Ruvala's Eyes

Selene drifted between the haze of unconsciousness and the dull throb of pain that pulsed through her body. Her delirium kept her from truly resting, hovering between dreams and reality.

Her senses returned sluggishly but the first thing she registered was the chill of the ground beneath her. It made her shiver uncontrollably, despite the blanket that was draped over her body. She tried to stir, but pain lanced through her entire body, the worst of it centralized at her side and her head, which pounded.

She blinked slowly, still expecting to feel violently sick when she opened her eyes, but surprisingly she only felt mildly disoriented, and she blinked against the blur in her vision.

A shadow moved above her, blocking out the dim light that filtered through the hole in the tree she had made. She looked up to see a massive creature peering down at her through the jagged opening above, and for a moment her stomach clenched and her heart beat faster. She couldn't move and she had nowhere to go, she would not get far.

Realization gave way to relief though, as she recognized the creature curiously sniffing down at her. Its broad, leathery snout flared as it huffed a deep breath, kicking up dust. Towering antlers, stretched toward the sky like branches of an ancient tree. Its large, dark eyes regarded her with curiosity and caution. She was a predator after all.

She looked around at her surroundings. The trunk of the tree was large, spacious enough she could stand up in, though she would have to duck in order to not hit her head. She wondered how tall the creature in the ceiling had to be in order to look in on her.

Selene tried to move, but the smallest movement sent pain lancing through her side, forcing a sharp gasp from her lips. Her stomach churned violently, bile rising to her throat from the pain as her body protested even the smallest motion. A whimper escaped her mouth and the sudden noise startled the beast. It let out a low, resonant grunt before stepping back from the hole in the ceiling. She could hear the thud of its hooves, slow and heavy, on the ground as it moved away.

"It's good to see you're awake," a low voice crooned.

Selene's breath caught in her throat as she turned her head toward the source. She did not even hear the footsteps of the figure crouched nearby, partially obscured by shadows. It was a beautiful woman, her silver hair long and cascading in untamed waves over broad shoulders. Though she was still, there was something undeniably wild about her presence, something powerful and steady. Selene did not have to see her eyes, covered by shadow, to know that they were amber in color.

"Who—" Selene's voice cracked, her throat raw and dry. She swallowed and tried again. "Who are you?" she managed to get out, but it sounded hoarse and still cracked midway.

"Ruvala," the woman said simply before standing halfway and walking over to kneel closer to Selene. Now that the woman was in the light and Selene could see her properly, she could see Ruvala's eyes, serious and powerful, like a storm barely contained. She moved with the ease of a predator, yet there was no immediate threat in her stance—only observation and calculation.

Selene realized instantly Ruvala was also a werewolf, though she hid it incredibly well. Despite being cut off from her own wolf, she could still feel the resonance of another, now matter how much they try to hide it. 

Selene looked into Ruvala's eyes, now able to see them away from the darkness. Ruvala caught her gaze and held it. Her expression warmed slightly and Selene felt a strange, yet intense pull towards the woman. It was something deeper than gratitude or fear or lust. It was something she couldn't name.

"You were lucky," Ruvala continued, breaking eye contact and stepping closer until she was right beside where Selene lay under her blanket. "Landing in this tree probably saved your life. The rotten timber broke your fall and kept you from being an easy meal for some of the creatures that roam here. Unfortunately—"Ruvala gestured to the splinter at Selene's side,"—it didn't leave you unscathed."

Selene winced as she shifted slightly, her hand instinctively moving to the area where the large splinter had jutted from her side. She could feel the rough texture of bandages wrapped tightly around the middle of her torso, but the splinter was gone. The bandage felt damp from what she assumed was likely a poultice or blood. Possibly both. She sucked in a breath, suddenly remembering the fall and the searing pain of the landing. 

A jolt of panic went through her body as she put a hand to her lower stomach. To her relief, she could still sense the life there and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"A large sliver of wood pierced your side," said Ruvala, watching her intently. "I removed it and did what I could to stop the bleeding, but you're not out of danger yet. We still have to worry about infection." She crossed her arms, gaze unwavering. "You'll need proper treatment, and soon."

Selene let her head rest back against the earth, exhaustion settling deep in her bones. The weight of everything—the fall, the hunt, the child she carried, the goddess's words—pressed down on her all at once. 

"Where… where are we?" Selene managed to croak out. 

"You've wandered into The Ruined. Right now we're not far not far from my home, and there's a small town a few days from here where we can get you better healing." Ruvala tilted her head slightly. "You're fortunate my elk Orren found you when I did."

Selene let out a weak, breathy laugh. "Fortunate isn't exactly the word I would use."

Ruvala's lips quirked slightly, almost imperceptibly, into a smirk. "I don't know about you, but alive is more fortunate than dead in my opinion."

Selene exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a brief moment. She was indeed alive. A small victory at the least

When she opened them again, Ruvala was still watching her, her gaze unwavering and steady. Selene met her gaze again, and for the first time since the nightmare had begun, she felt something other than fear, and while it was something she still didn't quite understand, she promised herself she would figure out what it was.