Pain has always been a part of my life. Physical or emotional, I honestly can't say which is worse. But the worst pain is seeing someone suffer when I know I can help. I am no saint, I have turned a blind eye to many others' pain. But each time my heart is crushed by a strange weight. That pain tore me up for longer than any other type.
Now I just try to avoid people at all costs. If I don't see others suffering then I'm not ignoring it. Ignorance is bliss as they say. I live in a small cave in a mysterious forest on the outskirts of some capital of some country.
The forest is not actually all that mysterious, but that reputation works to my advantage. Occasionally I will even play harmless tricks on the few brave souls who wander in. They usually end up running away completely terrified. It honestly is pretty entertaining to watch very intimidating hunters lose all composure in the face of the unknown.
Today I woke up with a craving for meat. The thought of hunting down a poor cute bunny to eat was enough to switch my hunger to fish. I may hate people, but animals are a different story. I am aware that fish are also animals but they’re a lot less cute I reason to myself. I gather the necessary supplies and set out for a nearby river in the depths of the forest. When I arrive I hardly have time to set down my things when I hear a distressed neigh from downstream. I cautiously approach making sure to keep hidden in the foliage framing the river.
As I draw near I see a bear and a horse facing each other. The horse is dirty but looks well taken care of and has a saddle and bags. Blood stains his white coat, the contrast striking. The wound- a deep cut running diagonally across his leg, was causing him to be frantic. Who does the horse belong to? Are they near? The questions flood my mind but I push them aside for the moment and shift my attention to the bear. It swats at the ground and huffs. Thankfully it does not seem to be too agitated- yet. I just might be able to scare it off.
With a deep sigh and a muttered curse I emerge from my hiding spot and start yelling loudly and waving my arms above my head. Praise the gods the noise is enough to cause both creatures to flee in opposite directions. After a quiet moment, I turned to the horse. The animal, I think I'll call him Max, had made it into the cover of the trees. His reins caught on the twisted branches stopping him in his tracks. I cautiously approach making no sudden movements. I am only able to pet his tangled coat once before Max rears up, warning me to back off.
But all it takes is that single touch for the pain to immediately begin in my leg. I stumble slightly, steadying myself using a nearby tree trunk. While I focus on breathing deeply, I watch Max out of the corner of my eye. With the pain gone from his leg he slowly begins to calm down. After a few moments, I approach him a second time. As I draw near, Max lets me come right up to him and untangle the reins from the branches. He nudges me with his muzzle almost as if he realizes that I am the one who took his pain away. He then walks calmly to the riverbank and starts to drink the fresh water.
Relieved the situation is dealt with, I collapse to the ground and take another several deep breaths before pulling up the fabric of my pant leg and examining the new injury. A deep sigh escapes my lips. Taking into account how deep the wound is, it's going to take a long time to heal. It will definitely leave a nasty scar as well. I chuckle slightly ; oh well, what's one more?
Years of no interaction with people has dulled my senses and I do not sense her presence until she is right in front of me. Or perhaps it is the fact that she bears no hostility. I am excellent at sensing any form of hostility or ill intent even if I cannot see it. But somehow this person snuck up on me. Interesting.
“Are you alright? “The question startles me and I quickly cover my leg. The sound of her voice shakes me more than I like to admit. I haven't heard anyone speak to me in a very long time. And no one has EVER asked if I was ok or worried for me. But this stranger immediately expressed concern for me despite never having met me before.
I glance up and met her gaze. Her eyes are surprisingly sincere, causing a blush to begin creeping up my neck. I grew to be able to discern people's true intentions when they look at me during the darker parts of my past. I am quite confident in my abilities.But the way this person looks at me… It is unlike any other. I try to decipher what I see in her eyes but all I can discern is concern. For me? How odd…
She chuckles. A musical sound that sends my heart beating a bit faster, “I've never seen someone look so stumped before.” She looks me up and down, then glances at Max munching on grass nearby. “ You seem to be alright for the moment.” she decides.
I watch her curiously as she walks away and begins tending to Max. Ahh, things begin to make sense. The horse is hers. Of course. Could it be that I am flustered? Impossible. However, I usually would have never taken so long to grasp the situation. Something about this woman affects me in an unfamiliar way. I should definitely keep my guard up.
( The prompt is not mine!!! I did write the story though. Let me know what you think! Please be nice; I'm sensitive and will cry haha)