Wet Cats Don't Lie

Bella POV

I watched hungrily as Flanagan gave me a steaming hot bowl of vegetables and rice. I sat in a corner by the fire basking in it's warmth as I wolfed down my meal.

The trio looked at me in amusement as I ate without looking up at anyone.

Ivy giggled, "So, our wet cat is hungry now is she?"

I barely looked up at her as I shoved more food into my mouth. I didn't care about her snide comments. I would clobber her later and give her a few bruises to remember me by.

Camus wordlessly took my bowl and piled up more food to me. I felt warmer now that food was in my belly and the fire had dried out my soaking wet clothes.

He asked, "Look Bella, we have given you food, warmth and shelter but you have given us a very sketchy set of answers. I need to know the truth. I know you are lying because your eyes go all shifty with me when you do that."

I looked up at him in surprise, my mouth agape and bits of rice falling out of it. He was a quiet one but very sharp. Sharper than Ivy and Flanagan I realized.

I decided to stick to the truth as much as possible.

"Yes, you do need to know the truth. It's true we were attacked by wraiths. Raymus ...had gone to attack a wraith nest near to the camp. We were all attacked. I escaped with great difficulty as Anna and Nanna decided to fight back with them."

Camus stood up suddenly, punching his fist as he cursed, "Damn that Anna, always running off to fight her way through. What will happen now? What if she never comes back?"

I had an image flash in my mind about Anna, all bloody and holding on for dear life to the wraith chasing me so I could escape. I felt terribly guilty for not telling them about her predicament. But it was too late now. She would definitely have died by now. There seemed to be no point in telling these people all this. I had to think fast on my feet.

"I am sure she will." I answered softly, wishing there was someone who cared for me that much as well.

Camus stalked off angrily and sat in a corner under a tree.

"Leave him be.." Flanagan spoke up. "He is a lovelorn puppy as far as Anna is concerned and she is too busy fighting her way across Irismus. This twins are on some sort of revenge mission."

I polished off the remnants of my bowl and Ivy looked at me speculatively.

"When can I meet Aranus?" I asked.

"I would meet him in the morning in a fresh uniform and smartly turned out. You look like something dragged you out of a cold, dark, wet pit right now." Ivy chortled.

I glared at her but Flanagan added to it as well, saying, "Ivy is right. Aranus likes to do his strategy meetings at night. So you need to make sure you don't come in his way right now. Go at dawn, down that path. There is a stream. I will give you one of Anna's old uniforms, and then you can look like a proper soldier and meet him? Also which division are you from? I don't recall seeing you from these parts? How did you end up with Anna?"

More questions. I felt a small frission of fear as I heard him out. Then I decided to stick as far to the truth as possible to keep my story straight.

"I am from the remote Northern villages. I was there only as part of patrols that looked out for straggling marauders from The Blight. Truth be told, we didn't have much of those there. We were mostly left alone, but we can put up a good fight."

Flanagan nodded encouragingly and even Ivy was smirking less. I was definitely on to a good thing. I cleared my throat and continued, "Anyway, just one of those whims to go and see New Irismus after the whole war and all that. So I left and was on my way when I got lost and wandered into the forest where Anna and all were. Just found it easier to stick by them in a strange land. So it all was like that."

Ivy asked calmly, "I see...what's it like in the Far North?"

"Colder...." I answered immediately and they both laughed. Camus walked back up to us as he said, "You can sleep in a bedroll next to Ivy tonight. I'll take you to meet Aranus in the morning. But wake up at dawn and get clean and fresh or he will give you a nice chop on your ear."

I nodded calmly. Aranus sounded very scary and I was rethinking my decision to come here to the camp. I wandered if I could sneak off from here in the morning, but it seemed the only way out would be though that lake and where would I go from there?

I was still thinking on this when I settled down to sleep a while later. I seemed to have landed from one problem to the other it seemed. I just hoped I could blend in to the military camp and figure out my options before that monastery spread word on my disappearance. I would have to find a way to fit in and blend here so no one noticed anything amiss. I was still lost in thought when I dozed off and awoke to a foot kicking my injured shoulder.

I yelped in pain and Ivy looked down at me, "Are you hurt?" she asked curiously, "Or are you just making a fuss?"

"Making a fuss...." I answered irritably. I didn't want her to know I was injured. She shrugged and said, "You had best get moving if you want to meet Aranus and get an audience with him."

She dropped a fresh, but faded uniform on the ground beside mem, and moved ahead.

I picked it up cursing her, the camp and my life as I rushed down the path leading to the river. It was still a little dark and I could easily get ready there with no one looking. I darted around the place and found a more secluded nook, as I shimmied out of my uniform hurriedly. I waded into the cold water shivering, using the tiny bar of soap Ivy had also given me.

I was all soaped up and quickly pouring some water on myself when I heard a splash ahead. I looked up and saw a man, swimming in the river. In the light of dawn, the sun shimmered on his skin, which rippled with greenish scales. He was moving in the water with powerful strokes as he swam with purpose and intent. I stared at him, unable to take my eyes off him. There was a hypnotic pull I felt towards him that I could not explain. Unlike the callow youths of my village, or even Pete, or Camus, he looked more dangerous, and strong.

A cry must have escaped my lips because he looked up startled to have company. His dark eyes bore into mine and all I saw in them was deep deep grief.

I had a sudden image come to my mind unbidden. Me and him, our naked bodies entwined together as we made slow, sweet love.

I blinked my eyes and realized that I was buck naked as was he. I sank back into the water, blushing to the roots of my hair.

The man looked at me intensely, an unfathomable expression on his face. He looked away suddenly breaking the spell and I felt as if the warmth of the sun had left me. I realized that I had caught my breath and was just standing there feeling a warm surge within the very core of me. Every fiber of my being was tingling as I looked down at the water.

I felt like my whole life had changed in a minute. Who was this man and what was he doing here? He had looked at me like he could look into my very soul. I had never felt such a presence before. The images in my mind made me blush. They had been so real.

I looked up and he was gone. Vanished from sight just like that. I felt like the clouds had eclipsed the sun. I quietly wore my fresh uniform and trudged back to the camp, my thoughts all agog with him and him alone.

Camus looked at me and grinned, "You clean up pretty well, for a soldier."

I smiled sweetly back at him, ignoring my thumping heart and said, "Shall we?"

He gave me his arm and said, "My Lady, at your service."

Yet, none of this banter could take my mind off that man I had seen at the river.