***Few years earlier***
His eyes opened yet again. He was still in the same house. He had continued to drift in and out of consciousness, but this time he managed to stay awake.
He winced and groaned as he got out of bed. Staggering, he leaned against the wall, his body still aching.
It was quiet. Peaceful.
He should have felt relieved.
Instead, something inside him itched. A low, persistent unease, like standing still while the ground beneath him wanted to move.
It felt unnatural, but he pushed the feeling aside.
He had been here for days—or at least it felt that way. He wasn't certain, but it made sense.
"Meaow."
He heard the sound, followed by the soft creaking of the floorboards, but he saw nothing. At least, not at first.
Then he noticed a pair of small, beady eyes. Fur twitched slightly as the creature became visible, its tails and whiskers flicking idly.
The small animal circled halfway around him before climbing onto a shelf. It curled into a ball and disappeared from sight once again.
The door creaked open.
The woman from before stepped inside, carrying a fresh set of bandages and a bundle of herbs. She wore the same smile as before.
It still looked painstakingly fake.
"You're awake. How do you feel?"
"Like my arms are useless," he replied, still leaning against the wall, his legs trembling.
In truth, Faelan couldn't even see one of his hands beneath the layers of bandages. He could've argued it wasn't there. He could barely feel the other, unable to move a single finger. The bite wounds in his shoulder still throbbed.
"You shouldn't be moving around." The woman set the herbs aside before sitting on the bed. "Come, sit with me."
She patted the mattress beside her.
"Who are you?" Faelan asked.
"My name is Selira. Come now, I need to change your bandages."
Faelan looked down at his body. The bandages were stained with dried red and green blotches.
"Why are you helping me?"
"Because you need it."
He remained skeptical, but he couldn't think of a reason she would want to harm him.
Slowly, he made his way to the bed and sat beside her.
She had blue eyes and looked to be in her early thirties. Her youthful appearance could have easily passed for someone much younger.
She began removing the bandages from his torso.
Each layer she peeled away stung Faelan, making it feel as though his wounds were being reopened.
Selira traced the claw marks across his body. The injuries had stopped bleeding.
"You're lucky. With the amount of blood you were losing every day, I thought you'd be dead by now."
"How long have I been here?"
"About a week. Your wounds were infected," she replied, placing a fresh set of herbs over his torso. "The bones in your hand and shoulder were the worst of it. It'll be a miracle if they ever heal properly."
She finished wrapping the clean bandages around him before pushing her long hair back from her face. It was dark, carrying a faint blue sheen in the light.
"You must be hungry. I'll get you something to eat."
With that, she left the room.
It all still felt surreal to Faelan.
The pain, however, certainly wasn't.
It didn't take long before she returned, carrying a tray.
One plate contained a thick stew with vegetables and chunks of meat, while the other held boiled savates.
Selira dipped the boiled savates into the stew before feeding them to him.
"It's good," Faelan remarked.
"Thank you."
"Are you the only one here?"
"You're here," she replied with a faint smile.
"And I'm sure you've met Niri."
She glanced toward the shelf.
Faelan gave a small nod.
For a moment, he simply ate what she fed him.
"Thank you... for helping me."
"You're welcome. But it won't be easy from here on. Your rehabilitation will probably be an unpleasant experience."
After a few more bites, Faelan gestured for her to stop.
"I don't have much of an appetite."
"Alright, then."
She picked up the tray and turned toward the door.
"We'll start with slow mobility exercises every morning. Nothing too strenuous—just enough to stop your muscles from stiffening. I'll also help you practice walking again, little by little, until your fractures have healed."
With that, she left the room.
The days passed slowly. Painfully.
But they passed.
Each day carried a little less burden than the last.
From Selira's home, Faelan could see the forest stretching into the distance. The lone house stood on an open plain with rolling hills beyond it. Beside the house, Selira tended a small food garden.
His injuries healed steadily.
Walking became less painful, and little by little, feeling returned to his arms.
Days turned into weeks.
Every so often, Selira would leave without saying where she was going, only to return just as quietly.
Faelan paid it no mind.
It was her home after all. Whether she stayed or left was her choice.
As his strength returned, he began taking short walks around the house, stopping often to admire the vast landscape.
There was one rock formation in particular that always caught his attention. He would study it from afar, never wandering too far from the house.
The peaceful days eventually became two peaceful months.
He helped tend the garden, played with Niri, and although his arm still wasn't strong enough to draw water from the well, he did what he could around the house, even helping prepare meals.
"This is your best yet," Selira said after taking a bite of the bean porridge Faelan had made.
"Thanks," he replied, serving himself a bowl.
They ate together, and Faelan even set out a bowl for Niri.
"I've never seen someone recover this quickly before. I must have done a pretty good job," Selira remarked, the same smile etched across her face.
"You did," Faelan replied with a small chuckle.
His expression dimmed almost immediately.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-yes. I'm fine."
"Alright. If anything's wrong, don't hesitate to tell me."
"I know..."
He hesitated for a moment.
"Have you gotten a close look at that strange rock formation outside?"
"It's best if you don't go near it."
"Is there a particular reason why?"
"No."
She shook her head.
"It's just better if you don't."
"Sure."
After they finished eating, Selira stepped outside as she usually did.
Faelan sat on the verandah, Niri curled up in his lap as the grass swayed gently in the wind.
Not an animal in sight.
Not so much as a rodent, Faelan thought.
He looked down at Niri, who purred contently in his lap.
But you're here, though.
Does she usually leave you alone on days like this?
The rock formation caught his eye once again.
He watched it for a while but made no move toward it.
Instead, he remained seated, letting the calm wash over him.
Three months had passed since he awoke in Selira's home.
His injuries had become little more than fading scars.
It had begun to feel like home.
A place where he could simply...
live.
At least, that's how it felt.
It was around then that the nightmares began.
At first, they were gentle.
Laughter.
Shared meals.
Familiar voices calling his name.
But they always twisted.
Silence where voices should have been.
Shadows standing where people once were.
More than once, he woke gasping, fingers digging into the bedding as his heart hammered against his ribs.
During the day, he smiled.
He helped where he could.
He listened.
But inside...
something gnawed at him.
Do I deserve this?
The calm.
The safety.
The warmth of a place that asked nothing of him.
They hadn't gotten it.
His family hadn't rested.
His village hadn't healed.
They didn't get second chances.
They didn't get quiet mornings.
They didn't get time to recover.
So why could he?
Why...
Why should I?
***
Selira disappeared more frequently now.
Or perhaps more quietly.
Faelan never saw much reason to ask.
She often returned carrying animals she'd hunted for food.
But lately it had become too frequent.
She was leaving every day.
Now it was dark...
and she still hadn't returned.
He ate dinner with Niri beside him.
Ignoring the people he thought he saw standing behind him—
their stomachs torn open,
unable to eat.