Strength in Differences

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Nik looked up at Kaulu at her words, something startled and hopeful in his gaze, starting to break through the fear as he processed what she'd said. Fight with them. Help him. Together. It was that last word that struck a chord within the halfbreed and he searched Kaulu's gaze. What he found there caused a shudder of relief to run through him and Nik brought his free hand up to touch her cheek, palming her face gently as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against the Chaktawe's own.

His frame trembled, his hand doing the same against her skin, but the tears has stopped. They never stayed for long - Nik hadn't truly cried in years - and he let out a quiet sigh, nodding just slightly, his head still touching Kaulu's own, needing the contact, needing any contact right now. He felt like he was plummeting into the dark all over again. He'd told her six years of torture and that was true, but it wasn't the whole truth. That had been longest time in one stint that he'd been locked up. It was hardly the whole story.

There was a reason he loved the sun so very much.

"Together." he whispered it back to her, such hope in the word to him, such faith it took to believe it, but Kaulu didn't lie.
 
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The hope in Nik's eyes was breaking through the fear at her words and a happy smile curled her lips. He cupped one of her cheeks, leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. She gazed into his eyes, the smile still there. She could feel his hand trembling and noticed that his body was doing the very same, but her words had worked and he didn't look so afraid anymore.

When he repeated the word 'together', it showed just how much faith he was putting in to believe it and the smile turned into a grin before she moved her forehead to the side, no longer pressing against his. But she only did this to hug him. It was the first time they had ever had such contact, but it felt right and Kaulu wouldn't move until Nik wanted to. "It will be all right," she promised, voice quiet and sweetly light. But it was also filled with just as much conviction as before.
 
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The nightmares ceased in intensity for a time - still there but not waking him with their severity anymore - and Nik was glad to be able to report honestly to Kaulu about that even if he knew they'd be back again. He couldn't get closer to people, let his guard down without having some kind of flare-up. Healing it was called, but Nik was unsure he understood the entire concept of such a thing. He had to relive things and feel them all over again to...move past them? No, he really didn't understand that and yet...in some odd way it was working with some things. Smaller things, but still working.

So he'd trust that Kaulu and the others who'd noted how 'off' he was knew what they were doing.

At this moment such things weren't on his mind, however. Nearly another month with the Chaktawe and he'd been allowed on a hunting trip with Kaulu and three other warriors. In the last two weeks they'd been teaching him how to hunt the mountain goats that dwelled on the rocky craigs of the red hills, a barren, mini-mountain range that was nearly three days from the Suli's city. The hunt was only done every four months or so depending on how much meat was brought back and the entire trip took a week at least if not longer. There had been some concern that Nik wouldn't be able to handle being away from a water source for so long and on smaller rations of water, but the Sidhe had assured he'd be fine. And he'd promised Kaulu that it wasn't just pride making him say such a thing.

He didn't have the water organ the Chaktawe possessed, but he had other talents and a durability that was far stronger than most. And he was tried of feeling useless.

So it was that he'd gotten permission to go and now found himself rubbing Diamond's neck gently, looking up at the red rocks growing closer, noting the spars vegetation and the cluster of white shapes further up that Jahidi told him were the mountain goats. Of the three warriors, two were males, Aja and Jahidi, and the third was female, Lafa'la. They were all polite to Nik, but Aja and Lafa'la seemed more aloof, as if they were weighing his true worth to the tribe and waiting for him to prove himself somehow.

It kept Nik quiet around them, but not scared or on edge. He just didn't engage them like he did Kaulu or Jahidi. He didn't want to give them a reason NOT to like him and this was the easiest way to do it. He stayed out of their way and there were no problems. He couldn't much blame them for their mind-set. He was still a stranger to them.
 
Another month passed with the newlyweds, though that title was surely to be thrown away soon enough. Nik's nightmares ceased to be so terrible and it made Kauluwehi just as glad to hear it as Nik reported it to her. Other things were working out for him as well. They were small and seemed insignificant to outsiders, but they were all notable steps to the greater goal. And even if the halfbreed Sidhe didn't understand that he had to relive such painful memories, he would learn how necessary it was in due time and appreciate it. Or so Kaulu hoped. She had faith in him.

The couple was currently on a goat hunting trip along with three other warriors: Jahidi, Aja and Lafa'la. Aja and Lafa'la were a bit more distant towards Nik than Jahidi, but they were that way towards any stranger. The pale male's assumption had been right - the two would be better once he proved himself somehow. Kaulu didn't have a doubt that this hunting trip would show just how good he could really be.

The goats they hunted lived in a small mountain range that took three days to get to from the city. Trips lasted at least a week, but usually longer especially if the hunt was difficult. There was also vegetation growing around the sturdy red rocks; it was sparse, but the hunters took it as an advantage and collected what plants they could in burlap sacks or other bags.

And now, a small group of the mountain sheep was seen from a decent distance. Horses were slowed and quieted and the five dismounted to stalk closer in quiet. It was late afternoon which gave them plenty of time to see the sheep's habits, though they were hardly any different than others they had hunted before. It also gave them time to set up camp.

"The real hunt begins tomorrow," Jahidi informed Nik as he came to his side, eyes staring out at the red rocks.
 
The halfbreed nodded slightly to show he'd heard Jahidi, but his attention was not where the Chaktawe's was, but rather on the sky. It was clear, perfectly so, as the sunset painted colors of bright pinks, yellow and oranges over the horizon. It wasn't the view that had captured Nik's attention, though, but something else, something he couldn't quite explain, couldn't pinpoint but felt. He frowned, trying to understand why he felt a sense of unease before he made himself shake it off, knowing that if there was something wrong he'd figure it out when it showed itself.

His pale blue eyes finally went to his surroundings again and then to Jahidi. "Do you have a place you usually use to camp here?"

"It is not time to camp yet." Lafa'la pointed it a bit curtly and Nik gave her a glance, calm but something almost flinty in his eyes. "That's not what I asked." Their eyes met and the female's narrowed just slightly before she glanced to Kaulu and she backed down, turning away and ignoring the white-haired male. He gave a sigh and looked to Jahidi for an answer to his question, but Aja beat the other male to it, walking past with the horses trailing behind on their leads. "We try to camp on the east side of the mountains. When the sun rises high it provides more shelter from the heat."

Nik nodded, looking back at the red rocks once more, his eyes tracing trails that were completely obvious to him.
 
Kaulu sensed something off as Nik had. Well, rather not her, but she felt as if a spirit was close and coaxing her away from the excitement from the hunt and into a survival or alert mode. She ignored it for now, having not felt any unfamiliar sense of movements through her fingers. She would most likely come to regret this later in the night.

Lafa'la's curt reply earned her a look from the Suli woman. She knew to back down, though she still acted rudely towards Nik. Thankfully, Aja was kind enough to answer Nik's question about where they usually camped, even if he didn't do it without making eye contact.

"Come," Kaulu said, looping her arm's through Nik's as she led behind Aja. They were to make a fire soon as the sun was setting.
 
Nik started slightly at Kaulu's touch, but it was in pure surprise and nothing more as his attention had been intent upon the rocks and he smiled a bit as he walked with her. They followed a path of sorts that the horses could follow as they made their way to the eastern side of the mountains and it was just in time for the sun to touch the desert sand in a halo of fire. A fire was made quickly, everyone designating a certain spot near it as their own wordlessly just as they'd done for the last two nights of travel. Nik had risen from the fire, though - and he never stayed too close to it, further than was usual - and had gone back to the horses.

They all greeted him in their unique way, knowing he could understand them and the Sidhe stroked their necks and shoulders quietly, looking up at the stars that were only just starting to come out. He liked the sun, he truly did, but stars...he never had gotten over the wonder of stars and Nik wished that they'd give him some sense of comfort tonight, but that unease he'd felt earlier had not gone. He could push it away, but it was still there, still trying to warn about something he could not pinpoint.

It made him frown, the horses stamping and snorting softly as they sensed his agitation.

Nik silently left them and came back to the others, taking a seat beside Kaulu, but unable to really relax as he kept looking out at the edge of the fire. Did these mountains have natural predators? He'd not thought to ask...
 
Kaulu sat next to Aja and when Nik returned from being with the horses, Jahidi would be sitting between him and Lafa'la, giving the two space. When Nik did return, Kaulu welcomed him with a smile. But after a few moments of noticing he seemed to keep looking out at the edge of the fire, she wondered why he was being a bit restless. She was becoming more restless herself though. The spirit was much stronger in its message now and she looked to her husband thoughtfully.

"What -" she was interrupted as if on cue, that familiar gush rushing through her and the other three Chaktawe. They all stood, looking at each other for confirmation before looking out towards their surroundings. They movement was coming closer and the closer they came, they were able to tell that it was a small group... it wasn't the sheep or any other animal, no predator on the track - the movement was too thought out and careful for that.

If Nik hadn't already gotten up, his wife motioned for him to do so.

Within moments, Jahidi was yelling out something to the night air, something in their native tongue. There wasn't an answer before Lafa'la called out, this time in the Common language. And then there was finally moving and out from over a small rock formation came forth a group of about five or six people, heavily clothed but ruggedly, their eyes glinting dangerously in the moonlight. They said not a word, the leader of the group standing in front though they were all closely stuck together. He also wielded a sort of staff, though it appeared that it didn't hold any magical qualities.

"Who are you?" Jahidi spoke this time. Everybody was on alert, stances being easily transitioned into defensive if need be.

"Chaktawe," the leader spoke, not answering Jahidi but instead taking notice of who everyone was except for Niklomaus. His voice was deep but about as ragged as he looked, and he wore a piece of cloth covering his face from the bridge of his nose down but Kaulu was able to see the devious smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. "And someone -"

"Pale man." One said from beside the leader, voice thick with some accent. It was deeply pitched for a woman's voice, but she seemed to be the only woman in the group as Kaulu's obsidian eyes flickered over each stranger.
 
Nik had risen with the others, instinct alone would have told him to do so, but a warrior's habit had him doing so and then moving into a defensive position, his pale eyes sweeping out to try and detect what they had. He couldn't, that ability beyond him, but he trusted their own powers and when the group of people appeared, Nik instantly took in every detail about them that he could, noting the danger that surrounded them easily. His sights narrowed at their lack of answer and when his own title was given, Nik spoke up, his voice calm in the stillness.

"Sidhe."

It was a correction and a man shifted, obviously recognizing the species, looking to the white-haired male, but he said nothing to the group, leaning to whisper in the woman's ear, telling her what a Sidhe was and how likely it was that this would interfere with their plans. The answer to that question was no and he straightened again and gave the other group a smile just as unfriendly as the leader's was, but his in full view.

"Good evening. Might I suggest you make this easy for yourself and not struggle?"

Niklomaus' eyes narrowed at the word and he took a step forward without even thinking about it, his entire demeanor shifting into something verging on dangerous, his tone growing colder. "What do want? Why are you here?" He could feel the tension rising in the air and something rather familiar sparked inside him as the rugged men and woman looked at each other with amusement and the man who'd spoken before looked to them again.

"Oh, it's rather simple. We want what anyone in the desert wants; water. And there's plenty to go around here." The way his eyes flickered over the Chaktawe told Nik all he needed to know about what that meant.
 
Kaulu's eyes now flickered to Nik as he spoke and corrected the woman about his title. Another man whispered something in the woman's ear but she said no, with to which the man straightened and smiled an absurd smile. A couple of his teeth were cracked and rotted, but the rest seemed to be in decent condition. That wouldn't last for long though.

The threat made everyone on edge but as Nik stepped forward, the three warriors stood in front of them. Just as they would all fight for each other, Jahidi's, Aja's and Lafa'la's primary goal was to keep their Prince and Princess safe. They were not just family, but also their people's key to peace amongst the Sidhe.

"We are people -" Lafa'la was cut off then, Jahidi's extended arm silencing her.

"There is no sense in trying to change them, Lafa'la," he said almost sternly. Lafa'la was a good warrior, but she was young in the ways of knowing when to speak... or more correctly, what to say.

"Come now, easy," the leader spoke, waving his arms around as if he was trying to be so friendly. "How 'bout we make a uhh... a deal? Hm? Surrender easily now, and we'll make it a quick death," the same danger crinkled his eyes.

"Like hell," Aja spat and unsheathed his sword. The leader gave a click of his tongue and then waved a couple of fingers, the others dispersing into a line, ready for action. This resulted in the others raising their weapons as well; Jahidi dual-wielded two black swords while Lafa'la and Kaulu unsheathed swords. And then throwing knives were thrown from one of the enemies towards Lafa'la, who skillfully tipped them away with her swords, diverging them from their path. The fight had started.
 
Nik had brought his bow and his set of twin blades, but the former was near his pack. He unleashed the blades from their sheaths at his back and was immediately met by the man who'd done most of the talking. The screech of steel meeting cut through the air and one force of will against the other and the Sidhe didn't waste any of his strikes. He didn't fight wildly, completely calculated, no move having less significance than the other and the man before him only realized how very much in trouble he was when Nik finally smiled and drove his sword into the gut of the person before him. He didn't waste time watching the man fall, attention shifting to the others then.

Jahidi was more than holding his own against his opponent, though neither had gained the upper hand. Aja was fighting the woman and Lafa'la had her hands full with the biggest rugged man of the group. Nik felt anger rise a notch in him as he caught sight of blood on the female Suli's shoulder, showing she'd taken a blow and his quick eyes saw the way the large man was taking advantage of it all within a split moment. And that's all the time it took for one of the Sidhe's blades to go flying, embedding itself in the man's shoulder and giving Lafa'la the perfect opportunity to take him down.

He didn't wait to see if she would, his pale eyes looking for Kaulu. If everyone else had their opponent than that only left the leader and one other person unaccounted for. He found the leader easily, engaged with his wife, and Nik took a step toward them only to feel the wind touch his face, a warning in his ear and Nik whirled, blade catching the one meant for him and he snarled, pushing back against the person, shoving them away.

Apparently he'd shown himself to be a bit more trouble than the bandits had wanted, though, as Nik suddenly felt something bite into his side, near his back. He gave a short cry at the pain before ignoring it and slitting the throat of his opponent, shoving the man away afterward. He could feel blood running down to soak though his clothes, knew the arrow was still stuck in his flesh, but Nik ignored that too, looking instead back to Kaulu who was still fighting...and then looking past her.

He caught he glint of the next arrowhead in the dark, saw who it was aimed for and something completely snapped inside of the Sidhe. His eyes flared, his power surging to his fingertips and Nik's hand shot out without hesitation, without thought. Fire went roaring, surging into the dark, hitting the hidden archer dead center. The man screamed, trying to beat out the flames and Nik turned his eyes to the others, lightning streaking through his glowing orbs even as it crackled through the sky, lighting up the mountain range...and then it danced over his arms and Nik smiled.

His voice didn't even sound like his anymore, something far more deep and powerful to it as the wind picked up around them and the fire seemed to leap, wanting to devour further victims as the one it had already caught had long ago fallen silent.

"I do believe you'd be wise to leave now."
 
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Everything went quickly as soon as it began. Kaulu's quick eyes watched as one by one, everyone had met their match. Jahidi with one man, Aja with the woman, and Lafa'la with the biggest of the group. But there wasn't enough time to watch as Kaulu was soon accompanied with the leader. Metal scratched against metal, the sound deafening compared to the horses' distressed whinnies.

Looking past the shoulder of the larger man, she saw Nik get hit with an arrow and she cried out for him before her sword met with her adversary's and caught her attention. She was completely focused in her fight. Everybody was. But soon fire had shot past her and both her and the leader were startled, dropping what they were doing and turning to see the hidden archer become engulfed in flames. There was only one person with the power to do that and they looked to the source, seeing Nik facing all the others who had become startled as well. Lightning formed in the sky, different vibrant colors lighting up the sky like Kaulu had never seen before. And then they were called to their master's arms and the wind swarmed around them, fire growing brighter, stronger, wanting to leap at anyone it could.

The enemy group looked to each other slowly and then back to Nik. Nothing was worth this kind of crap and they all fled without a second thought, pass the same rock formation they had appeared out from earlier. Jahidi and the others were also just as shocked, looking at the Sidhe speechless. Kaulu looked to them carefully before going to her husband's side, hand reaching out for his forearm cautiously if more lightning were to dance upon his flesh.
 
Nik watched them leave with a cold fury in his pale eyes, the lightning continuing to flare through them, threatening to extract a vengeance he didn't need to. The sky streaked with bright flares again and the Sidhe struggled to keep the electricity, the wind, the fire from spreading out of control. Every element was wild, wanting nothing more than to play and be set loose and Nik grit his teeth hard as he tried to contain them, a tremble in his body as Kaulu approached.

Glowing eyes flickered to meet her black, live streaks of white, rippling energy dancing in his gaze like the marks seemed to shimmer across his skin and Nik felt the anger slowly start to drain away under her gaze. When she touched his arm, the lightning flared again, but it leaped over her hand, not touching her, reacting on his emotions and the desires of his subconscious mind. He didn't want to harm Kaulu, had done what he'd did to protect her.

The fire behind them died down as her touch, her trust in him soothed the storm inside and the wind settled to a softer caress over their skin and the lightning in the sky stopped lighting up the desert. The only power that seemed reluctant to leave were the small electric currents over his skin, eyes still glowing and Nik didn't seem to know how to stop that, how to stop his power any further as his hand came up and palmed her cheek, his eyes searching her Kaulu's face.

"Are you all right?"

That was all he cared about in this moment.
 
Kaulu was just as speechless as the rest. When their eyes met, she seemed to be taken up in the storm inside of his. Nik's eyes weren't just glowing, but white energy flickered like the lightning from earlier in his gaze and his marks shimmered like watching a fish's scales dance in the light. Lightning had dared flare again when she touched him, having every chance to meet the top of her hand, but it didn't and she somehow knew that it was because Nik hadn't wanted it to.

The elements died down as she continued to rest her hand upon his arm. The lightning stopped shooting its rods into the desert, the wind dying into a gentle embrace and the fire going back to its original calm state. However, there was one thing that seemed not to want to leave and that was the electric currents swimming through his body. They didn't seem to pain him though, and as he cupped her cheek, the hand that was on his arm covered it, her eyes searching his own.

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered. "But you..." she looked down to the arrow stuck in his side.
 
Nik seemed to relax further as her hand came to cover his own and when he heard she was fine, when his eyes confirmed that she wasn't injured, the glow died down, his power seeping back inward, satisfied with what it had done. The lightning left his skin, left his eyes their steady pale blue and it was then that the Sidhe acknowledged his injury. He'd not really felt he pain until that moment, but he certainly felt the wetness of the blood now and the white-haired male took a breath that made the agony spread for a moment.

Right...so the arrowhead had hit a rib. That was the only thing that had stopped it from puncturing a lung and Nik felt relief for that, but some dread for what he knew would have to come next; getting it out. Depending on what kind of arrow it was, it might be able to be pulled straight out without tearing...or it might be barbed in which case it would need to be cut out. With these bandits, Nik was willing to bet it was the latter.

He looked down to his side and then back at Kaulu, a faint smile wavering on his lips. "I've had worse."

"By the great sands! What was that? What did you do?" Lafa'la had come forward, her eyes still wide, looking at Nik as if he were something she'd never seen before and she looked to Kaulu, to Jahidi and Aja. "Have you ever seen a Sidhe do that?

"Lafa'la, now is not the time." Aja admonished, though, curiosity flickered in his eyes as well. But so did a warrior practicality and he could clearly see how the arrow needed to be taken care of above any question they might ask. And Lafa'la's shoulder as well. His gaze flickered to the female and the male, voice stern. "Sit, both of you."

Lafa'la did so immediately with some grumbling and a wince as she tried not to move her arm overmuch, but Nik flinched back at the tone. His pupils dilated in reaction and for a moment he truly looked like he might bolt, but the urge faded out of him - sort of - after a moment and he looked to Kaulu before sinking to the ground, finding that once he was there, his body wasn't going to let him get up again unless it constituted as an emergency.
 
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There they were, there was the aero blue eyes she had become fond of. She watched as he looked down at the arrow sticking out from his side and she realized then that he probably hadn't acknowledged it until that very moment. Well... at least it hadn't gone through his lung. But the arrow was indeed barbed; Kaulu's eyes had caught a glance of an arrow that hadn't quite hit its target, and the barbs were as clear as day.

Nik offered a faint smile anyways, her lips opening but his comment had closed them. He had had worse... but that's what she hated the most.

The other female's voice cut through the atmosphere, the first to speak of the three shocked warriors. Kaulu looked to her and then the other two mails, her expression one of not knowing what to say. But thankfully Aja had realized that it wasn't the right time seeing how two of them were injured and he ordered them to sit. Kaulu looked to Nik, knowing that the stern tone along with the words would probably trigger something, but she kept her hand placed on his hand. She nodded to him when he looked at her and smiled lightly when he sat to the ground, Aja coming round and making the two wounded warriors sit together.

"Now I'm not the greatest healer in the world, but I can do some things for you," he said, speaking and looking directly to Nik as he took a clean dagger from his sheath. He spoke more comfortably around the halfbreed now, having seen how good he was to have around during a fight. "I can't take the pain completely away quite yet, so I'm afraid you'll feel pulling. Uncomfortable pulling at the most." He looked over to Lafa'la but quickly turned back to Nick since she was being tended to by Jahidi. He wasn't a healer, but he knew his way around herbs and could monopolize the bleeding while Aja tended to Nik.
 
Nik had gone rigid the moment the dagger appeared, but he didn't move away and merely nodded wordlessly to Aja, letting him approach, but not liking it. He didn't like it in the least and the first sound of fabric being cut and torn had him jumping and Aja giving him a confused, searching kind of look, wondering what was wrong. When Nik's shirt was gone - it was a good thing he had more - the Chaktawe immediately assumed the tension in the Sidhe might be due to just the thought of the arrow having to come out. After all, he didn't look to have a great deal of scars. Yes, a few here and there, but most of them from a blade.

As he directed Nik to lay down on his stomach - the arrow was in his side, but toward the back - his eyes searched for any evidence of arrow wounds from before and he came to the conclusion that either Sidhe were as good as everyone claimed in their healing - true, but Aja didn't know that - or Nik had never been shot with one. False, but he couldn't know that either. What Aja did know, note, were the faint scar lines across Nik's back and for a moment his hands hovered over with a healer's concern, about to touch.

A glance at Kaulu told him he'd be better off not doing so and the smell of blood told him to get to work. So that's what Aja did, explaining his steps either before or as he did them, noticing that the more he did the latter, the more his patient jerked and started to shake, so he made a conscious effort to start saying thing before he did them.

Nik, for his part, was simply trying not to hyperventilate. He hated being on his stomach, at someone else's mercy even if that person was trying to help him. And the cutting didn't hurt in the traditional sense, but it didn't feel good either and Nik bit back a whimper. That was the last thing he needed to do; gain their respect by fighting the way he did and then lose it just as quickly over something like this. He could hear Cuchulainn's voice in his head, calling him weak and the Sidhe sank his teeth into his forearm, knowing a different type of pain would distracted his mind from his current one. Not healthy, no, but a habit to cope that he'd picked up long ago.
 
Kaulu had watched Jahidi tend to Aja for a short while before standing and looking over to her husband. He was lying on his stomach and Aja had cut the shirt from his torso. She could see Nik's faint scars just as well as Aja but his hands began to hover over them and he glanced up at her. She shook her head firmly in denial. That resulted in the minor healer getting back to what mattered.

As time went on, Kaulu watched with a sense of helplessness. Aja wasn't exactly friends with Nik and that wasn't working for him at all. It was only Nik who was trying his hardest not to freak out or whimper and as soon as she saw him biting his forearm, she sat down in front and to the side of him, her hand reaching out to hold the one that belonged to the arm he was biting. She squeezed it gently, allowing that sort of support again and offering a small smile. Aja glanced to their hands held but said nothing of it and continued his work. There wasn't any shame in needing that sort of help, especially if it was from your wife. After all, he was shot with a barbed arrow which gave way for a nasty wound.
 
Nik opened his eyes immediately at the familiar touch, his gaze snapping to Kaulu's black ones. His body relaxed then, as much as it could considering the circumstance, and his teeth released his arm as he took a shaky breath, but tried to smile back at her, his hand gripping her own tightly, but well aware not to harm her. He rested his cheek against his arm and concentrated on simply breathing, eyes closing again.

This wasn't anything to be scared of. He just had to keep telling himself that, reminding himself that Aja wasn't a Sidhe. There wasn't going to be any sudden pain, he wasn't going to be harmed. Still, he was glad when Aja finally announced he was done, throwing the arrowhead away in disgust and bid Nik to sit up. When the Sidhe did so, he wrapped the white-haired male's torso securely, the wound packed with herbs and a paste to keep out infection and help the injury clot. He was left alone then with Kaulu and Nik ran a hand back through his hair, noting that it was damp and only from the stress he'd gone though, not because of the fight.

His pale eyes moved to her obsidian ones again, but when Nik went to open his mouth, he found Lafa'la speaking again, coming over with the two males as her shoulder was done being tended to. "So what was that? How did you do that?"

Nik looked away and down, silent. He didn't know how to answer that.
 
Kaulu was glad she could help in this way, at least. In a way that Nik didn't have to hurt himself in order to take away some greater pain. Eventually Aja was finished with the arrowhead, throwing the piece of stone away and having the paler man sit up. He packed the wound with herbs and a paste to prevent infection and help the blood clot, and then wrapped his torso securely before leaving the couple alone.

The woman waited for him to say something but Lafa'la was approaching them with the others, asking how Nik had done such a thing when no Sidhe was ever known to hold such powers. Kaulu watched Nik look down and away and she swallowed before looking up at the three others.

"You do not need to know," she answered for Nik. Lafa'la gave a click of disapproval, body shifting in annoyance before Kaulu gave her a sharp look. "It's better for none of us to know," she said as if she also didn't know how her husband had done what he did. "And keep quite about it," her gaze flickered evenly between all three, "or I'll see to it that you do." Of course, she only said this under the impression that Nik didn't want to confide in them. It's not like he could all that easily, either. But it was still completely up to him.
 
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