heard rumors of him passing through the nearby villages."Joren explained.
Who is this man? And why does his search feel like it's pulling at something deep inside me?
The fire crackles, and the villagers fall silent, each lost in their own thoughts. I sit there, my mind racing. The White Knight. His search. The danger he represents. And then, for the first time in a long while, I wonder if my past is truly behind me. Or if it's about to catch up with me in a way I can't escape.