"Hmm hm hmm hm hm hm hmmm hmm."

  I awoke to sweet humming, I was in the high priestesses yurt, looking at who was humming I found Layla wiping healing potion onto scratches and cuts on my body.

  Everything ached, so I lowered my head back down.

  "Uhhhhh...Is.. Roxie..."

  "Roxie is OK. Actually no villager is dead. Three needed reviving but everyone is OK. Thanks to you and Juniper, mum had enough magic left to help heal some too."

  "Juniper?" I was surprised to hear her name.

  "She's the best healer— no offence Harvey! She's a spirit druid."

  "Cool... never met a spirit druid."

  Spirit druid is a special class of druid, said to be able to harness the purest healing magic. Unlike elemental druids, spirit druids harness emotions and will power. They could also be called human druids, because it's from people they gain strength, not animals, not plants, not elements— people, and the human experience.

  As corny as it sounds, they don't even gain XP from combat, unless it's new to them. They gain XP from human experiences. Travel, making friends and hearing stories. Extremely rare, I'd only heard of them.

  . . .

  I'd been allowed one more night, It was too late by the time I woke up. Plus I was forced to attend the party the village organised.

  "Eat and leave."

  I couldn't find any malice toward Lis. Having lent in and quickly whispered in my ear, she smiled and puts breakfast down in front of me. I honestly couldn't blame her. I was actually a middle aged assassin, of course she doesn't want me anywhere near her family.

  However, the reminder was a mute point, we'd already agreed to the plan.

  I ate breakfast and started laying the foundations, mentioning I needed new gear especially since my class upgrade to field medic. I talked about being curious to see what Audovald and Isabelle were up to.

  A pang hit my heart, of course I couldn't see them again. I'd leave Layla here, and disappear. She'd find them and hopefully they wouldn't look too hard for me. I wondered if I should leave a vague note at the adventurers guild for them.

  Lis aided me in persuading Layla to stay at the village longer after I left "in a day or two". Strangely, so did Lobo. I knew Lis hadn't told him everything, however something had shifted between us; He'd been jovial, and had again insisted on me marrying his daughter during the celebration. An earnest plea from his wife was the likeliest culprit for the sudden change in attitude.

  Layla was persuaded. Roxie kept glancing at me and got up first from breakfast.

  I waved while walking out of Layla's yurt, saying I was going for a stroll. Layla had not finished her breakfast, I didn't give her a chance to offer to come with me. I headed to the high priestess's yurt where my pack was, explained away by Lis as her taking a liking to me, and simply "A healer can stay in my personal yurt!".

  The night before I'd told them I couldn't sleep, and went to use Lis's setup to make more healing potions, only to end up falling asleep on a cushion.

  Oh the web I weaved...

  After grabbing my gear I was to return to Layla and catch her by surprise. She wouldn't have an opportunity to prepare herself and try to come with me. That was the plan... I could let her walk me out of the village maybe.

  "Could you come see me after you've seen Roxie please, I have a proposition."

  The way the morning light illuminated Juniper, I was in half a mind to tackle her into the yurt she was standing in front of. Roxie?

  "Roxie?"

  "Hm, she's inside. Don't forget Priestess Ilves-Farkas would freeze you to death and smash you into pieces if you did anything, not to mention I'd be jealous Hmhm. I'm in the yurt over there, with the dried flower wreath over the door."

  I found the yurt and turned back to see Juniper fast walking away, leaving me wondering what the flip was going on.

  Entering the yurt I'm greeted by Roxie, under the two other wolf hides. She was on her side supporting her head up and was caressing her own thigh.

  "Hey Harvey... I wanted to thank you for saving me..."

  Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

  Trying to be seductive, she made doe eyes at me, and tried to beckon as though in slow motion.

  "No thanks. I need those hides back, they're for my friends."

  She scowled at my rejection and goofy smile. I walked past to gather up my stuff.

  "But these would be better as gifts to my father, for my hand in marriage— You're not marrying Layla— So marry me!"

  "Nah, I hardly know you, marry you— you seem crazy haha!"

  I whipped off the wolf pelt over her legs, the one over her torso was large enough to still hide her private areas. She tried to grab for it, but failed. She had strong legs; overall her physique was not exactly to my liking, muscles too aggressively defined, slender with only subtle curves, hardly any body fat.

  "You don't like me?"

  Her eyes were starting to well up. I looked about while stuffing the first retrieved wold hide into my pack, I spotted her clothes.

  "You're not exactly my type, but if circumstances were different I'd accept an invitation to a date, try to get to know you. But this is too much! Way too weird— I'm a friend of your sisters for crying out loud! Trying to bed me without so much as a conversation..."

  I shook my head. It was mostly true, though honestly in different circumstances, I'd likely have respected her for being so forward, and jumped under the covers.

  I threw her clothes down next to her, only for her to slap them away.

  "I... I know you were holding back... I know you aren't as clumsy as you want people to think— I saw you in battle yesterday! We match, I know we do!"

  "SO!"

  Change of tactic, I showed a little anger.

  "I have a fucked up past! You don't get to force the story out me! I can kill— that turn you on!? That's fucking sick! I didn't get hard seeing you cut a leg off... You want to know the closest I've come to liking you?"

  I allowed a pause, she looked confused, then went to say something, I cut her off.

  "A couple day ago! After you beat me and some boys up, before those fucking raiders came...

  Some younger children came up to you. You squatted down to their level and started giving advice. Then showed them moves and dragged me into helping you demonstrate. Those children were happy and learning from you—"

  "YOU HEALED ME! You saved me and helped my family! And Layla has told me how kind and patient you are!"

  Uh oh, I could hear humming and skipping approaching from outside, Layla was looking for me and had obviously come toward the screaming match... Maybe this could work...

  "Layla, that you?!"

  "Harvey?"

  Roxie tilted her head, mouth fell open, wondering what I was doing. Layla entered the yurt, immediately froze.

  "Your sister is trying to seduce me, I've rejected her and would like my wolf hide back. I'd grab it off her but...

  Could you talk to her please? I need to talk to someone and think about this awkward situation I'm now in. I'll meet you at your yurt in a quarter hour OK?"

  "Um OK— Erm—"

  "Great thank you." I gave her a brief hug and whispered, "Don't hurt her, let her steal the darn hide if need be."

  I slung my pack over one shoulder, and ducked out the yurt as fast as humanly possible. I heard a cat start loudly growl/meowing as I walked away.

  . . .

  I sat down at the foot of Juniper's bed, angling myself toward her. We seemed to be in a yurt for young women, it smelt nicer than the lad's one.

  "So... I want to hear your story, you're real interesting! Here's what I propose. We walk out of here together, to the next town. A room in the inn is on me, you tell me everything. Every dark detail...

  I offer two teachable skills, one you might've heard of, and one I bet you haven't... plus... well... you know... we'd have fun at the inn too— Oh and I bet you know how to do a blood oath right? I totally want to try that, plus you wouldn't have to worry about me telling anyone anything! What do you think?"

  There was a lot to unpack, I took a moment to just stare into her eager eyes.

  "We go our separate ways the next morning." She added.

  "Wait, what about a blood oath? You know it's dark magic and literally kills you if you try to break it? It's not some fun experience..."

  "But it's extra safety for you... plus probably the only dark magic I could experience that could never harm me— Because I'm not going to tell anyone! Anything— I swear!"

  "I don't know about the blood oath... But sure, I reckon I can trust you, and since I hope you've never met anyone like me, should net you some XP, spirit druid."

  My smile faltered as Juniper suddenly scowled and shook her head.

  "I was curious and wanted to help people before this class... I want to help you. Talking about what you've been through is a form of healing... let me try to heal you— Don't you dare think it's for XP!"

  Juniper choked back sobs. My breath caught and I swallowed, unsure of what to do or say. I wiped Juniper's cheeks with my sleeve. I didn't deserve this sweet young woman's attention...

  "I see you're ready, meet me at the entrance of the village, hopefully in... ten minutes?"

  A light pack for a couple days' travel is by the bed. She's nodded her agreement while pushing my sleeve away to wipe her tears away herself.

  "Oh and the night before last, when we... I wanted to say thank you and... sorry about the crying— It wasn't what we did! It was what I had done and— Sorry! I... ha...Hahahaha— Ahem. Sorry."

  Juniper had looked at me grinning, making me feel so stupid in that moment, we ended up holding each other laughing.

  . . .

  I hugged Layla, jokingly picking her up and squeezing her tight as she giggled. She didn't know I was doing it because it was the last time I'd see her.

  Roxie had made it too awkward for me to stay any longer. She had bought it, no problem. Of course she had tried to tell me to wait, she'd come with me, I had declined every offer with a smile.

  Layla was sad, hurt and confused. With her parents telling her to stay too, she succumbed and let me leave alone.

  There was an enemy camp to dismantle, a ditch to dig for the bodies, and alterations to people's homes to undo. She'd be kept so busy, she'd hopefully forget about me.

  Lis ordered Layla to go treat some scratches to her face— Layla had got my pelt back. Lis then followed me to the village entrance. Not sure how, but she knew about Juniper.

  After some heated whispering, Lis hugged Juniper and headed back to her yurt. We set off for the nearest town.