Still Partners

The battle took most of the night and Demi and I walked the majority of the day. We stopped for a break once and Demi handed me some jerky. I have no idea where we're headed but I also had some stuff on my mind. Today I almost died a meaningless death to compliment my meaningless existence. The only person in this world that I'm connected to is in some unknown place. Would she even know if I died? Maybe she's forgotten me. Or maybe she agreed with her mother, that a stepsibling like me was nothing but a nuisance. Maybe I was too blinded by childish love to notice. A sense of loneliness engulfed me.

When the sun finally started to set and my legs felt like they would fall off, Demi stopped by a large rock formation and setup a fire. There was a stream a little ways in the distance. My throat felt like a desert so I grabbed our canteens to fill. I plunged my face into the water and started drinking with vigor. Ahhhh that's better. I'm alive again! As I stared at the river I decided that dignity was above my paygrade. Why not do what I want? I set the filled canteens aside and ran into the water, clothes and all. I smiled. Nothing like a bath to wash away the grime and dirty feelings. I looked up to see Demi staring at me, dumbfounded.

"Cleanliness is next to godliness, or at least that's what the nuns at the orphanage would say."

Demi paused for a second and then submerged himself in the river too. I was happily playing in the water when Demi finally broke his silence.

"Are you also angry?"

I could feign ignorance and ask him what he's talking about but it's been a long couple of days and I don't have that type of patience.

"Well, more like surprised. I think the only reason you used your aura is because I almost died. Had that not been the case you would have suggested we back off and come up with different strategies, right?"

"...right." haaaaaah

Wow, that was a sigh from deep within his bones.

"I don't take your lives lightly. It's just that, if anyone other than me faces a mutant like that then people need to know how to deal with it. Otherwise the amount of casualties will revert back to what they were like at the beginning."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me."

"But I don't want you to misunderstand. I would like it if we could remain partners."

Well it would certainly be beneficial for me to remain his partner. But after this ordeal my desire to find my only family has resurfaced to the front of my mind. I need answers. Why didn't she come back for me? Was I really abandoned? I expected as much from my stepmom but I always loved and followed Tali like she was my real big sister. Even if it's risky, even if I get hurt, I want to find her. If I keep waiting, one or both of us might die before ever meeting again.

"Demi, I have no qualms being your partner but I'm planning to travel. I was separated from my sister years ago and I'm afraid if I keep waiting for the current situation to stabilize it will be too late. If I move around, I can hunt and search for her. I think that would be better for my situation than staying at my current village hoping to get lucky."

After a moment of silence Demi hesitantly looked into my eyes,
"Then...could I come with you? I became a hunter because I was fascinated by your attachment to life. After being surrounded by constant death it was like seeing a spark of light in my dark world. I've forgotten what it's like to feel human. At times I feel as though I'm closer to being like the tainted than like a regular human being. I don't want to lose myself completely...so please let me stay with you."

I can feel my heart fluttering. It's a foul for such a handsome man to display such vulnerability. He could ask for anything in this moment and I would agree!

"Well there's no loss for me if you come along. Perhaps you'll find something worth living for along the way. I hope you do." Sincerely.

Demi nodded and gave me a small smile. I smiled back. We decided to check in at the next village and leave a message with our guild. We needed to let everyone know about this new type of tainted and what we learned from fighting it. Hunters typically settle in one area but Demi said he could pull rank if he really needed to. So it was decided; we would travel together, hunt the tainted and search for my sister.