Chapter 13

Felek groggily sat up, the smell of breakfast filling his nose.

Or, rather, he tried to sit up. Something was on his chest. Not something heavy, or really restraining, but it was just enough to require more effort than he was willing to put into moving at that moment. He opened his eyes. Branches, leaves, a lightening but still dark sky. He'd have to lift his head to find out the problem.

God, he really didn't want to move.

"Morning." Anelie's voice helped cut through his fog. Rolling his head to the left a bit, he saw her leaning against a tree, mug in hand. Her bedroll was already tied up, ready to be tied to her saddle. Klocia was beside her, the two obviously in the middle of some conversation. Both were sort of smirking at him. Why... ?

A groan came from his right. Ah. He knew that groan. With greater effort, he formed himself up into a sitting position, hands moving to grab the feminine arm thrown over his chest. He placed it beside the sleeping form of Ruta. This was not the first time he had found her beside him, despite her having bedded down over near the other women. She must have come over late, for him not to have noticed earlier. Chuckling, Felek found the energy to disengage completely, standing.

"And good morning to you two, ladies," he said to the two soldiers. Klocia moved to a kettle beside the fire. Staying out of Jaromira's way as the woman stirred a large pot of porridge, she filled a mug with hot coffee. Felek accepted the drink gratefully. "Thank you."

"I want to get an early start," Anelie told him. "We've lost too much time."

"An actual destination would be nice." Felek took a sip. It was more warm than hot. "Maybe now that we have an actual representative of our patron Saint." He looked up in the tree. The bird was still there. "Shit. Has it moved at all?"

"Only enough to prove it's alive."

Ruta sat up with a groan, blonde braid looking more like a twisted mess.

"Morning."

"Any dreams from our friend Zywie?" Felek asked. She shook her head, blinking.

"No. Not that I still remember." She looked up into the tree. "Hello, Zywie. Good morning to you."

The bird didn't answer. Felek didn't know what he would have done if it had.

"Mom?"

There was something in James' voice which caught Felek's attention. His eyes found the boy, nude, standing next to his sister. She, too, looked worried. Zuza was grabbing his right hand with both of hers, as if she could pour all her strength into him, or hold him back from whatever fate awaited. Adanya rose from the cooking fire, swiftly coming to his aid.

"What's the matter, Baby?" She knelt down on one knee before him, eyes level with his.

"I hurt."

Felek found himself walking over, feet moving quickly. Both Anelie and Ruta were with him.

"Where do you hurt?" Adanya ran her hands over her son's flat chest. He grabbed them, moving her hands between his ribs.

"Inside."

Panic flashed across her face, quickly replaced by motherly calm. She smiled.

"It's going to be OK. It's good you told me. We'll make you better. Zuza, could you get the basket, Honey?" Her daughter was off instantly, bare feet ignoring the rocks and twigs as she went to the wagon. Anelie knelt down beside them.

"Can I do anything?"

"Do you know where Bogdi is?" There was worry in Adanya's voice.

"He'll be back in a few minutes. I think he wanted to check to see if one of the plants you might need grew down by the stream before we moved on."

"Ah, yes. We don't need that one now, but..."

Zuza was back, basket in hand. Standing beside her brother, shoulder touching his, she handed it to her mother.

"Can I do anything else? Anything?"

"Not now, Honey." Adanya set the basket on the ground, opening the lid. Anelie reached out, touching the young girl.

"Give your brother a hug."

She did so. Felek felt a twinge of ... wrongness at the sight, the two children embracing while nude. He shoved it aside. His Grace had taught him better than that. These were children. More, they were half Kikker, and their mother's people did not feel about nudity as the Polish did. There was nothing immoral, nor sexual. Did he not want these surviving siblings to comfort each other?Embarrassment at his own stupidity flowed through him. Felek cleared his throat, hoping no one noticed.

"What do you need, Adanya? Should we head into the city?"

"I need..." She rooted through the various packets of flowers and leaves. She pulled one out, considering. Carefully written words labeled the white cloth packet.

Felek saw fluttering movement from the corner of his eye.

The blue bird fluttered down from its branch, the black of its under-wings mixing with the brownish orange of their tops in a strange blur. It flew past him, Felek reflexively stepping to his left.

Adanya sat back, startled, as the bird landed gently on the edge of the basket. It looked between her and her son, black eyes regarding the pair. James wet his large lips, face uncertain.

"M-mom?"

The bird fixed its gaze on him. Its head cocked, dark blue beak opening and closing. The boy cocked his own head, as if to keep their eyes locked. Felek saw his face calm.

"Zywie?" Adanya's voice was soft. Almost pleading. The blue bird turned its head to her. "Please. Help him. Help both of them." Its head cocked again.

With a hop, the bird dropped into the basket. Felek stepped closer, as did Ruta and Anelie. A moment later it jumped up, wings extending briefly as it hovered before landing once again on the basket edge. In its mouth, a purple flower.

"Really?" Adanya frowned.

"What is it?" Anelie asked. Adanya shook her head.

"It helps you breathe. Opens the lungs ... oh!" Her eyes widened. "Oh! Of course! I never would have thought of that!" She slowly extended her hand towards the bird, palm up. The small flower dropped onto her fingers. "Thank you, Zywie." She bowed. The bird bowed back. "Zuza, bring James a cup of water."

The girl leapt into action. Ruta dropped down onto one knee beside Adanya.

"Thank you, Zywie."

Its head cocked, regarding her. It then seemed to look over at Ofure near the fire. Its gaze swung between the two girls.

"Mom! Here!" Zuza slid to a stop beside her brother, holding a cup. Adanya stood, smiling.

"Thank you, Zuza. Hold it out." Adanya crumbled the dried flower into the cup. "James, drink this down. All of it."

"Yes, Mom." Zuza had the cup at his lips before he could even get his hands on it. "Thanks." Letting her do the work, he closed his eyes as Zuza slowly tipped the cup, its contents flowing into him.

"Will he need anything else?" Adanya asked their benefactor. "I mean, right now? Is he well enough to travel?"

With a flap of its wings, the bird leapt into the sky. Felek's eyes followed it. It landed on a branch at the northern edge of their camp, the tree sitting beside a stretch of flat ground heading north. Anelie let out a groan.

"So much for our nice, flat road."

The bird had settled itself on top of the second wagon, yellow talons digging into the wooden support arching over the now uncovered cargo section. Anelie found herself constantly glancing back.

A bird. A bird-god. Or, perhaps, a God-Bird. She wasn't worshiping a bird. No. No way. That was silly.

She looked away. Whatever the hell their feathered friend was, thinking bad thoughts about it probably wasn't a good idea. They needed its help. Needed this Zywie's help. Her eyes looked back. James was sitting under the bird, looking up, his sister behind him. Her arms were wrapped around the boy as he leaned back against her. The bird had picked out medicine. Had set them on this path.