"Speech"

She was dragged ever closer, and though initially she squirmed slightly, she soon relaxed and simply gave in, allowing herself to be held tightly, as strange and uncomfortable as it felt. But it was also... comforting. Yeah. As she felt his soft fur against hers and his forelegs gripping her tightly, she realized she'd rather be nowhere else.

She wouldn't rather be watching over them. She wouldn't rather be saving the world from the plague of demons that haunted it. No. She'd rather be here. She'd rather this moment last forever. She never wanted this to end... Her eye cracked open slightly as she heard his voice, torn apart by his grating throat. "I'll protect you," she repeated, this time directly into his ear, her warm breaths tickling the fur just slightly. "And I'll never leave, not ever. Not after this..."

She wasn't sure whether he could hear her or not by this point, and that made anger rise with the helplessness in her chest. Her heart pounded frantically, but she kept her breaths calm and didn't let it sneak into her voice. She couldn't let it break out here. Anywhere but here. The otter curled her hind legs into her belly, and wrapped her muscular tail around Kimen in what she hoped was a comforting way.

And then she heard his words. Everything froze. Her heart kept pounding, missing beats. And the blood drained from everywhere it was needed. "You... huh...?" She strained to understand. To figure it out, to reply. But her stoic and stubborn nature got in the way. For a moment she stayed there, her mouth opening and closing nervously. She'd begun to tremble slightly, and lowered herself. "I... I... I..." The words died in her throat, so instead she carefully she nuzzled her head into his neck. Her small paws entangled in his thick fur.

"I lo-... I'll always be there for you." she stuttered finally, embarrassed heat radiating from her in waves and soft tremors. But inwardly, she couldn't understand it.

Why did the words just refuse to come out?

"Speech"

Eira didn't know what to do. Her chest ached, powerful feelings pushing it almost to bursting, yet she fought with all she could to keep it contained. Why? Not even she could find the answer. Not even a hero. Yet still she fought. Those feelings fought back. One side of her wanted to speak, the other tried to pass it off as weakness.

And thus, both sides ended up losing.

Eira breathed out a sigh, leaving her inner turmoil left unspoken as she curled her battered, slender body close into Kimen. It didn't matter now. nothing mattered now. In this very moment, the world belonged to them and them alone. She understood now that he couldn't hear her, and that was a relief. saved her the embarrassment of failing to say even three simple words.

But the shame was there all the same.

Curled over his belly, her face buried in the thick fur on his neck, Eira was finally succumbing. Exhaustion and agony was rife, even as she struggled to stay vigilant and to protect them; to protect him.

One of her eye sockets was hollow now, the lids closed over emptiness. She was covered in scratches and bruises; her blood oozed out onto his fur. The lid over her remaining eye drooped. She opened her mouth, briefly, trying to say, please, keep me awake...

...Nothing emerged but a choked sigh.

She might have seemed to grow heavier in Kimen's arms, or drooped like a damp piece of string. She might have seemed cold, dead to all the world. But soft breaths fell even, stirring the fur around her muzzle.

The world around her slowly faded into white.

-Exit Eira-